The Place of the Skull--Parading around the head of your enemy

I've been doing some chewing on the life of David. He was called "A man after God's own heart" (Acts 13) and yet we know he was so far from keeping the Law of Moses and seemed to willfully choose sin. It would seem that his decisions would have doomed him to a passionless relationship with God but we see the just the opposite is true in his life. How did this man under the Old Covenant (keeping the Law) seem to grasp the concept of God's grace?

In Psalm 16:5 is a clue for us. "LORD, you alone are my portion and my cup; you make my lot secure" David had a revelation that he was not producing his own righteousness. He somehow knew that keeping the Law was not his security. Many times we read that "David inquired of the LORD." He had developed a relationship not based on rules but KNOWING his Father's heart. David messed up more than ANY other person we read about in the Word of God and yet he was abundantly blessed.

David was also a man of war. I've been focused on one particular verse of scripture for quite some time now near the end of the famous story of David defeating Goliath. This one verse has opened up an understanding for me about what David knew as a man of war and what it means to go forth victorious with a defeated enemy underfoot.

"David took the Philistine’s head and brought it to Jerusalem; he put the Philistine’s weapons in his own tent." Ps 17:54

Now I should give you a little background info. You know the story of David choosing a smooth stone and with a sling that stone SUNK into the forehead of the giant named Goliath. Interestingly enough, the same word for SUNK is used in Exodus 15 when the Egyptian army sunk into the floor of the Red Sea before they drown. The Hebrew people crossed with no problem--millions crossing to safety BUT the enemy was SUNK. This is how God chose to deliver David's enemy to him. David only flung the stone but God caused it to be SUNK into his skull.

David then picked up the sword of his enemy and removed his head.(this word for head is ro'sh and means a top of a mountain or the most important part of something.) This is significant since it demonstrated to those looking on that not only did David conquer the champion of the Philistine's but also the whole Philistine army. This signaled to Saul's army that they were already victorious. God had DELIVERED their enemy into their hand. It also foreshadows that God would use the enemy's weapon (the Cross) to destroy our enemy. No coincidence that Goliath's sword (kept in David's tent) stood end to end would have appeared as a very large cross. That little detail alone should excite you!

It says that David took the head to Jerusalem. But it was not just that simple. First of all Jerusalem was at that time still in occupied territory. We have to read in 2 Samuel 5:6–10 paralleled in 1 Chronicles 11:4–9 that David did not capture and make Jerusalem the capital of Israel until a much later date.

For a season the head was with Saul. It was kept as an artifact just gathering dust. But David used the head (by this time a skull with no flesh upon it) as a symbol to those who followed David that the ENEMY of God is a defeated foe. God delivered Goliath into David's hand and the Philistine army into the hands of God's people.

The head of Goliath remained with Saul until David was King. You know what? I bet there were lots of folks who wondered if David really did kill this infamous enemy. So being a man of war, David took the head of Goliath paraded it all around the divided kingdom (Judah and Israel) and eventually buried it in a place that became known as Golgotha or the Place of the Skull in Jerusalem.

So for centuries before Jesus the Messiah came on the scene this place had a reputation of being where the enemy was put under foot. Defeated! And the whole army of Israel paraded this head with David to it's final destination and it became known as the Place of the Skull.

Our enemy was defeated at the Cross. Jesus said, "It is finished". We have heard the Good News that He paid for all our sin, sorrow, sickness and any lack. But what are we parading around? Are we parading around a defeated enemy or parading our lack? David knew as a man of war that he needed to parade around the head of his enemy.

Okay, time to start a parade. Jesus removed the head of our enemy 2000 years ago at the cross. He delivered the death blow. Now we confess what we believe --not to convince the enemy of his defeat---he's needs no convincing---not to convince God--NO! Our Father in Heaven needs no convincing. But to convince ourselves and encourage those around us. We need to be fully persuaded about what Jesus has accomplished on our behalf.

"And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform." Romans 4:21

Here's the definition of Salvation in case you need a refresher:

Soteria or Sozo (saved) From the Strong's concordance.

to save, keep safe and sound, to rescue from danger or destruction
a) one (from injury or peril)
* to save a suffering one (from perishing), i.e. one suffering from disease, to make well, heal, restore to health
* to preserve one who is in danger of destruction, to save or rescue

Jesus said, "It is FINISHED" so start parading around the head of your enemy! You ARE VICTORIOUS! Jesus paid the price for you to have 100% salvation in any area of your life. You just need to know it for yourself.