Human Boasting

When war was declared by Israel against the Philistines, three of the sons of Jesse joined the army under Saul; but David remained at home. After a time, however, he went to visit the camp of Saul. By his father’s direction he was to carry a message and a gift to his elder brothers and to learn if they were still in safety and health…. As David drew near to the army, he heard the sound of commotion, as if an engagement was about to begin….

Goliath, the champion of the Philistines, came forth, and with insulting language defied Israel and challenged them to provide a man from their ranks who would meet him in single combat….

For forty days the host of Israel had trembled before the haughty challenge of the Philistine giant. Their hearts failed within them as they looked upon his massive form, in height measuring six cubits and a span. Upon his head was a helmet of brass, he was clothed with a coat of mail that weighed five thousand shekels, and he had greaves of brass upon his legs. The coat was made of plates of brass that overlaid one another, like the scales of a fish, and they were so closely joined that no dart or arrow could possibly penetrate the armor. At his back the giant bore a huge javelin, or lance, also of brass. “The staff of his spear was like a weaver’s beam; and his spear’s head weighed six hundred shekels of iron; and one bearing a shield went before him.” 7Ibid., 644-646.

Israel did not defy Goliath, but Goliath made his proud boasts against God and His people. The defying, the boasting, and the railing must come from the opposers of truth, who act the Goliath. But none of this spirit should be seen in those whom God has sent forth to proclaim the last message of warning to a doomed world.

Goliath trusted in his armor. He terrified the armies of Israel by his defiant, savage boastings, while he made a most imposing display of his armor, which was his strength.8Testimonies for the Church 3:218, 219
Conflict and Courage p. 162
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Prayer Requests
—-prayer request for a church member who fell and broke near her pelvis. she has been having falls a lot lately so far she has broken her foot, now her pelvic and another break some where I cant recall ever since her husband passed away a few months ago she is in her 90’s M
—-Please pray for my husband. He is preaching on the great controversy this Sabbath and Satan has been attacking him. Now he is feeling sick and his knee is causing him a great deal of pain. He can’t get in to the Orthopedic doctor until the 12th. Thank you for your prayers! Kathy
—-My sister Danielle called me yesterday at work and is worried about her health, she already has Ehlers Danlos and heart valve prolapse and now her platelet count is 411k. Normal is considered to be between 100-400k so hers is in the high range. We don’t know what it is yet and she’s scared. She already has a lot on her plate with a mentally and verbally abusive husband and trying to raise a rambunctious 7 year old with ADHD, could you please pray for her physical and also spiritual well-being? David
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Dear Friends,

One day when I was about 17, I was waiting for a bus on the main corners of Kalamazoo, Michigan, my home town. A postcard that I had just written was in my hand as there was no mailbox close by. I was not very happy at the moment as I had just missed my bus and had to wait for the next one. It was a long wait. Before long, my mind was deep in thought and my fingers were busy with the postcard. Rather than tearing the card, those fingers of mine were enjoying its smoothness. They rubbed and rubbed the freshly written card without my realizing it.

At last the bus arrived. I stepped aboard, paid my fare, and found a seat. It was only then that I looked at what used to be my postcard. I had rubbed it so vigorously, that it had split into three layers: the picture side, the message side, and an inner layer. I was shocked! That postcard that I had written so carefully was good for nothing but to be thrown away.

How easy it is to get so wrapped up in our own little world, that we do not realize what we are doing just as I didn’t realize what my fingers were doing to that postcard. How easy it is to go through a day, a week, a lifetime in our own little routine with very few thoughts heavenward, not realizing that we are speeding toward the end of all things, every day going faster and faster, more and more out of control. How true is David’s description, “The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God. They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one.” Ps 14:2,3

We cannot save ourselves any more than I could put that postcard back together so long ago. No matter how hard we try to conform to God’s law outwardly, our efforts will “split apart” in our hands unless there is an inward change of heart. Isaiah tells us, “we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.” “The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrefying sores: they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment.” Isa 64:6; 1:5,6

Our Dear Saviour pleads, “Turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die?” Eze 33:11 “There is no God else beside me; a just God and a Saviour; there is none beside me. Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.” Isa 45:21,22 “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.” Matt 11:28,29

May we run, as a trusting child, to our Loving Redeemer’s outstretched arms, that we may receive the pardon and cleansing we so desperately need is my prayer. (1 John 1:9-2:1)

Rose