F4F | Beth Moore Misses Jesus in the Story of David and Goliath

Christ as the Center of the Old Testament

Welcome to another installment of fighting for the faith. My name is Chris Roseboro. I am your servant in Jesus Christ. This is the channel that compares what people are saying in the name of God to the Word of God.

So we've done quite a few reviews of the bad teaching of Beth Moore over the Decade and a half that we've done fighting for the faith and she is not a sound teacher. I hate to say that but she's not she's somebody be marked and avoided and We're gonna kind of cover two topics today.

One is Beth Moore's narcissistic ways narcissistic Eisegesis, there's a way in which you can twist the Bible to make it about yourself and it isn't. And miss the fact that the Bible is about Christ and she does that.

But we're gonna take a look also kind of like the overarching principle. The idea is the scriptures are about Christ. They're not about you. You are the problem. Christ is the solution you are the sinner.

Christ is the champion who comes to rescue and to save you. He's the mighty God. You're the one who's dependent upon him by faith so when you hear the story of David and Goliath. Which will be the story that we're gonna be listening to Beth Moore at least part of her teaching on this when you hear the Story of David and Goliath.

This is not a story about you entering the battlefield to take on your Giants. That's not what this text is about at all and people who twist the scriptures in this way. Are they do not understand that the Bible is about Christ.

It's not about you and not only that they're disconnected from a proper understanding of God's Word and how the church has historically understood these texts and I'm gonna I'm gonna recommend a few Resources along the way today because this is a topic that If you can grasp on to this that the scriptures are about Christ are not about you.

These are not allegories about the things that you need to do in your life to have victory over Satan. Then you will be free to rest in the accomplished victories of Jesus for you and you're not going to go out and making weird applications of these texts that then really ultimately will lead to defeat because You were never called to defeat Goliath.

Christ defeated Goliath for you and I'll explain that along the way. So let me do this I'm gonna whirl up the desktop and Yeah winter scene because it's winter here makes sense and let me open up my web browser here and we're gonna listen to a couple of sections of Beth Moore's teaching from her series called giant defiant faith and this is a classic twisting of scripture a Narcissistic twisting of scripture.

So we call it Narcissus and the way the phrase works. So I said Jesus is reading into the biblical text stuff that isn't there Narcissistic I said Jesus is reading yourself into the biblical text when you ain't there.

When in fact all of these texts are pointing to Jesus and I'll show you how we kind of understand this from the scriptures. And like I said, I'll give you some resources along the way. So in this first portion as we're listening to Beth Moore We're gonna note that she's read out first Samuel 17 verses 1 to 11, so she's gonna set up her teaching now and From the beginning it's gonna go off the rails.

And so let's let's take a look.

Beth Moore Turns David and Goliath Into a Story About You

We find it back in the Old Testament but as recent in our lives as today anybody contending with something gigantic. Anybody at all if you're like.

Are you contending with something gigantic and you're gonna note on the stage? I'll point this out when we get back to it is is a giant cardboard cutout of Goliath to can kind of give you a perspective of how tall nine feet tall is for a human being.

You might not be contending with it at all because what you might be doing is just like laying down over it.

Anybody got that with me. Because I've been there too. Like I are you laying down over your Goliath?

What got this giant in front of me. And instead of contending with it because I already know I'm lost. Before I take the first swing I'm just laying down over it and it's just trampling all over you. But I just wonder about just some show of hands anybody got something.

You'll know this is this is the the cutout of Goliath. Let me back this up so you can hear so immediately. She is attributing this the Goliath character in the story of David and Goliath To something big in your life.

Down over it and it's just trampling all over you. But I just wonder about just some show of hands. Anybody got something big standing in front of them right now. Because that is what this lesson is gonna be all about this particular weekend.

It's about something big something big standing in front of you right now.

Here's how I want you to picture this that you on this side and I'm with you over here. So picture me here in your ranks because I'm receiving this lesson. Just like you are you are represented by the whole Israelite army in this text and you're on one side of the valley.

She's not wrong there, but she's not right either because. The whole army didn't step forward. It was one particular fellow the fellow who had just been anointed the king of Israel the anointed shepherd.

Mmm, yeah, the son of Jesse. Uh-huh. Yeah important stuff going on here.

Here's the valley and on the other side a group of Philistines that are encroaching on property God has given to you now for the Israelites. The Philistines were the inveterate Enemy, and they just could not get rid of them and somebody in here is gonna be able to relate and this does not have to Be your giant.

Your giant could be a new giant. Your giant could be new to the scene of your life and you've never dealt with it before. There is that but for okay.

My head is gonna explode. I'm getting Nancy just listening to this because it's it's it's Borders on blasphemy because she does not understand that this text points us legitimately to Christ. Now I'm gonna point something out here.

There are two books that I Strongly recommend that you get a hold of and you read, okay. The first is called knowing Jesus through the Old Testament second edition by Christopher J. H. Right, right? You need to read this book.

It's well done and his tone is very very pastoral. I just just wonderfully written and he very Kindly and firmly and in profound ways Opens up the Old Testament to show us that Christ is all over the Old Testament.

Wonderful book. Second book is just just amazing. I mean, it's it this one is this and it here's the fun thing about this particular book it's called the Christ key and it's written by Chad Byrne who I know personally and Chad is just an excellent author.

But this book it is wonderful in the sense is that there are questions that are at the end of each chapter this book is designed that if you're looking for a small group Bible study a Bible study that you can go together that you can work through together with a group of people and The and it has questions.

So it's a little more friendly to you know to in having discussion about what you're learning this book is it and it's Wonderful. It's it's you know, and not only that it's kind of kind of an impressive cover to you.

So the folks at 1517, you know who I've worked with for years they know exactly what they're doing here and so both of these books are just stellar and Definitely worth the purchase. This is going to help you to wean you off of the idea that you are the hero of the Old Testament stories.

You're not Christ is in fact Christ as the center of the scriptures is the key to understanding and unlocking all of the biblical texts. So Let's let's do this rather than starting off with the story of David and Goliath.

Let's start off with a different story. This is the day of the resurrection. Christ has just been raised from the dead. The women have gone to see the tomb. Peter and John have run to the tomb and they've all come back with a report that the tomb is empty.

Angels have said Christ has risen from the dead. They're all just what is going on at this point not really clear about this and two of the disciples decide that they're going to Make a little bit of a trek a seven-mile walk From Jerusalem to a town called Emmaus and listen carefully to how this step this story goes.

So that very day the day of the resurrection. This is from Luke 24 two of them two of Jesus's disciples. We're going to village named Emmaus about seven miles from Jerusalem. And they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened and while they were talking and discussing together Jesus himself drew near and went with them, but their eyes were kept they were held from.

Recognizing him miraculously Jesus made it so nope. You're not gonna recognize me, right? And so he said to them. What is this? Conversation that you are holding with each other as you walk. And they stood still looking sad and one of them named Cleopas answered him.

Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days? And he said to them what things? And they said Concerning Jesus of Nazareth a man who was a prophet mighty indeed and word before God and all the people so you know that they're traveling from Jerusalem to Emmaus and Cleopas and his traveling companion who's also a disciple of Christ.

Are fully expecting that this fellow that they're talking to who they don't know. It's Jesus because miraculously their eyes are kept from recognizing him. That they they think he should know what's going on because the whole city of Jerusalem is abuzz, right?

So well concerning Jesus of Nazareth a man who was a prophet mighty indeed and word before God and all the people and How our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death and they crucified him but we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel and That statement shows something important that they don't understand the Old Testament text yet.

They have not put the Christ key into the center of the text turn it to understand that Jesus actually was the one to redeem Israel and by dying on the cross. He did exactly that. So, you know, this is a lack of biblical understanding which makes you have to ask the question How are they reading these texts, right?

So and yes besides all of this it is now the third day since these things happen moreover. Some women of our company amazed us they were at the tomb early in the morning and when they did not find his body.

They came back saying that they had even seen a vision of angels who said that he was alive. All right. So there's their accounting. All right, and and so. So some of those who were with us, they went to the tomb found it just as the women had said.

But they did not see him. And so there's your account. They they. They don't know what's going on, okay, but we thought that Jesus was the one to redeem Israel. Watch Jesus is kind yet firm.

Rebuke Oh.

Foolish ones and Slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken. How many of them all of them? Including Moses. Yeah, including the guys who wrote first second Samuel. Yeah. Okay, then he asked the question was it not necessary that the Christ the Messiah.

That he should suffer these things and then enter into his glory and then watch what happens. So this is a seven mile walk. This is a multi hour long walk, which probably got stretched out to three or four hours so beginning with Moses and all.

Not some all all the prophets. He interpreted them in all the scriptures the things Concerning himself who's the Bible about. It's about Jesus the Old Testament, too. Yes, and beginning with Moses and all the prophets.

He interpreted them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. So they drew near to the village to which they were going he acted as if he were going farther. But they urged him strongly saying stay with us for it is toward the evening and the day is now far spent.

So he went in to stay with them and when he was at table with them He took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. Took the bread blessed it and broke it. It sounds a lot like an allusion to the Lord's Supper, right?

And so he blessed it broke it and gave it to them and then their eyes were opened and They recognized him. It's like you see them go wait your Jesus right, but he vanished from their sight and listen to their response and they said to each other Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road while he opened to us the scriptures.

How did he do that? By pointing out that the scriptures are about Jesus himself and they rose that same hour and they returned to Jerusalem and they found the eleven and those who were with them gathered Together saying the Lord has risen in deed that this results in them basically saying yes.

It's true Christ rose from the dead and he has appeared to Simon and then they told What had happened on the road and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread? And so I would note then this little Bible study then has a huge impact on the disciples of Christ because moving forward then they're interpreting the Old Testament in light of Christ and That and they see Jesus as the fulfillment of like everything in the Old Testament.

That's not an overstatement. That is legitimately factually true and provable and demonstrable so that with with that in mind, let's take a look at the story of David and Goliath and We're going to apply the Christ key to this and I should point this out that I will put links below To to both of these books so that if you'd like to purchase them through Amazon you can so we'll have the links below.

But we're gonna apply the Christ key now to the story of David and Goliath and I'll show you from a few Quotes or summaries of quotes from the church fathers. How this is exactly how the church has understood this text and others like it.

So first Samuel 17 now, let me back up a little bit into the context because first Samuel 16 is is really interesting because what happens in first Samuel 16 David the Shepherd of Bethlehem. Uh-huh, the Shepherd of Bethlehem is anointed the king of Israel anointed but not yet coronated king of.

Does that sound something like Jesus it should sound something like Jesus because Jesus is what the son of David and He's the Good Shepherd that God sends. So, you know keep that in mind as we're reading, you know, what happens next?

So now the Philistines they gathered their armies for battle and they were gathered at Succah which belongs to Judah and in camp between Succah and Ezekieh and in Fs in Fs Damim and Saul and the men of Israel were gathered and encamped in the Valley of Elah and they drew up in line of battle against the Philistines and the Philistines stood on the mountain on one side and Israel stood on the mountain on the other side with a valley between them and There came out from the camp of the Philistines a champion named Goliath of Gath whose height was six cubits in a span.

So he's roughly nine feet tall. He had a helmet of bronze his head on his head. He was armed with a coat of mail and the weight of the coat was 5 ,000 shekels of bronze. That's about 125 pounds worth of kit here and he had a bronze armor on his legs and a javelin of bronze slung between his shoulders and the shaft of his spear was Like a weaver's beam and the spears head weighed 600 Shekels of iron and his shield bearer went before him and he stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel.

Why have you come out to drop for battle? Am I not a Philistine? Are you not servants of Saul choose a man for yourselves and let him come down to me? You'll know this is an example of what's called representative battle rather than having the armies clash and then be tens of thousands of casualties on each side the idea is just to send out your send out your champion to fight our champion and.

And whoever wins well then they get what whatever the the whole poor purpose of the Conflict was right if he's 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 you shall serve us Goliath says and the Philistine said I Defy the ranks of Israel this day.

Give me a man that that we may fight together. And when Saul and all of Israel heard these words of the Philistine they were dismayed and greatly afraid. You'll note that none put themselves forward as a champion to go up against the champion of the Philistines and that's kind of the point.

Now David was the son of an Ephrathite of Bethlehem and Judah named Jesse who had eight sons in the days of Saul the man was already old and advanced in years and the three oldest of the sons of Jesse had followed Saul to the battle and.

The names of his three sons who went to the battle were Eliab the firstborn and next to him I've been a dab and the third Shema. Now you might think that there's not much here that we can put put Christ into the middle of it.

But wait till you see what the church fathers do with this little detail. There's a little bit more to it, but watch what happens. So David was the youngest the three eldest followed Saul. But David went back and forth from Saul to feed his father's sheep at Bethlehem.

For 40 days the Philistines came forward and took a stand morning and evening. That is not an insignificant number here not numerology, but you'll note that we can look at a pattern in Scripture. How many days and nights did it rain while the Noah and his family were in the ark 40?

How many years did Israel spend in the wilderness? 40 how many days was Jesus tempted in the wilderness? 40 and so here we got 40 days the Philistine came forward and took a stand. So oftentimes the number 40, you know.

It has to do with our sojourn here on earth in this sinful fallen cursed Creation has that oftentimes that's kind of what this is alluding to at least in the types and shadows. So Jesse said to David his son take for your brothers and Ifa of this parched grain and these ten loaves.

Carry them quickly to the camp to your brothers. So just the son of Jesse is being sent by Jesse to give relief. To his brothers who are at the battle parched grain ten, you know ten loaves. And and also take these ten cheeses to the commander of their thousands.

See if your brothers are well bring some token from them. Now Saul and all the men of the of Israel were in the Valley of Elah fighting with the Philistines. David rose early in the morning and left the sheep with a keeper and took the provisions and went as Jesse had commanded him and He came to the encampment as the host was going as it was going out to battle.

So here the the the host is the army itself going out to the battle shouting the war cry and Israel and the Philistines drew up for battle again army against army and David left the things in charge of the keeper of the baggage and Ran to the ranks and then went and greeted his brothers as he walked with them.

Behold the champion the Philistine of Gath Goliath by name came out of the ranks of the Philistines and spoke the same words as before David heard him and all the men of Israel when they saw the man fled from him and were much afraid and the men of Israel said have you seen this man who has come up?

Surely he has come up to defy Israel and the king will enrich. The man who kills him with great riches and will give him his daughter and make his father's house free in israel. So check this out. The guy who kills goliath gets a bride.

That's important too. We're going to put the christ key in here in a minute.

Okay.

And so david said to the men who stood by him Well, what shall be done for the man who kills this philistine and takes away the reproach from israel? For who is this uncircumcised philistine that he should defy the armies of what the living god?

And the people answered him in the same way. So shall it be done to the man who kills him. Now eliab his eldest brother heard when he spoke to the men. And eliab's anger was kindled against david and he said why have you come down and with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness.

I know your presumption and the evil of your heart for you've come down to see the battle. And david said what have I done now? Was it not but a word? And then he turned away from him and toward another and spoke in the same way and the people answered him again as before.

When the words that david spoke were heard. They repeated them before saul and he sent for him. And saul said and david said to saul let no man's heart fail because of him. Your servant will go and fight with the philistine.

And saul said to david you are not able to go against this philistine to fight with him for you are but a youth. He's been a man of war from his youth. But david said to saul your servant used to keep sheep for his father.

And when he came when then when there came a lion or a bear. And took a lamb from the flock. I went after him and struck him and delivered it out of his mouth. Sounds miraculous supernatural, right? And if he arose against me, I caught him by his beard and struck him and killed him.

That's definitely miraculous. And your servant has struck down both lions and bears. And this uncircumcised philistine shall be like one of them for he has defied the armies of the living god. And david said yahweh who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear will deliver me also from the hand of this philistine.

And saul said to david.

Go.

And yahweh be with you. Then saul clothed david with his armor. He put a helmet of bronze on his head clothed him with a coat of mail. And david strapped his sword over his armor and he tried in vain to go for he had not tested them.

Then david said to saul. I cannot go with these For i have not tested them. So david put them off and then he took his staff in his hand and he chose five smooth stones And from the brook and he put them in his shepherd's pouch.

His sling was in the hand In his hand and he approached the philistine. And the philistine moved forward and came near to david with his shield bearer in front of him. And when the philistine looked and saw david he disdained him for he was but a youth ruddy and handsome in appearance.

And the philistine said to david am I a dog that you come to me with sticks? And the philistine cursed david by his gods. The philistine said david come to me and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and to the beasts of the.

Field.

And then david said to the philistine you come to me with a sword and with a spear. And with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of yahweh of hosts. Yahweh of savah armies, right? Yahweh of armies the god of the armies of israel who you have defied.

This day yahweh will deliver you to into my hand and I will strike you down and cut off your head. And I will give the dead bodies of the hosts of the philistines this day to the birds of the air and to the wild beasts of the earth.

That all the earth may know that there is a god in israel. And that all this assembly may know that the lord that yahweh saves not with sword or with spear. For the battle is yahweh's and he will give you into our hand who's going to win the battle not david.

Yahweh, right? So when the philistine arose and came and drew near to meet david david ran quickly toward the battle line to meet the philistine. David put his hand in his bag and took out a stone and slung it and struck the philistine on his forehead.

The stone sank into his forehead and he fell on his face to the ground. Quite an underwhelming battle if you think about it. So david prevailed over the philistine with a sling and with a stone and struck the philistine and killed him.

There was no sword in the hand of david. And then david ran and stood over the philistine and took his sword and drew it out of his sheath. And killed him and cut off his head with it. When the philistines saw that their champion was dead.

They fled and the men of israel and judah rose with a shout. And pursued the philistines as far as gath and the gates of ekron so that the wounded philistines fell on the way. From shah of shah raim as far as gath and ekron.

And the people of israel came back from chasing the philistines and they plundered their camp. And then david took the head of the philistine and brought it to jerusalem, but he put his armor in his tent.

So who won that battle god did so how are we to understand this. Are we to somehow allegorize? David as a as a stand-in for you for me. No, we we should not do that. So let me show you. Just a few examples.

Okay from the church fathers. These are these are uh, yes things i've collected up for you. Just for this episode of fighting for the faith, uh, the venerable bead who was a church father. He he notes.

Um,. That uh when david is bringing bread and cheese. Uh to his uh to his brothers the refreshment that david brings to his brothers typifies the perfect humility of christ. Brought to his that he brought to his disciples.

How's bead reading this text? David is a stand-in for christ. David points us to jesus. Jesus is the champion. Jesus is the one who went on to the field of battle that day.

All right.

Caesarius of arlis a boy man. His his stuff is great. I'm going to show you one of his quotes. He says by sending david with food to look for his brothers jesse. Then typified god the father who sent jesus to free humanity from the devil's power.

David's arrival in subsequent battle with goliath symbolizes christ's advent and victory over the devil. You're not the the the giant killer. Jesus is right. Uh, he also says in chiding david Eliab signified the jewish people who jealously slandered christ who came for the salvation of the human race.

And then uh. Paulinus of nola. He says the faith that trusts christ and regards god alone as highest prevails over all weapons. And then maximus of turin one of the church fathers, right? David killed goliath with a stone which symbolizes the power of christ in a battle that figuratively teaches The superiority of heavenly weapons over earthly ones.

And then john christosom writes in order to be victorious in battle We must take hold of the spiritual stone or christ which prevailed over.

Goliath.

So the way the church fathers the church historically has understood this text. It ain't about you. This all typifies in the types and shadows. It points to aspects of jesus and what he did to free you and free me.

So that being the case we can go back through we can kind of we kind of work some of this out. So we'll note then. That uh, you know that uh, the the armies of the philistines are going to represent the demonic horde.

Goliath is representative of satan himself. The fact that he has his head cut off. Uh should invoke something from like genesis chapter three. Let me explain genesis chapter three uh when god um God curses the serpent after the the garden of eden incident.

Uh, god says, uh, I will put enmity between you and the one and the woman between your offspring and her offspring. He shall bruise your head and you shall bruise his heel. So, uh, you know the the injury to the head of satan that is Prophesied in the garden of eden is invoked again.

Then in this text when david when david cuts off the head of goliath. Symbolic of christ's victory over satan and the crushing of satan's head things like this. This is a great way to kind of look at these things.

So we already talked about how his sons, you know, eliab and david bringing with them. You know food for them parched grain and and breads and and cheeses. That's all typifies the humility of christ. The five smooth stones.

I read another church father that uh that likens the five smooth stones to the five wounds of christ. Uh, you think about it christ was pierced in both of his hands both of his feet. And his side was pierced by a roman lance after he after he died.

And so that being the case the five smooth stones Points us to the five wounds of christ by which he defeats satan for us on the cross. And so you this is a study. In looking for jesus in the old testament and seeing the connections to how he jesus is our champion.

He is the one who defeated goliath. And yes, it's true that christians engage in spiritual warfare. But this text isn't really ultimately about that. Because christ is the one who wins the battle against satan for us.

So that that that's that's the right way of looking at this but what beth moore is doing is the standard Narcissistic eisegesis turning you into the champion who's got to slay goliath. And man, and here's the thing this will lead to despair.

Because you're going to note in your fights against the devil. You are anything but a champion you often in fact daily Succumb to the temptations of the devil and the world in your own sinful flesh. You are hardly a giant slayer, right?

So you kind of get the idea. So now listening to beth moore. You should get an understanding as to why this is just not the right way of reading this text for some of you.

This is the case where it's been the same thing that has come up over and over and over again. Anybody anybody at all at that same thing. You see of all things that that the enemy cannot counterfeit. The enemy is not creative.

When I say the enemy i'm talking about I'm talking about satan himself. I'm talking about the kingdom of darkness. Anything god does satan attempts to counterfeit. But it's really really hard for him to counterfeit creation because he cannot do anything ex nihilo.

He cannot bring anything into existence from nothing. So he's not very creative once he figures out what works with you. Once he figures out what works with me as long as it keeps working. He keeps doing the same thing.

I want to see somebody testify.

This text isn't about me. This is about christ's victory over satan. That's the way he does. I just wonder is anybody getting weary?

Because it gets really wearying. I have no idea how many times i've said to god. Can you test me on something new that I really could pass? I mean, there's. Are there things that I really can like do.

Why do we keep going back after this one over and over again? Because he's gonna set us up till we win.

That's what he is after. No, he isn't. God isn't gonna set us up until we win. Christ has won for us. Victory is in jesus. Not you winning. I mean in fact if you believe what she just said god's going to continue to set us up until we win.

This is a formula for despair. At some point you're going to sit there and say there's something wrong with me. Because I can't ever seem to get victory over These problems these sins these giants in my life.

I can promise you right now We will have people from outside the word of god or maybe there are people of some some faith. But they just don't take the word at its word and they'll think well, this is the stuff of legend.

There really wasn't a david and goliath, but au contraire.

There definitely was a david and goliath. This is a historical account. Now, let me show you in the next video. Then, you know what she does with this because you get the idea and the fact is. You've probably heard plenty of sermons.

Admonishing you to go out and conquer your giants and have giant defying faith and all that kind of nonsense, right? And that's what it is. It's ultimately nonsense. It robs christ of his glory and makes you the champion rather than jesus.

Watch what she does here.

Beth Moore’s Call for Giant-Defying Faith

The war of words.

There's a god defiant giant threatening to make us look like losers. That was number one. Number two is this. We build so much of our lesson on this god's after willing volunteers to stand in the valley with giant defiant faith.

Volunteers plural. No the son of david is our giant Defiant one who conquers satan for us. You'll note that When the story of david and goliath occurs the genealogy of jesus had come to david and no further.

That being the case. That you could legitimately make a case that christ himself went onto the battlefield that day. So where in scripture does it say god is after willing volunteers to stand in the valley with giant defiant faith?

No text says this and she is just doesn't get that this text is about christ. The church has historically understood it to be about christ. Let me read this Quote from cesareus of arlis. I mean, this is a just bang on quote from one of his sermons as david came.

He found the jewish people located in the valley of terabinth in order to fight against the philistines. Because christ the true david was to come in order to lift up the human race from the valley of sins and tears.

They stood in a valley facing the philistines. They were in a valley because the weight of their sins had pressed them down. However, they were standing but that but did not dare to fight against their adversaries.