ALPHA MAAMA (A.M.)

 לחם Single Combat

POLE TAU TOKOTAHA

1 SAMUEL 17:8-9

[GOLIATH] STOOD AND SHOUTED TO THE RANKS OF ISRAEL, "WHY HAVE YOU COME OUT TO DRAW UP FOR BATTLE? AM I NOT A PHILISTINE, AND ARE YOU NOT SERVANTS OF SAUL? CHOOSE A MAN FOR YOURSELVES, AND LET HIM COME DOWN TO ME. IF HE IS ABLE TO FIGHT WITH ME AND KILL ME, THEN WE WILL BE YOUR SERVANTS. BUT IF I PREVAIL AGAINST HIM AND KILL HIM, THEN YOU SHALL BE OUR SERVANTS AND SERVE US."

1 SAMIUELA 17:8-9

8 Pea ne tu‘u ‘o ui ki he ngaahi matatau ‘o ‘Isileli, ‘o ne pehē kiate kinautolu, Ko ho‘omou ō mai ‘o fakatē tau koe‘uma‘aki? ‘Ikai ko e Filisitia au, ka ko kimoutolu ko e kau hopoate ‘a Saula? Fili hamou tangata ke ‘alu hifo kiate au. 9 Kapau te ne lava ke tau‘i au, ‘o taa‘i, pea te mau tamaio‘eiki kiate kimoutolu: ka ‘o kapau te u lava‘i ia, ‘o taa‘i, pea te mou tamaio‘eiki kiate kimautolu, ‘o tauhi kimautolu

Goliath isn't hankering for a brawl but challenging Israel to engage in what the Greeks would later call monomachia ("single combat"). Rather than two entire armies battling it out, each side pitted their #1 fighter against the other. The last man standing determined which army stood victorious. There was only one problem: no Israelite dared throw his hat into the ring with this gargantuan Philistine foe. Until David showed up. "Your servant will go and lacham ['fight'] with this Philistine" (v. 32). This young boy remembered the words of Moses, "The LORD will lacham for you" (Exod. 14:14).

One man embodying a whole people - that is precisely what the Son of David is for us. He threw his hat into the ring. In fact, he threw himself, body and soul, into the ring. He in us and we in him, so that his victory over the Goliath of the grave is ours as well.

Son of David, heavenly Warrior, fight against those who fight against us.