Who Are You?

 DEVOTION

1^ST SAMUEL

WHO ARE YOU?

1 Samuel 17:51-58

When the Philistines saw that their hero was dead, they turned and ran. 52 Then the men of Israel and Judah surged forward with a shout and pursued the Philistines to the entrance of Gath and to the gates of Ekron. Their dead were strewn along the Shaaraim road to Gath and Ekron. 53 When the Israelites returned from chasing the Philistines, they plundered their camp. 54 David took the Philistine's head and brought it to Jerusalem, and he put the Philistine's weapons in his own tent. 55 As Saul watched David going out to meet the Philistine, he said to Abner, commander of the army, "Abner, whose son is that young man?" Abner replied, "As surely as you live, O king, I don't know." 56 The king said, "Find out whose son this young man is." 57 As soon as David returned from killing the Philistine, Abner took him and brought him before Saul, with David still holding the Philistine's head. 58 "Whose son are you, young man?" Saul asked him. David said, "I am the son of your servant Jesse of Bethlehem."

NIV

This is the end of this story about David and Goliath, but this is only the beginning of the story of David. After seeing this youth, although we are not certain of David’s age at this time in his life, slay this giant of a man, Goliath, with one sling and one stone, Saul wanted to know who David's father was. Of course, we first have the whole of Israel rushing forward against the Philistines, defeating them, chasing them, killing many along the roads, and then plundering their camp. We do wonder why Saul did not know who David’s father was, as David was already in the service of Saul. We know that David played music for Saul whenever he was tormented by an evil spirit and was comforted. We know he sent a message to David’s father asking if David could remain in his service. So then why did he ask who David’s father was? Strangely, the scholars of old are challenged by these verses. After examining some of the original texts, the Vatican and Alexandrian Codices, they believe much of the story in the previous verse was interpolated, added, or inserted later for clarification. Yet, they are in the scripture, and we have to believe God has ordained them to be there just as they are. When we question the authenticity, we lose truth, saying that we know better, our educational examinations prove our theories are greater than God's authority over keeping the story perfectly as it happened, for God was there the whole time, and those scholars were not. Hence, we take the word of God at its present state as perfect and correct by faith. Nevertheless, any giant we face in our world, whatever it is, has been defeated and lies dead at our feet, and we can cut its head off. The truth still remains that the LORD was upon David, and the Lord has sent us the Spirit to be upon, or within us, with the power to behead any giant, any adversity that comes against us. And, when something comes against us, tainting us, challenging us, even our faith, we can stand firm, take our stand, stand our ground, and swing our sword, the word of God, and strike that adversity to the ground and cut its head off. If someone asks who are father is, the answer is simple: we are the son or daughter of the Living God. Our Father is the Lord Almighty, the creator of heaven and earth, the master of everything that is and will forever be. So when they ask, “Who are you?” we answer, “I am the son of the Living God”.