BIBLICAL HERO OF THE WEEK: DAVID

Saul, the first King of Israel, fell off from Grace in the sight of God. He had usurped a priestly duty reserved for Samuel, the Chief Priest. As a result of that misjudgment and disservice to God, the kingly anointment was stripped from Him. God had swiftly chosen another to replace King Saul.

And the Lord said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons.

1 Samuel 16:1

David was the youngest of eight sons of Jesse, the Bethlemite, descendants from the Tribe of Judah. Of the lots, including Eliab – the towering, princelike, eldest brother – the least likely was a rosy-cheeked, beautiful-countenanced shepherd boy. Little wonder Jesse never considered arraying David amongst the seven well-placed brothers. Even Samuel was fooled by the majestic stature of Eliab. But God chose none of them. He chose David. 1 Samuel 16:11-13.

The anointment of David was, of course, not the beginning of his story. But it was the focal point from which the boy David emerged into the Book of Reckoning. As noted from Verses 13 to 14, we also learn it was the destiny-changing moment when The Spirit of the Lord entered into David and departed from Saul, whereupon an evil spirit replaced the vacant soul.

The definitive juncture of David’s story was the enacting of the heroic arc when David slew, beheaded and silenced Goliath and the Philistine army. Besieged by the weight and might of a Giant-led, battle-hardened horde for 40 days, King Saul, Commander-in-chief, and his military quaked under the monstrosity of the barbarity that defied Israel. Enter David – the young boy sent by his father to deliver victuals to his brothers at the war front. It was a simple assignment – but within the span of that mission was the Providential orchestration of a grander plan. As young David journeyed along rocky terrains to supply food, unwittingly, redemption also gathered momentum apace.

It is noteworthy to recognise that David had not gone to deliver the meal with a preconceived idea of going to war with Goliath. But no teenager gets to a war zone and is not excited by the feverish activities and real-time events unfolding in plain sight.

In all that pandemonium that ensued all at once, David beheld the giant Goliath, and heard him blaspheme God; saw the force of the Philistine Army arrayed against the lily-livered Israelite army; learned that the Princess and a bounty of wealth awaited him who could kill Goliath; received a sharp rebuke from Eliab; confidently conversed with soldiers that he could take up the gauntlet; then got summoned by King Saul.

How could all these simultaneous events have played out if not by the Hand of God? All the while, Goliath had mocked the Israelite camp and challenged them to bring an accomplished warrior to battle against. And suddenly, David appears before Saul, as the one to fight against the Giant. David’s confidence never failed him – it grew ever more. He spoke to King Saul as a king-in-the-making himself. He reeled out his experience of having slew both lion and bear with his hands to save his father’s sheep. But David’s boast was not in himself but rather in the LORD who delivered him from these wild beasts. Surely, what God did to deliver him and his father’s flock from the stranglehold of those savage beasts, he would also do to “this uncircumcised Philistine!”

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.

1 Samuel 17:37

And truly, what could be more convincing than this brilliant utterance of might in a moment scarcely encouraging? Who more fitting a warrior to parade against Goliath at a time when a squadron of Saul’s best army stood petrified before the Philistines? This was the appointed time of deliverance for Israel, and all of heaven and earth watched as David struggled to bear upon himself Saul’s armour.

A comical, awkward false start was not decisive enough a factor to have detracted from what was a momentous unravelling of events. David, true to his nature of truth, rid himself of the suit of armour. Saul’s armoury was burdensome on David; it weighed on his intuitive ability to fight spiritedly. Ergo Verse 39:

And he took his staff in his hand, and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in a shepherd’s bag which he had, even in a scrip; and his sling was in his hand: and he drew near to the Philistine.

1 Samuel 17:39

Finally, the camp of Israel had a warrior to present. And here comes juvenile David in spare garments and with modest weaponry. Goliath stares bemusedly at he who approaches. “That cannot be what I am thinking”, he must have thought. But David does not break a stride, rather, he picks up the pace with a murderous indignance to slay Goliath.

Both camps watch on spectacularly. What drama unfolds! A 6-foot; 5 inches tall, ill-equipped, untried, shepherd boy VERSUS a 10-foot; 5 inches tall, battle-hardened, commanding-general Giant of the Philistine. David vs Goliath! Who dares pair these two against one another?!

As a reasonable thinking human, you will therefore understand when Goliath thundered:

…Am I a dog, that thou comest to me with staves? And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. 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.

1 Samuel 17:43-44.

But David’s response defies all possibilities of logic. He speaks! –

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. 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. 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.

1 Samuel 17:46-47.

The moment of truth is come. Weeks of flurried military crusade between the Philistines’ tyrannical camp against the Israelites’ petrified camp boils down to this climatic episode – the shepherd boy David versus the giant monster Goliath.

Time stands still, as all of mortality and eternity watches on with bated breath.

The awaited episode of one of the most era-defining stories ever rolls into action. A page of the Holy Script flips to life. Then Verse 48 to 54 happen:

⁴⁸ And it came to pass, when the Philistine arose, and came, and drew nigh to meet David, that David hastened, and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine. And David put his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone, and slang it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead, that the stone sunk into his forehead; and he fell upon his face to the earth. So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and smote the Philistine, and slew him; but there was no sword in the hand of David. Therefore David ran, and stood upon the Philistine, and took his sword, and drew it out of the sheath thereof, and slew him, and cut off his head therewith. And when the Philistines saw their champion was dead, they fled. And the men of Israel and of Judah arose, and shouted, and pursued the Philistines, until thou come to the valley, and to the gates of Ekron. And the wounded of the Philistines fell down by the way to Shaaraim, even unto Gath, and unto Ekron. And the children of Israel returned from chasing after the Philistines, and they spoiled their tents. And David took the head of the Philistine, and brought it to Jerusalem; but he put his armour in his tent.

1 Samuel 17: 48-54.

And just like that, the giant has fallen. Goliath’s mighty head is cut off, with his sword, by David. At once, the proud horde of the Philistine camp is put to flight and effectively ousted by the revived spirit of the Israelites’ camp. The impossible, somehow, is accomplished. Goliath is slain. Israel is delivered. And David, the shepherd boy, holds aloft the mangled head of the giant as the trophy. A new king is born. And Saul, seething in his heart, knows that.

The trajectory of the human story anchored on the sovereignty of the Most High God could never be more brilliantly illustrated. This is the hallmark of our faith. That the underdog can defeat the expected winner. That Moses can sink Pharaoh and lead his people out of Egyptian captivity. That Joshua & Caleb can make a once-enslaved people, a clan of battle-hardened warriors and conquerors. That lowlifes can become men of honour. Provided the supremacy of God is factored into the equation.

These far-reaching narratives would serve as catalytic factors that would interweave, partition and forever alter the life, heritage and history of Saul, David and the 12 Tribes of Israel. The story is still being told today – for such truly are the legacy of great narratives like David’s.

Also Read: BIBLICAL HERO OF THE WEEK: DANIEL

FOUR PARADIGMS KING DAVID SYMBOLISED TO ETERNALIZE

DAVID THE WARRIOR

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.

1 Samuel 18:5

David is one of the archetype warriors we refer to in the Bible. There could have been no better announcement of his symbolic martial bravery than the colossal defeat of Goliath. That ushered him to become knight commander of Saul’s army. The immediate call of duty, according to the biblical linear narrative, would be to act spontaneously in self-defence. Saul repeatedly attempted to murder David by throwing spears at him which he always cleverly evaded. Till he finally absconded from Israel to the mountains of Judah, then to the city of Nob, then to the city of Gath, and then to the caves of Adullam.

In all of that escapade of desertion, David not only acquired much-needed territorial, and military knowledge, he also evolved into a lone ranger, self-sustained in the art of extreme survival. David’s combatant acumen transcended the boundary of policed, in-house military service. And it was probably owing to David’s uncanny independence that led to 400 men gathering unto him. In him, they found an exemplary leader who, in the long run, shaped most of them to become mighty warriors.

The moniker – David’s Mighty Warriors – is a testament to the calibre and character of valiant soldiers David developed. And that David fought and won 8-9 major battles, including formidable enemies like the Philistines, Moabites, Edomites, Ammonites, and Amalekites, is a monument to the unconquerable spirit that incarnated David.

DAVID THE KING

David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years. In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months: and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty and three years over all Israel and Judah.

2 Samuel 5:4-5.

The small matter of kingship is a bloody event. Since time immemorial, to be king and to want remain so can cost the entire cleansing of a human race. Kingship is the principal hierachy in all dynasties. The King wields a supreme authority unlike any other governmental systems. And when Saul realised that prophecy had gone ahead to anoint David king, he knew that his position and royal lineage was at stake. Profoundly so after David killed Goliath – something only kings, knights and few heroic characters do.

Hence, he sought to kill David. The evil spirit that overtook Saul did not help matters. The rich affection between Saul’s son Jonathan and David counted little. Saul’s repeated assault on David’s life was resolute. In the end, by the providence of God and the wisdom of David, David escaped death; Saul’s life eventually terminated. David’s escape from Saul culminated in him becoming the first king of the Tribe of Judah – the fourth of the 12 tribes of Israel. And after Ishbosheth, Saul’s son, had ruled Israel for two years, he was assassinated. The throne of Israel had become vacant – and there was only one person worthy of the throne – David. Thus, David reigned and ruled as King of Judah and King of Israel.

David the King demonstrated divine supremacy in his limited human capacity. At 30 years, his rulership over Judah and Israel was overwhelmingly embraced, highly welcomed and thorougly celebrated. David’s profound reverence for God remained so in Kingship. And this subtly translated to the inward chacterisation of David as just, loving, wise, kind, forgiving, powerful and idolised. His heart for God poured out to the people seamlessly. And his fierce hand for the kingdom compelled homage from rival nations. Those who would not bow had their lands dethroned and overtaken by Israel.

In his 40 years kinghood, King David ruled with a celestial style of authority, dominion and magnificence nonpareil. He never lost any battle. And even the civil war that deposed him from office was as a result of his sin and God’s punishment of it. But that did not remove the uncommon grace upon David. In exile, David’s mighy warriors yet stood by him as an impenetrable rock of defence and they also facilitated the enthronement of Solomon – David’s preferred heir to the throne.

DAVID THE PRIEST

So David and the elders of Israel and the commanders of thousands went to bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord from the house of Obed-edom with rejoicing. And because God helped the Levites who were carrying the ark of the covenant of the Lord, they sacrificed seven bulls and seven rams. David was clothed with a robe of fine linen, as also were all the Levites who were carrying the ark, and the singers and Chenaniah the leader of the music of the singers. And David wore a linen ephod.

1 Chronicles 15:25-27

The levitical order, descendants from the clan of Aaron, are the sole recognised priesthood of Israel. The priestly, admnistrative and sacred ordinations and duties belong chiefly to the Levis. But there is an order of priesthood that came before Moses and Aaron: the Melchizedek priesthood; King of Salem. Melchizedek was he who proclaimed blessings to Abram and to whom Abram gave a tent of everything.

In relation to David’s execution of priestly duties, David acted in accordance to the Melchizedek order of priesthood, not the Levitical order. Some of the ministerial activities he carried out included: co-leading with the priests, clothing up with the linen ephod, bringing the ark of the covenant to Israel.

These clerical services are typically reserved to the Levites. However, David acted in such capacity with an innate awareness that he could. We should remember it was a similar line of action Saul took that removed the anointing from his head. But David’s repeated transaction with the priesthood implies naturally that he functioned in the grace and order of Melchizedek. And Melchizedek is widely referred to as the pre-incarnate Jesus Christ.

DAVID THE MINSTREL

David is an icon for so many reasons, some of which have been enumerated here. But none of his accomplishments holds more dearly to the human heart than some of his works in the book of Psalm. The poetry, language and spirit evoked into the book of Psalm represents David at his best.

Of all the epic literatures you will find in the Bible, Psalm speaks best of all human vulnerableness. As you read some of the ballads, elegy, epitaphs, sonnet, free verse, and odes, you find yourself transported into these imageries that effortlessly paints a picture of your life. No true heart as encountered a Psalm of David and not find ones hope, faith and confident revived because of words that spoke life to the heart.

David was a psalmist – he composed sacred songs and hymns. David was a poet – he vented his feelings, ideas and penance with the disntiction of style, imagery, language and purity of heart. David was a minstrel – he played out the sublimity of soul with his stringed instrument and ministered life and hope to lifeless and hopeless situations. David was a prophet – Psalm 110 foretold the coming of Yeshua.

King David will forever remain the epitome of a heart interwonven to God. In bleak dark ages, He foreshadowed how a honest man should approach God in murky situations. His model and literature have liberated many a person from the clutch of guilt, darkness, and hopelesness. David is the archetype “beloved” figure. A patron whose name, personality and legacy perfectly represents how modern Christians must individually approach their faith in Christ Jesus.