T H E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
497
array, and the Philistines, having a gian t champion, propose a single com bat to decide the fortunes of war, David, being sent by his fath er to tak e provisions to his brothers in camp, ap pears providentially on th e scene, and his h ea rt is stirred . The cause of God, His honor, His name, Isra el’s honor, — all are at stake. He proposes to fight th e giant bu t is met by th e sneers and tau p ts of his b ro th ers (v. 28). Every emergency demands a man. God has a leader always. H ere is an occasion to vindicate God. It is God’s enemy, God’s battle, God’s army, God's victory, God’s glory. David believed God. He does no t m easure himself w ith the giant, bu t measures the gian t w ith God. H is dependence was not upon stone or sling, bu t upon God. David was a type of Christ, Goliath a type of Satan. Christ was anointed, tested, had conflict and victory. He took one stone out of five (Deuter onomy ) and w ith th a t slew His enemy. (3 ) DAVID’S COMPANION. A strang e friendship grew up be tween David and th e son of Saul. Hu manly speaking, they should have been h itte r enemies, for both were claim ants to the throne,— Jon ath an , the heir-app aren t; David, God’s ordained and anointed king of Israel. There was, however, a sp iritu al tie uniting these two men of God, which had its root in David's victory over Goliath, for it was afte r th a t event th a t we read “ th e soul of Jon ath an was k n it w ith th e soul of David.” Jo n ath an cove nanted w ith David to tell him the whole tru th , and David covenanted w ith Jon a th a n to shew kindness to his house forever. This prom ise David fulfilled by tak ing to his own tab le Mephibo- sheth (2 Sam. 9 :10 ; 2 1 :7 ). (4 ) DAVID’S CORONATION. A fter David spared Saul’s life, he still feared Saul’s w rath. (1 Sam. 2 7 :1 ).
“A n d D av id s a id In h is h e a rt, I s h a ll n o w p e ris h o n e d a y b y th e h a n d o f S au l: th e re Is n o th in g : b e tte r fo r m e th a n th a t I sh o u ld sp e e d ily esc a p e In to th e la n d o f th e P h ilis tin e s ; a n d S an l s h a ll d e s p a ir o f m e, to se e k m e a n y m o re In th e c o a s t o f I s r a e l; so s h a ll I esc a p e o u t o f h is h a n d .” One m ight th in k th a t th e heroic, de voted sp irit of David would insure a godly life of faith, hu t here is where Satan caught him napping and snared him. Fo r over a year he lived in sep aration from th e will of God. He lived and took service w ith a wicked king against his own people, and was saved from the consequences of such an a tro cious act only by reason of th e ir dis tru s t of him (1 Sam. 27 :2 ; 30 :26 ). Saul died by his own hand and thu s prepared the way for David to ascend th e throne. David sought divine guidance (2 Sam. 2 :1 ). Notice the definiteness of th e direction which God gives him , “Go up. * * * Unto Hebron.” David obeyed, tak ing w ith him the men who had been faith fu l to him. You will find th e list of these “great men” in Chapter 23,— all famous, yet each distinguished for some special achievement, and all rewarded. So our David will take us to reign w ith H im and th ere w ill be rewards for service rendered. (1 Cor. 3 :1 3 ). David spent seven years in Hebron, !—years m arked by protracted petty w arfare because of th e unholy ambition of Saul’s successors. This is a type of th e w arfare between the flesh and th e Spirit. He had already been anointed by Samuel (T Sam. 16:13) bu t he was again anointed (2 Sam. 5 :3 ). Psalm 101 is his inauguration psalm. (5) DAVID’S CULPABILITY. A fter David was made king he was surrounded on all sides by enemies. A fter about fourteen years of warfare, offensive and defensive, he had subdued his enemies and possessed the land, and a season of comparative rest and upbuilding followed. F o r seventy years the ark had been in p artial ne-
Made with FlippingBook flipbook maker