Pod Prep: 3-23-18
Why Did God Love King David And How Can This Understanding Help Us?
DAVID LOVED GOD WITH WARMTH COMPASSION ENTHUSIASM AND OPTIMISM
WE ASK 'WHY WAS DAVID A MAN AFTER GOD'S OWN HEART'? It appears that God one night noticed a young man maybe only 15 or 16 praising Him as he looked up into the heavens. God saw something special in this young man. God saw a unique spark of Love for God and choose him. He was replacing Saul as King because of Saul's disobedience and lack of humility. Then the God of Israel tells His Prophet :
1Sa 13:14 "But now your kingdom shall not continue. The LORD has sought for Himself a man after His own heart, and the LORD has commanded him to be commander over His people, because you have not kept what the LORD commanded you." (NKJV)
We can imagine one night while David was guarding the families sheep that he looked into the night sky and praised God. He further used music and poetry to add an emotional emphasis to his praise of God.
Ps 8:3 When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, The moon and the stars, which You have ordained, 4 What is man that You are mindful of him, And the son of man that You visit him? (NKJV)
David appreciated the awesomeness of the vast creation of God and His limitless reach and power. David saw the stars and saw God . He marveled that One so magnificent was mindful of us minuscule human beings. God saw the deep humility of David. After David had been anointed the new King of Israel, and national hero for his many victories over the brutal Philistines he was still humble with regards to marrying the current kings daughter. He had not let the status of national hero go to his head.
1Sa 18:18 So David said to Saul, "Who am I, and what is my life or my father's family in Israel, that I should be son-in-law to the king?"
David was not overly conscious of just how popular he was but King Saul was obsessed with David's popularity. David's humility and appreciation of Gods greatness are instructive for us today. David was very enthusiastic regarding his love for God. He sang that God was all he needed and wanted with great sincerity.
Ps 73:24 You will guide me with Your counsel, And afterward receive me to glory. 25 Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You. 26 My flesh and my heart fail; But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. (NKJV)
In songs and poetry such as this and many others, David praised and sang his heart out to God. Without the music and the original language we cannot fully appreciate the rhyme or rhythm of his psalms, but we can still appreciate their love and power. Consider the 23rd Psalm.
DAVID LOVED AND APPRECIATED GOD'S LAWS AND WAYS
David taught the many ways in which God's Laws are valuable. He emphasized and understood them in ways that are still very helpful to us today. David was always loyal to God. He would never consider idolatry. Saul married David off to his younger daughter when he discovered that they were in love. Saul had two reasons. First he assigned David some dangerous task as dowry hoping the enemy would kill David. He also probably hoped the Michal's love for idolatry would pull David away from God and His favor. Needless to say no such things happened. David had weaknesses but he was never disloyal to God for any kind of idols. See I Sam 19:13 & 18:25. He would never break the first four commandments regarding how to love God.
Ps 119:14 I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies, As much as in all riches. 15 I will meditate on Your precepts, And contemplate Your ways. 16 I will delight myself in Your statutes; I will not forget Your word. (NKJV)
Note that David rejoiced in Gods testimonies. God's main testimonies is the Ten Commandments. David delighted in divine statutes. Further David goes on to say:
Ps 119:97 Oh, how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day. 98 You, through Your commandments, make me wiser than my enemies; For they are ever with me. 99 I have more understanding than all my teachers, For Your testimonies are my meditation. 100 I understand more than the ancients, Because I keep Your precepts. (NKJV)
Oh how David loved God's Law and Jehovah the God of Israel. He appreciated the wonders of the Law.
Ps 119:137 Righteous are You, O LORD, And upright are Your judgments. 138 Your testimonies, which You have commanded, Are righteous and very faithful. 139 My zeal has consumed me, Because my enemies have forgotten Your words. 140 Your word is very pure; Therefore Your servant loves it. (NKJV)
David really appreciated God. God also really appreciated David. The Messiah came to earth to save mankind as the Son of David. Christ was in David's lineage. This shows us how much God loved David. This is mentioned in the very first New Testament sermon given at Pentecost.
Ac 2:29 "Men and brethren, let me speak freely to you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. 30 "Therefore, being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his body, according to the flesh, He would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne, (NKJV)
What an honor given to David. This day Peter called on all to repent and be baptized in name of one of David sons.
GOD LOVED THE MANNER IN WHICH DAVID REPENTED
David repented deeply and emotionally when necessary. I can imagine that Christ and His disciples sang some of David Psalms, maybe the Fifty First Psalm on the Passover night. Note also in this first sermon that the Apostle Peter mentions the need for all to repent in the context of David as a Prophet and leader in repentance.
Ac 2:31 "he, foreseeing this, spoke concerning the resurrection of the Christ, that His soul was not left in Hades, nor did His flesh see corruption. 32 "This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses. 33 "Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear. 34 "For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he says himself: 'The LORD said to my Lord, "Sit at My right hand, 35 Till I make Your enemies Your footstool."' 36 "Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ." (NKJV)
Note Peter uses this connection to David and thousands repent of their sins and commit themselves to Jesus.
Ac 2:37 Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Men and brethren, what shall we do?" 38 Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. (NKJV)
Whenever David sinned he repented deeply. God loves sincere heart felt repentance. This New Testament Passover is an opportunity for us all to repent. We can further show how much we appreciate the sacrifice the Father made for us all. If we love God we will try and repent and obey God's Commandments.
John 14:21 "He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him." 22 Judas (not Iscariot) said to Him, "Lord, how is it that You will manifest Yourself to us, and not to the world?" 23 Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. 24 "He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father's who sent Me. (NKJV)
During this final meeting on Earth with Christ and his disciples the scriptures emphasize comradship and sincerity and repentance. Jesus professes His Love for all of us.
John 17:19 "And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth. 20 "I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; 21 "that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. (NKJV)
We also are being set apart or sanctified by God. We thus are special and loved by God thru the words and witnesses of His Apostles. During The Passover, God reiterates His love for us just as He loved David. We must show our understanding and appreciation of this wonderful calling by repenting like David by remaining humble like David. We only have so many remaining Passovers to gain the correct attitude and grow. We must all use this time of the year to reflect and repent like King David. Remember what Paul told the out of control, unrepentant Corinthians.
1Co 11:29 For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. 30 For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep. 31 For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. 32 But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world. (NKJV)
This will not happen to us because we take the New Testament Passover in a repentant respectful, thoughtful, positive manner. We know we must repent as necessary then we can remain under the blood of Christ, guiltless and innocent and forgiven for all our sins. God is looking for people who repent deeply like David.
Isa 66:2 For all those things My hand has made, And all those things exist," Says the LORD. "But on this one will I look: On him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, And who trembles at My word. (NKJV)
Being like David is a key to spiritual growth. The church that is in the Philadelphian spirit will understand David. If we understand David we then have the keys to the Kingdom and prophecy.
Rev 3:7 ΒΆ And to the angel of the assembly in Philadelphia write: These things saith the Holy, the true; He that has the key of David, He who opens and no one shall shut, and shuts and no one shall open.
