A Man After God's Own Heart

In this month’s Bible reading plan, we are introduced to a boy named David, a shepherd boy whom God appoints as King over His people, Israel (1 Samuel 16). As gotquestions.org points out, “We can learn a lot from the life of David.”

Samuel’s story of the kings begins in chapter eight of 1 Samuel, where we read of him being old and his sons turning from the ways of the Lord for their own gain. It was during this time that the people began demanding that a king be appointed to judge them. The Scriptures record that Samuel was displeased with their desire for a king, but the Lord made it clear that Samuel was to give the people what they wanted, but must warn them about the things that would happen when they were ruled by kings (1 Samuel 8:1-18). Despite the warning, the people did not turn from their demands, and Saul was appointed as the first King over Israel (1 Samuel 10:1)

As Samuel’s words bear out in the Scriptures and as the people had been warned, Saul was not a good king. He made one mistake after another, so God sent Samuel to find a new king from among the sons of a man named Jesse, of Bethlehem. Samuel did as the Lord instructed, but none of the sons that Jesse passed before him were chosen by the Lord. It was only when Jesse’s youngest son, David, was brought before Samuel that the Lord said, “Arise, anoint him, for this is he.” Samuel anointed David in the presence of his family, and “the Spirit of the LORD rushed upon David from that day forward”(1 Samuel 16:13).

While the Spirit of the LORD had come upon David, it had departed from King Saul and was replaced with an evil spirit that tormented him. In an effort to help, Saul’s servants convinced the King to have a musician brought in who could play music that would help him not succumb to the torment of the evil spirit. As it turns out, David was not only a shepherd but was described to the King as “a man of valor, a man of war, prudent in speech, and a man of good presence, and the LORD is with him.”  Needless to say, David was soon in the service of Saul and found favor in his sight.

In addition to serving as an armor bearer to Saul, David battled and defeated Goliath, became closer than a brother to Saul’s son, Jonathan, grew in fame that rivaled the people’s affections for Saul, and became a powerful military commander and soldier. The LORD was clearly with David. God was with him and promised to establish from him a house and a kingdom that will never cease. This promise not only assured David that his son Solomon would be blessed and build the temple, but the promise continues: “I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever (13)… and your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever.”(16)

This forever King is the Savior that God sent to earth to rescue us from our sins and offer us eternal life in His kingdom. As we celebrate His resurrection this month and await His second coming, may we live as people after God’s own heart, living in pursuit of Him and living and loving like Jesus.