The proud warrior, Goliath depended on his height, might, and strength, while David depended on the mightiest of mighty.  "Is there any one to challenge me?" shouted the Philistine giant, Goliath, for forty days at the children of God, Israelites. None of the children of Jesse, who were present in the battle field, nor any one of the Israelites camp dared to go out and face, the nine feet tall giant, who wore protective dress weighing 150 shekels.   Goliath boasted and hurled insults at God’s children saying, I am a Philistine, and you are servants to Saul.   Goliath shouted, “Give me a man that we may fight together”. Saul was tall too, and mighty and yet his army and he were greatly afraid, v. 11.   In fact Saul was the tallest of all the men of Israel. The people observed that Saul’s courage failed him. What happened to Jonathan, son of Saul. He too was afraid of Goliath and doubtless he did not feel himself stirred up of God to it and so stayed back.

David was shepherd and he came that morning from keeping sheep. He had more courage than all the mighty men of Israel. He encouraged them.   God’s providence brought him to the camp at an apt time, when both sides had set the battle. That is how God often sends His help at right moment through the weak and foolish things of the world to every one who believes in Him, and does great things for them.  David pleaded with his eldest brother to allow him to fight against the mighty Goliath, the enemy of God's Children. As is rightly said, pride goes before fall; the doom's day of Goliath was ahead. Goliath insulted David, who was a shepherd boy, short in stature and did not attire himself in good dress. Saul was worried about the intervention of this shepherd boy, David. "Alas!’’ says Saul, "you have a good heart to it, but are by no means an equal match for this Philistine. You are but a youth, rash and inconsiderate, weak and inexperienced in arms: he is a man of war, trained up to it from his youth” Yet after some time Saul conceded to David. David was not sure which way to attack his enemy, girded on his sword, but felt uncomfortable in that armor. He did not like to be burdened with this kind of defense, and therefore he said to Saul to put them off; “I cannot go with these, for I have not proved them.” David picked up five pebbles and his sling and went into the battlefield.

Goliath looked upon David with scorn. His proud utterances could be seen in v. 42. He looked about, expecting to meet some tall strong man, but, when he saw what a mean figure, he shouted, "Am I a dog that thou comest to me with staves? Come to me, and I will give thy flesh to the fowls of the air.”  Nevertheless David said, "I come to thee by warrant and commission from heaven, in the name of the Lord, the Lord of hosts; He has power to do what he pleases, and, by the special grace of his covenant, He is the God of the armies of Israel.”  "This day will the Lord deliver thee into my hand, and not only your carcass, but the carcasses of the host of the Philistines, shall be given to the birds and beasts of prey.’’

Look at the faith and confidence the child of God had. He has his hope in the everlasting God; the mightiest of all; the Lord of hosts.  Goliath arose, went to meet David in the battlefield, and drew close, like a stalking mountain, overlaid with brass and iron. David advanced with greater strength in God and cheerfulness, as one that aimed more execute God’s command rather than to make a figure: He hasted, and ran, was being lightly clad, to meet the Philistine. Before honor is humility.  David put one of the pebbles in the sling and hurled at Goliath. There it was! The pebble struck straight at Goliath's forehead and in the twinkling of an eye, it fetched him to the ground. Goliath fell with his face down on the ground.

See how frail and uncertain the life is. Even when we think it is best fortified how quickly, how easily, and with how small a matter, there would be a passage that opens the door for life to exit and death to enter. The pride goeth before fall while Before honor is humility. Did David need his sword to kill his enemy? No! His enemy’s sword served his purpose. God is greatly glorified when his proud enemies are cut off with their own sword and he makes their own tongues to fall upon them David rushed forward pulled out the sword of Goliath and killed him. David used Goliath's own weapon to kill him. God was with David. Goliath's strength and power were of no avail before God's.  The same God, the living Lord, who has sent His Son, Jesus Christ, into this world for the remission of your sins and mine, calls you now, as "my son/daughter, Depend on me. I am your Savior. I want to be your rock of refuge and bless you."  Ecclesiastes 8:8. Let not the strong man glory in his strength.

Interestingly there is another similar story in the Bible about a pride man falling
PRIDE VS. HUMILITY

Proverbs 16:18 Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall. 
Proverbs 29:23 A man's pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit.
2nd Chronicles 32:9
“After this did Sennacherib king of Assyria send his servants to Jerusalem, (but he [himself laid siege] against Lachish, and all his power with him,) unto Hezekiah king of Judah, and unto all Judah that [were] at Jerusalem…”
2 Chronicles Chapter 32 contains a wonderful story to learn a lesson from.

Let us meditate on this chapter and also 2Kings 19th Chapter.

There was a King by name, Sennacherib. He is known for his pride, blasphemous nature, and ridiculing attitude. This chapter also concludes the history of reign of a humble and good king, namely Hezekiah. Sennacherib sent blasphemous letters to Hezekiah, ridiculing the God of Hezekiah.  Sennacherib was, (as Nebuchadnezzar was afterwards), a terror and scourge, a great oppressor, whose aim was at raising a boundless territory and monarchy for him. Several examples can be seen in the history that pride and ambition was the reason for many rulers venturing conquering nations, and aiming at grasping universal dominion. Sennacherib was depicted here in this chapter as one who tried to misguide the inhabitants of Judah, by speaking against the living God, and ventured invading Judah. Sennacherib, who worshipped idols, was not in favor of destroying idols.

Sennacherib had ambition of besieging Lachish (v. 9), but hears that Hezekiah is fortifying Jerusalem and encouraging his people to stand against the invasion. Sennacherib comes in person to besiege it and before he wages a war against Jerusalem, he sends messengers to make speeches demeaning the living God and proclaiming his own great acts of courage. He himself writes letters to frighten Hezekiah and his people to surrender the city. His tactics were of mean nature in order to terrify the common people and persuade them to desert Hezekiah. Sennacherib, the blasphemer and a proud king compared our living God, the Maker of heaven and earth, with the idol-gods of the nations. He treated the work of men’s hands more than the works of living God. (v. 19) He had a great contempt for our God. (v. 13–15), and thence inferred not only, How shall your God deliver you? (v. 14), but, as if he were inferior to them all, How much less shall your God deliver you? Sennacherib had blasphemed the living God and fancifully ridiculed the living God as the God of Israel only. His rude and impertinent and intemperate behavior filled with profane attitude was the reason for his downfall and punishment.

The rage and blasphemy of Sennacherib made Hezekiah to pray fervently and his prayer was answered, which resulted in deliverance of Jerusalem. More about Hezekiah's prayer and answers We read more about it in the book of Kings, 2 Kings Chapters 18 and 19. Hezekiah worshipped the living God. In 2nd Kings 19:20-34 we read the loving and assuring answer given by our Living God to Hezekiah’s prayer. Hezekiah prays that God will now glorify himself in the defeat of Sennacherib and the deliverance of Jerusalem out of his hands (v. 19): "Now therefore save us; for if we be conquered, as other lands are, they will say that thou art conquered, as the gods of those lands were: but, Lord, distinguish thyself, by distinguishing us, and let all the world know, and be made to confess, that thou art the Lord God, the self-existent sovereign God, even thou only, and that all pretenders are vanity and a lie.’’  Yes! Here comes the downfall of Sennacherib, the proud king. 

2 Chronicles 32:21 "And the LORD sent an angel, who cut off all the mighty men of valor, and the leaders and captains in the camp of the king of Assyria. So he returned with shame of face to his own land. And when he had come into the house of his god, sons that came forth of his own body struck him down there with the sword." and in 2 Chronicles 32:22 we read the victory of Hezekiah, and the people of the living God, "Thus the LORD saved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib the king of Assyria, and from the hand of all others, and guided them on every side." 2 Chronicles 32:23 "And many brought gifts unto the LORD to Jerusalem, and precious gifts to Hezekiah king of Judah: so that he was magnified in the sight of all nations from that time on."  We also read that Hezekiah was sick unto death and he received answer to his prayer.  2nd Kings 20:2 -6

Dear Friend,

Are we proud and ambitious like Sennacherib or humble and praying Hezekiah. Sennacherib had his downfall because of his pride. Hezekiah had Jerusalem delivered from the hands of Sennacherib and also had fifteen years added to his life because he was humble and praying man. He wept sore, says the Word. Our tears will never go in vain. Each tear is precious to our God. He counts every one of them. In John chapter 11: 35 we read. “Jesus wept.” When He saw Mary and Martha weeping over the death of their brother Lazarus, He wept. He shared their troubles and pains. Our God shares our tears. He weeps along with us, when we are in troubles, and delivers us in time, no matter how great is our enemy and how great is our trouble..

Believe in Lord Jesus Christ. He will save you. 
Leslie M. John