CALL OF DAVID 1 Samuel 16-31

 CALL OF DAVID

The character of David as presented in the Old Testament is hard to determine. David is also known as the sweet psalmist of Israel. Even today, psalms continue to bring life, hope, and encouragement to the people in the margin. Many psalms were sung by him both in the good and difficult times. 1 Samuel 16 it illustrates God’s passion for judging and his desire to use people whose hearts are right with Him. Saul’s heart was wicked from the beginning. But on the other hand, David’s heart is humble, prayerful, and repentant. Because of this, Saul was punished and David was rewarded. In 1 Samuel 13:14, Samuel said to Saul, “…the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart and the Lord has appointed him to be ruler over his people because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you”. This word was immediately fulfilled in David, son of Jesse. Samuel was directed by the Lord to go to Jesse’s house. When Samuel reached Jesse’s house, the Lord taught him an important lesson about the difference between human and divine vision. After Samuel’s meeting, Jesse and his sons attended the sacrifice that Samuel had performed. Samuel saw the first son, Eliab, and thought, “Surely the Lord’s anointed is before him”. God scolds Samuel for looking at Eliab’s physical appearance and predicting wrong. Each one of Jesse’s sons who passed by was turned down by God, but there was still one son left. Samuel enquires and then Jesse tells about David and calls him. He was the youngest in the family, who was working in the fields keeping his sheep, which is not an honourable quality in Jewish culture. But God has chosen David the shepherd to lead his people of Israel. In the same way, God has chosen his only son Jesus Christ to be the great shepherd for his people, to lead us to eternal salvation and joy in Him. When Samuel anoints David the Spirit of the lord rushed upon him from that day forward. God has made a clear break with Saul as king and devoted all of his Spirit to nurturing and building up David.

David was also a prophet, namely one who hears the Lord speak and then declares God's message to his people. It has been mentioned in 2 Samuel 23:2 as “The Spirit of the Lord spoke by me, and his word was in my tongue”. David was first called as a shepherd boy. After being tested through various trials, he was chosen as the king of Judah. When he was chosen, tested further, and found faithful, he was anointed as king over Judah and Israel, entering into the fullness of God's purposes for his life. David is a type of Christ, the warrior king who brought Israel. As we shall see later, the life of David foreshadows the life of Christ in that there are many beautiful parallels and similarities between both lives. In the same way, there are many believers who are called by God. However, God chooses who enters into their calling, according to how they respond in trials. Only those who are found faithful will enter into the fullness of their calling.

A. JENIL DHAS

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