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David vs. Eliab
Victoria Boyson
www.boyson.org
As David went to the battlefield to see how he could help his brothers, he was appalled at Goliath's
words against his people; he wanted to do something about it. But before David could fight against the giant, he had to overcome the accusations of his own brother Eliab.
"When Eliab, David's oldest
brother, heard him speaking with the men, he burned with anger at him and asked, 'Why have you come down here? And with whom did you leave those few sheep in the desert? I know how conceited you are and how wicked your
heart is; you came down only to watch the battle.'
" 'Now what have I done?' said David. 'Can't I even speak?' He then turned away to someone else and brought up the same matter" (1 Samuel
17:28-30).
When I read the title of this chapter to my son Cole, he very kindly informed me that I was incorrect. "No, Mom," he said, "it's David and Goliath!" We have all read or heard about
the story of David killing the giant Goliath, but shortly before he killed the giant, his brother attacked him verbally. And before David could face off with Goliath, he had to overcome the heated accusation of his oldest
brother Eliab.
David trusted in God's power, but his brother did not. Eliab thought the doubts he had about David's character were really wisdom. He misunderstood the accusations in his heart toward David to
be a gift of discernment into his brother's life. He thought he understood his youngest brother. He had known David his whole life; he had probably helped to raise him, but could not see David's heart for what it
was.
Eliab misinterpreted David's confidence in God to be arrogance and conceit. He thought David was just "talking big" for the boys, and it angered him. He had lived with David his whole life and just
saw a little brother who was only good enough to tend the sheep in their father's pasture. Eliab did not know that while David was in the position of the lowly shepherd boy, God was training him to be a giant
killer.
"But David said to Saul, 'Your servant has been keeping his father's sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from
its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it. Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies
of the living God. The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of the Philistine' " (1 Samuel 17:34-37).
While no one was paying attention to
David, God was training him to be a mighty man of faith - someone who would not rely on his own strength or wisdom, but on God's. God taught David how to fight His way and not the ways of other men. God taught David to use faith and a sling. When the fighting men of the day tried to train David to fight with armor and a sword, it was uncomfortable for him because he was not used to it (see 1 Samuel 17:39).
God Wants to Train Us
If we are willing, God himself will teach us and train us to walk in His ways. Many times God uses the experiences of other men to train us, but there comes a time when He desires to get
one-on-one with us (see John 16:13). He desires to take us through our trials Himself, step by step, and the more we learn from Him, the greater our capacity to be taught by Him.
Eliab fashioned himself after the
warriors of the day, and I am sure in their eyes he ranked very high. He was certain that he knew what it took to fight; he was sure David did not have what it took. After all, Eliab was the one that Samuel thought would be
God's choice for the next king of Israel. The Lord told Samuel to disregard Eliab's appearance and his height, because He'd rejected him. "The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks
at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks after the heart" (1 Samuel 16:7).
Eliab was furious with David for even thinking he, a shepherd, could fight the giant Goliath. Eliab thought David was conceited for
talking with such great faith. Eliab reasoned that since he, the oldest and biggest of his brothers, would not even consider fighting with Goliath, how could his "baby brother" have the gall to think he could
fight him. He was positive that David's talk was just conceit and that his intentions were wicked. Eliab was focusing on Goliath and thought he was too big for anyone to fight, but David's focus was on his God.
Eliab thought that David was thinking too highly of himself, but actually it was Eliab who thought too little of God.
Turn Away from the Accuser
Have you ever been in David's position? Your intentions
are honorable and your heart is pure, but those around you misinterpret your actions. They point at your confidence in God and assume it is pride, so they decide that they need to remind you of your smallness, as Eliab did
when he reminded David he was only a shepherd. "And with whom did you leave those few sheep in the desert?" (1 Samuel 17:29).
People like Eliab allow their mouths to be used by doubt and unbelief. They will
point out every reason why you could not possibly fulfill the call of God on your life. They are positive you could never have the things God has promised to you. Eliab felt he knew David, and he was sure there was nothing
special about him. However, Eliab was not there in the fields with the sheep when God was fashioning David's heart after His own and building up his faith in Him.
It was at this time that David made one of the
most important decisions of his life: he turned away from Eliab and started talking to someone else.
The enemy will find those people in our lives that regard us as inferior and unsuitable for ministry, and speak
through them to devour our destiny. He will use them to point out our inadequacies and remind us of all the reasons why we could not possibly do anything of significance.
But God also has a voice! He can see into our
future and the motives of our heart. We need to tune our ears into Him and He will encourage us to do all that He asks us to do. He wants us to break free from the person we have previously been and see ourselves walking in
our destiny in God.
You are a Giant Killer
Beloved, God sees you as a giant killer. He sees you as victorious; He pushes you to try. Close your ears to the enemy's lies and see yourself as God sees you. God
wishes to use your uniqueness to enrich the body of Christ.
God has been trying to convince you that your destiny is very great, indeed. But at the same time, those around you see you as insignificant. They may
view you as anointed, but cannot possibly envision what God has planned for you. It simply is not possible for them to see your destiny. Don't expect them to; it is between you and God. He desires it to be that way
until He releases you into your destiny in Him.
If David had listened to his brother Eliab, he would not have killed the giant, and he may never have become king. While anticipating the birth of our destiny, we must
endeavor to turn away from the opinions of man and heed the voice of God. God promised David the crown of Israel, but he was virtually unknown until he fought and killed Goliath. It was through this step of faith that God
made his name known. God gave him a platform by which he would eventually be made king and fulfill his destiny. Every step of faith and every act of obedience to God will get us one step closer to our destiny in Him. If
David had not stepped out in faith here, he might not have sat on the throne of Israel.
What is the Goliath in your life today? What is God asking you to do? No matter what it is, be ready for the voice of the
accuser to say you cannot do it. He wants to stop your destiny. Don't let him do it! When the enemy tries to discourage you, be encouraged by it. He would not waste his time trying to discourage you unless he actually
thought you would fulfill your destiny in God.
Please pray this with me:
Dear Father, Help me to hear Your voice and not the voice of the accuser. Change my vision. Help me see myself the way You do.
Allow me to see others in light of Your grace, and help me see Your destiny in people everywhere I look!
This message was taken from Victoria Boyson's book, The Birth of Your Destiny.
Scriptures taken from the NIV.
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