WHY WAS KING DAVID A MAN AFTER GOD'S OWN HEART?
God has strong emotions and he loved the strong emotions for him that He found in young David. Probably as God had decided that King Saul had lost his humility and became unfit as God searched Israel for his replacement He heard David's praises. A young Shepard, possibly at night viewing the vastness of the universe was musically praising God. God saw a positive emotional love for Him that was astounding.
1 Samuel 13:13-14 NKJV 13 And Samuel said to Saul, .... 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."
It is noteworthy that King David gets more coverage in the Bible than anyone else. David expressed much of his love for God in the vehicles of music and poetry.
Psalms 9:1-2 NKJV 1 To the Chief Musician. To the tune of "Death of the Son." A Psalm of David. I will praise You, O LORD, with my whole heart; I will tell of all Your marvelous works. 2 I will be glad and rejoice in You; I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High.
Even though we cannot appreciate the rhythm of the poetry and music which is lost, his writing about the Messiah's suffering is so powerful. Why? God wants us to appreciate the suffering of the Messiah for our sins. David's poetry should help us love Jesus warmly and deeply.
2 Samuel 7:18-20 NKJV 18 Then King David went in and sat before the LORD; and he said: "Who am I, O Lord GOD? And what is my house, that You have brought me this far? 19 "And yet this was a small thing in Your sight, O Lord GOD; and You have also spoken of Your servant's house for a great while to come. Is this the manner of man, O Lord GOD? 20 "Now what more can David say to You? For You, Lord GOD, know Your servant.
David had said that he wanted to build a wonderful Temple for God so he would not live in a tent. God said he did not need or ever asked for a building but since David had such love for God He would build a house for David instead. He gave David a wonderful dynasty. This dynasty would include the coming Messiah to save the world. David was speechless.
DAVID RECORDS FOR BELIEVERS THE PAIN OF JESUS
The most primal moment of the suffering of Christ was just prior to his death when God laid the dark guilt of all mankind on him and turned away from Jesus momentarily. David captured this emotional pain:
Psalms 22:1-3 NKJV 1 To the Chief Musician. Set to "The Deer of the Dawn." A Psalm of David. My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? Why are You so far from helping Me, And from the words of My groaning? 2 O My God, I cry in the daytime, but You do not hear;.... 3 But You are holy, Enthroned in the praises of Israel.
King David expressed nine centuries in advance, the pain that Jesus actually experienced for we believers.
Matthew 27:46-50 NKJV 46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?" that is, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?"... 48 Immediately one of them ran and took a sponge, filled it with sour wine and put it on a reed, and offered it to Him to drink..." 50 And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit.
Mark 15:34 NKJV 34 And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" which is translated, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?"
David captured the angry criminal environment around Jesus at the time of his crucifixion for us in advance.
Psalms 22:7-8 NKJV 7 All those who see Me ridicule Me; They shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying, 8 "He trusted in the LORD, let Him rescue Him; Let Him deliver Him, since He delights in Him!"
Matthew 27:39-43 NKJV 39 And those who passed by blasphemed Him, wagging their heads 40 and saying, "…. 42 "He saved others; Himself He cannot save. If He is the King of Israel, let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe Him. 43 "He trusted in God; let Him deliver Him now if He will have Him; for He said, 'I am the Son of God.'"
King David was able to put into music many of the gruesome details of the Messiah's suffering.
Psalms 22:14-16 NKJV 14 I am poured out like water, And all My bones are out of joint; My heart is like wax; It has melted within Me. 15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd, And My tongue clings to My jaws; You have brought Me to the dust of death.... They pierced My hands and My feet;
Jesus experienced all of this outside the walls of Jerusalem and died just as the official Lamb in the Temple was being sacrificed. David prophesied more details:
Psalms 22:17-19 NKJV 17 I can count all My bones. They look and stare at Me. 18 They divide My garments among them, And for My clothing they cast lots. 19 But You, O LORD, do not be far from Me; O My Strength, hasten to help Me!
Psalms 69:20-21 NKJV 20 Reproach has broken my heart, And I am full of heaviness; I looked for someone to take pity, but there was none; And for comforters, but I found none. 21 They also gave me gall for my food, And for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.
All these events are described in the Testimonies of his disciples regarding this monumental sacrifice.
DAVID ALSO DESCRIBES THE GREAT VICTORY WON BY JESUS THAT DAY
David ends the twenty second psalm in a positive victorious manner:
Psalms 22:27-28 NKJV 27 All the ends of the world Shall remember and turn to the LORD, And all the families of the nations Shall worship before You. 28 For the kingdom is the LORD'S, And He rules over the nations.
In the end all nations will be led to be believers and the nation of Judah will repent immediately upon the arrival of the Messiah in his second coming. They will then lead the world in worship of the true God.
Zec 8:23 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you.
David, the man after God's own heart ,will then be king of all Israel. In a victorious manner Jesus commits his life and spirit to God the Father. This also was foreseen by David.
Psalms 31:4-5 NKJV 4 Pull me out of the net which they have secretly laid for me, For You are my strength. 5 Into Your hand I commit my spirit; You have redeemed me, O LORD God of truth.
In the future, the whole world including Judah, will realize that Jesus is the Passover Lamb covering the sins of all mankind. David's writings help believers to appreciate the victory.
John 19:14-31 NKJV 14 Now it was the Preparation Day of the Passover,... 30 So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, "It is finished!" And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit. 31 Therefore, because it was the Preparation Day, that the bodies should not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day),...they might be taken away.
Christ death timed perfectly to be our Passover Lamb. Come to the New Covenant Passover and share in the comradeship of the memorial to Jesus's suffering for us. Come in a repentant humble spirit. Share the spiritual victory with other believers on the evening of April 14th!
