From Abraham to David was 14 generations.

From David to the Babylonian exile was 14 generations.

From the Babylonian exile to the birth of the Messiah was 14 generations.

Matthew 1:17

From this biblical passage, we learn the link between the Old and the New Testaments, between Jesus, the Savior and Messiah, to Abraham and David, key figures of the Old Testament.

David, being the youngest of eight children, had the hardest task of all, tending the family’s sheep every day out in a distant hot desert. He was close to the Lord, praying to Him daily to protect him from the elements. He was tough, used to the desert heat, but the threat of wolves and lions preying on his sheep was his biggest problem.

So, survival dictated that he master the use of the sling, a strap of sheepskin more than four feet long and half a foot wide at the center, which snuggly held a smooth hard stone about the size of a tennis ball. The strap tapered to a thick rope at either end. See photo below.

He had to rotate the sling until it reached a considerable speed, whistling in the wind, before he would let go one end of the strap to release the stone. The faster the rotation, the more powerful the impact of the stone.

David’s first problem was knowing the exact time to release the stone. If too early, the stone would fall to the ground. If too late, it would soar high above the target. David practiced daily, trying to hit a target cactus plant or large rock a few yards away. He would whisper a short prayer before aiming for the target. So the Lord guided his mind to hit the target.

After a month of practice, he mastered the art of using the sling with utter precision. He eventually killed many lions and wolves preying on his sheep, targeting their foreheads for instant death.

The Philistines suggested to the Israelites a deal that, instead of a long conflict where many would die, their best warriors would fight in a duel, and the losers would concede and retreat. The Philistines tricked them because they had a giant warrior, Goliath, in full armor, hiding in the back. The Israelites did not know what they were getting into, but agreed right away.

After Goliath appeared amid the cheers of the Philistines, the Israelites were hard pressed to find their best warrior. The boy David stepped forward and volunteered. Everyone laughed, both Israelites and Philistines. David ignored the laughter and jeers. He moved forward to face Goliath. He was not scared for two reasons. First was his unwavering faith that God was beside him, just like the many times he killed lions. Second was his mastery of the sling.

It took a few seconds for David to hit Goliath dead center on his forehead. Goliath instantly fell dead with a loud crash. David beheaded Goliath and, as he raised the head he could hardly lift, the Philistines scampered away.

Eventually, David became the warrior king chosen by God to replace his father, Solomon and he led his people to victory against vastly superior foes. The gospels trace the roots of Jesus the Messiah to David, the greatest king of the Old Testament, to link the Old and New Testaments.

David knew that his victory was not his but God’s to whom he prayed when he practiced with the sling. He was a mere instrument of God to save the Israelites from their many forthcoming enemies.