Where is Goliath's Head?
Many narratives follow a straight chronological time sequence in the Bible, but there are places where the narrative double backs and picks up the story at an earlier point in time.
One example of this double back is in Acts. In Acts 8:1, we read that a great persecution broke out against the church and many were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. Then we pick up the stories of Philip in Samaria, Philip and the Ethiopian, Saul's conversion, and Peter and Cornelius. In Acts 11:19 we read, "Now those who had been scattered by the persecution in connection with Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch." Thus 11:19 doubles back to the point in time of Acts 8:1 and picks up another story line. The impact is that what is happening in Antioch is happening during the same time as the events happening in Judea and Samaria.
The most remarkable double back appears at the end of the David and Goliath story in 1 Sam17:52-18:9.
- In 17:52-54, the Israelites fought the Philistines, David took Goliath's head to Jerusalem, and put Goliath's weapons in his own tent.
- In 17:55-18:5, Saul watched David going out to face Goliath (double backing to 17:40). After the battle, David returned to Saul carrying Goliath's head (v. 57). Jonathan makes a covenant with David, and Saul made David a high ranking official in his army, and David was successful in all that he did. The people and Saul's officials were pleased.
- In 18:6, we double back a third time where we again see David coming back home after killing Goliath and the following battle against the Philistines. Now the women come out in singing and dancing and declare that "Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands." Now we are told that Saul is angry and jealous.
Much of Revelation, after chapter 3, deals with the second 3 1/2 year period of the Tribulation. There are many points of double backing in this book as well. Another example is seen in the interrelationship between the Judah and Tamar story in Genesis 38 and the Joseph story in Gen 37:36 and 39:1.
As you read your Bible, be aware that this is a literary technique used in Scripture.
(Picture: David with the Head of Goliath, c. 1607, in the Kunsthistorisches Museum, Gemldegalerie, Vienna)
Hi Dr. Painter,
ReplyDeleteI appreciated the comments about double-back. It makes me wonder about how scripture should be interpreted. I feel like I keep doing a double-back when I read different interpretations of scripture. I recently came across some information while preparing a bible study for Jn. 12 where Jesus says that the hour has come (vs. 23). It seems significant since he has continually explained that his hour was not yet come, and he refused to be forcibly made king. But at the triumphal entry, he allows them to say "Blessed is the King of Israel." The strangeness of the voice of the Father from heaven confirming that it is time for the Father to glorify his name seems to call for explanation. Enter Daniel 9:24-26 70 weeks prophecy. I don't know if you have come across "The Coming Prince" by Sir Robert Anderson, but he counts exactly 173,880 days from the decree of Artaxerxes that Nehemiah (2:1) could rebuild Jerusalem (he counts the 1st of Nisan) until Messiah the Prince. For fear of looking elaborately contrived, it does matter which translation you take some of this information from, or it will be difficult to connect the dots. So if 1st of Nisan is March 14th 445 BC, and Jesus rode on the colt of a donkey on (10th Nisan) April 6th 32 AD, then "until Messiah the Prince there shall be 7 weeks and 62 weeks" (of years...heptads). 69 weeks of years would be 483 years or 173,880 days. Now based on the 3 1/2 years principle from Revelation 11:2-3, the biblical or prophetic years is 360 days, because 3 1/2 years is 42 months or 1,260 days (42x30). That is 12 months of 30 for the calendar year. I am following Gesenius lexicon to determine that "shabua" and the RSV refer to weeks of years in Dan. 9:24-27, because the other translations do not spell it out. The Counter- Reformation Catholic position is that the anointed ones are Cyrus (Is 45:1) and Onias III. The lack of consensus has put me into a double back on more occasions than one. As you may imagine, I am not sympathetic to those who late date Daniel so that he was made to be commenting on history through an editor rather than giving prophecy, but I am willing to consider that when Jesus said that "his hour had come" he may have been aware that the 173,440th day had arrived. That would be taking the 445 from BC to 32AD to get 476 years (because there is no 0 year), adding the 24 days between the March and April dates, and the 116 leap days for 476 year period (476x365+24+116). No wonder Jesus wept over Jerusalem, that they were not ready for their day of visitation, and no wonder Jesus had to ride in on a donkey rather than a white horse. He knew it was his hour, and they should have known as well (Zech 9:9). No matter if Lazarus raised from the dead, if they would not believe Moses and the Prophets (Luke 16:31).
Soli Deo Gloria,
Aaron in Croatia
P.s. I welcome all heresy checks, because I strive continually to submit myself more fully to Acts 17:11... and you are one of the most reliable defenders of the faith I will probably ever know.
God bless you-thanks for these informative posts.