The closest thing I own to a sword is a Nepali Gurkha warrior’s knife, called a khukuri, given to me by a missionary. According to Wikipedia, it is a type of knife or short sword with a distinct recurve in its blade. It serves multiple purposes as a melee weapon and also as a regular cutting/chopping tool throughout most of South Asia. I have never used it to chop anything or as a weapon in a fight!! It has been collecting dust in my closet for decades. I don’t need a sword — but King David desperately needed one.
We find David in 1 Samuel 21 fleeing for his life from King Saul who had vowed to kill him and who unsuccessfully thrust a spear at David twice. When Jonathan warned David of Saul’s continued rage, David fled alone without taking so much as a weapon or even food. He arrived in Nob and spoke to the priest, Abimelech, and asked for bread or anything that could be found to eat. He then made a further request — to have a sword or spear. David was defenseless and running for his life. The only weapon the priest had on hand was the sword of Goliath. How ironic that the shepherd boy who defeated the giant Goliath in the valley of Elah was now fleeing for his life from his own king. King Saul is the one who sent David into the battle against Goliath and received the deliverance of his kingdom from the Philistines. Now David would defend himself with his enemy’s sword. God provided the necessary tool for David at the moment he needed it.
God, our ever faithful King, continues to provide the necessary tools at just the moment we need them. While many of us are not taking up a sword for physical battle, we are still in need of a sword. 2 Corinthians 10:4 states, “For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses.” Ephesians 6:11 says, “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.” We are facing a spiritual battle, and God has provided the tools for it. Following the list of defensive armor in Ephesians 6 is the one piece of offensive armor: “and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God” (Ephesians 6:17). David’s sword was a physical weapon used against human enemies. Our sword is a spiritual weapon used against spiritual enemies. We can move forward in this spiritual battle by the Word of God and by prayer.
Written by: John Jones, Care Pastor
Based on: 1 Samuel 21:8,9
Passion Week Devotional 2025: Day Six