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Among the many heroes the Bible talks of, David looms large as a
giant of Scripture. Well known throughout the world as the one after God’s
heart, David rose from humble underpinnings, as a shepherd boy, to become the
most illustrious king of Israel and more importantly, set the lineage that led
all the way to the Messiah Himself, Lord Jesus Christ.
But one thing he wasn’t – he was by no means a great role model
for morality lessons. He might rank amongst the greatest of the greatest in
terms of military conquests and strategies but when it comes to ethics and
moral integrity, David was a dangerous and deadly blend of liar, adulterer and
murderer.
While Hollywood might paint David as a kingly and sexual dynamo,
the Bible offers no such flattery but stuck to God’s moral lineage where the
picture of Israel’s second king was hardly rosy. His failures were recorded for
everyone to read for more than 2,000 years.
Given that he had such moral failings, why was David a warm
favourite of God’s? Was it just that he loved God? Was it his strong desire to
live? Or was it that David’s faith was unshakable and relentless in light of
God’s steadfast goodness and mercy towards him? There’s no denying that David
was a man of great enigma. While he was very focused and specific in his
commitment to God, he was also lecherous to the point of committing some of the
worst sins that Scripture records.
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David’s humble beginnings were filled with frustration as he was
constantly in the shadows of his other brothers. Being considered frail or
reedy, David was never the first choice among his more strapping brothers but
with Samuel’s anointing, a whole new life was set before his eyes but before he
knew what would hit him next, he found himself running away to save his life
from a very jealous and vengeful king who seemed to have lost his sanity.
Life didn’t exactly get better when he became king of Israel for
he found himself constantly inundated with battles to safeguard his kingdom
from Israel’s most venomous enemies. But in the end, he would win all of them,
proving his remarkable quality as a brilliant battle tactician and military
conqueror. While he could best his stature as a powerful king, he failed
miserably in his personal integrity. He conquered others but he couldn’t
conquer his own demons.
Image source: bible-people.info
In that one night he had someone else’s wife in his bed, David’s
life would unravel before his eyes culminating in the manipulation leading to
the death of Bathsheba’s husband, Uriah, who also happened to be one of the
king’s most loyal soldiers. Getting Bathsheba pregnant with his child was a
national disaster that was foretold by Nathan the prophet with whom David had
desperately tried to deny but in finally made to confront his own evil, the
king crumbled, knowing that his sin could not help save the life of the child
that Bathsheba bore.
Even though Bathsheba did give birth to Solomon who went on to
become one of Israel’s greatest kings, he also fathered Absalom who turned out
to be a very big problem for the house of David for he brought untold mayhem,
bloodshed and tragedy.
In seeking forgiveness from God, David repented but the
repercussions of his sinfulness had spread to his family. He didn’t just had to
deal with Absalom’s murderous streak and threats to his own throne, he also had
to endure the rape and death of his daughter Tamar.
Through all his hardship and despite his tormenting mistakes in
life, David’s faith in God stood him tall. He raised the bar of faithfulness
that served as a living example for all of us because through it all, he
endured and surpassed. His life may have its incredible ups and downs but he
also left a rich legacy of his writings for us to read. Through them all, we
can understand his dark and redeeming emotions, his hopes and optimism, and his
unquestioned – and often unsurpassed – passion for God. Much of these is
evident in the dozens of psalms that define till today, peerlessly touching and
beautiful poetry that has ever been written.
Achievements
David’s accomplishments were
many, beginning with the killing of Goliath who as a reedy youth was a
phenomenon that still rock the world today. The victory was recognisable for
his trust in God and not himself and subsequently he killed many of Israel’s
enemies in later battles. In the ensuing jealousy and hatred, a demoralised
King Saul pursued David to kill him but even given the many chances, David
refused to, for he recognised Saul as God’s first anointed king.
Rather he
became close friends with Saul’s son, Jonathan, setting up an exemplary
friendship that all of us could learn from. David began a line that goes back
to Rahab, in becoming the genealogy that led to Jesus Christ. And for how God
views David, a simple proof is that David is forever honoured in the Hebrews
Hall of Faith.
Personal Strengths
No doubt, David’s once
reedy physique became strong and battle-ready. Despite being courageous as
well, David’s reliance on and love for God for His protection is well recorded
throughout the Bible, particularly in at least a dozen psalms. Even though Saul
had the insanity to pursue and kill him, David still had loyalty and respected
his presence as a king anointed by God. Even in his darkest hours having
committed adultery, he was deeply repentant and followed God for the rest of
his life.
Personal Weaknesses
David’s fall occurred when
he submitted to his lust and committed adultery. In a moment of sheer madness,
David got Bathsheba pregnant, finding himself deeper in sin. Embroiled and
desperate to extricate himself from the predicament, he organised for her husband,
Uriah the Hittite, to be killed at the battlefront. David worsened matters by
conducting a census of his people, which violated God’s command not to. As a
father, David was also lackadaisical in the way in which he failed to
discipline his own children.
Lessons in Life
Indirectly perhaps but
David taught us that if we fail to honestly examine ourselves, we will fall
prey to sin. Sin works best when we are at our weakest and when in times of
personal vulnerability, seeking God to look for peace is important. Just as
Adam and Eve discovered, it is impossible to hide our sins from God for He is
all-knowing and even as He will forgive us of our sins, we cannot run away from
its consequences just as David could not. As God cherishes the faith we have in
Him, know then that He is always there for us to fall on to in times of need.
Hometown
Bethlehem, City of David in
Jerusalem
Family Tree
Jesse (father)
Brothers > Eliab,
Abinadab, Shammah and four others unknown
Wives > Michal,
Ahinoam, Abigail, Maacah, Haggith, Abital, Eglah, Bathsheba
Sons > Amnon, Daniel,
Absalom, Adonijah, Shephatiah, Ithream, Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon,
Ibhar, Elishua, Eliphelet, Nogah, Nepheg, Japhia, Elishama, Eliada, Eliphelet
Daughter > Tamar
Occupation
Shepherd, warrior, king of
Israel
Biblical References
1 Samuel to 1 Kings 2;
Matthew 1:1, 6, 22, 43-45; Luke 1:32; Acts 13:22; Romans 1:3; Hebrews 11:32
Key Verses
1 Samuel 17:50 > “So
David triumphed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone; without a sword
in his hand, he struck down the Philistine and killed him.”
1 Samuel 30:6 >
“David was greatly distressed because the men were talking of stoning him; each
one was bitter in spirit because of his sons and daughters. But David found
strength in the Lord his God.
1 Samuel 16:7 > “The
Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward
appearance but the Lord looks at the heart.”
Psalm 23:6 > “Surely Your goodness and love will follow me all the
days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”
Next Up
Heroes of Faith Part 17 - Samuel; February 13 2015
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