Symbolism, Imagery, Allegory
BOY: I've come here to fight you.
GIANT: Ha, I laugh at you. Ha.
BOY: Come at me, bro.
The giant charges at the boy. Quick as lightning, the boy loads the sling hidden behind his back and whips a stone right into the giant's skull. The behemoth falls down dead.
That was our really short version of the battle between David and Goliath. We're awaiting our Pulitzer Prize thank you very much.
Whether you're familiar with the biblical canon or not, the tale of the underdog against the unstoppable foe is one that resonates throughout the Big Book. Whether the hero is against a person, nature, or himself, we always root for the underdog. There's something undeniably fulfilling about the weak conquering the strong. In the tradition of Noah, Moses, and Joshua, David conquers the Big Bad Goliath through faith, reason, and a little bit of trickery.
In the context of 1 Samuel, David defeating Goliath isn't just about the shepherd and the giant. This story is also parallels the soon-to-occur battle between Saul and David. The Bible states when we first meet Saul that he is head and shoulders taller than all the other Israelites (9:1-2). How interesting that David faces two giants on his journey to become king. Maybe what the story of David is trying to show us is that there will always be giants after us. To win, we must stand tall ourselves, resolved to not back down in the face of fear. Hey, it worked for David twice, right?