KING DAVID SHOWS US
GOD’S HEART
Samuel anoints David to be king
while still a young man.
This is the
beginning of a series that will show us the heart of the Father through the
life of King David. Recommended reading:
1 Samuel 16.
Acts
13:22
After removing Saul, He made David their king. God
testified concerning him: "I have found David
son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to
do."
The intent of this
blog has always been to share a message from God’s heart to our hearts. A few
months ago I sensed the Lord challenging me to
read 1st & 2nd Samuel several times,
meditating on how David acted in a variety of situations, to understand his
heart motivations and gain some insights into the heart of God. The historical
events and the biographical depictions of David reveal much about humility,
trust in God, Godly wisdom, desecration and why the author of Acts used the phrase, “a man after
my own heart.”
The story starts in
1Sam. 16. The Lord spoke very specific instructions to Samuel. When Samuel
expressed his very real fear of the consequences of his actions to anoint a new
king, the Lord got even more specific instructions, providing wise council to
the seer as to how to do this discreetly. Notice the Godly wisdom and
discretion right from the start of the story.
1
Sam.16:1&2 The Lord said to Samuel, “How long
will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill
your horn with oil and be on your way; I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem. I
have chosen one of his sons to be king.”
2 But Samuel said, “How can I go? If
Saul hears about it, he will kill me. The Lord said, “Take a heifer with you
and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.’
3
Invite Jesse to the
sacrifice, and I will show you what to do. You are to anoint for me the one I
indicate.”
Some anointed
preachers and prophets today lack this wisdom and discretion. They have a
harshness in their tone, a brashness in their demeanor, a boldness that is not
always effective in communicating what the Lord is wanting His people to hear.
Perhaps it stems from the frustration of not seeing the results hoped for in
response to sermons. Perhaps it’s like a parental reaction to disobedient
children that they try to bring under submission with increasingly harsher
punishment, only to foster greater rebellion. On the contrary, Samuel
demonstrated wisdom and discretion, born of the Love of the Father who provided
the instruction. Personally, I hope that
people who knew me 30+ year ago see the contrast in the changes of my walk with
the Lord over the years.
Continuing with the
story, notice the patient obedience of Samuel, his continual insistence of
hearing from God as to which of Jesse’s sons to anoint as the next King of
Israel.
1
Samuel 16:7
But the Lord said to Samuel,
“Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The Lord
doesn’t see things the way you see them. People
judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” (NLT)
1
Samuel 16:13
So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his
brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon
David. Samuel then went to Ramah.
Also notice that
Samuel was not so indiscrete as to make a big public show of this. To do so
would have blown the whole purpose for verses 2 & 3. David never violated
this discretion that Samuel demonstrated. He allowed the Lord to fulfill the
promises and didn’t try to make it happen. Eventually all of Israel recognized
that the Lord had called David to reign over them and they initiated his
crowning as king of the nation.
Perhaps the most
significant phrase in this portion of scripture is, “and from that day on the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon David.”
This is the power source of David’s ability to be the amazing man he became
and to do the amazing feats he accomplished in his life. The same power of the
Spirit of God is available to all believers in Jesus today. It all starts with
receiving Salvation and the Baptism in the Holy Spirit Jesus promised it to
give us. I’ll refrain from diverting to a teaching on this at this point. You
can learn about it at http://ag.org/top/beliefs/our_core_doctrines/baptism_HS/. Nothing is
impossible when we walk in the Spirit and David’s failures only occurred when
he slipped and walked in the flesh. Even then he knew to appeal to the loving
mercies of the Lord, repent and get forgiven.
There’s much more to
come on this topic. I will try to publish the things the Lord is showing me to
share monthly at the least. Stay tuned.
