Rags to Riches to Redeemer

David’s preparation was unconventional. he was a Shepherd boy, not ideal for military warfare. Kill the bear, and a lion (). These represent seasons in young David’s life that were only temporary (we all grow old but some of us choose to cling on 2 seasons from our youth never progress into our purpose), but the seasons define David and affirm his purpose.

David wasn’t placed in a position of importance until after the seasons in his life. and yet David would continue to endure seasons to come, for he continually warred against Saul in went from a warrior to wanted - Saul continually sought after David’s life Out of fear and jealousy, and David lived as a fugitive until the time of Saul’s death . David was a nobody ; neither Saul or Abner knew he was.

Psalm 78:70–72 ESV

70 He chose David his servant and took him from the sheepfolds; 71 from following the nursing ewes he brought him to shepherd Jacob his people, Israel his inheritance. 72 With upright heart he shepherded them and guided them with his skillful hand.

chose by God.

(Garment of praise). King David wore kingly attire and elegant robes. We get too comfortable in the garments we’ve put on that we’ve forgotten what it’s like to put on a garment of praise. King David (2 Samual 6:14) danced (with all his might) his robes ( says he was wearing fine robes of linen - he was girded [loins] so essentially his underwear) off and he didnt’ care who was watching or waht people thought. ( David nearly danced naked). David dug up some roots!

Man had always adorned himself in his own image. Man sewed fig leaves in the garden but God dressed them different. God ordained priestly attire under His reign and His kingdom. But earthly kings wear their own attire. (This garment of praise isn’t something we wear on the outside, rather its designed to be worn on the inside). Some of us are like David. We were nothing when we came into this movement called Pentecost, and God put us in our place and saved us a seat at the Lord’s table, but overtime and after some seasons, we got accustomed to these royal riches and forgot what it was like to worship in rags. We’ve become too dignified and humility is below us! When was the last time you worshipped so fervently that you’ve lost your dignity for fear of the Michal (me-kawl’) murmurs, and disgusted those who mock you? It’s time we put on a garment of praise. When what we put on is stripped away, we become transparent and it’s likened to nakedness which brings about either shame (carnal) or humility (spiritual). Listen, Adam and Eve were man and wife and they were both naked and were not ashamed under the will of God (spiritual), but when they disobeyed God and their nakedness was revealed to them, they were ashamed (carnal), and they began to cover themselves in loincloths made from fig leaves. Keep in mind, Adam and Eve did not “know” each other until after their sin. (#Get a fig leaf - I’m inclined to believe the forbidden fruit was a fig - if you’ve ever been naked and someone walks in on you, you grab the nearest thing to hide all of your nakedness; similarly, Adam and Eve immediately tried to cover up their sin with the closest thing within reach).

Gird Up Your Loins

David’s linen ephod was girded about his loins. , says gird up like a man, which means to prepare for difficulty like a valiant, mighty, warrior. Girdles were symbolic of strength and power ().

, Peter was cast into prison and after much prayer, and angel led a prison escape and told Peter to gird up his loins. I find it interesting in , when inventorying the armor of God, that the belt of truth is to be girdled around our loins. That no matter how difficult a season in our life may be, that when we are called to action and gird up our loins and advance in truth, that we too will prevail.

Jesus knew that his hour had come, that he would be the sacrificial lamb. It was time for fulfill the law! And when he laid his outer garments aside, he took a towel and girded himself. Jesus was preparing for difficulty; this time is described as “sorrowful and troubled” while in Gethsemane as Jesus falls on his face and not once, or twice, but three times asking God to let cup pass him by, only to be left standing face to face with his betrayer. Jesus didn’t have to hang from that tree and bleed to death for you and me! He was God incarnate, able to command legions of angels, yet in his most difficult time, he valiantly girded up his loins and made the most difficult decision of his life - he loved us to the end.

Notes: Names of people or places have significant meaning in the Bible. Either you were born and named after significant or traumatic event (Ichabod “The glory has departed from Israel!”), or God himself gave you a new name (Abram to Abraham, Jacob to Israel, etc.) and these names provide us with insight that reveals the true nature and character of a person, or place. Michal (me-kawl’) is a brook, specifically a streamlet; meaning whether natural, or formed artificially in the form of a trench, it was intended for irrigation. Michal fell in love with David, not because of his anointing under God, but because of his accomplishments in service to her father Saul; after all, David was a man’s man, the most eligible bachelor. David was a shepherd boy turned warrior, turned King. It was echoed throughout the cities that Saul killed hundreds, but David killed thousands. David had spent a life warring on the battlefield, so much that God would not allow him to build a temple, a permanent dwelling place for God. Be careful of the things you choose to love! Michal continually dug into David and what should have been a stream of nurture and support from a loving wife, turned out to be a trench of disdain, to the point that Michal despised him in her heart after witnessing his acts of raw worship. People don’t backslide from church or stop loving each other overnight, it’s a process. At some point, Michal’s hatred began to grow and it is at this point that it is publically declared.