The story of a young shepherd boy named David defeating a giant named Goliath is one of the most famous stories in the Bible (1Sam. 17:1-50).

Most scholars believe David was only about 17 years old when he volunteered to fight that strong, cocky, heavily armed 9 foot 9 inch tall champion Philistine warrior.

David was offended when he overheard the boisterous Goliath cursing the God of Israel. He was shocked to learn that everyone in the Israeli army was afraid to fight him.

He told King Saul, “The LORD that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine” (v. 37).

Saul wanted David to use the king’s personal armor and weapons, but the brave youngster didn’t want them. He took his shepherd’s staff, picked up his sling, went to a brook, selected five smooth stones, put them in his shepherd’s bag, and went to the mountains of Israel near the valley of Elah to fight the blaspheming Philistine.

“And the Philistine said to David, ‘Come to me, and I will give thy flesh unto the fowls of the air, and to the beasts of the field.’ Then said David to the Philistine, ‘Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied.

This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcasses of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls 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 all this assembly shall know that the LORD saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the LORD’S, and he will give you into our hands’” (vv. 44-47).

Goliath moved toward David, but the youngster from Bethlehem didn’t back up. He took out a smooth stone, put it in his sling and started swinging it in a circle over his head. He ran toward Goliath and released the stone toward his head.

Some authorities estimate that the stone struck Goliath with the force of a 45-caliber bullet. It sunk deep into his skull and the mighty man fell forward on his face.

David gathered Goliath’s weapons, beheaded him and stood upon his body. The other Philistines started running and they were killed by the Israeli army. Their bodies became food for the fowls of the air and the beasts of   the field.

For thousands of years, people have known that there is a God in Israel. But He didn’t save Israel with a sword and spear. No! He used a young shepherd boy and a weapon that people call “David’s sling.”

Today, a new giant (Russia, Iran, Hezbollah and others) is gathering on the mountains of Israel near her border with Syria. Goliath was armed with a sword, a spear and a shield. This new giant is armed with rockets, missiles and a shield called the Russian air force.

Goliath blasphemed and denied the God of Israel and this new giant is blaspheming and denying the God of Israel.

Goliath faced a young boy and this new giant is facing a young nation.

When Goliath fought David the remainder of the Israeli army watched, but they didn’t help David. When this new giant fights Israel the other nations will watch, but not help Israel.

Goliath died on the mountains of Israel near Bethlehem and this new giant will die on the mountains of Israel near her border with Syria.

Goliath and his army became food for the birds and animals and this new giant will become food for the birds and animals.

Goliath’s sword was picked up by David and this new giant’s weapons will be picked up and burned by Israel.

God delivered Goliath into David’s hands so many people will know Him and God will defeat this new giant so many people will know Him.

Goliath’s defeat was a miracle and this new giant’s defeat will be a miracle.

On Dec. 25, 2015, the young nation of Israel tested a revolutionary new anti-missile air defense system. The test was wildly successful. One official described it as being on the verge of science fiction. It will shoot down the new giants low flying missiles (spears) and planes.

Two batteries of this new system can defend all of Israel, but Israel plans to build and deploy four batteries in the next four months.

The name of this new anti-missile air defense system is “David’s Sling.” It provides Israel with a third anti-missile system: Iron Dome to shoot down low-flying rockets; Arrow 3 to shoot down high-flying intercontinental missiles; and David’s sling to shoot down everything in between.

Israel doesn’t need these weapons to win wars. But God has provided them for such a time as this. He is helping Israel just as surely as He helped David.

The battle is the Lord’s. And Israel will be delivered by miracles from what will appear to be almost certain defeat just like David was delivered by a miracle from almost certain defeat.

Prophecy Plus Ministries
Daymond & Rachel Duck

II Thessalonians chapter 2 begins with Paul, Silas and Timothy pleading with the bretheren (Christians) at Thessalonica to pay attention to what they were going to say about the Second Coming of Jesus and the gathering together (Rapture) of the church (verse 1).

They thought they needed to address these two issues because a false teacher had been circulating an inaccurate report in their name that was upsetting the church.

This unscrupulous person was not identified, but he or she was saying orally and in writing that Paul, Silas and Timothy were teaching that the day of the Lord or the Tribulation period (some texts say day of Christ, but they have a footnote that says day of the Lord) was about to start or that it had already started (verse 2).

Paul, Silas and Timothy were not teaching that the Tribulation period was near or that it had already started. But that is what a false teacher was wrongly telling others that they were saying.

Paul said, “Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day (the day of the Lord or the Tribulation period) shall not come, except there come a falling away (Apostasia) first, and that man of sin (the Antichrist) be revealed, the son of perdition” (Verse 3).

Two things must happen before the Tribulation period can begin: 1) The Apostasia must start, and 2) The Antichrist must be revealed.

The Greek word (Apostasia) can mean “departure.” The first sevenEnglish translations of the Bible say a “departure” must come first. The eighth English translation (the King James Version) says a “falling away” must come first. Other translations say a “rebellion” must come first.

Here is the problem: Did Paul, Silas and Timothy say: 1) A “departure” from the earth (the Rapture) must come before the Tribulation period or 2) Did they say a “departure” from the faith (the falling away) must come before the Tribulation period or 3) or did they say a “rebellion” (against God) must come before the Tribulation period? Some writers have strongly held views on one or more of these interpretations, but this writer believes that all three could be true.

The Bible teaches that there will be the “departure” from the earth at the end of the age (the Rapture; I Thess. 4:13-18).

It teaches that there will be a “departure” from the faith at the end of the age (The falling away; I Tim. 4:1-3; II Tim. 3:1-5; II Tim. 4:3-4; Rev. 3:16). It teaches that there will be a rebellion against God at the end of the age (Matt. 24:37; Gen. 6:5).

And many will disagree, but this writer believes the Bible teaches that all of these things will take place before the Tribulation period (I Thess. 1:10; I Thess. 5:9; Rev. 3:10; Luke 21:36).

Jesus’ Parable of the Mustard Seed teaches that the kingdom of heaven will start out small, but it will become a monstrosity by the end of the age (Matt. 13:31-32). As the kingdom grows, God will add true believers and Satan will add make-believers.

God’s true believers will teach sound Bible doctrine and Satan’s false believers will teach unsound false doctrine. By the time the Tribulation Period is near the massive organized church will be a perch for multitudes of lost people.

Jesus’ Parable of the Leaven teaches that false doctrines (leaven or yeast) will be brought into the kingdom of heaven by Satan’s false church members (the woman, false bride) and it will be totally corrupted by the end of the Tribulation period (Matt. 13:33).

In the Olivet Discourse, Jesus warned the world about deception four times (Matt. 24:4-5, 11 and 24). He kept talking about the danger of deception because the falling away, departure from the faith, rebellion, false teaching, lukewarm spirit and corruption will be very strong by the time the Tribulation period arrives.

The president of the U.S. says America is no longer a Christian nation, and only a few religious leaders mention revival. The convergence of all the Second Coming signs is taking place but most of the Church doesn’t want to know about it. Christians are the most persecuted group on earth, but many church leaders and pastors are more concerned about not offending the Muslims than they are about the brutal slaughter of Christians in Muslim countries.

Wickedness (abortion, boiling and selling baby body parts, same-sex marriage, ordaining gays and divorce) is rampant. Christians are losing their rights every day (can’t pray at school, can’t say the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag or have a Christmas program, etc.)

And the silence in the seminaries is deafening. The Pope appears to be more eager to push climate change, world government and a false world religion than he is to push repentance, salvation and right living.

This is the bottom line: The rebellion against God is great. It looks like the departure from the faith has arrived and the departure from the earth is drawing near. Let no one deceive you by any means. These are things that must happen before the arrival of the Antichrist.

Prophecy Plus Ministries
Daymond & Rachel Duck