David - A Man After God's Own Heart
What words would you use to tell about yourself? How would your family and friends describe you? Now, a harder question... What would God say about you? His opinion is really the only one that matters. God had very complimentary things to say about His servant Job. "And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?" (Job 1:8) Hebrews 11:5 tells us that Enoch "pleased God." James 2:23 calls Abraham "the Friend of God." Jesus said of John the Baptist, "Among those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist:..." (Luke 7:28) Could those around you say you live upright and fear God? Would your family say that you please God? I just studied the life of David and it is interesting to see that God called Him "a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will." Would you say that you try to do God's will? Let's take a little time to look at this man, who went from being a young shepherd boy, to becoming a great king over Israel, from whose line The King of Kings would descend."And afterward they desired a king: and God gave unto them Saul the son of Cis, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, by the space of forty years. And when he had removed him, he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will. Of this man's seed hath God according to his promise raised unto Israel a Saviour, Jesus:" Acts 13:21-232. How A Father Saw His Son
In our opening paragraph of the story of David on the Home page, we see that God described him as "a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will." (Acts 13:22) I want to begin our study by looking at the scriptures to see what other people had to say about him. We are introduced to David when God sends the prophet Samuel to anoint a son of Jesse to be the new king of Israel."5 And he said, Peaceably: I am come to sacrifice unto the LORD: sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice. And he sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice.
6 And it came to pass, when they were come, that he looked on Eliab, and said, Surely the LORD'S anointed is before him.
7 But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.
8 Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, Neither hath the LORD chosen this.
9 Then Jesse made Shammah to pass by. And he said, Neither hath the LORD chosen this.
10 Again, Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. And Samuel said unto Jesse, The LORD hath not chosen these.
11 And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all thy children? And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him: for we will not sit down till he come hither." (I Samuel 16:5-11)
Notice that verse 5 tells us that Samuel called Jesse and his sons to the sacrifice. Samuel looked at the oldest and said, "Surely the LORD'S anointed is before him." The Lord told him not to look on the outward appearance. Seven of Jesse's sons pass before the old prophet, but he said, "The LORD hath not chosen these. Are here all thy children?" Now, notice Jesse's reply. "There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep." In our words, the only one left is the youngest, the baby of the family, he's just a shepherd boy, out keeping the sheep. Jesse saw David as just the youngest of eight boys. With the firstborn son I am sure Jesse and his wife were proud parents. The excitement may have worn off a little with each new birth. By the time David was born, Jesse looked on him as just the youngest, good just for watching sheep, not important enough to call to the sacrifice. This can be a lesson to parents not to overlook a child because of his birth order, or because it is a boy or girl. Love and nurture each child. Psalms 127 is titled as a Song for Solomon. According to II Samuel chapters 3 and 5, it looks like Solomon was David's tenth son. I believe that David loved Solomon just as much as he did his firstborn. "Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate." (Psalms 127: 3-5)3. How The Prophet Saw David
When Eliab passed before Samuel, the prophet was impressed. He said, "Surely the LORD'S anointed is before him." (I Samuel 16:6) Samuel had anointed Saul to be the first king of Israel and he was head and shoulders taller than all the Israelites. When Samuel saw Eliab I believe he saw a young man with a strong build and great height, because we see that the Lord said, "Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart." (I Samuel 16:7) The next two brothers passed by and Samuel would have been pleased with either of these three men. As a matter of fact, if we look at I Samuel 17:13 we see that all three of Jesse's oldest sons went with King Saul to battle against the Philistines. Samuel is patient to wait on the Lord and tells Jesse that they will not sit down, I suppose to eat, until the youngest has come. Remember, God had told Samuel not to look on the outward appearance, but notice 16:12, "And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to. And the LORD said, Arise, anoint him: for this is he." He was ruddy, had a healthy reddish color, as he spent his days out watching the sheep. Samuel still looked at David and saw that he was a handsome young man. Would you agree that we do the same thing as Samuel did? We know that we are not to judge people by their looks, but strong opinions are made by first impressions. James brings this lesson into view concerning the church. "My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons. For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment; And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool: Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts?" (James 2:1-4) Jesus also warns, "Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again." (Matthew 7:1-2)4. What Saul's Servant Said About David
King Saul was a troubled man. He told his servants to find a cunning harp player that would ease his troubled spirit. "Then answered one of the servants, and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, that is cunning in playing, and a mighty valiant man, and a man of war, and prudent in matters, and a comely person, and the LORD is with him. Wherefore Saul sent messengers unto Jesse, and said, Send me David thy son, which is with the sheep. And Jesse took an ass laden with bread, and a bottle of wine, and a kid, and sent them by David his son unto Saul. And David came to Saul, and stood before him: and he loved him greatly; and he became his armourbearer." (I Samuel 16:18-21) David was sought out because he was great at playing the harp. But, notice what else the servant has to say about David, "a mighty valiant man, and a man of war, and prudent in matters, and a comely person, and the LORD is with him." That's a great resume. His father thought of David as his youngest son, a shepherd boy. We will see later on that his brothers don't think much of him. But this servant of Saul spoke very highly of David. Saul was so impressed with David that he not only kept David close by to play the harp, but he trusted him enough to make him his armorbearer. "And Saul sent to Jesse, saying, Let David, I pray thee, stand before me; for he hath found favour in my sight. And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took an harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him." (I Samuel 16:22-23)5. David's Oldest Brother
The last time we saw David, he was at the palace to play the harp for Saul. When the Philistines came to battle against Israel, David went back home to care for the sheep, but his three oldest brothers went with King Saul's army. Jesse, their father, sent David with some food to see how they were doing. You probably know the rest of the story, but today notice how David is greeted by his oldest brother, Eliab."20 And David rose up early in the morning, and left the sheep with a keeper, and took, and went, as Jesse had commanded him; and he came to the trench, as the host was going forth to the fight, and shouted for the battle.
21 For Israel and the Philistines had put the battle in array, army against army.
22 And David left his carriage in the hand of the keeper of the carriage, and ran into the army, and came and saluted his brethren.
23 And as he talked with them, behold, there came up the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, out of the armies of the Philistines, and spake according to the same words: and David heard them.
24 And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him, and were sore afraid.
25 And the men of Israel said, Have ye seen this man that is come up? surely to defy Israel is he come up: and it shall be, that the man who killeth him, the king will enrich him with great riches, and will give him his daughter, and make his father's house free in Israel.
26 And David spake to the men that stood by him, saying, What shall be done to the man that killeth this Philistine, and taketh away the reproach from Israel? for who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?
27 And the people answered him after this manner, saying, So shall it be done to the man that killeth him.
28 And Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spake unto the men; and Eliab's anger was kindled against David, and he said, Why camest thou down hither? and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know thy pride, and the naughtiness of thine heart; for thou art come down that thou mightest see the battle.
29 And David said, What have I now done? Is there not a cause?" (I Samuel 17:20-29)
Eliab did not know David's heart. God told Samuel that David was a man after His own heart. Remember that Eliab was there when Samuel anointed David to be the next king. He was passed over, as were each of the seven older brothers, and David was chosen. I am sure there was jealousy of David. Sibling rivalry has been around since Cain and Abel. "But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another." (I Thessalonians 4:9)6. What Two Army Leaders Had To Say About David
For forty days the giant challenged the Israelite Army morning and evening and made their hearts fear. Not even King Saul, who was head and shoulders taller than all his people was up to the demands presented by Goliath. But, this young shepherd boy had faith in his God and he offered to fight against the giant. "And Saul said to David, Thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him: for thou art but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth." (I Samuel 17:33) David told Saul how he had killed a lion and a bear to protect his father's sheep. "Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God. David said moreover, The LORD that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said unto David, Go, and the LORD be with thee." (I Samuel 17:36-37)Saul armed David with his own armor, but David had not proved them so he went to the brook and chose five smooth stones and went with his shepherd's staff and his sling to face Goliath. Now we see what the giant thought of David."42 And when the Philistine looked about, and saw David, he disdained him: for he was but a youth, and ruddy, and of a fair countenance.
43 And the Philistine said unto David, Am I a dog, that thou comest to me with staves? And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.
44 And the Philistine said to David, Come to me, and I will give thy flesh unto the fowls of the air, and to the beasts of the field.
45 Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied.
46 This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.
47 And all this assembly shall know that the LORD saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the LORD'S, and he will give you into our hands." (I Samuel 17:42-47)
David ran towards the giant with his sling and the stone sunk deep into his forehead and he fell. When the Philistines saw that their champion was dead they all fled. Both of these army leaders saw David as just a youth, but David had faith in His God!7. David And Jonathan, Best Friends Forever
When I started sending messages online I had to learn some of the acronyms. Quite often I see lol, laugh out loud, and honestly I don't usually think the line is that funny. Another one that I see is bff. and I learned that it means best friends forever. Well, David and Jonathan would have been bff. Jonathan had won great battles against the Philistines and when David killed the giant of the Philistines the two of them became best friends. "1 And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking unto Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.
2 And Saul took him that day, and would let him go no more home to his father's house.
3 Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul.
4 And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was upon him, and gave it to David, and his garments, even to his sword, and to his bow, and to his girdle.
5 And David went out whithersoever Saul sent him, and behaved himself wisely: and Saul set him over the men of war, and he was accepted in the sight of all the people, and also in the sight of Saul's servants." (I Samuel 18:1-5)
David grew more and more popular with the people and as time passed King Saul became angry that Jonathan and David were such good friends. Jonathan was the son of the king and in most cases, would have been first in line to be the next king. King Saul tried to kill David on several occasions and Jonathan helped David escape. King Saul even threw a javelin at his son in anger and told him that as long as the son of Jesse lived, he would not be king. (I Samuel 20:31-33) David and Jonathan remained friends and after Jonathan was killed in battle David even took care of his lame son, Mephibosheth.8. The People Sang Praises To David And King Saul Fumed
The story of how David used a sling and stone to kill the giant Philistine was not the first battle King Saul had with the Philistines. Let's go back and read a portion of I Samuel 13:2-4 when Saul had reigned 2 years over Israel. "Saul chose him three thousand men of Israel; whereof two thousand were with Saul in Michmash and in mount Bethel, and a thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin:... And Jonathan smote the garrison of the Philistines that was in Geba, and the Philistines heard of it. And Saul blew the trumpet throughout all the land, saying, Let the Hebrews hear. And all Israel heard say that Saul had smitten a garrison of the Philistines, and that Israel also was had in abomination with the Philistines."Did you notice how Jonathan had half the men as King Saul and he had the victory, but Saul blew the trumpet and said that "Saul had smitten a garrison of the Philistines"? So after the triumph when the champion Goliath was defeated, King Saul may have expected to arrive in great honor, but the greater praise was given to David. "And it came to pass as they came, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, that the women came out of all cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet king Saul, with tabrets, with joy, and with instruments of musick. And the women answered one another as they played, and said, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands. And Saul was very wroth, and the saying displeased him; and he said, They have ascribed unto David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed but thousands: and what can he have more but the kingdom? And Saul eyed David from that day and forward." (I Samuel 18:6-9)The jealousy of King Saul was so great that as David sat and played the harp, Saul threw a javelin at David twice to kill him, but David avoided being hit. King Saul then became afraid of David because he saw that the Lord was with David and had departed from him. "Therefore Saul removed him from him, and made him his captain over a thousand; and he went out and came in before the people. And David behaved himself wisely in all his ways; and the LORD was with him. Wherefore when Saul saw that he behaved himself very wisely, he was afraid of him. But all Israel and Judah loved David, because he went out and came in before them." (I Samuel 18:13-16)9. What Have I Now Done?
As I was reading through I Samuel last month I not only noticed what others said about David, but I also noticed a phrase that David used on several occasions. It is first mentioned when David goes out to the battlefield to check on his brothers, as his father had instructed. "And Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spake unto the men; and Eliab's anger was kindled against David, and he said, Why camest thou down hither? and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know thy pride, and the naughtiness of thine heart; for thou art come down that thou mightest see the battle. And David said, What have I now done? Is there not a cause?" (I Samuel 17:28-29) David was the youngest of eight brothers and I am sure this was not the first time in his life he had asked this question, "What have I now done?" Older siblings have a reputation for wanting to instruct and rule over the younger ones in the family. I would not doubt that all seven told him what to do from time to time. On this occasion he is doing just what his father told him to do. (And by the way, verse 20 tells us that he left the sheep in the care of a keeper.) Eliab got angry with David and David replied, "What have I now done? Is there not a cause?" I have heard sermons preached on the second part about doing what's right for the cause of Christ, but I want to notice the first question. I have heard it many times like this, "What have I done now?" There is exasperation in the tone. Sometimes it is followed by, "I can't do anything right." I used to feel sorry for David, being the youngest and having to spend all his time out in the wilderness with a few little sheep. But, after thinking about this, I believe it may have been more peaceful for David with the sheep, even an occasional lion or bear, than at home with seven older brothers. He sure painted a peaceful picture in the 23rd Psalm. Let's strive to be more loving to our brothers and sisters and not as judgmental. This applies to our Christian brothers and sisters as well.10. What Have I Done? - When Troubles Come
We saw last week that King Saul was very jealous of David after he received all the praise for the victory over Goliath and the Philistines. King Saul threw a javelin twice at David as he played the harp. David escaped, but that was not the last time the king tried to kill David with a javelin. David was married to Michael, the king's daughter, and she helped David flee from King Saul. "And David fled from Naioth in Ramah, and came and said before Jonathan, What have I done? what is mine iniquity? and what is my sin before thy father, that he seeketh my life? And he said unto him, God forbid; thou shalt not die: behold, my father will do nothing either great or small, but that he will shew it me: and why should my father hide this thing from me? it is not so. And David sware moreover, and said, Thy father certainly knoweth that I have found grace in thine eyes; and he saith, Let not Jonathan know this, lest he be grieved: but truly as the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, there is but a step between me and death." (I Samuel 20:1-3) Here we see the second time David asked, "What have I done?" He tells his good friend, "There is but a step between and death" and he wants to know why. But David had not done anything against the king. Several times in the scriptures it tells us that David behaved himself wisely. If you continue reading in I Samuel you will see that David had to hide from King Saul for years and I Samuel 24:2 tells us that Saul took an army of 3,000 chosen men to hunt for David.There are times in our lives when troubles come and we ask God or ask ourselves, "What have I done?" I think this story from the life of David can be an example to us that sometimes people are against us when we have done nothing to them. If you get a promotion or better position it may make others jealous and angry towards you.Even good friends may cut the ties when jealousy slips in. David knew that the prophet Samuel had anointed him as the next king, but he never took revenge towards Saul. He used wisdom and hid until God placed him on the throne. Psalms 69:4 gives us an idea of how David felt during that time, "They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of mine head: they that would destroy me, being mine enemies wrongfully, are mighty: then I restored that which I took not away." David put his trust in the Lord. "I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry." (Psalms 40:1)
11. What Have I Done? - In Distress, In Debt, And Discontented
Yesterday we left David running for his life. Well, he is still running and he is not alone. "And every one that was in distress, and every one that was in debt, and every one that was discontented, gathered themselves unto him; and he became a captain over them: and there were with him about four hundred men." (I Samuel 22:2) David became captain over 400 men who also seemed to be running from something. As they were hiding in a cave, King Saul came into the cave and the men wanted David to kill him. David would not harm the Lord's anointed and only cut off part of Saul's robe. As the king went on his way, David came out of the cave and showed him how he had cut off his robe and Saul said that he would not harm David and went away. David still did not trust Saul and stayed in the wilderness. David's troop grew to 600 and they moved from place to place. David found out that Saul was coming after him again. As Saul lay in a trench one night, with Abner, the captain of the host, and the 3,000 men around them, David went down into their camp and took the king's spear that was at his bolster and his cruse of water. When David was on the top of another hill, far away, he called to Abner and rebuked him for not protecting the king. "And Saul knew David's voice, and said, Is this thy voice, my son David? And David said, It is my voice, my lord, O king. And he said, Wherefore doth my lord thus pursue after his servant? for what have I done? or what evil is in mine hand?" (I Samuel 26:17-18) Again David cried out, "For what have I done?" David had done no wrong against King Saul and spared his life twice. And even though King Saul said again that he would not harm David, David still did not trust him and fled with his men to the land of the Philistines. Sometimes we find ourselves in distress, in debt, or even discontented and we wonder what we have done to get in such a state. We may come face to face with our enemies and think that God is giving us clearance to destroy them. In those times it is hard to hold our tongue. We can do a lot of damage to others with the words we say. James 3:5-6 gives us a warning. "Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell." We also have the words of our Lord in Matthew 5:43-46. "Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?"12. What Have I Done? - To Achish, King Of Gath
We began our series on how other people saw David. In our scriptures today we see that when David asked Achish, "But what have I done?" this king said "I know that thou art good in my sight, as an angel of God:" This is unusual for several reasons. First of all, Achish is the king of Gath. Remember Gath? Goliath was from Gath. David led the Israelites to a great victory when he slew the giant. Next, David and his men were gathered with the Philistines to go to battle against the Israelites. What? Would David really fight against his own people? Let's look at what the princes of the Philistines had to say about this, in I Samuel 29:5-10."5 Is not this David, of whom they sang one to another in dances, saying, Saul slew his thousands, and David his ten thousands?
6 Then Achish called David, and said unto him, Surely, as the LORD liveth, thou hast been upright, and thy going out and thy coming in with me in the host is good in my sight: for I have not found evil in thee since the day of thy coming unto me unto this day: nevertheless the lords favour thee not.
7 Wherefore now return, and go in peace, that thou displease not the lords of the Philistines.
8 And David said unto Achish, But what have I done? and what hast thou found in thy servant so long as I have been with thee unto this day, that I may not go fight against the enemies of my lord the king?
9 And Achish answered and said to David, I know that thou art good in my sight, as an angel of God: notwithstanding the princes of the Philistines have said, He shall not go up with us to the battle.
10 Wherefore now rise up early in the morning with thy master's servants that are come with thee: and as soon as ye be up early in the morning, and have light, depart."
I don't believe King Achish knew David very well. While David and his 600 men lived in the country of the Philistines they invaded many of the neighboring cities. As they returned with the sheep, oxen, and spoil David would tell King Achish that he had invaded Judah. The king believed that David had made enemies with his own people. The first chapter of II Samuel shows how David lamented over the death of King Saul and Jonathan. We also saw that David refused to kill the king on two occasions, so I don't think he would have really fought with the Philistines against Israel. But, he was headed in that direction and asked King Achish, "But what have I done? and what hast thou found in thy servant so long as I have been with thee unto this day, that I may not go fight against the enemies of my lord the king?" God intervened and the Philistine Princes would not allow David to go with them. When David and his men returned to Ziklag they discovered that the Amalekites had carried all their families away captive. So they went to rescue and recover all that had been taken. In the mean time, the Philistines won the battle against the Israelites and King Saul and his sons, Jonathan, Abinadab, and Melchishua were all slain.13. David Said, "It Is I That Have Sinned... But As For These Sheep, What Have They Done?"
We have seen four different times in David's early years where he asked, "What have I done?" As we move to his latter years the question changes. David told Joab, the captain of the host, to go through all the tribes of Israel and number the people. Joab tried to talk David out of it, but the word of the king stood. Joab and the captains spent over nine months on the extensive task then gave the numbers to the king. "And God was displeased with this thing; therefore he smote Israel. And David said unto God, I have sinned greatly, because I have done this thing: but now, I beseech thee, do away the iniquity of thy servant; for I have done very foolishly." (I Chronicles 21:7-8) God gave David a choice of punishment: either three years' famine, or three months to be destroyed by the enemies, or three days to be destroyed by the sword of the Lord. "13 And David said unto Gad, I am in a great strait: let me fall now into the hand of the LORD; for very great are his mercies: but let me not fall into the hand of man.
14 So the LORD sent pestilence upon Israel: and there fell of Israel seventy thousand men.
15 And God sent an angel unto Jerusalem to destroy it: and as he was destroying, the LORD beheld, and he repented him of the evil, and said to the angel that destroyed, It is enough, stay now thine hand. And the angel of the LORD stood by the threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite.
16 And David lifted up his eyes, and saw the angel of the LORD stand between the earth and the heaven, having a drawn sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders of Israel, who were clothed in sackcloth, fell upon their faces.
17 And David said unto God, Is it not I that commanded the people to be numbered? even I it is that have sinned and done evil indeed; but as for these sheep, what have they done? let thine hand, I pray thee, O LORD my God, be on me, and on my father's house; but not on thy people, that they should be plagued.
18 Then the angel of the LORD commanded Gad to say to David, that David should go up, and set up an altar unto the LORD in the threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite." (I Chronicles 21:13-18)
David confessed his sinful pride and said, "I it is that have sinned and done evil indeed; but as for these sheep, what have they done?" Many times in our lives we are quick to say, "What have I done?" "Why does everything happen to me?" We don't see how our troubles and failures affect those around us. But, a mature Christian confesses his sin and has sorrows and regrets when the lives of others has been touched. Ornan offered to give David the threshingfloor and oxen for burnt offerings, but David paid the full price. He would not give an offering to the Lord which would cost him nothing. God accepted the sacrifice and commanded His angel to put up the sword. We find this place of Ornan's threshingfloor in mount Moriah two more places in Bible history. "Then Solomon began to build the house of the LORD at Jerusalem in mount Moriah, where the LORD appeared unto David his father, in the place that David had prepared in the threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite." (II Chronicles 3:1)
"And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of." (Genesis 22:2)
14. Who Am I?
We are finished with our "What have I done?" quotes by David, and today we will see another question he asked more than once. The first time was when he was told that he could marry King Saul's daughter. "And David said unto Saul, Who am I? and what is my life, or my father's family in Israel, that I should be son in law to the king?" (I Samuel 18:18) David did not feel worthy to marry the princess. You can read that account in I Samuel 18.I want to focus on the second time he asked, "Who am I?" "And it came to pass, when the king sat in his house, and the LORD had given him rest round about from all his enemies; That the king said unto Nathan the prophet, See now, I dwell in an house of cedar, but the ark of God dwelleth within curtains." (II Samuel 7:1-2) David had grown up as a shepherd boy, out in the countryside watching over the sheep. The years he spent running from King Saul he hid in caves and the wilderness, moving from city to city and place to place. After the death of Saul and his sons, David was made king. I believe that David sat in his house and looked around enjoying the comfort of peace and rest, and thought of His God. God, who had delivered him from the lion and bear when he was watching the sheep. God, who had given him victory of Goliath. God, who had protected him from King Saul. God, who had given him rest from all his enemies. And he decided that he wanted to build God a house. But God said no. God told David that he could not build the temple because David had been a man of war. He told him that His son would have peace and build the Lord's house. "13 He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever.
16 And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever.
18 Then went king David in, and sat before the LORD, and he said, Who am I, O Lord GOD? and what is my house, that thou hast brought me hitherto?
19 And this was yet a small thing in thy sight, O Lord GOD; but thou hast spoken also of thy servant's house for a great while to come. And is this the manner of man, O Lord GOD?
20 And what can David say more unto thee? for thou, Lord GOD, knowest thy servant.
21 For thy word's sake, and according to thine own heart, hast thou done all these great things, to make thy servant know them.
22 Wherefore thou art great, O LORD God: for there is none like thee, neither is there any God beside thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears." (II Samuel 7:13, 16, 18-22)
I, too, can say, "Who am I?" Who am I, that God put me in a Christian home and a Godly fundamental church? Who am I, that God has blessed me and provided all my needs? Who am I, that God saved me at an early age? Who am I, that God has never left me nor forsaken me? Who am I that God has prepared me a home in heaven to live with Him forevermore?15. The Promise Of A King
King David wanted to build God a house, but God said no, He would build David a house. "8 Now therefore so shalt thou say unto my servant David, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, I took thee from the sheepcote, from following the sheep, to be ruler over my people, over Israel:
9 And I was with thee whithersoever thou wentest, and have cut off all thine enemies out of thy sight, and have made thee a great name, like unto the name of the great men that are in the earth.
10 Moreover I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own, and move no more; neither shall the children of wickedness afflict them any more, as beforetime,
11 And as since the time that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel, and have caused thee to rest from all thine enemies. Also the LORD telleth thee that he will make thee an house.
12 And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom.
13 He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever." (II Samuel 7:8-13)
King David gathered supplies from great distances so that his son, Solomon could build the house of the Lord. King Solomon also gathered more gold, cedar and great stones for the foundation and spent 7 years building the temple. I am sure it was beautiful with the ornate woodwork overlaid in gold. He built a house for God, and then prayed: "Therefore now, LORD God of Israel, keep with thy servant David my father that thou promisedst him, saying, There shall not fail thee a man in my sight to sit on the throne of Israel; so that thy children take heed to their way, that they walk before me as thou hast walked before me. And now, O God of Israel, let thy word, I pray thee, be verified, which thou spakest unto thy servant David my father. But will God indeed dwell on the earth? behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house that I have builded?" (I Kings 8:25-27) Did God keep His promise of The King? You can find the genealogy of Mary in the book of Luke, chapter 3 which shows that Mary descended from David. Joseph, the husband of Mary, was not the father of Jesus, but his genealogy in Matthew shows the line of kings from David, Solomon, Rehoboam, on down the line to the time of Christ. Yes! God kept His promise to David. God always keeps His Word! "And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS." (Revelation 19:16)16. The Sweet Psalmist Of Israel
In II Samuel 23:1 King David is called "the sweet psalmist of Israel" so it is very fitting to look at some of the Psalms of David. After David brought the ark of the covenant back and set it in its place in the tabernacle they offered sacrifices and peace offerings. Certain Levites were appointed as a praise choir and verse 5 tells us that Asaph was chief and that he made a sound with cymbals. Let's look at a few of the verses of their first song. Take notice of the things they were to do: give thanks, sing, rejoice, seek, remember, be mindful, declare His glory, bring an offering, and worship. Oh, how we could glorify our God in our church services if we would do these things."7 Then on that day David delivered first this psalm to thank the LORD into the hand of Asaph and his brethren.
8 Give thanks unto the LORD, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the people.
9 Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him, talk ye of all his wondrous works.
10 Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the LORD.
11 Seek the LORD and his strength, seek his face continually.
12 Remember his marvellous works that he hath done, his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth;
14 He is the LORD our God; his judgments are in all the earth.
15 Be ye mindful always of his covenant; the word which he commanded to a thousand generations;
23 Sing unto the LORD, all the earth; shew forth from day to day his salvation.
24 Declare his glory among the heathen; his marvellous works among all nations.
28 Give unto the LORD, ye kindreds of the people, give unto the LORD glory and strength.
29 Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come before him: worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.
30 Fear before him, all the earth: the world also shall be stable, that it be not moved.
31 Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice: and let men say among the nations, The LORD reigneth.
32 Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof: let the fields rejoice, and all that is therein.
33 Then shall the trees of the wood sing out at the presence of the LORD, because he cometh to judge the earth.
34 O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever.
35 And say ye, Save us, O God of our salvation, and gather us together, and deliver us from the heathen, that we may give thanks to thy holy name, and glory in thy praise.
36 Blessed be the LORD God of Israel for ever and ever. And all the people said, Amen, and praised the LORD." (Selected verses from I Chronicles 16:7-36)
17. "The Lord Is My Shepherd..."
"The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want." I think this must be one of the favored Psalms of all times. It never grows old. It can be quoted by children as young as four years old, and still cherished by those who are 94. The reason it means so much to me is that I know the Good Shepherd! We see Him in John 10:14-16. "I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd." When I was just a young girl I heard His voice. I heard how He loved me so much that He gave His life for me. I asked Him to save me, and since that day I have been and always will be one of His fold."1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever." (Psalm 23)
18. Green Pastures
Let's continue through the 23rd Psalm. "He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters." (Psalm 23:2) I have never been around many sheep, but my Dad had a few cows down through the years. When they had eaten all the grass from the upper pasture they would stand at the gate and "moo". Dad would call us to come down and we would all stand in the gap while he led the cows from the upper pasture, to the lower pasture. The ones that followed his leading quickly found themselves in the thick green grass that he had sown in the bottom land. But there were occasions when one of the cows would not follow his leading. It would stand in the upper, empty field and bellow for something to eat. There were also times when one would break through the gap and take off in the wrong direction. Then Dad and the boys would chase it back in the right direction. Where are you today? Are you following the leading of your Shepherd? There are some who have decided to stay just where they are. They aren't getting fed Spiritually because they are not following the Lord. They stand around and complain just like a stubborn bull. There are others who start off following the Lord, but they get in too big of a hurry and go off in the wrong direction. Then the Lord often has to chasten them. We need to follow the Lord, our Shepherd, to the green pastures and still waters. After the cows were in the new pasture a while, they would lie down under the shade of the trees and my Dad would say, "They're full now." The Lord wants to fill us. Follow Him. He may lead you to witness to someone today. He may want you to take a part in the teaching or singing at your church. Or, He may have given you the gift of lifting up others through prayer and sending cards. Follow the Shepherd.19. He Restoreth My Soul
When we need to be restored, God is always there. "He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake." (Psalm 23:3) Sometimes we pass an old classic car on the road that looks brand new. The motor has been restored and it has a shiny new coat of paint. If it were not for the style and shape, we would never know how old it was or that it had run so many miles. Sometimes I feel like an old car... like I have run thousands of miles. I need to be restored. We can work-out and get in shape, or change our hair style and try to restore some of our lost youth, but that only changes our appearance. There are times we need to be restored on the inside. After King David had committed his great sin, he prayed "Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness... Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin... Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me... Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit." (Psalm 51:1, 2, 10, & 12) It is so wonderful that we can go to our Shepherd when we fall and need to be restored. He cleanses us on the inside and is the only one who can restore our joy.20. Walking Through The Valleys
"Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me." (Psalm 23:4) It is great to know that the Lord will be with us when we "walk through the valley of the shadow of death". But that is not the only valley we go through. Most of our mountaintop experiences will be followed by valleys. As I was reading this morning I came to Psalm 84 and read in verses 5-7, "Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee; in whose heart are the ways of them. Who passing through the valley of Baca make it a well; the rain also filleth the pools. They go from strength to strength, every one of them in Zion appeareth before God." The notes in my Bible tell me that Baca means "weeping". We often go through a valley of tears. We may feel so low that we have no strength. The Lord can bring us through the valley of tears with His strength as we "go from strength to strength", moment by moment, day by day. Let's look at verse 6 again, "Who passing through the valley of Baca make it a well; the rain also filleth the pools." We pass through the valleys. God will bring us through the valleys. What does the Psalmist mean, "make it a well"? I think he is saying that we should make it a little easier for the next person. If someone is hurting from the loss of a parent, I can understand and maybe help them in their pain, because I have been there. If you are going through a valley, look to the Lord for comfort and strength. Talk with those who have come through the same valley. And be there for others when they need you in their times of sorrow.21. In The Presence Of Mine Enemies
"Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over." (Psalm 23:5) As a young shepherd boy, David had enemies. When a lion or bear came and took a lamb from the flock, he could have said, "No one will ever know if one lamb is missing. I'm too young to stand up against a lion." But, he fought the lion or bear and took the lamb back. God gave him courage to fight against the lion and bear to protect what he had. Later, when he came face to face against the enemy of God and of Israel, he was prepared. We read in I Samuel 17:37, "David said moreover, The LORD that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said unto David, Go, and the LORD be with thee." We also have enemies. Peter tells us, "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith,..." (I Peter 5:8 & 9) Don't let Satan rob you of what you have. Don't let him take your integrity or rob you of your Christian witness. Pray for courage and strength to stand up for what's right. You may be in college, away from home, and think that no one will know if you don't stand up against your enemy. But others are watching and God is watching. God can prepare a table for you, anoint you with oil and the Holy Spirit. And God can give you blessings that run over. He can give you joy in your heart that flows over and touches the lives around you. You may be young, and feel alone, like David, but stand strong against the enemies of God.22. I Will Dwell In The House Of The Lord
"Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever." (Psalm 23:6) God is good. God is merciful. We are taught this as young children. So why are the children growing up and neglecting the house of God? There are many people my age who were brought up in church, and now they feel that they no longer need to go to church and worship the Lord. Many feel that they no longer need the Lord. God is so good. We should all be able to say with David, "I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the LORD." (Psalm 122:1)