Good morning,
We don’t often equate Veterans Day with the Bible. However, the Bible is replete with heroes, men and women of courage, and leaders during times of battle. This week we will look at David.
I. Birth and Early Life
The name “David” means one who is well beloved. He was born the eighth and youngest son of Jesse, a resident of Bethlehem. He was the great grandson of Ruth (who wrote the book of Ruth) and Boaz (Ruth 4:22). At a young age he tended his father’s sheep, a job usually reserved for the least esteemed of the family or its servants.
II. Anointing and First Fame
The prophet Samuel makes a special trip to Bethlehem and anoints him the next king of Israel. God chose David to replace Saul who would someday lose his life because he departed from His ways.
“Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.” (1 Samuel 16:13)
A few years after his anointing, David fights and takes the life of Goliath the giant, who was a Philistine living in Gath. His basic faith led the future king to conclude that God would ultimately defend those who are his, something the entire Israelite army lacked the faith to accept. Their focus was on how experienced and physically powerful was the enemy’s champion Goliath. When the Israelites saw Goliath, they ran away in terror . . . David said to Saul, “Your Majesty, no one should be afraid of this Philistine! I will go and fight him.” (1Samuel 17:24, 32)
“Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied.” (1 Samuel 17:45)
III. Years with Saul and as Fugitive
King Saul gave him a degree of military responsibility (1 Samuel 18:5).
“And David went out whithersoever Saul sent him, and behaved himself wisely: and Saul set him over the men of war, and he was accepted in the sight of all the people, and also in the sight of Saul’s servants.”
During this period, David began to prove and establish himself as a mighty warrior, though it was Jehovah enabling these victories (1 Samuel 18:28; 25:28). David’s reputation developed to such an extent that King Saul grew increasingly jealous of David and attempted a number of times to kill him. It was partly through Saul’s jealousy that David married Saul’s daughter Michal during this time (1 Samuel 18:6-30).
“And it came to pass as they came, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, that the women came out of all cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet king Saul, with tabrets, with joy, and with instruments of music.7 And the women answered one another as they played, and said, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands.8 And Saul was very wroth, and the saying displeased him; and he said, They have ascribed unto David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed but thousands: and what can he have more but the kingdom?9 And Saul eyed David from that day and forward.” (1 Samuel 18:6-9)
“Wherefore David arose and went, he and his men, and slew of the Philistines two hundred men; and David brought their foreskins, and they gave them in full tale to the king, that he might be the king’s son in law. And Saul gave him Michal his daughter to wife.28 And Saul saw and knew that the Lord was with David, and that Michal Saul’s daughter loved him.29 And Saul was yet the more afraid of David; and Saul became David’s enemy continually.” (1 Samuel 18:27-29)
At first, the attempts on David’s life were random and spontaneous, but over time, they were made with greater planning and concentrated effort. By this time, David had become a fugitive, and largely remained so for a period of 8-10 years. Nevertheless, he honoured the fact that Saul was the Lord’s anointed king of the day, and at least twice, David spared Saul’s life when he had the opportunity to take it (1 Samuel 24 & 26). David’s period of refuge also saw him grow in popularity amongst many Israelites, to the degree that he found himself roaming from one location to another with a growing band of loyal followers and armies (1 Samuel 22:2; 27:2; 30:9; 1 Chronicles 1:21-22).
David is noted as being a composer of many psalms – songs meant to be sung, whilst accompanied by the stringed musical instrument called a psaltery, not unlike a zither or a small hand-held harp. It was during this period of refuge that David composed many, though not all, of his psalms (2 Samuel 22:1; Luke 20:42; Acts 1:16,20; Romans 11:9; Hebrews 4:7; etc.).
“And David spake unto the Lord the words of this song in the day that the Lord had delivered him out of the hand of all his enemies, and out of the hand of Saul:” (2 Samuel 22:1)
IV. Rise to Kingship
David’s rise to power was fraught with challenges. Despite his loyalty, Saul grew increasingly jealous of David’s success and sought to kill him. David fled and lived as a fugitive, gathering a band of loyal followers. After Saul’s death, David was anointed king over Judah, and later, all Israel (2 Samuel 2:4, 5:3).
“And the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. And they told David, saying, That the men of Jabeshgilead were they that buried Saul.” (2 Samuel 2:4)
“So all the elders of Israel came to the king to Hebron; and king David made a league with them in Hebron before the Lord: and they anointed David king over Israel.” (2 Samuel 5:3)
V. Reign and Achievements
David captures Jerusalem from the Jebusites; makes it the capital (2 Samuel 5:6‑10)
“And the king and his men went to Jerusalem unto the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land: which spake unto David, saying, Except thou take away the blind and the lame, thou shalt not come in hither: thinking, David cannot come in hither.7 Nevertheless David took the strong hold of Zion: the same is the city of David.8 And David said on that day, Whosoever getteth up to the gutter, and smiteth the Jebusites, and the lame and the blind that are hated of David’s soul, he shall be chief and captain. Wherefore they said, The blind and the lame shall not come into the house.9 So David dwelt in the fort, and called it the city of David. And David built round about from Millo and inward.” (2 Samuel 5:6-9)
David brings the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem (2 Samuel 6)
After a few missteps, he eventually brings the Ark of the Covenant into the city.
“And David arose, and went with all the people that were with him from Baale of Judah, to bring up from thence the ark of God, whose name is called by the name of the Lord of hosts that dwelleth between the cherubims.” (2 Samuel 6:1)
“So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet.16 And as the ark of the Lord came into the city of David, Michal Saul’s daughter looked through a window, and saw king David leaping and dancing before the Lord; and she despised him in her heart.17 And they brought in the ark of the Lord, and set it in his place, in the midst of the tabernacle that David had pitched for it: and David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord.18 And as soon as David had made an end of offering burnt offerings and peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord of hosts.” (2 Samuel 6:15-18)
Leads military campaigns against Philistines, Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, and others (2 Samuel 8)
“And after this it came to pass that David smote the Philistines, and subdued them: and David took Methegammah out of the hand of the Philistines.2 And he smote Moab, and measured them with a line, casting them down to the ground; even with two lines measured he to put to death, and with one full line to keep alive. And so the Moabites became David’s servants, and brought gifts.3 David smote also Hadadezer, the son of Rehob, king of Zobah, as he went to recover his border at the river Euphrates.” (2 Samuel 8:1-2)
Establishes the Davidic Covenant: God promises David’s throne forever (2 Samuel 7:12‑16)
A pivotal moment in David’s reign was God’s covenant with him, known as the Davidic Covenant. God promised David that his throne would be established forever, a promise that Christians believe is ultimately fulfilled in Jesus Christ, a descendant of David.
“And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom.13 He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever.14 I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men:15 But my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee.16 And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever.” (2 Samuel 7:12‑16)
VI. Personal Failures
Adultery with Bathsheba and murder of Uriah (2 Samuel 11‑12)
Unfortunately, many of David’s problems are self-inflicted. His illicit affair with Bathsheba, the arranged murder of her husband and attempt at cover up his sins cost him grief, dishonor, the life of a child and trouble within his household.
“And when the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she mourned for her husband.27 And when the mourning was past, David sent and fetched her to his house, and she became his wife, and bare him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased the Lord.” (2 Samuel 11:26-27)
Family turmoil, including rebellion by his son Absalom (2 Samuel 15‑18).
David’s son Absalom later rebelled against him, leading to a civil war that ended with Absalom’s death .
VII. Legacy and Death
Reigned 40 years; remembered as “a man after God’s own heart” (1 Samuel 13:14; Acts 13:22)
But now thy kingdom shall not continue: the Lord hath sought him a man after his own heart, and the Lord hath commanded him to be captain over his people, because thou hast not kept that which the Lord commanded thee.” (1 Samuel 13:14)
And when he had removed him, he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave their testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will. st not kept that which the Lord commanded thee.” (Acts 13:22)
Succeeded by his son Solomon, who built the Temple in Jerusalem (1 Kings 2:10‑12)
“So David slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David.11 And the days that David reigned over Israel were forty years: seven years reigned he in Hebron, and thirty and three years reigned he in Jerusalem.12 Then sat Solomon upon the throne of David his father; and his kingdom was established greatly.” (1 Kings 2:10-12)
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Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com
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