David (Part 1)
(By Ben Fronczek)
I want to begin a series of lessons on King David. Almost everyone has heard of David, especially the story of how little David defeated the giant Goliath with a stone and his sling.
He is a beloved figure in Jewish history but what intrigues me most is the fact that God loved him so much and even called him a man after His own heart.
I find that statement very interesting, because if you know anything about David and his life you know that he was not without his share of faults.
I guess when I think of a man after God’s own heart I’m more incline to think about the man Jesus who never sinned and was without any faults and who was totally obedient to His Father God. Or even Joseph which the Bible says nothing bad about. The same with Isaiah and Jeremiah…
But David? He spent most of his life as a warrior spilling blood. His home life was in shambles more than once. He had an adulterous affair. And then after the woman got pregnant he tried to cover it up. And when that did not work he had the woman’s husband killed and then he married her.
He did things that most of us would cringe at, yet he was still considered a man after God’s own heart and the most honored of all Jewish kings.
In this series I would like to look into and consider this phrase, ‘a man after God’s own heart’; what it implies or means, and even how we can likewise be consider the same; a man or woman after God’s own heart.
But before we get into that I believe a little background information is important. And as I share this background information I hope that you will recognize attitudes and actions which are quite the opposite of traits seen in a Man or woman after Gods own heart.
David was not the first Jewish king, rather a man by the name of Saul was. If you remember your Bible history the Jew had never been led by a king up to this point in history. From the time of Abraham through the time of Moses and the judges, God Himself led his people. At different times He chose certain individual to instruct, guide and deliver them, but there was no king.
During this period, God’s spokesman, the prophets Samuel was getting older, and the Jewish people told him that they wanted a king like all the other nations around them. Samuel was very upset about their request but in so many words God told him not to let it get to him because they were not rejecting Samuel, rather the Jews were rejecting God and His leadership.
Then Saul was chosen as their first king. He was a tall, a good looking young man and somewhat courageous, what would seem like a prime candidate for the throne. But it was not too long before Saul’s true colors came shining thru.
Even though he claim to love God, more than once he arrogantly ignored God’s will and simply chose to do what he wanted to do instead.
On one occasion we read in 1 Sam. 13 before Saul and his forces were to go to war against the Philistines Saul decided to sacrifice and offer up the burnt offerings himself instead of waiting for the priest Samuel to do it. In their Law (God’s Law) it said that only the priest could do this but Saul ignored the Law or maybe even thought he was above that law. But when Samuel the Priest came on the scene this is what he has to say to Saul, 13 Samuel said to Saul, “You have acted foolishly; you have not kept the commandment of the Lord your God, which He commanded you, for now the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. 14 But now your kingdom shall not endure. The Lord has sought out for Himself a man after His own heart, and the Lord has appointed him as ruler over His people, because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you.”
Then after this Saul messed up again when he was told to completely destroy the Amalekites. After he disobeyed the Lord command concerning how he was to conduct a battle God told Samuel this in 1 Sam. 15: 11 “I regret that I have made Saul king, because he has turned away from me and has not carried out my instructions.” Samuel was angry, and he cried out to the Lord all that night. 12 Early in the morning Samuel got up and went to meet Saul, but he was told, “Saul has gone to Carmel. There he has set up a monument in his own honor and has turned and gone on down to Gilgal.”
So we see that Saul is not only disobedient, He also set up an monument in his own honor. Was being king getting to his head?
Later when Samuel finally catches up with Saul he lets him know how disappointed the Lord was with him; Samuel said, “Although you were once small in your own eyes, did you not become the head of the tribes of Israel? The Lord anointed you king over Israel. 18 And he sent you on a mission, saying, ‘Go and completely destroy those wicked people, the Amalekites; wage war against them until you have wiped them out.’ 19 Why did you not obey the Lord? Why did you pounce on the plunder and do evil in the eyes of the Lord?”
20 “But I did obey the Lord,” Saul said. “I went on the mission the Lord assigned me. I completely destroyed the Amalekites and brought back Agag their king. 21 The soldiers took sheep and cattle from the plunder, the best of what was devoted to God, in order to sacrifice them to the Lord your God at Gilgal.”
22 But Samuel replied: “Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams. 23 For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He has rejected you as king.” 1 Samuel 15:17-23
Thus, Samuel told Saul that the kingdom would be taken from him and given to another. Samuel is all upset about this so on the next chapter,
(1 Sam. 16) 1The Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and be on your way; I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem. I have chosen one of his sons to be king.” 2But Samuel said, “How can I go? Saul will hear about it and kill me.” The Lord said, “Take a heifer with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.’ 3Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what to do. You are to anoint for me the one I indicate.” 4Samuel did what the Lord said. When he arrived at Bethlehem, the elders of the town trembled when they met him. They asked, “Do you come in peace?” 5Samuel replied, “Yes, in peace; I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. Consecrate yourselves and come to the sacrifice with me.” Then he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice. 6When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and thought, “Surely the Lord’s anointed stands here before the Lord.” 7But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
When God scans the earth for potential leaders, He is not on a search for angels in the flesh. He is certainly not looking for perfect people, since there are none. He is searching for men and women like you and me, mere people made up of flesh. But He is also looking for people who share the same qualities He found in David. God is looking for men and women “after His own heart”
What does it mean to be a person after God’s own heart? It means your life is in harmony with the Lord. What is important to Him is important to you. What burdens Him burdens you. When He says, “Go to the right,” you go to the right. When He says, “Stop that in your life,” you stop it. When He says, “This is wrong and I want you to change,” you come to terms with it because you have a heart for God. That’s bottom-line, biblical Christianity.
When you are a man or woman after God’s heart, you are deeply sensitive to spiritual things. 2 Chronicles 16:9 says: “For the eyes of the LORD move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His” (emphasis added).
What is God looking for? He is looking for men and women whose hearts are His—completely His. That means there are no locked closets. Nothing’s been swept under the rugs. There are no hidden selfish agendas. Rather, you long to please Him in all that you do.
God is not looking for magnificent specimens of humanity. He’s looking for deeply spiritual, genuinely humble, honest-to-the-core servants who have integrity. I believe integrity is very important to God and He would like to see it each and every one of us.
Integrity is about doing the right things for the right reason all the time, and not being corrupted or divided in any way. It’s what you are when nobody’s looking.
We live in a world that says, in many ways, “If you just make a good impression, that’s all that matters.” But you will never be a man or woman of God if that’s your philosophy. That was Saul’s problem
You can’t fake it with the Almighty. He is not impressed with externals. Doesn’t matter how nice you look, or how grand you sound, He always focuses on the inward qualities, like the character of the heart . . . those things that take time and discipline to cultivate your integrity.
Saul blew it. Even thought he looked good, looked the part. And even though he mouthed the right words (religious words), he even prophecied. And even though he felt guilty and wanted to repent after getting caught disobeying God, God could see what was really inside.
Good looks, the right words, even feeling guilty after you sin is not enough. If your heart is not really His God knows it. It doesn’t matter if you go to church every time the door is open, and you wear your best clothes, if you sing all the songs and take the communion; if your heart is not His He knows.
God knows when you are holding back, when you are being a bit selfish and self centered, when you have hidden agendas that are selfish. He knows when you and I lust in our heart for things we shouldn’t, or when we do not fully forgive someone when our lips say that we do. He knows when we do things for show off and make our self look good rather than glorifying Him.
Saul is an example of what a man after God’s own heart is not. He was more concerned about doing things his way, the way he wanted and not necessarily the way God wanted things done. And if we are not careful we can fall into that same trap.
Saul was impatient, so he jumped the gun and offered that sacrifice himself. How many times do we get impatient and don’t understand why God doesn’t act sooner when we wait on Him. And sometimes we try to take things into our own hands to get something done that only God can do.
But the lesson I see here is we need to learn to wait on God and His timing and be careful not to usurp His or any of His laws just to get what we think needs to be done like Saul did.
And how many times have to ignored God’s word and simply did what you wanted to do because maybe you simply wanted to do something else? That’s not being a man or woman after God’s own heart, that being selfish and that’s what got Saul kicked off the throne.
– Keep you motives pure. Become a man or woman of integrity.
– Don’t harbor hidden agendas for doing things unless it is for doing something good. Be patient with the Lord, His timing is always perfect.
– And remember don’t ever think to highly of yourself because as soon as you do you’ll find yourself doing stupid things cause more harm than good.
Some parts of this sermon are from a lesson by Charles Swindoll
For more lessons click on the following link: http://granvillenychurchofchrist.org/?page_id=566
All comments can be emailed to: bfronzek@gmail.com