Reconnecting with the life of David: A Journey into mature love

I just spent the morning transferring my notes from my old bible into my new one. Who wants paper books eh?

Definitely the book with the most notes, highlights, circled words and thoughts is 1 Samuel - so far. I have gone from Genesis to 1 Samuel this morning. And even more particularly, the point at which the author introduces "the man after God's own heart" (1 Samuel 13:14) and the one "prepared for God" - to be King (1 Samuel 16:1) The one who is better than Saul. (1 Samuel 15:28)

How important is it that we reconnect with the life of this young man. As a young man, I have always felt such courage reading the life of David. Since I won't be spending too much time comprehensively looking at the other sources where David shines, ie 1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles, Psalms, or even the gospels, I will be offering a few direct and poignant observations from the book itself. If a thought concerning another book comes up, I will write it for encouragement, but just see this article as taking some time to digest the experiences of this young man.

I have not got to 2 Samuel, so a look at His royal career is not in the cards for this, but will of course talk about the overall flow of what is being communicated.

A bit of context. Samuel, the boy that was an answer to prayer, and consequently became a Levite because his mother Hannah gave Him to the LORD, grew up in the days in which the Ark of the covenant was taken out of the temple of the LORD and subsequently given into the hand of the Philistines. the same people that terrorized David's generation. He from a young age became a prophet of the LORD and none of his words fell to the ground. The context leading up to David's entrance is rather a bleak look at how Human ingenuity and sensibility threaten the plan of God for His people. It was during the reign of the judges. It was the end of the judges and the beginning of the kingdom of Israel. But, just as in judges there was not a king, so everyone did as he pleased (from the last chapter of Judges) equally, such carelessness had fallen over the priesthood. The sons of the High Priest were guilty of gross sin, by forcing people to be offended by offerings, and keeping for themselves the best (as well as engaging in sexual immorality). It forced people into departing from God. They died, their father died due to negligence, and the Ark, which was God's presence in Israel was taken away.

This Samuel was instructed by God to go to a town named Bethlehem and anoint one Son as King of Israel.

This Son by being anointed was in stark contrast to the other Sons. He was chosen for the heart, where as each one was subsequently sent away, until the one that was to be anointed comes. And in this he was anointed with the Spirit of the LORD, continually.

A wee thought about the initial encounter. David had been chosen due to the closeness of His heart with Yahweh. He does in the next few chapters, demonstrate just how human he is, and yet compelling for many reasons. He was the only one in the camp to even mention the affront of Goliath coming into the camp every day, every morning, every evening, because each other was unable to even speak a word against this threat. All they could say was "how threatening is this man!" (1 Samuel 17:25) His Father had sent him only to provide food for his brothers. Saul had resisted him because He was a youth. His brothers were putting him in his place just for the sake of it. Every person in the camp of the Israelites could only talk about the reward to the man that would defeat Him. In stark contrast to this David says:

“What shall be done for the man who kills this Philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?”'

I Samuel 17:26
https://www.bible.com/bible/114/1SA.17.26

He addresses his brothers by saying this: Is there not a cause? (1 Samuel 17:29)

He addresses Saul by saying that he has defeated lion and bear, because the LORD delivered him from the threat of the lion and bear.

He at the sight of goliath runs quickly to meet him in battle, and subsequently uses stones to defeat him, and then cut off his head. The point of these things is that the victory was already with God, and that He gave him over into his hand.

He would go back every day to tend the sheep, the ministry that His father had given him, even when in the royal service, and this demonstrates his character. He would do the thing that His Father was about. He would be faithful. If it was given to his charge, then he would do it. Not only does this speak of respect, and honor, but also that He didn't so much as care for the applause of people. He went back because He would do it without anyone looking.

I said that he was very human.

When Saul was pursuing his life, and forced to hide in caves, roam the wilderness, and evade capture, He had pangs of conscience. Like. I've had plenty of pangs of conscience, some more aware than others. Usually if I've done something that I regret, i go back and make it right with people. David had pangs of conscience. In this particular instance, what made Him think through his actions was this: That Saul is the Lord's anointed. What would happen to me if I raised my hand against the Lord's anointed? Then He commanded his men to  not lay a hand on him.

What was happening here was David was bearing with the injustice with grace. It was communicating that He trusted God in the times of testing and would be content on waiting on Him for His deliverance, His promise to be done, and His ultimate good. 

'Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me; You will stretch out Your hand Against the wrath of my enemies, And Your right hand will save me. The Lord will perfect that which concerns me; Your mercy, O Lord , endures forever; Do not forsake the works of Your hands.' Psalms 138:7-8 https://www.bible.com/bible/114/PSA.138.7-8

He did this twice. (1 Samuel 24:7, 26:9)

He obviously, could not take the kingship if there still was a King on the throne. He in his reasoning in these chapters determines to show kindness to Saul rather than to take it by force. 

Two things come up in this journey of grace in David. One is that He is wanting to do the right thing, but that failure is seen emotional pressures. the other is that He wants to do the right thing, but moral failure makes Him do the opposite.

For example. In 1 Samuel 25 we read the story of how David decides to take vengeance into his own hands over the grievance of Nabal. In this story it is Abigail, Nabal's wife, that implores David to see reason - affirming that He is King, and in the days of his royal reigning He won't even think of this grievance. The other is that she asks him for the punishment to fall on her. He was taking vengeance into his own hands. He had reasoned that Saul was under God's divine purpose, however taking the thing into his own hands was still a big problem for him.

Another time, in 1 Samuel 21 he lies to the High Priest and subsequently is responsible for the slaughter of his whole family. (1 Samuel 22:22)

However on a whole, his wilderness wanderings produced in Him grace for the purpose of achieving God's will, rather than his own. 

An example of the first kind of failure is in chapter 27. This began a season in which David migrated to Ziklag, a city of the Philistines, and gave up on ever being King. the intervention was, at the hand of God, the burning of the city and the taking away of the families of his men and his own. (1 Samuel 30:1-5)

He would purposely keep secret all of his dealings, so that it never got out what He was doing. the King of the Philistines believed David to be under his thumb, and would never turn away. This speaks to the emotional breakdown happening in this season. The word of God providentially indicates the exact time frame of the whole season. (1 Samuel 27:7)

Even though young when called (1 Samuel 16) it was not until mature age that He ended up becoming King. (2 Samuel 1, 2 Samuel 4) what would I do if I knew that my youth was going to be spent running around a wilderness, being pursued for life? and that God would use this season to speak to the heart and prepare me? chances are, you would question that too? I mean, what is God thinking taking the best of my life and provide me for Himself? That's the point. I'm not saying He didn't escalate. the first few years He did. He went from shepherd boy to court musician, to a commander in the army and living in the royal palace. Yet, and here's why the whole point is grace. Even when he was in the courts of the King his attitude was "I am poor, and beggarly, why would I be made a prince?" 1 Samuel 18 repeats this phrase over and over in the NKJV. David behaved wisely. We are even fortunate to see His wisdom in action, in the fact that while in royal courts, he was still David.  He was still saying, "I must go and prove it by my deeds" I will take Michal as wife, because we love each other. I'm going to go and circumcise a host of philistines for the royal treasury. He was wise because Saul was trying to kill him. It became clear that through His wisdom, and God's plans, that He would actually be a constant grievance to Saul. Clearly, part of the wisdom given to David was related to the fact that He was not afraid. He showed he was not afraid to Goliath. But the source of that courage was not brute forcing it. He knew His God. He did the exploits of God because He knew His God. He did think about his actions. He did have sober judgment about himself. He did behave wisely in His life. This all paints the picture as to the accreditation of David by God. God provided David for himself. 

The first time the discipline of God became paramount was after the insanity of Saul began to take hold completely. He would throw spears at David in his own house to kill him, and now he was pursuing David's life except for the intervention of the Kings son, Jonathan. This insanity would turn into him trying to solidify his position, be convinced of lies concerning David, and plot and scheme. The prophecy regarding Saul was bearing fruit and growing, that He was exercising witchcraft, and listening to terrible men for advice, and zealots for the nation who had no love for God in their hearts. Yes Doeg. But it all started way earlier. He began to follow David to his house, and set guards around David's home. What was David's response? challenge me on this if you can, but He wrote a psalm. He played his heart out to God. He rejoiced in the destruction of the wicked, those who "prowl around like dogs, insatiable" and praised God for his deliverance. His great kindness and mercy and His understanding as the beloved of God's heart. Psalm 59. He knew his portion was God would destroy all His enemies. that He would reign from the throne and it would be a partnership with God. It was a promise of God that Israel would be the head, not the tail, unchallenged, blessed with prosperity, and unmoveable because of the salvation of the righteous. 

I'll finish with some last words the author speaks in this book. 

'Now David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and his daughters. But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God.' I Samuel 30:6 https://www.bible.com/bible/114/1SA.30.6

There's this picture of David entering the priestly service in this book. This verse here is preceding that verse, where David courageously inquired of God concerning the affair and then leads his men in deliverance of the captors. These chapters also are underpinned by the character of David. He chooses to give the spoil to all, it is the Lord's deliverance and so will not go to the wicked and worthless men (the bibles own words; 1 Samuel 30:22) 

You can't make this stuff up. The next chapter the wickedness of Saul is repaid, but now David is sitting at his home in Philistine territory, where the city has been burned, plundered and everyone taken captive, including his own wives, and his family, and the families of His men. Something about this strikes me as completing it. In 1 Samuel 22 the chapter begins with people coming to David from all over Israel with families, being distressed, helpless, and feeling alone. Depressed, the next few chapters reveal the anxiety of his men, and His leadership, in simply asking the Lord what is to happen. And their courage grows. Yet, now they are ready to stone and kill David. Obviously fear gives way to desperation at what can be done. Their first thought is to stone the man that lead them all the way here. If David was wrestling with his own faults and failures you wouldn't know it. Because the text says "David strengthened himself in the Lord His God" the word here strengthened literally means to seize. yes there was a wrestle but who was it with? it was with the Lord His God! I honestly can't think of a more beautiful picture in all of scripture. At the prospect of being stoned to death he lays hold of God for dear life. He demonstrates here that indeed God's choosing of David was right. The fact that he prays right after this, and with the confidence of a priest speaks to the belovedness of David. 

This verse communicates that David's valiance is God, that his surety is God, that His faith is in God, that His strength is with God, that His encouragement is God, that His praise is coming from God. 

You can't make this stuff up. A man that failed morally and failed due to emotional stress is seen behaving morally and behaving emotionally connected. In fact, He has spoken to the battle that was raging on here. Psalm 18 describes the belovedness of David. It describes the warfare that He did here, the strength that He exhibited here. Knowing God. 

I will say this to finally end. Beloved, that is who you are. Jesus has listened when you speak close to his heart, and told you the secrets of His heart. You are the one that He died for, that He gave everything for, plundering death, and saying "no more!" to sin's empty promises. David died, as the bible speaks, but Jesus, he reigns eternally. Is not His word worth more to you than life? are you not glad that it didn't end with a man who has moral failures? and who knows what it's like to be oppressed, by himself? As far as God delights in the life of David, because of failure, we have an even securer portion available, One that stands in the presence of God and intercedes for us. Pouring from the heart of David is a heart that wants to know God, and this is the strength that He exhibits pouring out the wisdom of beauty.