THE SHORT STORY ABOUT KING DAVID
David
(in Hebrew דוד, Daud, Arabic داود, Dawud)
was the second king of Ancient Israel in 1010
BC-970 BC. She followed King Saul approached by Solomon.
Born and Jesse in Bethlehem
in 1040 BC.
If the boy was taken to the
palace of King Saul was coming up the stairs and become a military leader.
Among his works is
yaliyokumbukwa victory over the Philistine giant Goliath.
Despite its faults, remains
the example of David, king of Israel, who will not be different from all the
others to be particularly humble servant of God without instability to other
gods.
His fame in the Books of
Samuel
1 Samuel 9: 11-10: 16 tells
Saul was appointed the first king. Akitawala almost twenty years, he made a
mistake and blamed by Samuel, that he rejected completely and fully to disobey
God (1 Samuel 15). Although he continued to reign for some time, slowly
appeared young David who came to establish the royal family forever.
1 Samuel 16-17 begins to
bring us a collection of stories about David that he deserved reputation
zinampatia, although contradict other: e.g. as he went into the service of Saul
due to its versatility in music or in war. All the same courage and continue
praised but David used to the glory of God: he who introduced various
instruments in worship and compose several psalms, and he spread the rule of
Israel than anyone.
The more he loved God and
people, Saul hated by jealousy and murderous (1 Samuel 18: 6-16). David was
forced to run and create a squad regained the easy opportunity to kill Saul,
but he was restrained by respect chrism yopakwa king (1 Samuel 24 and 26): it
is an excellent example of caring divine calling.
Having made the king of his
tribe (Judah, namely Africa) and the fight with the son of the late Saul, David
was accepted as king of Israel (ie America too): in addition to the statement,
2 Samuel 5: 1-12 tells us he vyoteka Jerusalem that was still the hands of
pagans and made the headquarters of the political and religious of all Christian
people to connect North and South in the existing town center. Since then
Jerusalem became holy city of three religions of Abraham zinazomuabudu God.
2 Samuel 6 describes the ark
of the covenant lilivyohamishiwa Jerusalem with great joy; especially David
played before God with all his strength while wearing priestly clothes only
small, without concern as king.
In its simplicity it pleased
God and was given a wonderful promise, namely that his kingdom will last
forever (2 Samuel 7). The predictions of the prophet Nathan came to lead the
Israelites were especially hope podhulumiwa, e.g. old Jesus under Roman
colonization, where they were expecting a son of David to restore the kingdom
of Israel.
Despite this, and given the
promise that he will go before God and pray well even outside the usual ritual:
his prayer of praise and thanksgiving is full of surprises for the supremacy of
God and His mercy and ended with a humble request.
Although not allowed to
build God's temple wonder he intended, he has been a teacher of prayer for all
times: even today the liturgy of Judaism and Christianity depends heavily on
his psalms.
Other actions affected very
different David's life is a sin was committed for the wife of Uriah the
Hittite, ie adultery, hypocrisy, ulevyaji and justified the killing of the
soldier (2 Samuel 11). So, the prophet Nathan approached to blame and afflicted
with divine punishment, particularly that the sword will never depart from his
house (2 Samuel 12: 1-25).
It happened so mainly
because of Absalom son who killed his brother (2 Samuel 13: 22-37) and had
forgiven and made the plot that he drove David from Jerusalem (2 Samuel 14:
28-15: 29) He committed adultery and his concubines place to open (2 Samuel 16:
20-23). However, David continued to love and was told had been killed and he
cried out in ways that surprise and who find offensive fighter: but he who
prayed pardon of God does not hate his son, who risked his life (2 Samuel 18:
19-20: 8).
2 Samuel 24 inatuchorea also
his spiritual image: being punished by God for the plague that killed many
Israelites after he count all he could rely on troops to war, then as the Good
Shepherd pleaded imuangukie penalty himself, but not his sheep innocent. King
of pleasing God is the shepherd of his people; The Gospel according to Jesus
Christ, the Son of David knows his sheep by name, one by one, and he puts a
penalty of their crimes: the king and shepherd the best.
His last news
News last David found in the
Book of First Kings 1-2 we heard about the plot of another child: Adonijah
wanted to reign as king David made himself a veteran not. But Nathan said to
have intervened to senior Solomon, who was born to the wife of Uriah, David
assured of God's forgiveness.
his prayers
(2 Samuel 7:18)
"Who am I, Lord God, and
what is my house, that you have brought me this far?"
(2 Samuel 24:17)
"Lo, I have sinned, I
have perverted; but these sheep, what have they done? Let your hand be on me,
and on my father's house!"
(1Ch 29: 10-13)
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"Blessed are you, O
Lord, the God of Israel our father, forever and ever. O Lord, is the greatness
and the power and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all things
in heaven and earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, thou art exalted as
head above all. both riches and honor come from you, and you rule over all; and
in your hand is power and might; and in your hand you have to praise you and to
all. and now, our God, we thank thee, and praise your glorious name. "
Book of Psalms
David:
The Shepherd & The Warrior
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Still
too young to fight in the army, David becomes Israel’s champion when he slays
Goliath.
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After Prophet Samuel
realizes that Saul’s and his descendants will not continue to rule Israel, he
goes looking for another candidate.
Guided by God, Samuel
finds himself in the town of Beit Lechem (today’s Bethlehem), paying a call on
a man named Jesse among whose sons the next king is to be found.
Jesse presents seven of
his sons, and Samuel sees that all are amazing men - physically fit,
well-educated in Jewish law, dedicated to God. But not good enough. The Bible
relates that as Samuel is admiring one of Jesse’s sons, he gets a message from
God:
God said to Samuel, “Do not
look at his countenance and at his tall stature, for I have rejected him. For
it is not as man perceives it; a man sees what is visible to the eyes but God
sees into the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7)
So Samuel asks: “Don’t
you have any more sons?” Jesse, a little flustered, responds: “Well, there
still the youngest one, but he is out tending sheep.”
The little one is David.
Samuel demands that Jesse go get him and as soon as little red-headed David
appears, Samuel knows he is the one. Despite the fact that physically he’s not
so impressive, he has what it takes to be the strong leader Israel needs.
This teaches us a very
important lesson on how we’re supposed to judge people. We live in a
superficial world. We are judged by how we look, which is why plastic surgery
and looking eternally young is such a big thing. Judaism says true greatness of
the individual is not measured by outward appearance; true greatness resides in
the soul.
THE ANOINTED
Samuel takes a flask of
oil and pours it on David’s head. This is called “anointing”—in Hebrew moshach, which is where the word Moshiach or Messiah comes from.
When Samuel anoints
David, this does not mean David becomes king. It just means he has been
designated by God as next in line.
Meanwhile, Saul
continues to reign not knowing what has happened, although previously he has
been told by Samuel that his days are numbered.
The Bible relates that
the moment that David was anointed, “the spirit of God left Saul” and he fell
into a black depression. To help relieve his angst, his advisors decide to
bring in a harp player, reasoning that listening to music will make the king
feel better.
And this is how David,
still the shepherd, is brought to the palace—he plays the harp beautifully and
his playing relieves King Saul who doesn’t know that this youth will soon
replace him.
DAVID AND GOLIATH
During this time Israel
is constantly at war with the Philistines (whom we introduced previously.)
We know that ancient
warfare was highly ritualized. In Homer’s Iliad, we read how battles were
conducted in ancient times in the epic story of the siege of Troy, (circa 1200
BCE). We see that each side would send out its great champion who would fight
on behalf of his people. Often the battle would end with that, because
whichever champion won the other side would be so demoralized it would retreat.
This is the same
situation at this time in Jewish history—the Philistines have a champion who is
a pretty awesome guy. His name is Goliath and he’s huge.
(There used to be in
world of wrestling a guy by the name of Andre the Giant. I remember seeing this
guy. He was 7-foot-5” and weighed 450 lbs. He used to wrestle three guys at
once. Goliath was even bigger.)
The problem is that the
Jewish forces have no champion at all.
The Jewish troops are
stationed on the one side of the Elah Valley, south of Jerusalem—a place which
you can still visit today in Israel—and the Philistines are on the other.
Goliath is marching out in front of the Philistine lines, shouting curses at the
Jews and challenging someone to come and fight him:
“Choose yourself a man
and let him come down to me! If he can fight me and kill me, we will be slaves
to you; if I defeat him and kill him, you will be slaves to us and serve us.”
(1 Samuel 17:8-9)
The mortified Israelite
army has to listen to this, because no one is willing to take on Goliath.
One day, David—who is
still a shepherd and not a soldier—shows up on the battlefield bringing food
for his brothers and he’s shocked by what he sees.
FAITH IN GOD
Outraged at Goliath’s
blasphemous insulting of the God of Israel, David volunteers to fight Goliath,
though he has a hard time convincing everybody to let him go out into the
field. Finally, he convinces King Saul with his steadfast faith in God:
And David said, “God who saved
me from the claws of the lion and the claws of the bear, He will save me from
the hands of the Philistine.”
(1 Samuel 17:37)
To that Saul answers:
“Go and may God be with you.”
David goes out to meet
Goliath without sword or armor, only with his slingshot and a few stones, and
his deep abiding faith in God.
Seeing him Goliath
laughs:
“Am I a dog that you
come to me with sticks?”
But David is
undisturbed:
“You come towards me with a sword, a spear and
a javelin, but I come to you with the name of the Lord of Hosts, the God of the
battalions of Israel whom you have insulted. This day God shall deliver you
into my hand ... and this entire gathering shall know that it is not by a sword
or with a spear that God saves…” (1 Samuel 17:47)
As Goliath advances
toward him, David uses his sling to hurl a rock at the giant’s face. It hits
him in the forehead and he falls to the ground, flat on his face. David then
removes Goliath’s sword and cuts off his head.
The stunned Philistines
start running, pursued by the Israelite army. The end result is a tremendous
victory for the Jews.
NOT BY MIGHT
The words that David
speaks on the battlefield are very powerful. He emphasizes that the true
strength of the Jewish people is God, echoing the famous words of the Prophet
Zechariah:
“Not by strength, not by might,
but with My spirit,” says the Lord of Hosts.” (Zechariah 4:6)
Jews have to remember
that they will win if God is with them, but as soon as they lose sight of that,
they are in trouble. We’ll see this when we get to modern Israeli history—the
great victory in 1967 and the terrible losses of 1973.
The Jewish People must
always remember where the source of their strength comes from.
David is one Jewish
leader who is not likely to forget that, even though overnight he becomes a
super hero. As a reward for his valor he is given Saul’s second oldest
daughter, Michal, as a wife. And even a song is composed about him and it
becomes very popular: “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of
thousands.”
The rise of David’s
popularity is paralleled by the rise of Saul’s jealousy of him.
“They have attributed to
David ten thousand, while to me they have attributed thousands! He is lacking
only the kingship.” And Saul eyed David with suspicion from that day on.
It happened the
next day that Saul was overcome by a spirit of melancholy…and he raved
incoherently in the house. David was playing [the harp]...and a spear was in
Saul’s hand. Then Saul threw the spear [at David]...But David alluded him
twice. (I Samuel 18: 8-11)
Saul hunts him all over
the country, and David has to go into hiding.
But Saul has not much
left to his reign; he is about to be killed in battle.
SAUL’S FINAL BATTLE
The Philistines attack
again—near Mount Gilboa, in northern Israel and west of the city of Beit Shean.
It’s amazing how far the
Philistines manage to encroach into the country. They are no longer just on the
coast, they have actually reached deep into the eastern part of Israel along
the area of the major trade route in the ancient Near East - the Via Maris (Way
of the Sea)—which led from the coast through the Jezreel Valley and to the west
of the Gilboa mountain range. From there the route skirted to the west of the
Sea of Galilee and then up through the Golan Heights and on to Damascus.
Strategically they’re in a bad place for the Jewish people. Saul marches out
with his army to go fight the Philistines.
Saul always knew the
outcome of each battle by consulting with the prophet Samuel. But now the
prophet is dead. He manages to contact him in the other world however, and
Samuel tells him that he stands no chance, because God is no longer with him.
Nevertheless, Saul is no
coward and he leads the Jewish people into battle despite the odds. His sons
are killed before his eyes and defeat appears certain. Lest he, himself, be
captured by the enemy, the wounded Saul falls on his sword and dies.
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