Trump Fear 1 Samuel 17

“Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell” (Matt. 10:28, NASB).

Many Americans fear President Donald Trump. You might ask: Why do you think that people are afraid of the president. I make this statement based on the following observations. I hear people reference Trump is Sunday school classes, sermons, and so many things that takes place that they believe have negative consequences. My sister sends me a letter. She mentions an encounter with a person who believes that pay phones will be done away with because Trump does not want migrants coming across the border. She wonders: What does a caravan of thousands of foreigner have to do with pay phones. On another occasion a friend comments that we had better eat while we can because with Trump people might not be able to eat. When Marie asks the friend what Trump has to do with people having food to eat, the friend does not respond. It seems to me that people live what my sister calls the Trump Syndrome. I call it Trump Fear.

Why are people so afraid of Trump? Is it because of the things that he says and does? Do we not know that there are three branches of government? Do we know that the constitution gives power to three branches of government so that there are checks and balances that prevent any one branch of government to do everything that it wants to do? Donald Trump is the president of the United States. He is not the King with unlimited power. It really bothers me that people have this fear of Trump. It disturbs me more when I observe Christians in the churches express their fear of what they think that he might try to do more than they talk about the sovereign power of the Lord our God. It seems to me that the church ought to spend more time praying and less time complaining and expressing fear.

What can one man do when we consider what the Lord can do? Today, I want to use the story of a shepherd boy armed with a sling shot and five stones as he faces a giant with full battle armor and experience. The king of his nation is afraid of this giant and all the soldiers in the army are afraid of this giant. The shepherd boy is brave and courageous. What makes the difference? Let us review the story.

In 1 Samuel 17 we read that the armies of Israel are in battle against the armies of the Philistines. Saul, king of Israel and his armies are camped at the valley of Elah. The Philistines stand on the mountain on one side of the valley and Israel stands on the mountain on the other side of the valley. A champion of the armies of the Philistines, Goliath issues a challenge. He will face any soldier of Israel’s choosing. The winner between the two soldiers will determine which army wins the battle. In 1 Samuel 1:4-10 the writer gives us an account of this giant’s statue and his challenge to the armies of Israel. Verse 11 records their response. “When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid” (1 Sam. 1:11, NASB). Do people see Trump similarly to the way Saul and the Israelites see Goliath? Now David will come to the rescue.

David’s father sends him to see his three brothers who are serving in the army. He sends food by David and David is to determine their welfare and report his finding to his father. David finds his brothers and while he is visiting with them he hears the challenging and frightening word of the Philistine giant. David asks the soldiers, “What will 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 taunt the armies of the living God” (v. 26, NASB)? The soldiers respond to the giant’s challenge in fear. David responds with words that express his faith in the living God of Israel.

David is sent to Saul. The king puts his armor on David, but he cannot fight with another man’s battle armor. God gives David his own weapons. When David meets the giant, he meets him in the name of the “LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have taunted” (v. 45). David is sure that he will be victorious. He will defeat the giant and the armies of the Philistines. The world will know two things. First, there is a God in Israel. Also, “all this assembly may know that the LORD does not deliver by sword or by spear; for the battle is the LORD’S and He will give you into our hands” (v.47). With the weapons that the Lord arms David with, he kills the giant and defeats the Philistine army. So, what does this story have to do with President Donald Trump? What does this story tell us about the people, especially Christians that have so much fear of him?

First, it is true that faith and fear are not compatible. We can see that Saul and his armies are overcome with fear. They are not armed with faith in the God of Israel. On the other hand, David’s faith assures him that he will be victorious. It is not his battle. It’s the Lord’s battle. David is simply an instrument in the hands of the Lord. How did David come to have such faith?

David’s faith is brought about through past experiences. Let us peep in on the conversation between David and King Saul as recorded in verses 31-39. David assures Saul that there is no need to fear the giant. Saul is doubtful because he is judging the size of David compared to the size of the giant. Saul knows that Goliath has experience in battle while David is just a shepherd boy with no battle experience. How can this lad defeat this imposing and intimidating giant? In verse thirty-seven David speaks these words of certainty to Saul. “And David said, ‘The LORD who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine’” (v.37, NASB). The men in Saul’s army are loyal fighters, but it is apparent that they have never experienced victories that they have given credit to God. Can it be the same with Christians that have Trump Fear? Are we Christians and church members that have not experienced victories that we give credit to God alone?

A second factor can be our obedience or disobedience to the Lord’s commands. When we look at the life of King Saul we learn that Saul has been disobedient to God and He knows that he has lost favor with the Lord. In 1 Samuel 13 Saul grows impatient waiting on Samuel to come and offer sacrifices to the Lord. Saul sacrifices the burnt offering and Samuel appears. Samuel chastises Saul for not obeying the Lord’s commandments. Saul had responded in fear. He lacked faith in the Lord. Samuel tells Saul that his kingdom will not endure. Instead the Lord will give the kingdom to a man after God’s own heart. So, when the giant issues his challenge, Saul is afraid because he has been disobedient and he has lost favor with the Lord. Are we afraid of Trump because we have failed to be obedient to the Lord’s commands, and we have no sense of God’s grace in our lives? Are we afraid that God will allow Trump to have his way because of our own willful determination to do things our own way instead of doing things according to the will of God who gives us His commands for our own good?

You might ask: How have I been disobedient to the Lord? I have no need to respond to this question. All of us know the things that we have done of failed to do in disobedience to the Lord. We have given ourselves credit for the good things that have taken place in our lives. At the same time we refuse to admit that our failures are largely our own faults instead of what someone else has done or what they are doing. We may say the right words; that it all comes from the Lord, but do we use what the Lord gives to us to serve others? Do we blame others for their shortcomings and continue on our way unconcerned about our fellow man?

Finally, when we have Trump Fear or the Trump Syndrome, we are guilty of idolatry. How so, you might ask. Idolatry is ascribing power and reverence to anyone and anything above our reverence to God. The verse at the beginning us this article tells us that we should not give more power to Trump than we do to God. Trump has no control over our souls. He has no heaven or hell to put us in. Trump will not have the final word about our life. This power God reserves for Himself alone. Do not fear Trump. Have faith in the Living God who alone has sovereign power in the world.