Walking in the Footsteps of King David

Now on a recent episode of The Watchman we took a tour of the ancient city of David in Jerusalem where many believed King David's palace once stood. That episode got such a strong response that our team at Christians United for Israel wanted to dig even deeper into David's legacy and what it means for you today. Because when you think about it the nation of Israel today is like the shepherd boy David surrounded by Goliaths that seek to destroy him. The existence of Israel today against all odds is proof of God's existence. He is a promise-keeping God and the life of King David shows that beautifully. So join us and our Israeli tour guide Menashe Sekersky as we walk today in the footsteps of King David. Well Menashe, we are at one of the most exciting recent finds in Israeli archaeology. Hirbat Qeiyafa also known as the Fortress of Elah from a very interesting period in Israel's history. King David's military Menashe was here as sort of the original Israel defense forces used this as a fortress. Tell us a bit more about that the military use of this site. This site is a contents 700 meters of wall. It's not that big city but it's very not a small city or small village. And this was just excavated Menashe in 2007. This is recent 2007 another excavation I believe in 2010-2011. Every day in Israel you're finding some new evidence some new amazing find proving the Bible but this is really recent that's why it's so exciting that we're here today. The archaeologists who dug here they found here amazing amazing walls amazing walls but also amazing gate. We can see here very very heavy stones and the stones are a part of a structure of a of a of big and strong walls that going around all of this hill. Here we can see the foundation stone of the of the gate and we can see here a signs of the of the of the doors of the gate was that was pretty big. Yeah you could see you could fit a lot of men through here and Menashe it's pretty amazing because King David himself walked through this gate most likely one day and now you and I 3,000 years later are going to walk through this gate inside. Let's go. Let's What we are seeing right now inside the fortress is how organized the the fortress was planned and how organized the fortress are built. We can see here first the wall outside and also we can see how the the the houses is very organized house beside another house beside another house. Here very close to here we found one of the main important findings. We found the description dating to the time of David description which written in ancient Hebrew. It was 3,000 years 3,000 years ago. It is the most ancient description we have ever found here in Israel and all over. These inscriptions talking about morality issues talking about how to help to the poor people how to help to the people with bad condition of in the in their life. Biblical issues. Very biblical messages very biblical issues to help to the orphans. It's very important for us as researchers to find this kind of inscription because there is many people who thinking that at the time of David we don't have the the Hebrew language. It also proves that yes the Hebrew language was here and yes King David was here 3,000 years ago. Well Menashe we're standing at the site of one of the most most famous battles in human history. It didn't involve two armies per se but two individuals a boy and a man. David versus Goliath happened right where we're standing right now in the Valley of Elah. Over my left shoulder here in the distance that that brown hill you have a few trees on top Azekah that is where the Israelites King Saul's army was in camp and every day you can picture Goliath came from that hill came here to the Valley of Elah at the foot of Azekah and challenged the Israelites every day. The Bible says he mocked them he cursed them challenged them to come and And then David come from the Israel he come he went through this creek took the the five smooth stones and came to Goliath tell him what he should tell him that he come with the name of God. Down here we can see the river of Elah which was involved in the battle between David and Goliath. Now that is where David the Bible says picked out five smooth stones to use against Goliath. Yes he actually came to here and he took stones like this smooth stone like we we can see here many and by this stone he was killed Goliath but not before he say to him you are coming with all of your army equipment but I am coming for you just with the name of God. If you could hold that stone up again it doesn't look like much but I'll tell you King David was an expert young David the shepherd boy was an expert with that sling and you can see as he wound that sling up and he slung it at Goliath right in the forehead you could see how that could be a deadly weapon. This stone is very very strong stone small one but can kill even men huge men like Goliath. Yeah this is what David did he used his smartness his belief and he came to him with what he had what he had is his belief. Yeah and it's amazing because Goliath the Bible says had an armor bearer he was a big guy obviously a giant and he had people carrying all of his equipment his shield all this armor and David comes just as he was a small shepherd boy a teenager with some stones and a slingshot but he had a mighty ally on his side the God of Israel. Eric we have a chance here in this specifically place but in many other places all over the land of Israel to see the words in our eyes not just to read them but also to feel it to see it on ground this is why I invite everyone to come to Israel and to see the Bible come come alive.