From Shepherd to King

Three golfers got struck by lightning and ended up at the pearly gates of heaven. They asked St Peter if there was golf in heaven. St Peter assured them that there was incredible golf in heaven, but there was just one rule: Don’t hit a duck.

As they played, one of the guys hit a duck. St Peter approached with a not-so-gorgeous woman, homely in fact, and said, “You’re the one who hit a duck.” St Peter handcuffed the homely woman to the man and they took off to be that way for all eternity.

The two others continued to play and eventually another one hit a duck. Sure enough, St Peter approached with another un-gorgeous woman and handcuffed her to the one who hit the duck and they were that way for all eternity.

The last guy continued to play. One day St Peter approached with a knock-down, gorgeous woman and handcuffed this stunning beauty to the guy. Elated, the last golfer said, “I don’t know what I did to deserve this!” The gorgeous woman said, “I hit a duck.”

This is a funny story with a sad truth. Our world judges on externals, by how we look on the outside.

But in the account we are reading today, we know that God does not make initial judgments on externals. God looks at the heart.

We see this in 1 Samuel 16-17 as David is chosen as King, if you’ll turn there with me. Pew Bible #__.

As you remember, up to this point, Saul the tall and handsome man who was previously anointed as king chose to do his own thing and disregard God’s direct instructions. He led the people to keep the best and the greatest of the spoils of the Amalakites, and as a result, he lost the kingdom.

I. David is chosen as king. 1 Samuel 16-17

1 Samuel 16:1–7 KJV 1900

1 And the Lord said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Beth-lehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons. 2 And Samuel said, How can I go? if Saul hear it, he will kill me. And the Lord said, Take an heifer with thee, and say, I am come to sacrifice to the Lord. 3 And call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will shew thee what thou shalt do: and thou shalt anoint unto me him whom I name unto thee. 4 And Samuel did that which the Lord spake, and came to Beth-lehem. And the elders of the town trembled at his coming, and said, Comest thou peaceably? 5 And he said, Peaceably: I am come to sacrifice unto the Lord: sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice. And he sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice. 6 And it came to pass, when they were come, that he looked on Eliab, and said, Surely the Lord’s anointed is before him. 7 But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.

If you are in the habit of marking your Bible, underline the last part of vs. 7.

We know that Saul looked the part. Head and shoulders above the rest - very handsome! The people chose him because of the externals...

So Samuel goes through this process (gets his hopes up, “surely this is the one”) 7 times before asking Jesse in vs. 11

1 Samuel 16:11 KJV 1900

11 And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all thy children? And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him: for we will not sit down till he come hither.

1 Samuel 16:12–13 KJV 1900

12 And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to. And the Lord said, Arise, anoint him: for this is he. 13 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.

We understand that through these verses that:

A. God saw David with the potential of a king.

We see this explained in:

Psalm 78:70–72 NKJV

70 He also chose David His servant, And took him from the sheepfolds; 71 From following the ewes that had young He brought him, To shepherd Jacob His people, And Israel His inheritance. 72 So he shepherded them according to the integrity of his heart, And guided them by the skillfulness of his hands.

David cared for God’s people with the “integrity of his heart”.

David had a cultivated heart and a skillful hand to fulfill God’s calling in his life.

We understand that:

1. David was fully engaged in caring for his sheep

2. David protected and rescued his sheep from danger. (17:34-37)

3. David, most importantly, was a man after God’s own heart.

In all matters to this point, David was doing exactly what he could and was supposed to do with where he was and what he had been given...

And although God say his heart, and the potential he had to become a great king,

B. Others did not see David with the potential of a king.

1. Jesse, David’s father, did not even summon David when Samuel came to anoint a new king.

In chapter 17, we see the account of the Israelites encamped across from the Philistines and how David was instructed to take his brothers some food while they were in war…

2. David’s older brother scolded David for leaving his sheep to come and watch the battle with the Philistines.

3. King Saul viewed David as mere boy and not king material. (17:33)

4. Goliath called David “a stick” just before David killed him. (17:43)

C. Jonathan, Saul’s son and successor to the throne, saw David with the potential of a king

Jonathan gives David his royal robe

1 Samuel 18:4 KJV 1900

4 And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was upon him, and gave it to David, and his garments, even to his sword, and to his bow, and to his girdle.

II. David goes into “boot camp” to be trained as a king.

A. Saul, who is hostile to David, is God’s tool to train David in godly, kingly character.

As you recall in your reading of chapter 11 this week, it spoke of the instance when Saul tried to spear David to the wall.

In fact, Saul was so upset, that he threatened to kill David and forced:

B. David to live as a fugitive, depending on God for guidance and help.

In the midst of fleeing from Saul, David grew closer to the Lord and to those he was with.

As an exile, the trials of his life led him closer to the Lord

Peter writes similar instructions to persecuted and exiled Christians in:

1 Peter 1:3–7 NKJV

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ,

Peter teaches that we are kept by God, and this keeping is to be rejoiced over!

And that genuine faith is more precious than gold, because genuine faith doesn’t perish.

C. After 14 years of training, David is ready to represent God and God’s character and he is inaugurated as king over Israel. (2 Samuel 2 (Judah) and 5 (all of Israel))

It’s crucial for us, as we walk through each of these biblical accounts and get a picture of how it all fits together, that we don’t lose the awe of the consensus of scripture.

This book is 66 books in one. Written by 40 men over the span of about 1500 years - with one central theme - Jesus!

III. David as king points to “the One” Who will come as the Messiah (Jesus).

A. David and Jesus are of the same tribe and city. (Judah/Bethlehem)

B. David was anointed with oil; Jesus was anointed with the Spirit.

(“anointed one” is the same as “messiah”)

In 2 Samuel, we see the Davidic Covenant given through the prophet Nathan...

2 Samuel 7:12–17 NKJV

12 “When your days are fulfilled and you rest with your fathers, I will set up your seed after you, who will come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14 I will be his Father, and he shall be My son. If he commits iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men and with the blows of the sons of men. 15 But My mercy shall not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I removed from before you. 16 And your house and your kingdom shall be established forever before you. Your throne shall be established forever.” ’ ” 17 According to all these words and according to all this vision, so Nathan spoke to David.

Here, there is reference to David’s son Solomon (v. 13), but there is also reference to a throne that will be established forever. This is the throne of Jesus who will rule and and reign forever…

C. Other parallels to Jesus in The Story so far.

1. Jesus is the Passover Lamb (Exodus)

2. Jesus and Joshua mean the same: Savior

3. Jesus is the ultimate “deliverer” (Judges)

4. Jesus is the Redeemer (Ruth)

Application:

God knew the potential of David. In spite of everyone else’s perspectives, God knew David.

David was enabled for the task God had planned for him.

His training wasn’t ideal:

Sheep

Bear/Lion

Fugitive Status

There were seasons that simply were not pleasant.

But none of these distracted David from trusting God.

Psalm 59 NKJV

To the Chief Musician. Set to “Do Not Destroy.” a Michtam of David When Saul Sent Men, and They Watched the House in Order to Kill Him. 1 Deliver me from my enemies, O my God; Defend me from those who rise up against me. 2 Deliver me from the workers of iniquity, And save me from bloodthirsty men. 3 For look, they lie in wait for my life; The mighty gather against me, Not for my transgression nor for my sin, O Lord. 4 They run and prepare themselves through no fault of mine. Awake to help me, and behold! 5 You therefore, O Lord God of hosts, the God of Israel, Awake to punish all the nations; Do not be merciful to any wicked transgressors. Selah 6 At evening they return, They growl like a dog, And go all around the city. 7 Indeed, they belch with their mouth; Swords are in their lips; For they say, “Who hears?” 8 But You, O Lord, shall laugh at them; You shall have all the nations in derision. 9 I will wait for You, O You his Strength; For God is my defense. 10 My God of mercy shall come to meet me; God shall let me see my desire on my enemies. 11 Do not slay them, lest my people forget; Scatter them by Your power, And bring them down, O Lord our shield. 12 For the sin of their mouth and the words of their lips, Let them even be taken in their pride, And for the cursing and lying which they speak. 13 Consume them in wrath, consume them, That they may not be; And let them know that God rules in Jacob To the ends of the earth. Selah 14 And at evening they return, They growl like a dog, And go all around the city. 15 They wander up and down for food, And howl if they are not satisfied. 16 But I will sing of Your power; Yes, I will sing aloud of Your mercy in the morning; For You have been my defense And refuge in the day of my trouble. 17 To You, O my Strength, I will sing praises; For God is my defense, My God of mercy.