WAITING: The Story of David
1 Samuel 16, 2 Samuel 2:1-5
Song: Available by Elevation Worship
Previously in the story of Israel, they were a group of tribes ruled by leaders called “Judges”. Despite God giving Israel His instruction and guiding them into the promised land, these leaders continued to do all sorts of injustice. They forgot the character of their God and turned violent, arrogant, and abusive. The people who were supposed to represent God’s goodness began doing the exact opposite. The text says that the people “did what was right in their own eyes” (Judges 21:25). This statement gives me major Genesis 3 vibes (Genesis 3:1-7).
The Israelites end up asking God for a king, despite the fact that they are already ruled by God and his instruction. Eventually, God gives them over to the desires of their hearts and the king that Israel chooses, Saul, is prideful and lacks integrity. He too disobeys God’s instruction and fails to be the humble leader Israel needs. This is where David comes in.
David was a humble shepherd, someone totally unlikely to be king because he wasn’t a trained warrior and was the smallest and youngest of his family. Yet, God promised him that “You [David] will shepherd my people Israel, and you will become their ruler” (2 Samuel 5:2). David’s character stood in contrast to Saul’s prideful nature. In 2 Samuel 5:10, the text says David became “more and more powerful” - not because he was self seeking and power hungry - but because “The Lord Almighty” was with him.
God’s calling on David’s life was clear, yet, it did not come to fruition immediately. He was called to be king, but also called to wait. While Saul was leading Israel away from the ways of God, God was raising up David as a musician, and later a leader in Saul’s army. Saul was jealous of David and even tried to hunt and kill him. This period of waiting was long and treacherous for David. In Psalm chapter 18, David recounts how God remained faithful to him even as he was being hunted by Saul. He says this in verses 16 through 19:
16 He reached down from on high and took hold of me;
he drew me out of deep waters.
17 He rescued me from my powerful enemy,
from my foes, who were too strong for me.
18 They confronted me in the day of my disaster,
but the Lord was my support.
19 He brought me out into a spacious place;
he rescued me because he delighted in me.
Though he had been anointed king of Israel, David’s walk with God was difficult. His Enemy, Saul, was prideful and powerful, yet through this difficulty, we see David being humble, dependent on God, and repentant. When he was anointed king, he still served his enemy, Saul. When he was in trouble, he looked to the Lord as his support. When he fell into sin, he repented and sought transformation (Psalm 51).
God used David’s humility to bring Israel out of the corrupt leadership of Saul. From David’s lineage, Israel and all of the world receive redemption through Jesus. Jesus himself is the ultimate David, who humbly went to the cross for his enemies. As disciples of Jesus, we have the opportunity to wait in a counter-cultural way. Instead of power-grabbing and trampling over others like Saul, we are called to humbly serve others, even our enemies, and depend on God in times of distress.
