1 Samuel 20 records the depth of friendship and fellowship experienced by David and Saul’s son Jonathon. Because of their covenant commitment to each other based upon God’s covenant love for His people, they were able to forge a friendship in the midst of dangerous days for them both. This friendship ultimately points us to the Lord Jesus Christ, who loved His own and paid for them by His blood out of his wonderful grace, thus proving to be the greatest Friend.

1 Samuel 17:55-19:24 records how after David’s surprise victory over Goliath, instant fame placed him in the limelight. However, this upward rise soon had its downward side and David found himself in the untenable position of being in King Saul’s employment when the King tried more than once to kill him. To make matters worse David soon became the King’s son-in-law and then Saul’s own children had to help David escape from Saul’s wrath. Through all this, David found that his security could only be in the Lord and Him alone.

1 Samuel 17:41-54 tells us that when David finally went out to fight Goliath it was the ultimate mismatch. However with some stones and a sling and his ‘secret weapon’ of trust in the Lord, David was able to gain the victory, proving that victory does not always go to the strong, but to those whose trust is in the Lord. Those who belong to Christ also share in His victory over sin and death and Satan and so are ‘overcomers’ in Him.

In 1 Samuel 17:28-40 it is evident that there can be no doubt that David was different to the rest of the Israelite army and even the members of his own family. His sight was different in that he could see that God was bigger than Goliath. His motives were different even though his brother, Eliab, was critical of his intent. And his strategy too was different. Saul’s armour did not fit and was the wrong kind. Again David is a ‘type’ of Jesus who was to come and who was different in every sense but did not allow anything or anyone to deter him from the goal of saving His people