LOAVES AND FISHES, FOOD FOR ETERNITY

Posted By buzz_roberts on July 10, 2010

What is Joy? Where and how can we as individual people find it? I was recently asked , “what joy was?” We have all heard people declaring casually, that they, had the “Joy.” What does God’s word say about it?
In the Old Testament, the first instance where the word “joy” is used, is in I Samuel chapter 18: Israel, was in the midst of war; Saul, who was the current King, had lost favor with GOD, by his disobedience to the commandments of God.
Samuel, God‘s select prophet for that day, had recently been told by the LORD GOD Himself, to anoint David, the son of Jesse to be the next King of Israel. David was a shepherd in his father’s fields. He was young, but must have also been courageous and obedient to his father; for the Scriptures state that he had spent many a night guarding the sheep from wild beasts.
He was also known, for his skill in playing the harp and singing of psalms. He had spent many a night in his father’s fields, serenading his God, and soothing the sheep. He was an avid praiser and worshiper of the LORD GOD.
The Lord had given him strength to kill a lion and a bear, in the defense of his father’s sheep. Apparently he had become very close to the LORD, and learned to listen to HIS voice, during these long nights. His faith in GOD had grown immensely, thereby enduing him a beautiful countenance.
One day, during this particular time of war, David’s father asked him, to take some food to his brothers who were on the front lines amassed against the Philistine enemy; fighting for King Saul, on behalf of the Nation of Israel. He was also to inquire of them concerning the battle and it’s progress.
When he arrived, Israel was bantering with the Philistines. They had a mighty champion, named Goliath, of Gath. He was intimidating the Israelite soldiers with his enormous stature and demeaning language. He was said to be of the last of the Giants, as referenced in Genesis 6:4. Indeed, he was a giant of a man and the terror of the Philistine army. The Israelite army fled before him in helpless fear.
As David looked upon the fear and anguish in the faces of Israel, he was encouraged in his heart. He felt courage from the Almighty God himself. He believed strongly, that everything he had learned about pasturing, and defending the sheep, could now be used by GOD Himself, to defend his people. To protect the sheep of GOD’S pasture God had been preparing the way for David to be king of His people. This must have been in his mind as well. Samuel had already anointed him to be king someday.
A rage of defiance grew in the heart of David, who had been groomed for this type of battle by the hand of GOD. He was not intimidated by the size or stature of this Philistine giant. He ‘knew,’ what faith in GOD could accomplish.
He boldly inquired of the soldiers: what would be given to the man who could slay this ungodly Philistine, and remove the reproach from Israel? When his courageous words, were relayed to Saul the King, David was rushed to his tent. I Samuel 17:32 , states, that David encouraged the king, that none should be fearful. For he, as a servant to the king, would fight Goliath on behalf of the people. Saul replied that David was but a youth, and had never been in a battle. Goliath on the other hand, had been trained from his youth, in war. He was considered a master in battle.
David encouraged Saul, about the training, he had undoubtedly received, while guarding his father‘s sheep. On one particular occasion, a lion had caught and stole a lamb away, in his ferocious grasp. He approached the lion, and pulled the sheep out of it’s teeth. In doing this, he enraged the lion, who leaped at him. David slayed the lion, in defense of his father’s sheep. Scares on his body must have been visible proof shown to the King in defense of this miraculous story.
He also proclaimed, “Thy servant slew both the lion and a bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine, (non-Israelite) shall be as one of them, because he has defied the armies of the Living GOD. The LORD hath delivered me out of the paw of the lion and the bear, and HE will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine warrior.“
David must have impressed the king, because, his reply was, “The LORD go with you.” Then he proceeded to dress David in his own armor. David picked up the sword. This way of fighting was foreign to him. He could not fight this battle the king’s way. He must use the weapons GOD had perfected in him. He removed all the metal, and picked up his shepherd’s staff, leaving the tent.
As he drew near to the Philistine army, he crossed a brook, Kidron. He picked up five smooth stones, placed them in his shepherd’s bag, his sling in his hand. Five, in biblical numerics, representing grace, divine favor. He chose five smooth stones-no roughness or pointed edges were left on these stones, they had been smoothed by the test of time, whereby preparing them, to fly through the air, straight to their intended target. They like David, were ready for battle to be used by the Great Shepherd’s hand.
As he approached the army of the Philistine‘s, David declared: “You come to me with sword, spear and shield. But I come to you, in the name of the LORD of Hosts, the GOD of the armies of Israel, who you have despised. This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee; and cut your head off, and I will leave the entire Philistine army dead for the birds and wild beasts to devour; by this Victory, will all men know, there is a GOD in Israel. This legion of men shall see that the battle is the LORD‘S. Today, He will give you into our hand.”
David ran closer, selecting a stone from his bag; the stone was in the sling; and flying through the air, deep into the forehead of the champion; before the warrior could react. He fell to the earth dead. David ran up to him, picked up the warrior’s own sword and decapitated him. When the Israelites saw that the Philistine’s were now frightened and at a disadvantage, they pursued them. This is how GOD won the battle for them that day.
From this day forth, whatever strategy the king set before David, he accomplished with great intelligence and with the utmost success. Because of this, Saul elevated him in the army. This pleased the people and Saul’s army as well. He became a National Hero.
When king Saul, and his army; were returning home after the defeat of the Philistine’s; the women ran out to them singing and dancing in celebration of the occasion. (I Samuel 18:6) And it came to pass as they came, they saw David also with them; he was returning as the conquering hero who had slain Goliath of Gath, the champion of the Philistine army. The story of the slingshot miracle had already reached every ear.
The people were excited. The women came running forth from all the cities of Israel; with joy, playing musical instruments with much singing and dancing. This is the first use, of the word ‘JOY,’ in the scriptures. It means exceedingly glad, and with great rejoicing, as a festival. The women sang a song saying, Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands. The people were ‘reacting to the victory GOD had won,’ at the hand of David. David recognized that GOD was with him in battle. Unfortunately, Saul and the people did not.
We as Christians must learn to recognize the hand of GOD in our lives. It is at times like this of David, that we may experience the Joy of the Lord. We each have experienced special and sometimes miraculous deliverance’s in our lives: near death experiences, miraculous answers to prayers. We should never take these for granted; the many and varied situations which could have turned out disastrous or even fatal. But miraculously, with meaning and purpose which promotes the will and glory of God, every incident, in a Christian’s life should be weighed in Father’s balance. When properly done so one can behold His grace, giving us a thankful heart, giving us great joy, because of His special touch in our lives. We are being prepared daily for the battle which will end in the final blow to God’s enemy and ours, who is called Death.
When we see HIS handiwork, we, like David, must learn to give God the glory. We do this by thanking Him and telling others of His intervention in our lives. Yes, He loves each of us personally. But He wants each of us to share His blessings in our lives with others, so they may learn to trust Him also.
God, indeed saved David from the teeth and mighty claws of the lion and the bear, to protect him. But it was on behalf of his father’s sheep, that he was in the fields, whereby giving opportunity to slay these enemies of his Father’s sheep. Even so, it was on behalf of the people of God, that David slaughtered the champion of the Philistine’s. God gave him these two victories in defense of His helpless creature’s, the Israelite Nation.
We as the creation of God, though gifted in many respects, are quite helpless when it comes to our own mortality. Our only hope rests in the divine person of Jesus Christ; who sacrificed Himself, becoming our atonement, providing us access to the presence of His Father, God. Jesus is the Deliverer from the enemy called Death. He has opened the door for all to come to the knowledge of Life and the joy it brings through trust and obedience to Him.
As we study His word and seek Him in our daily lives, we will experience moments of that pure “Joy;” that is to us, like a beam of heaven, shining into these new hearts of flesh God created by faith in His Son. May His true ‘JOY,’ fill your hearts and lives, as we learn to recognize and remember, all the times, His divine Touch was evident in our lives. We walk with Christ by faith, but sometimes He gives us visible proof of His everlasting Love and abundant Grace in our daily lives. We are trully blessed, when we come to know Him as LORD.
If you have never experienced anything like this, then invite Him into your life, by asking Him to forgive you of all your sin and make you complete in Him. Today is the first day of the rest of your life. Breathe in the clean, pure air, and learn to recognize His ‘Joy’ in your life.
May Christ richly bless you in your daily lives, R. Roberts

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