David the King

Have you ever had a life-changing moment, where “all the stars seem to align” and it seems like your destiny is figured out? It could be a big thing or a small thing. Others might not understand the importance to you, but in your own way, it seemed to solidify your life plan. The rush of emotions and confidence that follows seems to carry you forward for a while, but a bump in the road arises and causes you to question your certainty. 

That is definitely part of the human experience. I made the basketball team, so I thought it was a good sign that I was going to be the next Michael Jordan. And then, the next season I was cut and I realized that I had misplaced expectations. Making the team was huge, but I definitely began to dream beyond my talents.

However, there are times when God brings things to a point in our life that are defining, and he does have a call on our life. The moment in Trinidad when I was on a youth missions trip and sensed God calling me to pursue pastoral ministry. I was 19, and still had college, seminary, and several jobs ahead of me before that calling came to fruition. There were many frustrations that I encountered that caused me to question my calling, to second guess my decisions, and I almost pursued another path. 

David’s rise to king of Israel is a lot like that. He was a young teenager shepherding his father’s flock when, out of nowhere, the prophet of God anoints him as the next king of Israel. God’s choice for king. Now that is a defining moment, but the kingship wasn’t actualized for a decade or two later. 

READ 1 Samuel 18 – 2 Samuel 4 for the context.

Certainly, that moment gave David confidence and zeal, demonstrated in his boldness before Goliath. That propelled him into good favor with king Saul, at least for a moment, and he was brought into proximity of the king. Yet several years were spent dodging the spears of a king who had forfeited his right to the throne. Yet David never forced God’s hand or took matters into his own hands. He waited patiently for God to move. 

After years in the wilderness, hiding in caves, hiding in enemy cities, and fighting many battles, David’s time was upon him. King Saul and his son Jonathan were killed in battle. If I were David, I would think that was a good indicator that his time had come. Only it didn’t, not right away. Saul’s son Ish-bosheth was anointed king of Israel. A small part of Israel, Hebron, anointed David as king, but now the nation was fractured. 

READ 2 Samuel 5:1-5, 9

You could understand if David wondered about his calling. Maybe this was the kingship God had prophesied and he built it up in his mind like my Michael Jordan musings. No, God had made a covenant with David and was still working. David’s life was never dull, and there was a lot of drama between friends, but eventually, the nation recognized David as the true king of Israel. We know that David’s life wasn’t perfect, but he ushered in the “Golden Era” of the nation of Israel. 

As king, David united the kingdom and established its borders. He built up Jerusalem and established a fortified city. He desired to build a Temple for the Lord, but God said that the task was not for David, for David was a man of war. Yet, David’s son, Solomon, was chosen to build David’s plan for he was a man of peace. 

Truly, David’s life was a depiction of Proverbs 16:9:

The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps.

The disciples of Jesus had their moment as well, when Jesus called them to follow him, they thought the Messiah had come to rescue Israel from the Roman occupation. Jesus did call them to change the world, but not in the way they anticipated. When Jesus was crucified, they all scattered and doubted the calling of the Lord on their life. You could sympathize with them as their leader was put to death before their dreams can to fruition. 

Yet the resurrection changed everything! God was at work and Jesus is alive. God’s call on their life wasn’t wasted or lost. No, it was bigger and grander than they could have imagined! Jesus didn’t come to release one nation from occupation, he came to set all who believe from their slavery to sin, shame, and judgment. 

This is our human story, God isn’t finished. He’s at work and he will establish your steps. Keep your eyes on Jesus and walk with him and you will see his faithfulness in your life (Heb. 12:2). 

David the Warrior

It was the beginning of my 6th-grade year, which was full of changes. All the 6th graders from across the city left behind the elementary schools and were united in this new building. This meant that some of the kids I saw every day since kindergarten were scattered and mingled with new kids from other schools. Amongst a few familiar faces, were a lot of unknowns, would they be friends or enemies? 

I can remember a beautiful August day when we went outside for PE class to play kickball. Yes, we called it gym class back then. This story, like many others, could easily begin with, “well there was this girl…” Anyway, I wanted to impress this girl with my kickball skills, but an opportunity for humor arose. 

A fellow classmate, Jacob, had slipped and fallen on the hill. Instead of assisting him, I tried to be cool and funny, so I made fun of him. It wasn’t nice, it wasn’t funny and it wasn’t impressive. I also hadn’t assessed the situation very well, for the kid I made fun of was the quarterback and captain of the football team. 

He bounced back up and got in my face, warning me that I better watch out because I was going to regret making fun of him. The teacher stepped in and nothing really happened the rest of class. What I didn’t realize was my entire year had been impacted by my foolishness. Jacob conspired with his teammates to make my life miserable. They would pick on me and mess with me in any way they could.

I would spend recess running away from them. I tried to apologize, but it was too late. That’s when I met Jason. Jason wasn’t on the football team, but he should have been. Have you ever met a giant? Jason was a giant and towered above the rest of us. He didn’t like Jacob, football, or the team. Fortunately, he did like me. I soon realized that if I was running from Jacob and his cronies, I could run to Jason and they would leave me alone. Jason was my hero. Jacob and his teammates eventually listened to Jason warning them and began to leave me alone. 

Knowing Jason gave me confidence and security again. He saved me from the bullies and I learned a lesson about picking on others as well as making good friends. 

This childhood story came to mind as I was considering David in the Bible. In 1 Samuel 17, David is leaving the sheep and his harp behind and visits the front lines of a battle. He hears a bully, Goliath, challenging the armies of Israel to a hero’s battle. It was a custom in the Ancient Near East (ANE), to have their best fighter challenge the opposing army’s best fighter. Their fight would represent the whole and the armies whose fighter was defeated would concede the fight. Usually, that meant the winners would chase them down and try to slaughter them. 

Goliath was the hero of the Philistines, and he stood in the middle of the Valley of Elah and chirped at the Israelites for days. He called them cowards and ants, and he began to say things about the God of Israel. Their fearfulness and cowards reflected on the enemy’s perception of their God.

In the ANE, the pagans believed in many gods. Each location had its own god. So the Philistines would consider their fight with Israel as a battle between their gods. Some of the Israelites fell into this same understanding of deities. They would worship God but believed the enemy’s gods might exist. 

David arrived on the scene and couldn’t believe that no one in Israel’s army had shut Goliath up. His brothers were mad at him for asking questions and told him to go home to the sheep. But David saw something others weren’t seeing. He was seeing his God being blasphemed. He took it personally and knew that God is worth standing up for and would provide the strength to win. 

We know the story well, but what I see is that David is like my friend Jason. He I the hero who would stand up and fight for those getting picked on. Jason defeated my bullies and won the victory for me. David won the victory for Israel and the rest of the army gained confidence because of his action. 

Jason and David are types of Jesus, they point us to the need for a victor, a hero. Jesus is that for us. He came and fought our enemy, defeated him on the cross, and the resurrection proves his victory! It is through knowing Jesus that we can have the confidence to live in freedom today. 

There are many principles and practices we can learn from the life of David, that will help us grow as believers. His confidence and faith in God, wanting to please God more than man, being willing to step out in faith, and the list goes on. However, if we focus on trying to be David, we will miss seeing the picture of Christ in David. 

David the Warrior should point us to Christ the Warrior. David defeated Goliath, Jesus defeated death and one day Jesus will return to win the ultimate battle ending sin forever.