Getting to the Heart of the Matter

King David - Historical Background

David was arguably the most famous and prominent kings of Israel. He served as the second King of Israel and was used of God to bring peace to the country through serving as a mighty warrior. God allowed David to defeat enemy after enemy, thereby making the country secure and prosperous. David was also known as the sweet psalmist of Israel () and God used him to pen many of the Psalms. Many Christians would claim as their favorite, and it was written by David. David is also famous for his encounter with the giant Goliath, and epic struggles of today between a powerful opponent and an underdog are still referred to as David vs. Goliath.

Historical Background:

David was arguably the most famous and prominent kings of Israel. He served as the second King of Israel and was used of God to bring peace to the country through serving as a mighty warrior. God allowed David to defeat enemy after enemy, thereby making the country secure and prosperous. David was also known as the sweet psalmist of Israel () and God used him to pen many of the Psalms. Many Christians would claim as their favorite, and it was written by David. David is also famous for his encounter with the giant Goliath, and epic struggles of today between a powerful opponent and an underdog are still referred to as David vs. Goliath.

In spite of these wonderful accomplishments, David was a flawed character who fell into sin. Sadly, one of David’s most infamous actions was his sin involving Bathsheba. And that sin was not the only one recorded in the pages of Scripture. All in all, the life of David is fascinating when all of his ups and downs are considered. As we spend time looking at his life, we will discover both the magnificent and the debased.

The focus of this study is not however, to simply gather facts about the life of King David. Instead, we are going to focus on the life principles that made David a man after God’s own heart ()

David’s relationship with King Saul

A proper understanding of King David should begin by contrasting him with the first King of Israel: Saul, son of Kish, of the tribe of Benjamin. Examining the differences between David and Saul is helpful in understanding how and why events turned out for the two of them, and for their legacies. We can benefit from these life lessons

Saul was a King that met with the approval of the people

Explanation: The nation of Israel was unique amongst its near-Eastern neighbors. While other nations were ruled by a King, Israel was neither a monarchy or a democracy; Israel was a theocracy. The LORD God was the ruler of Israel. He was the One who gave them His commandments and statutes to follow. He was the One who appointed their feast days, their lawful sacrifices, and gave them approved places and manners of worship. And, when they needed a deliverer, God was the One who raised up the Judges on the behalf of the people.

The Israelites were not content with being ruled by God. He was not a visible presence who could lead them into battle. They rebelled against God’s direct rule and told Samuel to “appoint for us a king to judge us like all the nations” (). Samuel was not pleased with their request, but God told him that the people were actually rejecting Him as God, not Samuel ()

Life lesson #1: Believers are not designed to be just like those around us. We are called to stand out, not blend in. Moses understood this when he refused to lead the people without the presence of God leading Him and going with them. () The presence of God in a believer’s life makes him or her distinct. We are warned of having a love for the things of the world ()

God told Samuel to warn the people about the dangers of an earthly king, and Samuel gave the warning. The people refused to heed the wisdom of God and demanded a king. They said, “No! But there shall be a king over us, that we also may be like all the nations … “ (). God gave them a king that met their expectations. God was the One who chose Saul lowed Samuel to set a king over the people. God was the One who chose Samuel. This is seen in when God tells Samuel “I will send to you a man from the land of Benjamin, and you shall anoint him to be prince over my people Israel.” And when Saul was being presented to the people for the 1st time as their new King, Samuel said, “Do you see him whom the LORD has chosen? There is none like him among all the people.” (). God gave them exactly what they wanted, not what they actually needed. Saul was a handsome man and looked the part of a King. He stood a head taller than anyone else, and in the beginning he took pains to be just like one of the people (). It did not take long however, for his earthly qualities to show. Saul proved to be headstrong, prideful, and insecure.

Life Lesson #2 Be careful what you pray for. God may actually let you have it, and then you will discover it was not good for you. (Ex. Praying for God to promote you in you business, make you more successful & wealthy. God allows it, and then you discover the success has drawn you away from your walk with Him) People at SPBC were not happy with Ken, especially in physical appearance. Some of them said they wanted a pastor they could take to the golf course without being embarrassed. God gave them a pastor like that, but it did not end well at all

David was a King that met with the approval of God

Saul continued in his prideful ways and rebelled against the command of God on several occasions. King Saul had been told to wait for Samuel to arrive at Gilgal to offer the sacrifice, but Saul grew impatient and fearful (his soldiers were deserting) so Saul offered the sacrifice himself () Samuel confronted Saul with his disobedience and told him that the LORD had taken the kingdom from him and was going to give it to “a man after his own heart” ().

The reality of this took place when Samuel is sent to Bethlehem to anoint one of Jesse’s sons as the next King of Israel. () This is a sticky situation for the old prophet since the first king is still on the throne. Most kings do not like having a successor named while they are still busy being king!

Life Lesson #3 God will provide where He guides, but it will not always be easy. Samuel was given a difficult and dangerous task, but he, unlike Saul, was obedient and God blessed his efforts.

At the sacrifice, Jesse and his sons and the other guests were gathered. Samuel consecrates them and the boys pass by him, beginning with the oldest. Jesse’s oldest son is named Eliab and when Samuel sees him he thinks, “this is the one! this is the next king of Israel.” The conjunction BUT looms large at the beginning of verse 7. Man’s way of thinking led one way, BUT God’s perfect thinking very often goes in another direction. This was just such the case when God tells Samuel his vision is limited. God tells Samuel “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him” (a)

God continues by giving Samuel insight into how the mind of the LORD operates. God tells Samuel that “the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, BUT the LORD looks on the heart” (). What an incredible truth, what an amazing ability. While we as finite creatures do not have the perfect vision of the LORD, we can look beyond just the outward.

Life Lesson #4 Character and integrity is much more important than having a glowing resume. David was the youngest, and wasn’t even considered important enough by the family to be brought to the sacrifice - he was still with the sheep! David did not have much of a resume at the time, but he did have a heart that was in accord with the things of God.