Slinging Stones of Faith

“Reaching into his bag and taking out a stone, he slung it and struck the Philistine on the forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell facedown on the ground.” – 1 Samuel 17:49 We know that David killed Goliath with a slingshot, and though many of us were taught that it was a miracle that he was able to knock him down with just one stone, historically-speaking, slinging was a very effective way to hunt. While it was eventually replaced by archery because a bow and arrow have a longer range, a tiny rock slung within 20 feet of a target was just as powerful as a .44 pistol. Such a weapon was simple and inexpensive to fashion, and although there was considerable skill involved in mastering it, David was well-practiced since he was accustomed to fighting off the predatory animals that sought to attack his sheep.