David: King of Israel from 981-942 BC
After
removing Saul, he made David their king. God testified concerning him: 'I have
found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will do everything I
want him to do.' Acts 13:22 (NIV)
READ: 1 Samuel 16, 24; 2
Samuel 7; 1 Kings 2:1-12
When
God determined to reject Saul as the king of Israel, he sent Samuel with oil to
anoint another. God showed Samuel that
he should not look at the outside but rather look at the heart and choose the
successor to the throne from Jesse’s sons.
David was the youngest son and his father didn’t even think it necessary
to bring him before Samuel as he was off tending the sheep. Samuel questioned Jesse and eventually found
David, anointing him with oil. The Holy
Spirit came upon David mightily and left Saul, leaving Saul agitated and
moody. Saul then called David in to play
the harp for him to sooth him. At first
Saul loved David and made him his armor bearer but as David became more popular
with the people for his great feats in battle, Saul became jealous. David’s popularity started when he defeated
Goliath with a small stone and his slingshot.
Soon Saul tried to kill David so David fled. As Saul’s fear of David grew, David’s
popularity with the people also grew leading him to spend many years as a
fugitive. During this time David learned
many important things as he grew in character and was tested by God. It is clear that David held no grudge against
Saul as he wrote a beautiful lamentation over the memory of Saul after he
died. It was shortly after Saul’s death
that David went up to Hebron and was appointed king over Judah. One of Saul’s sons took the throne over the
rest of Israel and the two houses were at war with each other. Saul’s house weakened while David’s increased
in strength until David became firmly established as king over all of
Israel. David then captured the city of
Jerusalem and conquered many of Israel’s enemies. Although David was a great leader he was not
without sin. He lusted after Bathsheba
who became pregnant. Since she was
married to another man he arranged to have that man murdered. God did not overlook these actions and sent
Nathan the prophet to shed some light on his actions. Unlike Saul, David could see his own faults
and was repentant although the consequences for his actions plagued his
house. The sins of his past caused great
grieve for David as one of his sons raped his half-sister and another son,
Absalom plotted revenge which included the murder of the perpetrator. This same son plotted to overthrow David and
take over the throne causing David to flee Jerusalem. David is also known for moving the Ark of the
Covenant to Jerusalem which included a grand celebration. During this time he established rules for the
proper worship of God. David was not
content for the ark to remain in a tent.
He desired to build a permanent structure however the Lord would not
permit David to do this, and through Nathan the prophet told David that not he
but his son would build God’s house (2 Sam. 7:1-29). David made preparations for the building of
Solomon’s temple and established the order for the temple service including
appointing chiefs and tribes to oversee the treasury. He publically announced that Solomon should
be his successor, giving instructions to him on how to build the temple. In his last days, he charged Solomon to be
strong and keep the law of God. David, a
man of faith, was handpicked by God to lead the people and God’s promise of
peace to David’s seed forever was established through Christ.
JOURNALING AND PRAYER
1. Where do you feel weak in your faith?
2. Ask God how He wants to grow your faith this summer. What does He want to do in your heart?
3. Thank God for what He has shown you, and pray that it would become a reality in your life.
