Christ in the OT - Christ,..

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com. That's cornerstonerbc.com. well this evening we'll be continuing our study in the old testament our study christ and his people in the old testament and the topic of our study this evening will be the great king david the great king david now last week We together as a church family, we explored and we considered the king Saul, the first king of Israel. And we saw how the kingship or the monarchy came into place in Israel, and it was less than ideal circumstances.

Because if you remember last week, we saw that the king was chosen as a result of the people of Israel in effect, rebelling against God. They'd looked over the fence and they'd seen their neighbors, the nations, everyone had a sovereign king, they had a king to fight their battles, and they said, we want one of those, we want one of those. And so they come to Samuel and they declare, we want a king, we want to be like the nations, We want a sovereign to rule over us so that he can fight our battles for us. Of course, in their mind, thinking that things will only get better because they'd been experiencing many wars and battles, not only from the nations, but from within their borders. They had left enemies to live amongst them.

Enemies amongst them, as we'll see today, the Philistines and so forth. And they wanted a king to rule over them, to take care of their enemies, to fight their battles. Now, of course, this news was no doubt displeasing to Samuel. And we saw this last week. And actually, when Samuel heard this news, what did he do?

He went and prayed. He went and sought after Yahweh. And then he gets a response. 1 Samuel 8, verse 7. And the Lord said to Samuel, Obey the voice of the people in all they do to you.

for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them. According to all the deeds that they have done from the day I brought them up from Egypt, even to this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are also doing to you. Verse nine, now then, obey their voice. Only you shall solemnly warn them and show them the ways of the king who shall reign over them." You see, just listening to what God says in those few verses really brings goosebumps to me.

Why? Because, listen, He says, whenever God says, I'm giving man over to what he wants, that's never good news. And so Israel is given a king. God gives them their request. And he gives them a king according to what they want in a king.

He gives them Saul, a tall, handsome, strong man from a wealthy family. So someone who looked at Saul would be able to say, in his mind, in his heart at least, that looks like royalty. That looks like a king who will be a warrior king to lead us in battle. a king who would bring us victory and bring us peace and prosperity. That's what they're thinking.

But we know that although the external may be impressive for men, we know that doesn't make for a good king. Because if there is to be a king that will bring Israel what Israel so desperately desires, What do they desire? They desire a king to fight their battles because they desire rest, security, safety, and perpetual, continual rest from the enemy. If this is the thing they desire, no human king can give this to them. because what Israel failed to realize in her sin and rebellion is this all the benefits they're looking for that they think would come from a human king cannot come from a human king, but only from a divine sovereign king.

In other words, the ultimate safety and security and rest they so desire is only found in the king that they have already rejected. His name is Yahweh. He's God Almighty. Such is the blinding effects of sin. So God gives them A king.

A king like the nation. A king after their own heart. A king that they would be pleased with. And it turns out, as we saw last week, that he was a failure as a king. Saul seemingly started his journey quite well.

He looked like he'll become a successful king. He earned favour with the people. He had a heart for the people. He fought for the people. But very early in the peace, around two years in his reign, he went downhill and from there he went down and down and down further because he disobeyed, he blatantly disobeyed God when he was pressed and facing some very difficult circumstances, in particular when he was opposed by the Philistines and Samuel had told him, go and after seven days I will come and offer a sacrifice.

and then he'll offer the sacrifice, and then you can engage in this battle. Saul was seeing the Philistines gathering, and he got afraid. His men became afraid. His men started to disperse. So what does he do?

When he's pushed against the corner and the circumstances became difficult, Saul, he offered the sacrifice. He blatantly disobeyed God. And then the second really quite large disobedience that we have here, which is really the two reasons why God rejected him as king. The second was in 1 Samuel 15, when he was given instruction to go and fight against the Amalekites. You remember that?

And the instruction was, Complete extermination. A complete annihilation of all men, women, and children. Everything living, all their cattle, everything was to be devoted to destruction. Leave nothing alive. And Saul goes and he comes back thinking he defeated the Amalekites.

But what does he do? He allows his people to bring back the livestock. The good, the choice, the best of the livestock. He brings them back. His people bring them back.

And then what does he do? He brings back a trophy. Rather than to destroy the king who represents an evil nation, he brings back King Agag as a trophy and puts him in prison. And when Samuel hears of this, he's obviously very disappointed. And God rejected Saul as king because of his disobedience.

And see, nothing's left to confusion. Why God rejected Saul is very clear in the Bible. Actually, it's so clear in chapter 15, verse 22. Listen to what Samuel says. in chapter 15 verse 22, and Samuel said, this is after Saul had disobeyed God, has the Lord as great delight in burnt offering as sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord?

Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, hear that, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than that of the fat of rams. Verse 23, for rebellion is as sin of divination, and presumption is as iniquity and idolatry. So he's comparing the sin of Saul's disobedience to divination and to idolatry. Beloved, both these two offenses, according to the law on Moses, are punishable by death. This is a serious offense that Saul has committed.

And he goes on to say, because you have rejected the word of the Lord, ultimately the rejection of Saul is against Yahweh and his word. You've rejected the word of the Lord. He has also rejected you from being king. Because of Saul's disobedience we saw last week. he officially forfeited the establishment of his own dynasty.

And the text from this point on from around verse of chapter 16 throughout 1st Samuel, 2nd Samuel and into Kings, 1st Kings at least, we see that the emphasis is really taken off Saul and placed on David and his ascension to the throne. So now we're going to open our Bibles and have a look at how David, or King David, was elected or anointed to be the King of Israel. So let's open our Bibles to 1 Samuel chapter 16. Brothers and sisters, I'm giving you plenty of warning with plenty of time. We are going to be doing a lot of Bible reading here this evening.

I thought about summarizing some of these passages but as I, to be honest, as I read through multiple times these passages that we're going to read together, every time I gathered new nuances and it did actually affect my heart. So I think that by us reading the whole story we get a glimpse or we get an understanding of how the passage speaks and I believe it'd be far greater blessing for all of us. So this is the choosing of David in 1st Samuel chapter 16 and we'll be reading first 13 verses. 1. The Lord said to Samuel, How long will you grieve over Saul, since I have rejected him from being king over Israel?

Fill your horn with oil and go. I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite. And you have to realize that Jesse is of Bethlehem, and Bethlehem is in Judah. And this is supposed to bring back to us Genesis 49, where we're told the scepter of Judah, or the scepter shall not depart from Judah. Remember Saul was a Benjaminite, but here we know that David is from Judah.

Continuing, For I have provided for myself a king among his sons. Verse 2, And Samuel said, How can I go? If Saul hears it, he will kill me. And the Lord said, Take Cahephah with you and say, I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. And invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do.

You shall anoint for me him whom I declare to you. Samuel did what the Lord commanded, and came to Bethlehem. The elders of the city came to meet him, trembling, and said, Do you come peaceably? Now that's because when a prophet comes to your town, he may be coming to pronounce judgment on behalf of Yahweh. And these men were quite afraid, but Samuel was there in peace.

And then he goes on to say in verse 5, And he said, Peaceably I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. Consecrate yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice." And he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice. When they came, he looked on Eliab and thought, Eliab's the oldest, surely the Lord's anointed is before him. But the Lord said to Samuel, Do not look on his appearance or on his height of stature, because I have rejected him.

For the Lord sees, not as man sees. Man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart. I know we referenced this verse last week, but beloved, this is truly, at least for Samuel, the Lord is teaching him a lesson. Because Samuel's eyes were looking upon the people, the sons of Jesse, and he was perceiving things similar to what the people of Israel were perceiving at this point. because he saw Eliab who must have been tall and impressive in stature, and he thought, surely this is the one.

But God said, don't look at the appearance. We did that last time. How did that turn out? Look at Saul. He was tall, there was head and shoulders above everyone in Israel, yet he turned out to be a failure.

The Lord looks upon the heart. Leave this to me. I'm going to choose one of my man after my own heart. This is going to be one that I choose to guide and to lead and to be king over my people. And he goes on.

And this is obviously something that's been consistent in the mind of Samuel, because previously in chapter 13, the Lord had already revealed this to Samuel, because when he'd spoken to Saul after he'd sinned and offered the sacrifice, in verse 13 of chapter 13, this is what's written. He rejected Saul and said, the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart. So here, in chapter 13, we know that the Lord's seeking one after his own heart, and in chapter 16, he's telling Samuel, I'm not looking at the appearance, I'm looking at the heart, because I don't look at what people see. I see the heart, and he continues, verse 8. Then Jesse called Abinadab and made him pass before Samuel, and he said, Neither has the Lord chosen this one.

Then Jesse made Shammah pass, and he said, Neither has the Lord chosen this one. Verse 10, And Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel. And Samuel said to Jesse, The Lord has not chosen these. Then Samuel said to Jesse, Are all your sons here? And he said, There remains yet the youngest.

But behold, he is keeping the sheep. And Samuel said to Jesse, Send and get him, for we will not sit down till he comes. Verse 12, and he sent and brought him in. Now he was a ruddy and had beautiful eyes and was handsome. And the Lord said, arise, anoint him, for this is he.

Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers. Listen to this, beloved. And the spirit of the Lord rushed upon David from that day forward. And Samuel rose and went to Ramah. I want you to read 14 as well.

Now the Spirit of the Lord departed from Samuel, came upon Saul. It came upon David and now it departs from Saul. And a harmful spirit from the Lord tormented him. But I want us to see here and think that the Spirit of the Lord is coming upon or departing in the same sense as he does for the New Testament believers, as he has done in the day of Pentecost. No, every New Testament believer, those who are truly in Christ, have been indwelt by the Holy Spirit in a special way.

This here is not speaking about regeneration. It's more so the Spirit that is departing upon, or coming upon David, or departing from Saul, is more so speaking about the Spirit which enabled him to the function of king, to enable him to be a ruler. For example, Saul was a timid man. Even to one point when he was introduced, he was hiding behind the hay. But now the Lord has given him some boldness so he can lead his people.

That, in that sense, is the Spirit of God departing from and coming upon the people. And so from this point on, we see that Saul no longer has favour in God's eyes. And now we see, as we read through the chapters, we see the evil contents of Saul's heart being revealed. We see an innate amount of jealousy that is in particular towards young David. Because at one point, David was in the service of Saul.

But what happened is the people started to see this young man as a warrior, even to a point where they started to chant things like songs like Saul has defeated thousands, but David has defeated tens of thousands, and Saul became Angry, he became jealous, and so from that point on he wanted David out of the equation. His jealousy had prompted him to, through scheming and planning, or even by brute force, to kill David on more than one occasion, trying to throw a spear into David's heart. This is the man, Saul, who was once primed to be the king of Israel. Now he continues to be king for actually decades longer. It's not as though he's deposed straight away.

It's actually he'll stay there for decades. But the Lord has pulled from him his favour. But as I said earlier, that from chapter 16 onwards, it concentrates on David more so, and his struggles as he is coming into the kingship or the kingdom. Because he's already been anointed by Saul, but he doesn't officially become anointed as the king of Israel as yet. Actually, he needs to wait, and he'll wait until Saul is deposed.

And that's a long time. But during the next chapters, the reader begins to realise what it really means to be a man after God's own heart. And this is important, because this shows us, in the chapters throughout 1 Samuel, the latter part, until Saul passes, until Saul dies, my apologies, we'll see that there are vast differences between Saul and David. And then we begin to see how David is indeed a man after God's own heart. We start to see these examples, and I'm hoping today or this evening that I'll show you some examples of these things.

But this is the thing. One of these examples is this, that David, although he knows he will be the rightful heir to the throne, He doesn't go on the defensive. Under no circumstances does he go and pursue the kingship. He knows once Saul is out of the equation, he becomes king. And he knows for the most part that Saul is following him, is pursuing him, is trying to kill him.

In no way does David try in and of himself or allow his men to pursue to kill Saul or to get him out of the equation because he knows that he is God's anointed. And so, with no other choice, David has to run. He has to flee. So he and his loyal men flee for many, many years, hiding from Saul as he goes and chases and pursues David between his battles with some of the enemies. David is always seen to be on the run.

So for the next many years for young David, they're very tough years. They're very difficult years because he is on the run and no doubt he would have given anything to have this over and done with. That he would be able to return and reside as king. But you know what? He trusted in the Lord.

He was trusting completely in the sovereignty of God, and not only in his sovereignty, but in the timing of God. Because Yahweh said that he will take the throne, and David knows that if Yahweh said it, he believes it, and he trusted in God completely. So he was not willing to attack Saul, to go after Saul, even though on two occasions Saul was at his very fingertips. David had the opportunity to get rid of Saul and you can almost say he was justified because Saul was after David to kill him specifically him and his men but David does not lay a finger and I want to show you an example of one of these two occasions in 1st Samuel chapter 24 and I'm going to read from verse 1 you can follow in your bibles or you can hear me read either way 1st Samuel chapter 24 When Saul returned from following the Philistines, He was told, behold, David is in the wilderness of En Gedi. Then Saul took 3,000 chosen men out of all Israel and went to seek David and his men in front of the wild goats rocks.

Now we have to realize Saul is now progressing to look for David with 3,000 of his men. We know that David is on the run and we know that David has some loyal people with him, some loyal men. In fact, in chapter 22, we're told he has 400 with him. Chapter 27, the loyal men grow to about 600. This is somewhere in between.

Possibly he has between 400 and 600 men with him. Saul is coming with 3,000. So you can imagine the odds. Continuing from verse 3, And he came to the sheepfolds, by the way, where there was a cave, and Saul went in to relieve himself. Now David and his men were sitting in the innermost parts of that same cave.

And the men of David said to him, Here is the day of which the Lord said to you, Behold, I will give your enemy into your hand, and you shall do to him as it shall seem good to you. Then David arose and stealthily cut the corner of Saul's robe. What's wrong with that? Is there anything wrong with that? It doesn't seem like Saul's after him to kill him.

This is the opportunity David has to get rid of this evil king who's trying to kill him. So what he does is he cuts the robe and listen to verse 5. And afterwards David's heart struck him because he cut off the corner of Saul's robe. David's heart struck him. His conscience was stricken.

Why? Why was his conscience stricken because of what he did? Verse 6, listen to what he says. He said to his men, the Lord forbid I should do this thing to my Lord, the Lord's anointed, to put out my hand against him, seeing that he is the Lord's anointed. So David persuaded his men with these words and did not permit them to attack Saul.

And Saul rose up and left the cave and went on his way. Beloved, this is the thing. Who is Saul? He's an evil man who's after David, but he's not just a man. He is the Lord's anointed.

And if Yahweh has put him in that position as king, and Yahweh has promised David that he would become king, then David's respect and honor and love and his heart was inclined so much towards Yahweh, towards God, that he said, how can I touch the Lord's anointed? He's the one who put him in that place, and he's the one who will depose of Saul when he, in his own good timing. This sort of respect is incredible It would have put an end to his running, him and his men, who had probably had enough, but not at the expense of going against God's anointed. This is a glimpse of who this man David is. You see, even in the most difficult of circumstances, when he's pushed against the corner, when he has the opportunity to end something that he so desperately desires to end, he still seeks what is right before the eyes of God, thus making him, at least we see in him a glimpse of what it is to be a man.

after God's own heart. And this is something if we continue to read and read of David, we see that this is something that kept coming up and up and up and over again. In chapter 30, for example, David and his men had departed from the camp where they were staying in a town called Ziklag. And that they left their wives and their children and all their bits there. The Amalekites come into the town.

They burn the town. They burn all their belongings to a crisp. And then they take their wives and all their children. And they take them with them. And when David and his men return, they experience grief beyond comprehension.

They wept over their beloved, their children and their wives. And to the point where David's loyal men had considered stoning him because they felt he was responsible. So what does David do? What would you do in a situation like that? Surely you would go straight after the Amalekites and go and grab your family and bring them back.

But you know what it says? In chapter 30 it says that David was strengthened in the Lord. And yes, his heart wanted to bring back his family, that would be the right thing, but you know what? He did not run after the Amalekites, not before he went and sought the Lord. Because then David finds himself praying to God and says, what is it that you would have me do?

I know what I want, but I seek you because I want to do what is right in your eyes. Beloved, these are the characteristics that need to be evident, should be evident in the life of every Christian, but especially for the King. Because as we read last week in Deuteronomy chapter 17, Yahweh and His Word. Yahweh and His Word must have supreme authority over His life, the King's life, first and foremost. That's why when the King is put into power, He needs to write the Book of the Covenant, the Law of God, in His own handwriting.

And we're told He needs to meditate and read it all the days of His life. because he ought to be an example of righteous living, an example of one who loves the Lord and lives according to his precepts. He leads these people by example and then turn their eyes to Yahweh, turn their eyes to God and say, he's worthy, he's worthy to be followed. I am only a vice-regent, he is the true king, follow him as I follow him. That's what needs to happen.

And someone who has a heart inclined to God in this way is able to write the words of Psalm chapter 1 from verse 1 where he writes, Beloved, David had a glimpse of that. He was a man after God's honour. And we see glimpses, not perfectly, he's still a sinner, but we see glimpses of this. And this is what a king, a righteous king, should look like. So eventually the time comes, and God's timing is that Saul would be engaged in a fierce battle against the Philistines.

And then the Philistines keep coming forward and coming forward, and then they really corner Saul and their archers then find their targets on King Saul. He's injured to the point where he knows he can't continue. He knows that it's going to be a matter of time where he's captured. And what does he do? Well, he asks one of his people to kill him.

They won't, of course. He's God's anointing. So Saul decides to take matters into his own hand and decide what he does with his own life. And he falls on his own sword. And he commits, basically he commits suicide.

Soon after this, David is anointed to be king of Hebron or Judah, the southern kingdom, because in the north, Israel, Saul's son reigns for about two years, but then he's deposed. But about seven years later, King David becomes not only the king of the south, but the king of the north. Then you have a united kingdom of which David reigns over for 33 years. And as he reigns, we're told, as a king, as the king of Israel, he eventually subdues the enemies within the borders, and we read that the nation of Israel experienced rest under his kingship. Now that was a very quick summary of the life of David, of him being anointed by Saul to the point that he comes into his kingdom, or given the kingdom officially, and to see how he was indeed in his action, in his character, how he reflected to be a man after God's own heart.

And now for the rest of the time we have together this evening, It's not possible that we go and look at, because I know that the purpose of our gatherings on a Wednesday, especially in this study, is to see how we can find Christ in the Old Testament, how he's revealed in types and shadows, and how he's revealed in places and events. And so with that in mind, we couldn't even possibly, because David's life is really well documented in the Bible. We can't even go to all the places that Christ is typologically or foreshadowed or prefigured in the life of David. They're so plentiful. So I want to concentrate our efforts on two main events.

The first is the very first event that takes place in the life of King David. The very first event. Chapter 16, we hear of him being anointed by Samuel. Chapter 17 is the first event, and that is, we know that story as David and Goliath. And then we want to touch after that, we'll end with touching on the covenant God makes with David.

It's the Davidic covenant. So if you open your Bibles, and we'll open our Bibles to 1st Samuel chapter 17. And this is where the reading begins, because we're gonna read the whole chapter together. There's 58 verses. I know it's a long read, but I think it'd be very, very fruitful for us to read it together.

Because as we do read these verses, brothers and sisters, I really want us to have a look, in particular, at how Saul responds to things, and I wanna have a look, in particular, mostly, at how David responds, what David does, and why he does the things he does. We want to see his attitude and we want to see the reason why he does these things, because these are very telling, especially in this chapter. So let's start from verse 1. 1 Samuel chapter 17, verse 1. Now the Philistines gathered their armies for battle, and they were gathered at Succoth.

which belonged to Judah, and encamped between Socah and Ezekah, the Ephes-Damun. And Saul and the men of Israel were gathered and encamped in the valley of Elah, and drew up in the line of battle against the Philistines. And the Philistines stood on the mountain on one side, and Israel stood on the mountain on the other side, with a valley in between them. And there came from the camp of the Philistines a champion named Goliath of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span. He had a helmet of bronze on his head, and he was armed with a coat of mail.

Excuse me, mail just simply means something glittering, probably a medal. And the weight of the coat was 5,000 shekels of bronze, and he had bronze armor on his legs and javelin of bronze slung between his shoulders. The shaft of his spear was like a weaver's beam, and his spear-headed weighed 600 shekels of iron." Now, we've read all this description about all the armor that this Goliath had, beloved. It should give us the wow factor.

We should be reading this and saying, Wow, this guy is built for battle, right? Built for battle. He's like the modern-day tanks in the human form. Now we continue. And his shield-bearer went before him.

Verse 8. He stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel. Why have you come out to draw up for battle? Am I not a Philistine? Are you not the servants of Saul?

Choose a man for yourself, and let him come down to me. If he is able to fight with me and kill me, then we will be your servants. But if I prevail against him and kill him, then you shall be our servants and serve us. 10 and the philistines said i a philistine said i defy the rank ranks of israel this day give me a man that we might fight together When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid. Now David was the son of the Ephrathite of Bethlehem in Judah, named Jesse, who had eight sons.

In those days of Saul, the man was already old and advanced in years. The three oldest sons of Jesse had followed Saul to battle. And the names of the three sons who went to battle were Eliab, the firstborn, and the next to him, Anadab, and the third, Shammah. David was the youngest. The three eldest followed Saul.

But David went back and forth from Saul to feed his brother's sheep at Bethlehem. Verse 16. For 40 days the Philistine came forward and took his stand morning and evening. And Jesse said to David, his son, take for your brothers an ephah of this parched grain. and these ten loaves, and carry them quickly to the camp to your brothers.

Also take these ten cheeses to the commander of their thousand. See if your brothers are well, and bring some token from them." Now Saul, and they, and all the men of Israel were in the valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines. And David rose early in the morning and left the sheep with the keeper and took the provision and went, as Jesse had commanded him. And he came to the encampment as the host was going out to the battle line, shouting the war cry.

And Israel and the Philistines drew up for battle, army against army. And David left the things in charge of the keeper of the baggage and ran to the ranks and went and greeted his brothers. Verse 23, As he talked with them, behold, the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, came up out of the ranks of the Philistines and spoke the same words as before. And David heard him. All the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him and were much afraid.

And the men of Israel said, Have you seen this man who has come up? Surely he has come up to defy Israel. And the king will enrich the man who kills him with great riches and will give him his daughter and make his father's house free of Israel, free in Israel. And David said to the men who stood by, What shall be done for this man who kills the Philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?

And the people answered him in the same way. So shall it be done to the man who kills him. 28. Now Eliab, his oldest or eldest brother, heard when he spoke to the men. And Eliab's anger was kindled against David, and he said, Why have you come down?

And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your presumption and the evil of your heart, for you have come down to see the battle. And David said, What have I done now? Was it not but a word? And he turned away from him towards another, and spoke in the same way.

And the people answered him again as before, When the words that David spoke were heard, they repeated them before Saul, and he sent for him. And David said to Saul, now take note of this, let no man's heart fail because of him. That's because of Goliath. Your servant will go and fight with this Philistine. And Saul said to David, you are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him, for you are only a youth.

And he has been a man of war from his youth. But David said to Saul, your servant used to keep sheep for his father. And when there came a lion or a bear and took a lamb from the flock, I went after him and struck him and delivered it out of his mouth. And if he arose against me, I caught him by the beard and struck him and killed him. 36, your servant has struck down both lions and bears, and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be like one of them.

for he has defiled the armies of the living God." 37. And David said, the Lord, hear this, the Lord who has delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of the Philistine, the Lord who has delivered me. And Saul said to David, go and the Lord be with you. Then Saul clothed David with his armor.

He put a helmet of bronze on his head and clothed him with a coat of mail. And David strapped his sword over his armor, and he tried in vain to go, for he had not tested them. Then David said to Saul, I cannot go with these, for I have not tested them. So David put them off. Then he took his staff in his hand, and chose five smooth stones from the brook, and put them in the shepherd's pouch.

His sling was in his hand, and he approached the Philistine. And the Philistine moved forward and came near David, with his shield-bearer in front of him. And when the Philistine looked and saw David, he disdained him, for he was but a youth, ruddy and handsome in appearance. And the Philistine said to David, Am I a dog that you come to me with sticks? And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.

44 The Philistine said to David, Come to me and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and to the beasts of the field. Then David said to the Philistine, You come to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defiled. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down and cut off your head. I will give the dead bodies of the host of the Philistines this day to the birds 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 that all the assemblies may know that the Lord saves not with sword and spear. For the battle is the Lord's, and He will give you into our hands." 48. When the Philistine arose and came and drew near David, David ran quickly towards the battle line to meet the Philistine. And David put his hand in his bag and took out a stone and slung it and struck the Philistine on his forehead.

The stone sank into his forehead and he fell on his face to the ground. So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone and struck the Philistine and killed him. There was no sword in the hand of David. Then David ran to and stood over the Philistine and took his sword and drew it out out of its sheath and killed him and cut off his head with it. When the Philistine saw that their champion was dead, they fled.

And the men of Israel and Judah rose with a shout and pursued the Philistines as far as Gath and to the gates of Ekron, so that the wounded Philistines fell on the way from Sharaim as far as Gath and Ekron. And the people of Israel came back from chasing the Philistines, and they plundered their camp. And David took the head of the Philistine and brought it to Jerusalem. But he put his armour in his tent." I know we all have read this story and we know it well.

there's immense value together to read it all in one chapter in one sitting as we have here this evening because on far too many occasions we've heard this story taught or we may have read it taught in a way where where we as as a people ought to be putting ourselves in David's shoes as though you know as a people men and women of faith are are to to fight their own Goliaths what is the the giant in your life let's see how we can fight these giants. Beloved, I'm not doubting that there are many moral applications in this story as there is in many other narratives in the Old and the New Testament. But this is not written for us to put ourselves in David's shoes and act or and try to fight the giants in our lives. No, this story shows us elements of what a righteous king ought to look like. what a righteous king ought to accomplish for his people.

You see, David is God's chosen king, blessed with faith, incredible faith, and incredible zeal for God. He is most concerned with God's renown. That's what we see in his passage. And he's concerned to protect God's people also. And this three meter tall giant, this enemy who stands in front of him, David doesn't fear him because he knows who is on his side.

Yahweh, God, the God of the universe, the Creator God, the only God is on His side. And this man, this Philistine, this enemy is defiling that God and that God's army. And he won't take it. And when the Philistine starts to belittle David, what does David do? Even before the battle had begun, he says these words in verse 11.

I'm sorry, when Saul sees, my apologies, when the people of Israel had seen this Philistine, this great giant, what did they do? You remember what the text told us? Verse 11, When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid. How's that? The giant amongst the Israelites was the one who was head and shoulders above everyone else.

Who was that? Saul. And it so happened that he was the king of Israel. Is he not meant to be the champion of Israel? Is he not meant to go out there on behalf of his people, trusting the Lord and defeating the foe or the enemy?

Is that not the promise that God gave his people? Isn't that what God promised? That when they established, when they came into the conquest with Joshua, wasn't it that if they obeyed God and trusted in him and worshipped him, isn't God's promise to protect his people and the enemy will never have victory over them? Isn't that God's promise? However, Saul lacks heart.

it turns out to be a coward. And this young David, this young youth, as Saul calls him, at first says, you can't go out there, and then he changes his mind. Maybe you can help. Rather than he doing the work of a king, he allows a young boy to go out. But that young boy was God's anointed.

That young boy, David, was the one who is after God's own heart. And he knew by faith that God was with him. He knew that. He knew that there's no way that the Lord God, who is the God over all, would allow his people to be subdued to these people if there was a righteous king. And it never was.

It never was about the physical element, how tall and how wide and how strong. Because David could never compete with a Goliath, right? There's no way he can compete. But he had faith, and he trusted in the strength of the only God of the universe. And as a man with faith and a changed heart, a heart that the Lord God had given him, a heart that was inclined after him, a heart that was concerned for God, because this man was defiling God before everyone.

He was dishonouring God in front of everyone. David says these words to Goliath. He says, I will defeat you. In verse 47, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, and that all this assembly may know that the Lord saves not with sword and spear, for the battle is the Lord's, and he will give you into our hands. You see this?

A righteous king trusts in Yahweh, in God, explicitly. That's what David is doing here. You see, when we read this story, we're not supposed to put ourselves in David's shoes. We're supposed to put ourselves on the sideline. We're the ones on the side, the Israelites on the side, cheering David on.

You see, the only thing standing between those people And them being subdued and enslaved by this enemy is their king's effort. And at the moment, their king Saul is standing back, cowering, afraid. But the king that God has anointed will go out there and fight that battle. And beloved, it's not strange what we see here. This is something This is something that would go on in an ancient New East.

If the town or the city was devoted to destruction, the enemy would go in and completely slaughter and kill everything and pillage and plunder the land. But if they were looking at overtaking, if they were looking at overtaking and bringing them as servants and them subduing as servants and slaves, and even more so if they wanted to get tribute from them, then the more who are alive, the better. Right? So what they would do is they would raise a champion. That's why Goliath is called a champion.

The champion of the Philistines. And obviously he's done this many times. He's a champion. And they'd raise a champion from either side and they would go into battle with an agreement. The one who loses is the one who succumbs and subdues and then submits to the winning side.

This is something that used to go on. And Goliath had obviously never lost because it was a fight to death. So it's common to see this sort of thing happen. But what happened is rather than Israel, rather than, my apologies, Saul going out there and fighting the battle for his people, he stood back and he cowered and he was afraid. He didn't act like a king.

He let his people down because he wasn't trusting. He wasn't trusting in God. And so as we read this, I hope that we saw so many similarities between David and the one that David prefigures, Jesus Christ. And that's why I did the activity or the exercise of reading through this whole passage, that we would see, and hopefully it will become clear to us, how many resemblances there are between David and the one he prefigures. And just as an example, he's all over the passage, as an example, both David and Christ are from Bethlehem.

Both of them are from the tribe of Judah. Both are sent by their father. Both are called shepherds. Physically, neither of them have anything in and of them physically to say, yes, he's obviously a king, obviously royalty. Both are rejected by their family, and hear this, both have a burning zeal for God's renown.

A zeal to see Yahweh's name exalted and honored and no longer defiled by the enemy. Both have that innate zeal given by God. It's interesting that that verse 16 tells us that Goliath had made his stand, this is something we probably missed, but Goliath had made his stand every morning and every evening, for how many days can you remember? For 40 days. every morning, every evening, for 40 days.

Do you know what that means? That means that Saul and his army had heard him, this great champion of the Philistines, walk out there, demean them, and declare the battle cry by defiling God, by belittling their own God, no less than 80 times. And they did nothing about it. And then you have this young David. And he comes out there and hears it only once.

And his soul cannot bear to hear it again. because they're bringing down, they're defiling his God, the God that he loves. His heart was inclined towards God and he could not bear anyone blaspheming his name. So David takes the stance of faith. And he does what the king was supposed to do.

He goes out there in battle, trusting God. He's the underdog. He's the small, young, weaker person. No armor on his body, yet trusting God with a sling and five stones. And Yahweh, the Lord, gives him the victory.

Beloved, and he goes on to free his people from the dominion of Goliath. But the Philistines obviously don't keep their end of the bargain, do they? Because they run, but that's okay because the Israelites run after them and they slay them down as far as, quite far away, a town that's quite far away. But see, this is the point. David, David, although he does free Israel at that point from their enemy then and there, He's not the seed of the woman who's going to crush the head of Satan that's spoken of in Genesis 3-15.

Because it's his greatest son, Jesus Christ, who will. He defeated the enemy. David defeated the enemy then and there, but Jesus will defeat, or has defeated, the enemy once and for all. Listen to how the author of Hebrews puts it in Hebrews chapter 2 verse 14 through 15. He says, Since therefore the children share in the flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things.

That's speaking of Jesus Christ, he's partaking in our humanity. He became flesh. And then he goes on to say that through death he might destroy the one who has power over death, that is, the devil. and deliver all those who, through fear of death, were subject to lifelong slavery. Beloved, the cross was the final blow for Satan.

Jesus defeated the great enemy on that cross. You see, when we think of David, And we think about him being a shadow or a type of Christ. The analogies can only go so far, right? We can't push the analogies beyond where they need to go, because there are elements in David's life that portray what is to come in Jesus Christ. But we know there are places where it breaks down.

Any type of Jesus Christ is going to break down. Because the anti-type that is Jesus is so much greater than the shadow, right? He's greater than the type. Because although David prefigures our Lord, he's still a sinner. We don't have to read very far beyond these points and see that David, he falls in some very heinous sins.

He commits some doozies in his life. Really, really he does. But Jesus Christ is perfect, blemishless, without sin. He called upon the people and said, who among you can pin a single sin on me. And there was just silence.

The anti-type is definitely greater than type because David, although he won this battle with Goliath here in this day and gave the victory to the people so they're no longer under the fear of this giant, this champion, we know that Philistines will remain a thorn in the side of the Israelites. They will come back again and again and again. Israel will still have to contend with their enemies. Furthermore, although David is king and is blessed with great success against his enemies, the rest and the peace and the security that they enjoy, it's only temporary. Because it only lasts for a period of time, because when the kings or other kings come in succession after David, most will rebel against God, and they find themselves and their people become subdued once again to the enemy.

even the enemies that they thought they had victory over. Because they rebel against God, they find themselves back being submitted to the enemy. So David took care of the enemy then and there, but he hasn't taken care of the enemy fully and finally, once and for all. See, this is made clear for us that there is a need for a righteous king. A king who can secure a perpetual or a continual blessing from God.

A king who can be righteous and always receive or be the recipient of all the blessings of God. And that's exactly what God promises. This is the last thing we'll look at tonight. Because in 2 Samuel 7, David recognizes, I think, I believe that's what God is promising David, because there, David recognizes that he is in a palace. He's now living in a palace.

Israel has been given peace, but the Ark of the Covenant is still in a tent. And the Ark of the Covenant is the symbol of the presence of God, which is still in a tent. And David is the vice-regent. He's the one under Yahweh, under the great king, God Almighty. And he lives in a palace, yet Yahweh is in a tent.

So David has a zeal for God, and he wants to build for him a temple, right? But Nathan says, no, you're not the one to build the temple, your son will. But in that passage, God gives David a promise. He makes a covenant with him. And this is what he says.

He says, I will raise up your offspring after you who shall come from your body and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name and I will establish the throne of his kingdom Forever. Now, this is where David is promised a dynasty. You see, Saul lost the dynasty, the privilege to have a perpetual kingdom. David is promised one here.

But how did David understand that promise? How did David understand this covenant that God makes with him? Well, we get a glimpse of how he understood it by how he speaks to his son Solomon in 1 Kings chapter 2. You don't have to turn there, I'll read it for you. In 1 Kings chapter 2 verse 4, David, an old aging David who's about to die, speaks and gives his final instructions to his son Solomon.

And listen to what he says. He says, I am about to go the way of all the earth. In other words, I'm about to die. But then he says to Solomon these words, be strong and show yourself a man and keep the charge of the Lord your God, walking in his ways and keeping his statutes, his commandments, his rules, and his testimonies, as it is written in the law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn, hear this, that, there's a that there, in other words, in order that, that, Verse four, the Lord may establish his word that he spoke concerning me, saying, if your sons pay close attention to their way, to walk before me in faithfulness with all their heart and with all their soul, you shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel. You see, David knew in order to experience the fullness of the blessing of that covenant, the king that reigns must be righteous.

He must be, as he said to Solomon, he must be walking in the Lord's ways. He must obey his commands. He must obey his rules. He must obey his testimonies as written in the law of Moses. David knew this, and this is why he gives instruction to Solomon to be this way, to follow the Lord.

But we know as New Testament believers, and we've read the Old Testament, and time and time again from Solomon through to the divided kingdom, every king that had come, none of them had been perfect. They've all been sinners. Generation after generation, we come to realize that even though they all have sinned and they've all failed to fill the requirement of what it is or what it takes to be that righteous king. What it takes to be that king that is perpetually and always continually receiving the full blessings of God. They all failed.

Every one of them. And so for God's Word to be true, there's only one thing that can happen. God himself would need to raise a righteous king. A king who is without blemish, a king who's without sin, a king who seeks after him, a king who is perfect in all his ways. God would necessarily have to raise that king.

And so the word comes to Jeremiah, in Jeremiah chapter 23. And Jeremiah is a prophet who witnessed the final king of Judah. At this point, the northern kingdom had gone. He'd been exiled. He'd been overtaken by Assyria.

And the southern kingdom is on the brink of being overtaken by the kingdom of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar and his men. And Jeremiah is in that last time. He witnessed the last king, Zedekiah. And this is what the prophecy that comes to him. He says, The days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous branch.

And he shall reign as king and deal wisely. And he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which this king will be called The Lord, our righteousness. Who's that speaking of?

Beloved, that's our Lord. That's Jesus he's speaking of. This is Jesus, the righteous King, who is given as one that all the people of Israel were looking towards their King, and every one of them failed them, one after the other, after the other. They failed because they dishonored and disobeyed God. But this speaks of Jesus, and to be clear, it is so clear for us in the New Testament, because after 400 years of silence between Malachi and the New Testament, we have 400 years of silence, and the first words of the first chapter, in Matthew 1, verse 1, this is what we read.

We read the book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David. The King has come. And when the angel appeared to Mary to tell her of the child that she will bear in his name shall be Jesus. This is what he says. He will be great and he will be called the Son of the Most High.

And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David. And he will reign over the house of Jacob forever and of his kingdom there will be no end. This is the fulfillment of 2 Samuel 7. And throughout the Gospels, Jesus Christ is over and over and over again referred to as the Son of David. Because they are recognizing that this is the King that humanity has been waiting for.

It's so clear that the promise way back in 2 Samuel 7 speaks of King Jesus. David was a mere picture, a mere shadow. of his perfect, long-awaited, righteous, greater David son, who'd be born in Bethlehem some thousand years later and become the true king of true Israel. He is the seed of the woman that's promised in Genesis 3. He is the Lion of Judah in Genesis chapter 49.

He is the promised king in the passage we read in 2 Samuel 7. He is the true shepherd who lays down his life for his sheep. He is the warrior king who crushes the head of the enemy once and for all. Satan has been defeated. Sin has been defeated and taken care of.

Beloved, death, where is its victory? For in Christ he is conquered over death, and he wins victory for all his people, both Jew and Gentile. For all who have trusted in him, all who have trusted in this true righteous King, the King of kings, the Lord of lords, all who have believed upon him, beloved, have come from the domain of darkness. and have been brought and transferred into the kingdom of the Son, the eternal kingdom of Jesus Christ, the true righteous King. Amen.