The Life of David Series: A Somewhat Less than Grand Entrance

David doesn’t break stride as he runs up the last rise, at the top of which stands his family’s home. Chasing sheep all over the hills surrounding Beit Lechem has built up his endurance to the point where he hasn’t needed to stop once since leaving the sheep in the care of his friend. Even with his solid wood staff clutched in his hand and his supply pouch at his side the run hasn’t been a challenge. And spurring him on is the curiosity as to why he was being called away from the flock in the first place.

Before long he crests the top of knoll, and his family’s ancestral home spreads out before him. The large, mud-brick house, indicative of a prosperous and influential family, dominates the scene. As David approaches, still at a run, he remembers his father telling him about how one of his ancestors, Shalmon, had brought his bride, Rachav, from the city of Jericho and settled here, way back in the days of Ieshuah. He’s often wondered what it would have been like to live in such adventurous times. Life as a shepherd can be exciting at times…but it’s nothing compared to battles and sieges and the like.

Coming closer to the house, he sees the animal pens to the left, and to the right, vast fields of grain. Those are the same fields, he knows, where his great grandmother Ruth was gleaning when she met his great grandfather, Boatz. He can still remember his grandfather Oved telling him the story.

His reflection is brought up short when he notices for the first time, in the space between the house and the field usually inhabited only by the occasional chicken, a crowd of people. As he nears he can make out his mother and his brothers, and several of the leading citizens of Beit Lechem. Then the altar catches his eye. A lamb is tethered nearby. There’s going to be a sacrifice. And there, standing a little in front of the altar is his father, Iesseh, and next to him an old man David has only heard about, but whom he immediately recognizes.

Sh’muel, the prophet!

For the first time, David’s gait diminishes. He approaches the crowd, and his run slows to a jog, then a walk. The stares of the crowd make him uncomfortable, so he makes an effort to ignore them, instead coming to a stop in front of Iesseh, standing with a straight back and his shepherd’s staff planted firmly in the ground.

“What is it, Father? Why have you called me away from the flock?”

The answer comes not from Iesseh, but from Sh’muel. The ancient prophet smiles at the boy, not unkindly. “It’s because you have been chosen to shepherd quite a different flock.”

Confused, David looks from one man to the other, then past them to the crowd. Has his mother been crying? Is that disappointment on his brothers’ faces? Why does the mood of the onlookers seem to be a mixture of anxiety and anticipation?

Then his attention is yanked back to Sh’muel, who has produced a vial, made from a bull’s horn, filled with oil. The boy’s eyes widen. Could it be? But what about Saul…

Sh’muel’s voice cuts through the questions. “Kneel to receive your anointing, King David!”

The deathly silence the follows is broken only by the sound of David’s shepherd’s staff clattering to the ground.

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The above dramatization is taken from I Samuel 16:1-13, which is the text we will be examining in this article. I would recommend that you read it before continuing.

In preparing for a deep dive into the life of David we have spent a lot of time laying the ground work. We have examined the significance of the tribe of Judah, giving special attention to its relationship with the tribe of Benjamin. We have looked at the spiritual significance of the cities of Bethlehem and Jerusalem, as well as that of the Ark of the Covenant. Finally, we examined the reign of King Saul up to this point.

Now, at long last, we meet the main subject of our study, the one we have been working up to for so long: King David.

Except…he isn’t king yet. When we meet him in this chapter he’s a mere shepherd boy, last among eight brothers…and not exactly the favorite brother at that.

Thus Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel. And Samuel said to Jesse, “The Lord has not chosen these.” And Samuel said to Jesse, “Are all the young men here?” Then he said, “There remains yet the youngest, and there he is, keeping the sheep.” (vv. 10-11)

Once David is sent for and arrives, Samuel anoints him King over Israel. As we examine this passage, I want to point out three important lessons: one about ourselves, one about God, and one about Jesus Christ, specifically.

Lesson 1: We are very impressed by external factors.

If I were to come up to the average single young man in my youth group, and say to him, “Hey, I just met the most amazing single young lady. She is a dedicated Christian, an obedient daughter, a talented musician, loves kids, and, to top it all off, is an amazing cook. Would you like me to introduce you?” I can almost guarantee that the first question out of said young man’s lips would be “Do you have a picture?” And if you think that, the roles being reversed, a young lady would not have the same question about a perspective young man, I have a great deal for you on a ski resort in the Amazon rain forest.

We base our opinions on what we see. And the people of the Old Testament times were no different. If you will remember, physical stature was one of the things that impressed the people when they were introduced to Saul.

…they ran and brought him from there; and when he stood among the people, he was taller than any of the people from his shoulders upward. And Samuel said to all the people, “Do you see him whom the Lord has chosen, that there is no one like him among all the people?” So all the people shouted and said, “Long live the king!” (I Samuel 10:23-24)

When put in that context, it is only natural that when Samuel is once again searching for a king, he should look for the same criteria. But the lesson Samuel had to learn is the same one we need to keep in mind: a focus on the outward appearance can cause us to miss that which is more important.

Which brings us to…

Lesson 2: God is much more interested in the inner man.

In retrospect, Samuel should have known better. If he had thought back to a conversation he had with Saul, God had told him what he was looking for in a new king.

“But now your kingdom shall not continue. The Lord has sought for Himself a man after His own heart, and the Lord has commanded him to be commander over His people, because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you.” (I Samuel 13:14)

So here in chapter 16 God has to remind Samuel of this:

But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

We are always better off when we await God’s best. This is the lesson Israel needed to learn after the disastrous reign of King Saul, and it is the lesson we need to learn as well…and it’s not limited to people. I know that, in my own experience, some of the worst decisions I have made came about because of my own impatience. Samuel needed to take his eyes of Jesse’s impressive-looking sons, and wait for David to come in from the fields. And sometimes we need to take our eyes of that shiny thing we want so badly and await God’s perfect timing.

So those are our two practical takeaways, and they are good. But our third lesson is, in my opinion, the coolest one.

Lesson 3: Our true hope is in Christ

Granted, that may seem like a stretch. But bear with me here. The climax of this narrative is clearly the anointing of David as king. So let’s camp on the concept of anointing for a minute.

In ancient Israel there were three offices to which people were inducted by anointing: prophets, priests, and kings. The alert reader will note right away that these are the three specific offices that reach their perfection in Christ. Now, David was not the only king to be anointed…indeed Saul had been as well. But David was different. Not only was David a King, but the Holy Spirit spoke through David, inspiring some of the most beautiful hymns in the book of Psalms. And in that respect, he had a prophetic, “thus saith the Lord” role. And while he was not a priest and did not, indeed could not, participate in the temple ceremonies, there were two occasions were he did intercede for his people in very significant ways.

So, unlike all other kings of Israel, David exercised in some form the three roles for which a person was anointed in the Old Testament. Thus he serves as a shadow of our perfect Prophet/Priest/King.

But it gets better! The word for “anointed one” in Hebrew is מָשִׁיחַ – moshiach – from whence comes our word “messiah”. And the word “Christ” is just the Greek translation (χρίστος) of that word.

So this passage points us straight to Christ. David is the anointed one, who God has chosen to bring Israel into a golden age, but even he, a man after God’s own heart, is a mere shadow of Jesus – Son of David, Lion of the Tribe of Judah – whom God has chosen to bring salvation to the World.

So to summarize the flow of this narrative: Man loves outward appearances, God’s choice is better, and at the end of the day, our hope is in Christ.

Perhaps the psalmist (possibly David!) put it best in Psalm 147:10-11.

[God] does not delight in the strength of the horse;
He takes no pleasure in the legs of a man.
The Lord takes pleasure in those who fear Him,
In those who hope in His mercy.

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