Even though David had previously slain a lion and a bear protecting the sheep that were placed in his care, David didn’t trust in his own talents and gifts alone. He placed his trust in God. He believed that God would do what God could do in the given circumstances. But David didn’t stop there. It was clear, David didn’t just run out into the battle against Goliath totally unprepared either. First, he tried on Saul’s armor and lifted his sword, but they didn’t fit. The next thing he did was remove the armor, take up the tools he was most comfortable with (his staff and sling), and then he headed to the nearest stream to pick up five smooth stones for the battle.
David knew that to take on any challenge in life, even with God’s help, he needed to be as well prepared as he could possibly be. So he did his homework. He studied Goliath and his ways. He learned what he could about the Philistines and their methods. And he discovered something crucial to his decision to picking up five smooth stones, instead of just one: Goliath had brothers. As a matter of fact, he had four of them! David knew there was the possibility, that when he killed Goliath, that his four brothers might try to seek revenge. So David prepared himself by picking up five stones, one for each of the Philistine Giants. According to the account, David trusted in God to do what God could do. But he didn’t just leave it all up to God. David did what David could do to insure his own competence in the face of a challenge. David picked up five stones because he’d done his homework and he was prepared.
There truly was a purpose for each of the five stones. When each of the stones was picked up and placed in the pouch, the fate of each of the five giants was already sealed. Even though only one stone was physically used that day, the other four Giants were already doomed. Let us learn from David. As we see all that Jesus warned us about the end times unfold around us, let us be prepared for the days ahead! Let us not be lumped in with those Jesus spoke of in Luke 12:56, “Ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky and of the earth; but how is it that ye do not discern this time?”
The following two portions of Scripture tie together God’s ‘Golden Nugget’ about the ‘Five Stones of David’ for us:
1. And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father’s sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock: And I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him. Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God. David said moreover, The Lord that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said unto David, Go, and the Lord be with thee. And Saul armed David with his armour, and he put an helmet of brass upon his head; also he armed him with a coat of mail. And David girded his sword upon his armour, and he assayed to go; for he had not proved it. And David said unto Saul, I cannot go with these; for I have not proved them. And David put them off him. And he took his staff in his hand, and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in a shepherd’s bag which he had, even in a scrip; and his sling was in his hand: and he drew near to the Philistine. (1 Samuel 17:34-40 KJV)
2. Moreover the Philistines had yet war again with Israel; and David went down, and his servants with him, and fought against the Philistines: and David waxed faint. And Ishbi–benob, which was of the sons of the giant, the weight of whose spear weighed three hundred shekels of brass in weight, he being girded with a new sword, thought to have slain David. But Abishai the son of Zeruiah succoured him, and smote the Philistine, and killed him. Then the men of David sware unto him, saying, Thou shalt go no more out with us to battle, that thou quench not the light of Israel. And it came to pass after this, that there was again a battle with the Philistines at Gob: then Sibbechai the Hushathite slew Saph, which was of the sons of the giant. And there was again a battle in Gob with the Philistines, where Elhanan the son of Jaare–oregim, a Beth–lehemite, slew the brother of Goliath the Gittite, the staff of whose spear was like a weaver’s beam. And there was yet a battle in Gath, where was a man of great stature, that had on every hand six fingers, and on every foot six toes, four and twenty in number; and he also was born to the giant. And when he defied Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimea the brother of David slew him. These four were born to the giant in Gath, and fell by the hand of David, and by the hand of his servants. (2 Samuel 21:15-22 KJV)
Annointing 