David followed Abner down the hill. Soldiers were milling around and some started following them, inquisitive to see what was going on. David called to Abner, "Shouldn't these men be forming battle lines?"
Abner stopped, turning his to David, muttered sourly, "You haven't killed Goliath yet, and already you want to take over my position."
David caught up with Abner, and in a serious tone, said, "When I described my vision to King Saul yesterday, I neglected to say how I saw your men chasing after the Philistines, slaying them as they ran. I seek not your position, Commander, but I'd be prepared if I were you.
They continued down to the foot of the hill. Goliath, standing across the valley, was delivering his usual belligerent speech. Abner took a few more paces to within earshot of the giant, and held up his hand. Goliath fell silent. Abner shouted across the valley. "Our King has accepted your challenge." and pointing to David, continued, "Here is our champion"
With that said Abner spun round and started up the hill, as he passed David he muttered, " He's all yours, Slinger!"
David moved forward, heading to the stream that flowed in the middle of the valley. He needed to pick out the perfect stone for the job that lay ahead. He knew, as a master slinger, that even the shape of the stone could influence the trajectory in flight.
As he walked, he smiled to himself, as he heard Abner shouting orders to his men, behind him. "What are you standing about for, you bunch of lazy lizards! Get yourselves into battle formations, NOW! " It seemed the Commander had more faith than his King.
Goliath, after a moment of stunned silence, realising that the champion he was facing was a mere boy, furiously shouted, more to Abner's receding back, than to David.
"What treachery is this, is this your plan to make me the laughing stock of my fellow men of war. Will you accuse me of murder when I slice off the head of a child. Looking at David, Goliath continued, "Oh woe is me, I am a dog, they have come to beat me with sticks!"
David paid little heed to Goliath's ranting and raving. Arriving at the stream, he scratched around in the mud, looking for a stone that met with his approval. Once he found it, he picked up four more stones. This David did in obedience to what Yahweh had told him in his vision. Five stones representing the fifth letter of the Hebrew alphabet, the letter hei.
Hei represents thought, words and action. In the beginning God's breath, His word created the earth out of nothing. Yahweh spoke and created life in the old, barren womb of Sarah, Abraham's wife. Changing their names by adding the H (hei) so generations to come would know that Yahweh was a God of miracles. Today the 5 stones would remind generations to come that Yahweh would not allow His name to be defiled without taking action.
For forty days the Philistine champion had not only delivered his challenge but he had broken the Israelite spirit. It was time that Goliath had a dose of his own medicine. A warrior since he could hold a spear, Goliath had always entered any battle completely focused, thinking of nothing else except annihilating the enemy.
The attack on his frame of mind had already begun:
When the giant first saw David, he mocked his youth, but deep down he remembered a time when he was young, virile and sought after by every fighting nation. Today, after many years of neglect, overindulging and lack of personal hygiene, he felt his age. Thinking about it, he cursed time for passing so quickly.
Yahweh wasn't finished with him yet. Besides David's youthfulness, Goliath saw a very handsome young man with smooth tanned skin standing in front of him. Oh, how he despised this young Israelite. Again, the giant thought back to when the pretty maidens flocked to his side, attracted not only by his size and muscular build, but Goliath had been good looking in his earlier years. The many battles he had fought though, had left his body and face, covered in scars, his nose, slightly askew, had been broken more times than he cared to remember. His puffy skin, rosie coloured nose and bloodshot eyes bore evidence to having consumed far too much fruit of the vine!
David decided that the time had come. The early morning breeze had died away, so he wouldn't have to compensate for any wind interference. He untied his sling from his belt and pulled the chosen stone from his satchel. He looked one last time at the Philistine champion deciding what the last words this mountain of a man, this enemy of Israel, would hear. Suddenly, not believing his eyes, he realised that the very target for his projectile was not visible. Goliath's helmet, unlike the other Philistine's helmets, had a broad plate stretching from the centre of the helmet to the end of his nose. This was a major setback, where would David aim for now? David closed his eyes and prayed, " My Heavenly Father, the one and only living God, You have given me the victory, Goliath will fall. Please help me to choose the right spot where my stone will fall. I had chosen to hit Goliath on the forehead, between his eyes, but that area is protected. I beseech you O Father God make a way open for me. Thy will be done!"
Little did David know that Yahweh had taken care of this problem, starting some months before.
Fighting many times as a mercenary, had afforded Goliath with the financial means to spoil himself every now and then. So when he had enough saved up, he had ordered himself a suit of armour from Greece. The Grecian armour- makers were some of the best craftsmen in the world at that time. So it was that Goliath's helmet provided protection not only for his head, but for his forehead and nose as well.
For some months now, Goliath had been troubled with a skin irratation. All around his head where the helmet fitted, his skin would break out in a rash that became so itchy that it was quite painful and extremely worrisome. The rash was caused by sweat forming between the helmet and skin.
On this day, because the rash was particularly bad, and the fact that he was only facing an enemy with a staff and not a spear or sword, Goliath, not being able to stand the discomfort any longer, yanked his helmet off his head and threw it to one side. Goliath sighed deeply, glad of the instant relief.
David, watching Goliath approach, and then suddenly discard his helmet, remembered the prayer he prayed, only moments earlier. Looking up to Heaven, he uttered his thankfulness. "Thank you Lord, You hear my prayer, Your answer comes quicker than the flight of an eagle. Be with me now, make my aim sure and true"
