2. David, the Shepherd
King (1
Samuel 16:1-13; 1 Chronicles 17:1-15)
3. Solomon, the
Builder King
(2 Chronicles 1:1-6; 6:1-11; 9:1-8)
Central Truth: The dynasty of the kings of Israel prefigured the eternal kingship of Jesus Christ.
Focus: Study the first kings of Israel and honor Christ as King of
kings and Lord of lords.
Evangelism Emphasis: Sinners must submit to the kingship of Jesus Christ
for salvation.
Memory Text: “The sceptre shall not depart
from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto
him shall the gathering of the people be” (Genesis 49:10).
INTRODUCTION
With the death of Joshua, the people of Israel descended into a
dark period. The Book of Judges chronicles the disobedience, idolatry,
violence, judgment, and deliverance of the children of Abraham. The absence of
a single leader like Moses or Joshua led to the social and religious
disintegration of the nation—“everyone did what was right in his own eyes”
(Judg. 17:6; 21:25 NKJV).
During this period, the twelve tribes of Israel were governed
as a loose confederation under a succession of judges. The judges were not
legal functionaries, but men and women anointed by God as military leaders, or
warlords, to deliver the people of Israel from Canaanite oppressors. In the
Book of Judges, we are introduced to individuals who lacked moral character,
but were nonetheless anointed by God. Throughout this period, Yahweh judged the
Canaanites for idolatry, the Israelites for apostasy, and the judges for
immorality.
The end of the period of judges marked a transition in the
political life of the nation of Israel with the appearance of Samuel. Samuel
was the last judge of Israel and the first of a new generation of prophets (1
Sam. 7:15). Samuel was a prophet in the manner of Joshua and Moses—a single
leader, anointed by God to speak to the nation. Samuel was instrumental in the
calling and anointing of Israel’s first two kings—Saul and David. During the
reign of these kings, the twelve tribes of Israel became a united kingdom.
Like the judges before them, the kings of Israel sometimes
lacked integrity before God. As we will see in this lesson, God anointed the
first three kings of Israel—Saul, David, and Solomon—to lead the people, but
each of them failed God in certain ways. Even so, God never forgot the covenant
with Abraham. God’s purpose cannot be thwarted by human sinfulness.
1. SAUL, THE FIRST
KING
A. The Israelites Want
a King (1
Samuel 8:4-9, 19-22)
4 Then all the elders of
Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah, 5 And said
unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us
a king to judge us like all the nations. 6 But the thing displeased Samuel,
when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the Lord.
9 Now therefore
hearken unto their voice: howbeit yet protest solemnly unto them, and shew them
the manner of the king that shall reign over them. 10 And Samuel told all the
words of the Lord unto the people that asked of him a king.
The chaotic period of the Judges left the twelve tribes of
Israel fragmented and anxious about their future. They were facing a political
and theological crisis. They had lost confidence in the judges and lost faith
in the Lord. With the cry, “Make us a king to judge us,” they were rejecting
the kingship of Yahweh. “And the Lord said unto Samuel . . . they have rejected
me, that I should not reign over them” (v. 7). Too often, national politics
takes priority over the purpose of God. God’s purpose for Israel was that they
were to be “a kingdom of priests and an holy nation” (Ex. 19:6), but the people
desired to be “like all the nations” (1 Sam. 8:5). This desire was nothing less
than idolatry: “They have forsaken me, and served other gods” (v. 8).
In the ancient world, kings were often viewed as demi-gods, and
the authority of their rule was based in their exalted status. Ancient kings
were venerated as charismatic leaders with superior wisdom, skill, and courage.
They were also known for excessive hubris (Dan. 4:30; 5:20; Ezek. 28:1-5). The
temptations of “the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride
of life” would plague the kings of Israel (1 John 2:16).
Samuel warned the people of Israel that their kings would
establish a régime that would oppress their sons and daughters (1 Sam.
8:10-17). Even so, the people remained obstinate in their desire to have a king
(v. 19). Eventually the corruption of the kings would cause the people to cry
out to God for deliverance, but God “will not hear you in that day” (v. 18).
The kings of Judah and Israel would lead God’s people down the path of apostasy
and divine judgment.
·
Why did Israel insist on
having a king?
B. God Chooses Saul (1 Samuel 9:17; 10:1)
9:17 And when Samuel saw
Saul, the Lord said unto him, Behold the man whom I spake to thee of! this same
shall reign over my people.
10:1 Then Samuel
took a vial of oil, and poured it upon his head, and kissed him, and said, Is
it not because the Lord hath anointed thee to be captain over his inheritance?
If the people desired a king, God would choose the king. The new
king was to be Saul, the son of Kish, of the tribe of Benjamin. Although the
tribe of Benjamin was of lesser significance among the twelve tribes, Kish was
“a mighty man of power”; that is, a man of wealth and military skill (9:1).
Saul was a person of charismatic presence—he was “choice and handsome” and
“taller than any of the people” (9:2 NKJV; cf. 10:23). In other words, Saul
looked like a king.
The narrative introduces Saul as a young man looking for lost
donkeys (9:3). In his search for the lost donkeys, Saul inadvertently finds a
“man of God” (v. 6) and discovers his destiny. God was guiding Saul’s
life—sending him to Samuel to be anointed as the captain, or commander, of
Israel. The use of the word captain
instead of king is deliberate. Yahweh
is the only rightful king of Israel. God will continue to rule over Israel’s
affairs. Saul’s primary duty will be to deliver Israel from the oppression of
the Philistines through military activity (9:16; 10:1).
In the Bible, anointing is a ritual that signifies the
endowment of God’s Spirit upon leaders. Priests, prophets, and kings were
anointed with sacred oil. After Samuel anointed Saul as Israel’s commander,
“the Spirit of God rushed upon him, and he prophesied” (10:10 ESV). This was an
experience much like the Day of Pentecost when the Spirit was poured out “as of
a rushing mighty wind” (Acts 2:2). The Spirit of God seized Saul, and he
experienced a spiritual ecstasy that transformed him: “God gave him another
heart” (1 Sam. 10:9), making him “another man” (v. 6). Samuel had told Saul
that the rushing Spirit would signify “God is with thee” (v. 7).
·
Even though Saul would
become king, how did Samuel characterize God’s relationship with Israel (10:1)?
C. The People Accept
Saul (1
Samuel 10:24-25)
24 And Samuel said to
all the people, See ye him whom the Lord hath chosen, that there is none like
him among all the people? And all the people shouted, and said, God save the
king. 25 Then Samuel told the people the manner of the kingdom, and wrote it in
a book, and laid it up before the Lord. And Samuel sent all the people away,
every man to his house.
With the people’s acclamation, Saul became king over Israel (v.
24). The national apostasy was complete. The people sought a political solution
to their national crisis and compromised their unique status as God’s priestly
people in the world. Their shouts of acclamation would be short-lived. Now,
they were like the other nations. But their king wasn’t like other kings. Even
though God was with Saul, Saul was not divine. The kings of Israel did not rule
by divine right, but by God’s permission. When the kings faltered in their
covenant duties, God would bring them to their knees.
·
If you could write
instructions for our national leaders, as Samuel did (v. 25), what would you
write?
Saul’s Tragedy
Soon after becoming king,
Saul began military campaigns against the enemies of Israel. This led to a
confrontation with the Philistine champion, the giant called Goliath. The
Israelite champion was Saul, the commander of Israel—head and shoulders taller
than any man in Israel—but he cowered in fear. Instead, he allowed a young
shepherd, David the son of Jesse, to challenge Goliath. Saul’s lack of
confidence in God, fear of Goliath, and other acts of disobedience would cost him
everything. Anointing without obedience ends tragically.
2. DAVID, THE SHEPHERD
KING
A. David Anointed as
King (1
Samuel 16:1-13)
11 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. 12 And he sent,
and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful countenance,
and goodly to look to. And the Lord said, Arise, anoint him: for this is he. 13
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
Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.
Long before the death of Saul, God acted as the sovereign Lord
of Israel by choosing a new king (1 Sam. 16:1). God sent Samuel to anoint a
king from among the sons of Jesse with specific instructions: “Do not look at
his appearance or at his physical stature. . . . For the Lord does not see as man
sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart”
(v. 7 NKJV). Whereas Saul had the appearance of a king, David had the heart of a king. God was searching for a
king with heart—devotion to Yahweh and courage to lead. Goliath’s challenge
demonstrated to all of Israel that Saul did not possess the heart of a king;
but the youngest son of Jesse had a strong heart, the heart of a giant, and he
pursued the heart of God (13:14). The name David
means “beloved one.” David was beloved of God and the people.
From a human perspective, the youngest son of Jesse was such an
unlikely candidate that Jesse had failed to call him from the shepherd’s
pasture. David was good-looking (16:12), but didn’t possess the majestic
appearance of his older brothers. In fact, David was the smallest of Jesse’s
sons. Throughout chapters 16 and 17, appearance and size are often mentioned.
When compared to his brothers, King Saul, and the Philistine giant, David is
consistently portrayed as small in stature.
Like Abraham and Moses, David was a shepherd. Throughout the
Bible, God is the shepherd of Israel (Ps. 23) and leaders are the shepherds of
the people. As a shepherd, David had often defended the sheep from predators (1
Sam. 17:34-35). As a shepherd, he had defeated Goliath. David would rule over
God’s people as a shepherd—the protector of Israel (cf. Ps. 78:70-72).
When Samuel anointed David (1 Sam. 16:13), Saul was still king
over Israel. The anointing of David was a prophetic sign that David would occupy
the throne in the future, but the effect of the anointing was immediate. As the
Spirit of the Lord rushed mightily upon David “from that day forward” (v. 13),
the Spirit also immediately “departed from Saul” (v. 14). The divine authority
to rule was transferred from Saul to David.
The significance of divine anointing is explained in Psalm 2,
which is a royal coronation psalm. Among all the nations of the world, God
rules only through the anointed king of Israel (v. 6). The anointed king of
Israel is adopted as Yahweh’s son (v. 7). The kings of Israel were not
demi-gods or superhuman beings. Their power and authority came from the Lord’s
decree and the Spirit’s anointing. This establishes a covenant relationship in
which the King of Israel will declare God’s rule to “the uttermost parts of the
earth” (v. 8).
·
What does this passage
reveal about Samuel’s relationship with the Lord?
B. God’s Covenant With
David (1
Chronicles 17:1-15)
7 Now therefore thus
shalt thou say unto my servant David, Thus saith the Lord of hosts, I took thee
from the sheepcote, even from following the sheep, that thou shouldest be ruler
over my people Israel: 8 And I have been with thee whithersoever thou hast
walked, and have cut off all thine enemies from before thee, and have made thee
a name like the name of the great men that are in the earth.
From humble beginnings, God called and anointed David to rule
as the shepherd king. David’s reign was an astounding success. Under his
leadership, the twelve tribes formed a cohesive nation with Jerusalem as its
capital city. Furthermore, God empowered David with military skills so that all
the enemies of Israel were defeated and there was peace throughout the kingdom.
David was a gifted writer and is remembered as the primary composer of Israel’s
book of worship—the Psalms.
It was in this capacity as worshiper that David wished to be
remembered. He wanted to build the Temple of God in Jerusalem. But God spoke to
David through the prophet Nathan, “You shall not build Me a house to dwell in.
. . . The Lord will build you a house” (vv. 4, 10 NKJV). God promised that
David’s “house” (i.e., his royal dynasty) would be established “for ever” (v.
14). The relationship between God and David was one of a special grace in which
God promised an enduring mercy that David would need.
·
What did the Lord say He
would do for and through David’s son (v. 12)?
David’s Tragedy
One day David arose from his
bed and “walked around on the roof of the king’s house” (2 Sam. 11:2 NASB).
David was lifted up with all things under his feet. As he surveyed his capital
city, he inadvertently saw a beautiful woman bathing—Bathsheba. This led him to
commit adultery and, eventually, murder of Bathsheba’s husband.
While the shepherd-king with
a heart after God did finally repent, his later years were filled with trouble.
The first child of David and Bathsheba died, breaking David’s heart. David’s
son, Amnon, raped his half-sister, Tamar. Out of anger, Absalom, another of
David's sons, avenged his sister by killing Amnon. Later, Absalom rebelled
against his father and was killed in battle. Even though David’s house was in
disarray because of his sin, God preserved the dynasty. David was not cast from
the presence of the Lord, but sustained by the Lord’s gracious hand (Ps. 51:11-12).
3. SOLOMON, THE
BUILDER KING
Solomon was the fourth son of David and Bathsheba (1 Chron.
3:5). Because of his status as one of the younger sons of David, it was
unlikely that he would assume the throne. His older brother, Adonijah,
conspired with the military commander Joab and the priest Abiathar to claim the
throne (1 Kings 1:5-10). But David chose Solomon to succeed him (vv. 11-37).
A. Solomon as David’s
Successor
(2 Chronicles 1:1-6)
1 And Solomon the son of
David was strengthened in his kingdom, and the Lord his God was with him, and
magnified him exceedingly.
6 And Solomon went
up thither to the brasen altar before the Lord, which was at the tabernacle of
the congregation, and offered a thousand burnt offerings upon it.
The last days of David were chaotic for the kingdom. Those who
were loyal to Adonijah were purged from the royal court. Solomon and his party
acted with great political skill to secure the throne. But the Biblical text is
quick to remind us that Solomon’s success was because of the Lord’s anointing.
The same Spirit that rushed upon David now acted in mighty ways to exalt
Solomon’s status as the king of Israel.
Solomon’s first act as king was to lead Israel in worship.
Solomon and “all the assembly” of Israel met at the “tabernacle of meeting” (v.
3 NKJV). Solomon was acting in continuity with Moses and David (vv. 3-4), which
suggests this time of worship was meant to signify the renewal of the covenant
with Yahweh. During this worship, Solomon and the people “sought” God (v. 5).
He “offered a thousand burnt offerings” (v. 6). His father, David, was a man
that sought after the heart of God. Solomon wanted to establish himself before
the people as a king seeking God’s heart.
·
Why was “the ark of God” (v.
4) central to the worship of Yahweh?
B. Solomon, Builder of
God’s Temple
(2 Chronicles 6:1-11)
1 Then said Solomon, The
Lord hath said that he would dwell in the thick darkness. 2 But I have built an
house of habitation for thee, and a place for thy dwelling for ever.
10 The Lord therefore
hath performed his word that he hath spoken: for I am risen up in the room of
David my father, and am set on the throne of Israel, as the Lord promised, and
have built the house for the name of the Lord God of Israel.
Since the days of the Exodus, God’s glory inhabited a dark
cloud (v. 1). Moses constructed the Tabernacle as a mobile building that could
be transported as the cloud of glory led Israel in their pilgrimage to the
Promised Land. When the Temple was dedicated, it was filled with the cloud of
God’s glory (7:1-2). This signified that the Temple was to be the permanent
site of God’s presence (6:2). The Temple signified Yahweh’s ownership of the
land and of the people. The ark of the covenant was the throne of Yahweh. By
building the Temple, Solomon has established himself as the guardian of
Yahweh’s throne.
God promised that David’s dynasty would be everlasting, and the
permanence of the Temple would signify God’s continuing presence with those who
reigned on the throne of David (v. 10). Just as God’s spoken word was the agent
in creation of the heavens and earth (Gen. 1:1); it is God’s spoken word—in
conversation with Abraham, Moses, and David—that designated Jerusalem and the
Temple as the place of Yahweh’s habitation. The purpose of this entire endeavor
has been to glorify the name of the Lord throughout the world. All the kingdoms
of the world would travel to worship God at this most sacred site (Ps. 2:6-9; Isa.
2:1-4; 56:7).
·
How did Solomon explain his
appointment as king (v. 10)?
C. Solomon, Renowned
for Wisdom
(2 Chronicles 9:1-8)
5 And she said to the
king, It was a true report which I heard in mine own land of thine acts, and of
thy wisdom: 6 Howbeit I believed not their words, until I came, and mine eyes
had seen it: and, behold, the one half of the greatness of thy wisdom was not
told me: for thou exceedest the fame that I heard.
During the first days of his rule, Solomon had asked God for a
special gift—wisdom and knowledge—that he might properly rule God’s people
(1:8-13). As Solomon demonstrated great wisdom and knowledge in the
administration of the kingdom (especially in the extensive trade with
surrounding nations), his reputation increased among the nations.
The visit of the Queen of Sheba (most likely modern Yemen)
offered Solomon an opportunity to display the glory of his kingdom. The kingdom
that was established by Egyptian slaves had become one of the most powerful and
richest kingdoms of the world. After seeing for herself, the queen acknowledged
that the greatness of Solomon’s kingdom was because of God’s love for Israel
(9:8). During his reign, many other kings would visit Jerusalem, and Solomon
became renowned as “greater than all the kings of the earth in riches and
wisdom” (vv. 22-24 NASB).
$ What did a foreign queen declare about the
Lord God (v. 8)?
Solomon’s Tragedy
Soon after the dedication of
the Temple, God warned Solomon of serious consequences if he were to forsake
the commandments of God—the people would be uprooted from the land and even the
holy Temple would be desecrated (2 Chron. 7:19-22). Even so, Solomon followed
after many gods and many foreign women. Eventually, Solomon’s kingdom would be
divided when God gave to Jeroboam ten of the twelve tribes of Israel (1 Kings
11:28ff.). Solomon’s failure to continue to seek after the heart of God left
his kingdom in ruins within just a few short years after his death.
THE ETERNAL KING
The kings of Judah and Israel failed in their covenant with
God. From the time of Saul until the fall of Jerusalem in 586 BC, God’s
anointed kings lacked fidelity to Yahweh, and the Lord declared that He would
punish the sins of David’s house. Generation after generation of David’s sons
led the people of Yahweh into apostasy. Finally, the Babylonian army destroyed
Jerusalem and the Temple. King Zedekiah was captured and blinded, and the last
thing he saw was the execution of his sons. Then Zedekiah was taken as a
prisoner of the Babylonian king.
But God’s purposes cannot be thwarted by human conspiracy or
sinfulness. God’s promise to David would be fulfilled. Jesus Christ is the
anointed Son of David and the Son of Abraham (Matt. 1:1). God’s everlasting
covenant love is demonstrated through God’s Son. Jesus is not the adopted Son
of God, like the kings of Israel. Jesus is the eternally begotten, unique Son
of God who is equal with the Father and one with the Father. The victorious
Christ is “the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of
the kings of the earth” (Rev. 1:5 NASB).
Whereas the kings of Israel proved to be unfaithful, Jesus
demonstrated perfect obedience to the Father’s redemptive purposes. Jesus was
not corrupted by power, wealth, or sexual desire. His perfect humility and
obedience was rewarded by the Father’s decree that Jesus Christ is “King of kings,
and Lord of lords” (1 Tim. 6:15; Rev. 17:14; 19:16).
Daily Devotions:
M. The King Comes
Through Judah (Genesis 49:1, 8-12)
T. The Eternal Kingdom Promised (Daniel 7:9-14)
W. Jesus’ Triumphal Entry Foretold (Zechariah 9:9-10)
T. Zechariah’s Prophecy Fulfilled (Mark 11:1-10)
F. Three Languages Declare Jesus’ Kingship (John 19:17-22)
S. The Return of the King (Revelation 1:4-8)
*Adopted from the Evangelical Sunday School Lesson Commentary 2020-2021