King David

David grew to be a self-centered and corrupt king. The longer David was in power the more selfish he became. He was no longer the hero he used to

He was from the tribe of Judah, fulfilling the Messianic line. Samuel anointed David secretly and the Spirit of God came powerfully upon David. “Samuel’s anointing of David, as well as the Spirit’s empowerment of him made clear that David represented God’s choice as king” (Hindson & Yates, 476). David completely placed his faith in God and displayed his faith when he went against Goliath. David did not take any weapons except a sling and stones to kill Goliath. David knew that God was on his side and God will fight this battle. “For the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give all of you into our hands” (1 Samuel 17:47). With God, he succeeded in killing Goliath and won the victory for the Israelites. Saul became angry and jealous towards David and ultimately banished David from Israel. King Saul and his men chased David and tried to kill him, however, God’s hand of provision was over David. Several times, David had the opportunity to kill Saul, but he spared him. This act of sparing contributes to David’s heart for God. David finally reigned in Israel and still had a heart for God. Even when his transgressions and trials came, David still loved God and asked for repentance of his sins. God made a covenant with David to bless him and his offspring. He promised to an establish eternal kingdom, which is ultimately given to Christ. “The promise of a permanent dynasty is fulfilled in Christ, the ‘son of David’, who will sit

As we examine the heroes of the faith outlined for us in the Old Testament, we would be hard pressed to find a more faithful man that King David. After the death of King Saul, David became the King of the Hebrew people. David, who was meek and pious, steadfastly believed in the true God and tried to do His will. He had endured much persecution from Saul and other enemies but did not become bitter, did not lift his hand against Saul, as he was the Lord’s anointed, but placed all his hope in God, and the Lord delivered him from all his enemies.

In 2 Samuel the narrative shifts to the reign of David as he rises above Saul’s son Ish-bosheth to become the king, first of Judah and then of all the tribes of Israel (5:1–4). The book records David’s wars of conquest including the capture of Jerusalem and the relocation of the ark of the covenant to the City of David (6:1–19). But the author also records David’s failures: his adultery with Bathsheba (11:1–26), Absalom’s rebellion (15:1–18:30), Sheba’s revolt (20:1–26), and the disastrous census (24:1–25). Like all the prophetic writers, the author presents a portrait of his historical figures from the perspective of their faithfulness to God’s covenant.

He shows he is weak and not ready to lead. (1 Samuel 9:21). Saul even hides when he is supposed to show himself to the Israelites as the chosen King (1 Samuel 11: 22). Although Saul knows that he cannot lead, he has no choice, he has to follow the Lord’s order. At last, God realizes that Saul was indeed not a leader-type person and chooses another person. God must have known that people are not forced to be leaders, but they themselves should be aware of the ability to be leaders.

While David was a king of God so to say, Saul was a king of man. Both had different desires in what they wanted. David was after God's own heart while Saul was after the praise of his people. Saul was cruel and unforgiving and therefore was separated from God. 1 Samuel 20: 30-32 is a good example of Saul's harsh behavior. "

From a biblical perspective we see in 1 Samuel 12:1-4 Israel’s high regard for Samuel. He was a man who exuded integrity. Samuel said to all of Israel, “I have listened to everything you said to me and have set a king over you. Now you have a king as your leader. As for me, I am old and gray, and my sons are here with you. I have been your leader from my youth until this day. Here I stand. Testify against me in the presence of the Lord and his anointed. Whose ox have I taken? Whose donkey have I taken? Whom have I cheated? Whom have I oppressed? From whose hand have I accepted a bribe to make me shut my eyes? If I have done any of these, I will make it right.” “You have not cheated or oppressed us,” they replied. “You have not taken anything from anyone’s hand.”

Saul was the ideal king the Israelites desired. David was the king Israel needed. David was not tall or handsome but he was a man of God. When David defeated Goliath, not only did he fully trust God, David gave all the glory of his victory to God. David possessed the vital attribute that Saul never had, obedience to God. David trusted in God’s timing and plan. Despite David having the opportunity to kill Saul and reign over Israel , David continued to follow God's commands. In 1 Samuel 24:19-20 Saul said to David after spearing his life, “ When a man finds his enemy, does he let him get away unharmed? May the Lord reward you well for the way you treated me today. I know that you will surely be king and that the kingdom of Israel will be established in your hands (NIV).” Unlike Saul David was obedient to God. God rewarded David for his obedience by anointing him King and later

King David wrestled with sin, such as adultery, family disorder, and rebellion on a national level, however he also experienced great accomplishments as well. One great achievement was the unification of Israel. "Then all the tribes of Israel went to David at Hebron and told him, "We are all members of your family. For a long time, even while Saul was our King, you were the one who really led Israel. And the Lord has told you, "You will be the shepherd of my people Israel. You will be their leader" (2 Samuel 5:3). It is here that David makes a covenant with the leaders and becomes anointed as the

As Samuel grew in age he intended to appoint one of his sons as the king of Israel. His sons however did not follow the ways of their father or God. “They turned aside after dishonest gain and accepted bribes and perverted justice” (I Samuel 8:3). The people of Israel desired a king, “a king like all the other nations” (Hindson and Yates, 2012. P.164). The people had grown tired of oppression and felt that “the lack of a strong human leader as the cause and did not realize that the reason for the oppression was a spiritual on-their failure to serve God” (Harbin, 2005, p.219). Saul was not God’s choice for the throne but “he was the people’s choice” (Hindson and Yates, 2012. P.164). Saul’s appointment as king was against the “old

David was a brave man. His heroics were becoming songs (1 Samuel 18:7) and those songs greatly angered King Saul to the point of wanting David killed. David, not wanting to die, fled from King Saul wrath. The future king dwelt in the wilderness as Saul relentlessly pursued him. Having one enemy desiring to kill someone is enough, but David had other enemies. Enemies that can be more dangerous than the one trying to end your life. One such dangerous enemy was Cush the Benjamite. The danger of Cush’s opposition could have brought even more enemies against the embattled David. While Cush was not directly trying to kill David as Saul was, this Benjamite was spreading lies that only fueled the anger of the King and could have ignited more rage against

Coogan expressed how YHWH disregarded traditional dominant status of the firstborn son and chose David as successor to the throne, despite him being the youngest of his brothers. Also, in David’s anointment, Coogan expresses how Samuel was not reluctant like he was when he anointed Saul. Coogan also portrays how David’s introduction to Saul’s court carried the theme of divine favor and promoted David to a legendary hero status. David is brought to Saul to provide him relief from an “evil spirit”, and David’s divine connection with God along with his musical talents provided Saul with the relief he needed. It was also David, not any other member of Saul’s army, which challenged and defeated the Philistine’s champion, Goliath. Coogan argues, however, that all of David’s actions were not solely done for his faithfulness to God, but to also establish himself in a position of power. Coogan supports this by pointing out David’s willingness to kill his fellow Israelites in 1 Samuel 25.13, 34, during his service to the Philistines. He also states that subsequent events that followed in Second Samuel proved that “David was in fact an opportunist who can be ruthless in using his power to advance his objectives” (Coogan 201), and that even his marriages were politically motivated. Coogan, more or less,

In the beginning of 1 Samuel 25, we find that Samuel is dead and Israel is in mourning. Even though the Israelites did not see Samuel as the most successful ruler they still gave him honor by burying him in his home in Ramah. With the fall of Samuel came the rising of David. David set out to Paran and came across an important figure named Nabal. Nabal was a rich figure and owned property in Carmel. Nabal was very mean and evil, but his wife on the other hand was beautiful in appearance her name was Abigail. David wanted to reach out to Nabal and thus ordered his men to go out and find him in Carmel. When the men reached out to Nabal, he did not believe them. Nabal didn’t know whom David and could quite, frankly could care less what he had to offer to him. David thought he was offering a good

The nation of Israel was set apart as holy to the LORD. But they When the children of Israel demanded a king, they did so to be like the other nations. The first three kings were Saul, (outwardly tall, handsome and strong—a seemingly good choice for a king, but inwardly arrogant, proud and unrepentant—not God’s choice), David (a man after God’s own heart who repented of his sins and as such was God’s choice), and Solomon (the wisest man who ever lived, but because of covenant disobedience became the catalyst for the division and ultimate exile of Israel.

God has placed David in the present of King Saul even through David has been anointed by Samuel as king of Israel; God still allows the people’s King as his own servants raise David above their King through