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We now come to our rich and varied theme—the life and times of David, king of Israel .

Even a casual reader of Scripture observes how God has always brought good out of evil. Israel sinned by rejecting their King, Jehovah, and seeking to set up a man to wield the scepter over them.  They learned the hard way that man’s help is vain. However, in spite of all their evil and folly, God is now going to bring blessing to His people.

In the government of God, Saul had been set aside; weighed in the balance, and found wanting—his kingdom was to pass away. A man after God's own heart was about to be set on the throne—a man who would glorify God and be a blessing for His people. "And the Lord said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel ?"

These words take us into the secret of Samuel's sorrow regarding Saul. In the last verse of 1 Samuel 15 we read, "And Samuel came no more to see Saul until the day of his death; nevertheless Samuel mourned for Saul." This was natural. There was deep, heartfelt affection in the melancholy fall of this unhappy man who had once elicited from Israel the shout of "God save the king." Many an eye, full of enthusiasm, had no doubt rested on "the choice young man and the goodly." Now, all this was gone; Saul was rejected, and Samuel felt constrained to take a position of entire separation.

This was the second office-bearer whom it had been Samuel's lot to see stripped of his robes of office. He had been the bearer of heavy tidings to Eli, at the opening of his career. Now, at the close of his career, Samuel was called on to deliver the announcement of the God’s judgment against Saul.

However, with reference to Saul, Samuel was called to enter into the thoughts of God. "How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him?" Communion with God always leads to acquiesce in His ways. Sentimentalism may weep over fallen greatness, but faith grasps the great truth that God's unerring counsel stands, and He will do His pleasure. Faith could not shed a tear over Agag, when hewed in pieces before the Lord; neither would it continue over a rejected Saul, because it ever flows in harmony with the ways of God. But there is a wide difference between nature and faith—the former sits down to weep, the latter arises and fills the horn with oil.

We need to consider this contrast. Though often dangerous, still, we are inclined to be carried away by mere sentiment. Indeed, because it’s of nature, it flows in a current different from the thoughts of the Spirit of God. The most effectual remedy against the working of mere sentiment is a strong, deep, thorough, abiding conviction of God’s purpose. In view of this, sentimentality withers and dies, while, on the other hand, faith lives and flourishes in the atmosphere of the God’s purpose. This is impressively taught in the first verse of 1 Samuel 16: "How long wilt thou mourn? . . . Fill thy horn with oil, and go: I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite: for I have provided Me a king among his sons."

Yes; human sorrow must flow on until the heart finds repose in God’s rich resources. The varied blanks which human events leave in the heart can only be filled up by the power of faith in the precious word, "I have provided." This truly settles everything—drying the tear, alleviating the sorrow, filling the blank. The moment our spirit rests in God's love, there is a period put to all repining. May we all know the power and varied application of this truth; may we know what it is to have our tears dried up, and our horn filled by the conviction of our Father's wise and merciful provision.

It is difficult—a rare blessing—to rise completely above human thought and feeling. Even a Samuel is found pulling against divine command, manifesting a slowness to run in the way of simple obedience. The Lord said, "Go;" but Samuel said, "How can I go?" Strange question! Yet, how fully it demonstrates the moral condition of the human heart. Samuel had been mourning for Saul, and now, when told to go and anoint one to fill his place, his reply is, "How can I?"—The word "how" in not the vocabulary of faith. No sooner does the divine command no sooner lay out the path, than faith takes it up in willing obedience, not counting the difficulties.

However, in tender mercy, the Lord says, "Take a heifer with thee, and say, I am come to sacrifice to the Lord." Thus, with a full horn and a sacrifice Samuel sets off for the city of David , where an obscure youth tended a few sheep in the wilderness.

Among the sons of Jesse, there were some fine specimens of nature—some whom Samuel, if left to the exercise of his own judgment, would have chosen to succeed to the crown of Israel . "And it came to pass when they were come, that he looked upon Eliab, and said, Surely the Lord's anointed is before Him." But it was not so. Natural attraction had nothing to do with the Lord's election. God looks beneath the gilded surface of men and things, and judges according to His own unerring principles. We learn something of Eliab's haughty and self-sufficient spirit in 1 Samuel 17. But the Lord puts no confidence in the legs of a man, and thus Eliab was not His chosen vessel.

It is remarkable in this chapter to find Samuel so much and so often astray. His mourning for Saul, his hesitation to go and anoint David, his mistake about Eliab, all shows how much astray he was to God’s ways. The Lord's word is solemn,

Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart."

This is the great difference; the “outward appearance," and "the heart." Even Samuel was almost snared by the former, had not the Lord graciously interfered to teach him the value of the latter. "Look not on his countenance." Memorable words!

Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, Neither hath the Lord chosen this. Then Jesse made Shammah to pass by. And he said, Neither hath the Lord chosen this. Again, Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. And Samuel said unto Jesse, The Lord hath not chosen these.

So, the “outward appearance” of nature passed before the prophet, but all in vain; nature could produce nothing for God or His people.

It is also remarkable that even Jesse did not think of David! The ruddy youth was with the sheep in the solitude of the wilderness, did not come into mind at all. But, the eye of Jehovah was resting on this despised youth, seeing in him one who was to stand in the human line through which Christ should come, to occupy the throne of David, ruling over the house of Israel forever. Truly "God seeth not as man seeth," for He

Hath chosen the foolish things of the world, to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world, to confound things which are mighty; and base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen—yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are; that no flesh should glory in His presence (1 Cor. 1:27-29).

If Eliab, Shammah, Abinadab, or any of the "seven sons" of Jesse had felt the anointing oil, flesh might have gloried. But when the forgotten David appears on the scene, we see him as one who would give all the glory to God. In a word, David is a type of the Lord Jesus, Who was despised, overlooked, and forgotten. In fact, as we travel through David's instructive history, we shall see how strikingly he shadowed Jesus Christ, the true beloved of God.

And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all thy children? And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him: for we will not sit down till he come hither. And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look at. And the Lord said, Arise, anoint him: for this is he.

"There remaineth yet the youngest." Surely he could not be the elect one, thought Jesse. Man cannot understand the ways of God. The instrument God is about to make use of is overlooked or despised by man. "Arise, anoint him: for this is he"—God's perfect reply to the thoughts of Jesse and Samuel.

Note David's occupation: "Behold, he keepeth the sheep." This was later referred to by the Lord, when He said to David, "I took thee from the sheep-cote, from following the sheep, to be ruler over My people, over Israel ." Nothing more sweetly illustrates God's thoughts of the kingly office than the work of a shepherd. It’s always true that when the kingly office fails, it’s because it was not executed in the spirit of a shepherd. King David fully entered into this, as seen in those touching words, "These sheep, what have they done?"

The people were the Lord's sheep, and David, as the Lord's shepherd, kept them on the mountains of Israel , just as he had kept his father's sheep around Bethlehem . He did not alter his character when he came from the sheep-cote to the throne, exchanging the crook for the scepter. No; he was still the shepherd, and he felt responsible to protect the Lord's flock from the lions and bears prowling around the fold.

The prophetic allusion to the true David is touching and beautiful.

Therefore will I save My flock, and they shall no more be a prey; and I will judge between cattle and cattle. And I will set up one shepherd over them, and He shall feed them, even My servant David; He shall feed them, and He shall be their shepherd. And I the Lord will be their God, and My servant David a prince among them; I the Lord have spoken it (Ezek. 34: 22-24).

In John 10, our Lord presents Himself as the faithful and good Shepherd who loves and cares for His sheep. Also, in John 6, He more or less referred to His shepherd character. "And this is the Father's will which hath sent Me, that of all which He hath given Me, I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day." This is a great principle of truth. Independent of His own personal love for the sheep (wonderfully seen in His life and death), the Lord Jesus, presents Himself as one responsible for keeping every member of the loved and valued flock through all the vicissitudes of this life, presenting them in resurrection-glory, at the last day.

Our Father has committed to us an ever-living, ever-loving, all-powerful Shepherd, whose love many waters cannot quench; whose power no enemy can countervail; who holds in His hand the keys of death and hell, and who has established His claim to the guardianship of the flock, by laying down His life for it. Truly we may say, "The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want." How can we want while Jesus feeds us? Our foolish hearts may desire to feed on noxious pasture, and our Shepherd may have to prove His gracious care by denying us such pastures, but one thing is certain, those whom Jesus feeds shall not want any good thing.

There is something in the shepherd character that is in harmony with the divine mind, because we find the Father, the Son, and the Spirit, acting in that character. The twenty-third psalm may be primarily viewed as the experience of Christ delighting in the assurance of His Father's shepherd-care. Then, in John 10, we find the Son presented as the good Shepherd. Lastly, in Acts 20 and 1 Peter 5, we find the Holy Spirit acting in that blessed capacity, by raising up and gifting the subordinate shepherds for the work. It is edifying to consider this. It is so like our God to present Himself in a most endearing relationship—one most calculated to win our confidence and draw out our affections. Blessed be His name forever! His ways are perfect; there is none like Him.

We now direct your attention to the contrast between the circumstances in which Samuel found David, and those in which he found Saul. Remember that when Saul came in contact with Samuel, he was in pursuit of his father's asses. We do not interpret this fact, but merely refer to it, believing it to be expressive of evil, just as David's occupation, in the sheep-cote, was expressive of his future career, as shepherd of Israel.¹

Trifling circumstances often teach a great deal. David's affectionate and tender solicitude for the Lord's flock and his forgetfulness of self can be traced in the circumstances of his life. On the other hand, Saul's ambitious, self-seeking spirit can be traced in the object of his pursuit when he came in contact with Samuel. However, we leave the suggestion with you to use as the Lord may lead; suggesting only that nothing the Spirit has recorded concerning men is insignificant.

Blessed be the grace that made one ruler over His people—one who manifested those traits of character most adapted to the work. "Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward." So, now, David is fully before us as the Lord's anointed, and we can trace him in all his wanderings and vicissitudes.

Footnote:

¹ When we see David tending his father's sheep in the wilderness, overlooked, or thought little of in the circle of his brethren, we are led to look for something corresponding in his later life. Likewise, when we see Saul in search of his father's asses, we are led to look for something corresponding in his character and habits later on.