david

David lived during the years 1041-971 BC. This time is arrived at from a consideration of the following data. Secular and Biblical scholars agree that David’s son Solomon began his rule in Israel in 971 BC. This was the year when David died. (1 Kings 2:1, 10-11). David ruled in Israel for 40 years and 6 months. He was 30 years old when he became king. (2 Samuel 5:4-5). This gives him a life span of just over 70 years. Counting back 70 years from 971 BC we arrive at 1041 BC.

The nations of David’s world had a number of things in common. We see the first ...

By the time of David, people of every nation had moved far away from God. In the search for identity and for an explanation of origins, evolutionary thinking had become a substitute for the Biblical account of creation. The understanding the people of Babylon had of their origins for example is preserved in a collection of clay tablets known as the Enuma Elish. These tablets date back to 1000 BC. in David’s time. Dr Henry Morris[1] quotes Thorkild Jacobsen’s research concerning these tablets. Jacobsen writes …

Specifically, Enuma Elish assumes that all things have evolved out of water. This description presents the earliest stage of the universe as one of watery chaos. The chaos consisted of three intermingled elements: Apsu, who represents the sweet waters; Ti’amat, who represents the sea; and Mumnu, who cannot as yet be identified with certainty but may represent cloud banks and mist. These three types of water were mingled in a large undefined mass ... Then, in the midst of this watery chaos, two gods came into existence - Lahau and Lahamu.

The peoples of the world adopt religious ideas from each other. Merging other peoples’ religious traditions with one’s own is known as religious syncretism. The belief system of the Phoenicians is one example. David purchased cedar logs from them and hired Phoenician carpenters and stonemasons to build his palace. D. J. Wiseman[2] says that syncretism featured strongly in their religious life when he writes, “The syncretistic tendencies of Phoenician religions are to be seen in the art which combines Semitic, Egyptian, and Hurrian elements.”

As the peoples of the world moved further and further away from their creator God so their quality of life diminished. It was a trend that was still in existence at the time of Paul. Paul writes of that trend in his day.

For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles. Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. They exchanged the truth of God for a lie and worshipped and served created things rather than the creator. (Romans 1:21-25).

The nation of Israel began with the family of Abraham. The nation’s calling was to make the Lord known to all the people of the world.[3] One of Israel’s songwriters captured the spirit of this challenge in a song he set to the music of stringed instruments.

O God, in your mercy bless us.
Let your face beam with joy as you look down at us.
Send us around the world with the news of your saving power
And your eternal plan for all mankind.
(Psalm 67:1-2 - Living Bible).

As a nation however, the people failed to carry out the mandate entrusted to them. By David’s time the nation was far away from God. David’s predecessor Saul, did nothing to encourage the people in their calling. God’s purposes for the nation were almost forgotten. Biblical truth, like the oil lamp in the Temple, was burning low. But all was not lost, for “the lamp of God had not yet gone out.” (1 Samuel 3:3). The Lord was about to do a new thing in Israel. He will install a new king. The life and writings of this new king would point to the coming Messiah. The covenant promises made to David concerning the building of a house and the establishing of a kingdom would have an immediate partial fulfilment but would find their complete fulfilment in the Lord Jesus Christ. He would be the ultimate fulfilment of the promise of a son made to David. (2 Samuel 7:12-14).

Let us look at the ways in which David’s life points to the Messiah. There is firstly ...

THE ALMOST UNNOTICED BIRTH IN BETHLEHEM

The people of Israel were looking for a leader who could save them from their troubles. They said to David, “We want a king over us. Then we will be like all other nations, with a king to lead us and go out before us and fight our battles.” (1 Samuel 8:19-20). Saul was appointed but failed to meet the peoples’ expectations. They remained insecure and fearful during his 42-year reign. But then the Lord stepped in as he has done so many times in world history. He chose David to bring stability to the nation.

When David was born in Bethlehem his birth was largely unnoticed. The village itself is not even mentioned among the localities listed by Joshua.[4] It was a small insignificant village about 8 kms south of Jerusalem. David’s father was a sheep farmer named Jesse, a grandson of Boaz and Ruth. David was the last born son in a family of eight boys and probably several girls. No one would have taken much notice of this latest addition to the family. His parents would have had no idea of the important role he was to play in the history of his nation and of the world.

It was to Micah that the Lord revealed the Messiah’s place of birth. He like David would be born in Bethlehem. Micah wrote, “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will rule over Israel, whose origins are from old, from ancient times.” (Micah 5:2). Apart from Joseph and Mary, an innkeeper, and some cattle, no one in Bethlehem took much notice of the coming of Jesus to planet earth. It was different in the heavenly realm however. The host of heaven was watching. One of them made the announcement of Jesus’ arrival to some shepherds who were watching over their sheep. A greatly respected doctor and careful historian has provided us with a record of what happened. Luke writes, “And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid, I bring you news of great joy that will be for all people. Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.’” (Luke 2:8-11).

The meaning of the word ‘Christ’ is ‘Messiah’. The meaning of the name ‘Jesus Christ’ is ‘Jesus the Messiah’. Alfred Edersheim[5] thinks that because these shepherds were close to Bethlehem the sheep they were watching over were those kept especially for the temple sacrifices. Other sheep were kept in pastures further away. It was fitting then, that the announcement of the coming of ‘the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world’ (John 1:29), should have been made to those shepherds.

The birth of Jesus may at first have gone mainly unnoticed in Bethlehem but in the months that followed talk began to spread about him being a king. The news carried far to the East so that possibly as long as two years after his birth, a group of astrologers (we are not sure how many), travelled to Palestine to try and find out more about him. (Matthew 2:1-12). By this time Joseph and Mary had found suitable accommodation. The Magi were guided to the house by what they referred to as a star. It may well have been the same Shekinah glory which guided the people of Israel during the journey from Egypt to their new homeland. (Numbers 9:15-23).

Saul. When he got there he would be shown the person God had selected. As he walked Samuel was told to go to the home of Jesse to anoint a successor to along the road to Bethlehem, Samuel had time to think about the kind of person he thought would be suitable. He probably pictured a man with a commanding presence, tall, one who displayed outstanding qualities of leadership, and one who was experienced in the art of warfare.

When he arrived, Samuel arranged a service of sacrifice for the family. During the service Samuel noticed Jesse’s oldest son Eliab. He matched the picture of the leader Samuel had in his mind. As he looked at him Samuel thought, “Surely the Lord’s anointed stands here before the LORD.” (1 Samuel 16:6). But he was not the one. The Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance but the LORD looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7).

Samuel then interviewed each of Jesse’s sons who were present but he did not receive confirmation from the Lord that any of them was the one he had chosen. For a moment he was confused because he was sure that God had chosen one of the sons in the family to be the next king. And so he asked Jesse if there was a member of the family he had not met. There was. God had hidden his servant out on the hills among the sheep. Hidden, just as a later servant of the Lord said of himself, “Before I was born the Lord called me. From my birth he has made mention of my name. He made my mouth like a sharpened sword. In the shadow of his hand he hid me. He made me into a polished arrow and concealed me in his quiver.” (Isaiah 49:1-2). When Samuel saw David he knew that this was the one God had chosen. The Lord said to him, “Rise and anoint him. He is the one.” (1 Samuel 16:12).

David was found hidden among the sheep of his father’s flock. And then we find ...

For the first 30 years of his life on earth Jesus remained hidden from the wider public view in Joseph’s wood working shop. The Illustrated Bible Dictionary[6] describes how he worked at “all the carpentry tasks required in building operations, making roof, door, window, and stair fittings. Of furniture, he constructed couches, beds, chairs, tables, and footstools ... agricultural implements, ploughs, yokes, threshing instruments or boards, and irrigation machines ...” He may also have been engaged in woodcarving. This was something that a few specialists in the wood working business engaged in as well as working with bone and ivory.

Hidden away in the carpenter’s shop Jesus became a master craftsman skilled in all aspects of working with wood and other materials. At the age of 30 he began his teaching ministry and again proved to be a skilled craftsman as he worked with people. To shape a business man like Peter for example, into a polished arrow for the Master’s service, required the skill of a master craftsman. But even in the three years of his ministry Jesus remained hidden in the sense that he revealed who he was and the purpose for which he had come, only to those who wanted to know. Jesus said, “If anyone chooses to do God’s will he will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own.” (John 7:17).

For those who do not want to know who he really was, Jesus will always be just a carpenter who once lived in Nazareth. Like it was with the people of his home town. When he began to teach there his teaching created quite a stir. But many, including the members of his earthly family, would not accept him and derided him, “Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?” (Mark 6:3).

After being anointed to replace Saul as Israel’s king David began to serve in the court of Saul. When Saul became agitated under the influence of an evil spirit he called on David to play calming music in his presence. He also made David a member of his personal bodyguard. (1 Samuel 16:14-23). As time went on it became clear to Saul that David would replace him as Israel’s king. He began to feel insecure. Hostility towards David gradually built up in his heart. Plans to kill David began to dominate his thinking. Saul was not able to thwart God’s purposes however and David’s life was preserved. (1 Samuel 23:14).

Satan is the present world ruler. (1 John 5:19). Just as Saul tried to kill David, so Satan tried to get rid of Messiah Jesus before he could fulfil the purpose for which he had come. Like Saul, Satan did not succeed. After Joseph and Mary became aware of Herod’s plans they took the infant Jesus to safety in Egypt, where they stayed until Herod died. Many other plans to kill Jesus failed, until the time came for him to lay down his life for the redemption of the world. He gave his life voluntarily. As Jesus explained to his disciples ...

“I am the good shepherd. I know my sheep and my sheep know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep which are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life, only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again.” (John 10:14-18).

In Revelation Chapter 12, John draws a graphic word picture of Satan’s attempt to kill off God’s plan of salvation before it could become effective. The downfall of Satan and his kingdom is also pictured there.

God made this promise to David, “I will raise up your offspring ... I will establish his kingdom.” (2 Samuel 7:12). It was partially fulfilled in the person of David’s son Solomon. During Solomon’s 40 year rule the people of Israel prospered. The nation’s influence became widespread. A further fulfilment of the promise comes about when Jesus is enthroned ...

At his first coming Jesus opened the way for the Kingdom of God to be established in peoples’ hearts. It is something personal. It happens when we invite the King to reign in our hearts. Luke records a discussion about this between Jesus and some Pharisees. Luke writes,

Once, having been asked by the Pharisees when the Kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, “The Kingdom of God does not come visibly, nor will people say, ‘Here it is’ or ‘There it is’ because the Kingdom of God is within you.” (Luke 17:20-21).

Jesus also seemed to have this aspect of the Kingdom in mind when he said to Pilate,

“My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now my kingdom is from another place.” (John 18:36).

This is the time when the Kingdom of God will become a visible reality. Jesus will touch down on the Mount of Olives. This was the place of his ascension. (Acts 1:3, 6, 10-12, Zechariah 14:4). At that time he will establish the ‘forever kingdom’ promised to David. (2 Samuel 7:13). Dr Sidlow Baxter writes[7], "The third great fact to grasp concerning this Davidic Covenant is its Messianic implication. The emphatic threefold repetition of the promise to establish the Kingdom of God forever, could only be fulfilled in the coming Messiah; and it has always been understood therefore, of finding its final fulfilment in him. In the words spoken to David no doubt, Solomon is first in view; but the promise looks on through the long succession of human kings, and on through the present long dispersion, to find its culmination in him who, having already been to earth as Prophet, and having now ministered in the heavenly sanctuary as Priest, shall yet return in glory as David’s greater Son."

[1] Morris, Henry M. THE LONG WAR AGAINST GOD - THE HISTORY AND IMPACT OF THE
         CREATION/EVOLUTION CONFLICT. Michigan: Baker Book House. 1995. p. 246.
[2] THE ILLUSTRATED BIBLE DICTIONARY. Douglas, J. D., Organising Editor. Illinois: Tyndale House
         Publishers. 1980. pp. 1225-1226.
[3] Refer to Genesis 12:1-3, Acts 7:1-6, Galatians 3:6-9.
[4] See Joshua 15.
[5] Edersheim, Alfred. THE LIFE AND TIMES OF JESUS THE MESSIAH. Massachusetts: Hendrickson.
         1883. p. 186.
[6] THE ILLUSTRATED BIBLE DICTIONARY. ibid: p. 126.
[7] Baxter, J. Sidlow. EXPLORE THE BOOK. Michigan: Zondervan. 1966. Volume 2. pp. 74-75.