Article December 23, 1950 Issue

NOT WITH A SWORD

ALLENE E. THORNBURGH

David's successful encounter with the Philistine giant, Goliath of Gath, has served throughout the years to illustrate the superiority of spiritual power over physical strength. To readers of the Scriptures in all ages it has revealed the efficacy, indeed the necessity, of overcoming the fear of evil through faith in God. For the youthful shepherd boy to face the menacing Philistine, of massive frame and heavily armored, with only a staff, a few small stones, and a sling, demanded great spiritual courage and a proved faith in God's power.

These David had; for had he not overcome the strength of the lion and rendered harmless the savagery of the bear in defending the helpless lambs of his fold? He had no fear of evil, in whatever menacing guise, because he knew that God was ever near to succor and save all who sought His aid. The record concludes (I Sam. 17:50), "So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and smote the Philistine, and slew him; but there was no sword in the hand of David."

Centuries later another faced the taunts and threats of the gross materialism and sensuality of his time when he met the challenge of sin, disease, and death and overcame them through the power of God. The example of this great man, Christ Jesus, was followed by Mary Baker Eddy, the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, who revealed to the world the true nature of God and man. In her work "Miscellaneous Writings" she says of Jesus (pp. 162, 163): "Of the lineage of David, like him he went forth, simple as the shepherd boy, to disarm the Goliath. Panoplied in the strength of an exalted hope, faith, and understanding, he sought to conquer the three-in-one of error: the world, the flesh, and the devil."

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