David: From Shepherd to King

When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and thought, “Surely the LORD’s anointed stands here before the LORD.” But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” Then Jesse called Abinadab and had him pass in front of Samuel. But Samuel said, “The LORD has not chosen this one either.” Jesse then had Shammah pass by, but Samuel said, “Nor has the LORD chosen this one.” Jesse had seven of his sons pass before Samuel, but Samuel said to him, “The LORD has not chosen these.” So he asked Jesse, “Are these all the sons you have?”

“There is still the youngest,” Jesse answered. “He is tending the sheep.”

Samuel said, “Send for him; we will not sit down until he arrives.” So he sent for him and had him brought in. He was glowing with health and had a fine appearance and handsome features. Then the LORD said, “Rise and anoint him; this is the one.” So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the LORD came powerfully upon David. Samuel then went to Ramah. (1 Samuel 16:6-13 NIV)

God took David from the sheep pens and made him king of His people, Israel. Others only saw David as a shepherd of sheep. God saw David as a shepherd of His people. Psalm 78:70-72 says it this way:

He chose David His servant and took him from the sheep pens; from tending the sheep He brought him to be the shepherd of His people Jacob, of Israel His inheritance. And David shepherded them with integrity of heart; with skillful hands he led them.

Just as David protected and rescued his father's sheep, God used him to protect and rescue Israel from her enemies, including the giant, Goliath.

David's most important characteristic of leadership to qualify him as God's chosen king was simple: He was a man after God's own heart. It's like God told Samuel when he was considering each of Jesse's other sons as possibly the one to anoint king: Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”

David was overlooked and underestimated, just as we often are. His own father had to be told to summon him for Samuel to consider as the newly anointed king. David's older brother scolded him for leaving the sheep and coming to the battle front just before David faced Goliath. King Saul only saw David as an inexperienced boy, not a warrior to face the battle-tested Philistine. Even Goliath taunted David when he saw him approach.

But Saul's son, Jonathan, saw what others overlooked. He saw David as the future king of Israel.

And Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself. Jonathan took off the robe he was wearing and gave it to David, along with his tunic, and even his sword, his bow and his belt. (1 Samuel 18:3-4 NIV)

Jonathan gave David his royal robe and sword and bow. Giving David these things was symbolic of giving his loyalty to his king. The son of Israel's first king in that moment gave up his claim to being Israel's second king when his father died, and believed in David as the true king of Israel. Sometimes we all need a mentor or coach or parent or teacher to believe in us and see in us what we often cannot see for ourselves - our God-given potential to be everything God wants us to be!

Samuel anointed David king of Israel when he was 16 years old. When he was 30 years old, David became king in actuality. What happened in the intervening 14 years? David got an extended boot camp of training for how to be the King God wanted him to be. Saul, who kept trying to kill David in jealousy, became God's tool to train David in Godly, kingly character. David lived the life of a fugitive for those 14 years. Multiple times Saul tried to kill him, and multiple times, David had the opportunity to kill Saul. Each time, David spared the king, leaving him in God's hands to judge.

On one of those occasions, David said this to his men: “The LORD forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the LORD’s anointed, or lay my hand on him; for he is the anointed of the LORD.” (1 Samuel 24:6 NIV)

David's character kept him from taking revenge on the one who kept trying to kill him. David learned respect for the office of the king, even when the current king was not respectable. And David learned in his 14 years of waiting and growing to depend on Yahweh for guidance and protection. Seasons of storms in our lives can become the times when we learn to depend on Jesus for our guidance and protection, too.

David, the shepherd king, points to Jesus, our Good Shepherd and King. Both were born in Bethlehem, in the same tribe of Judah. Both were anointed king - David by the oil Samuel used, and Jesus by the Holy Spirit at His baptism. Thus Jesus fulfills the long-anticipated vision of Messiah - God's anointed One.

Jesus will reign forever on David's throne. That's a promise God made to David, and will fulfill through David's "son" Jesus. God told David this about his son, Solomon, and the One coming after him:

When your days are over and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, your own flesh and blood, and I will establish his kingdom. He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. (2 Samuel 7:12-13 NIV)

We know, of course, that Solomon's kingdom did not last forever, as God promised. David's heir who would reign on his throne forever was Messiah Jesus. The angel, Gabriel, spoke this to Mary:

You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call Him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David, and He will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; His kingdom will never end. (Luke 1:31-33 NIV)

David was chosen to be king because of his heart for God. As we have a heart for God like David's, we can take courage like he did in his time of waiting to become the king God made him to be. Like David, we all need a Jonathan to see our potential and to encourage us in it. We can expect to be overlooked and underestimated as people look only at the externals of our lives, while God looks at the heart. Jesus sees who we can become, even in our brokenness.

Seasons of testing like David's years as a fugitive can develop character, integrity and faith in us as it did in him. We don't have to like it. We can ask God to shorten it. Often we can only appreciate it after it has done its work in us. The task is to live and grow through it. I pray that you and I become people after God's own heart like David. All glory to God.