Introduction
a. Outline of chapter 10: v1-12 gives an
account of the last battle of Saul with the Philistines, and of his death and
burial (1 Sam 31:1f); and v13-14 the cause of his life cut short.
1. The brief kingship of Saul ended in
tragedy
a.
Chapter 10 gives a brief glimpse of Saul. Historically, Saul marked a
new epoch in the life of Israel. He was the first king over the nation.
Extensive coverage was given to Saul in the books of Samuel.
- However, from the spiritual point of view,
Saul was just a passing shadow, a stepping stone. In the rest of the twenty
chapters, David is the central subject. They do not provide a biography of
David, still less a character study. To find David depicted with warts and all,
we have to go to the books of Samuel and Kings.
- But David was also ‘really’ the greatest of
all kings of Israel, and the author is painting a new portrait of David as he
embodies the true ‘kingship’ of Israel, pointing us forward to the King of
kings, the greater David, Christ Jesus.
b. Saul is mentioned not only to introduce
but to contrast the vast difference between the kingship represented in Saul
and in David. Saul’s kingship is mentioned only to pave the way for David to
ascend the throne – the Lord “turned the kingdom over to David, the son of
Jesse.”
- Saul’s reign was marked with shame and
tragedy, except for the initial period, where he won many victories over the
Philistines. He died in terrible disgrace - a suicide. He began well but ended
poorly.
- Saul’s life was filled with jealousy and
hatred of David. Jonathan his son nearly lost his life for his loyalty to
David. His life was literally consumed by his hateful pursuit of David, to
destroy him.
- ‘So Saul died for his transgression which
he committed against the LORD, even against the word of the LORD, which he kept
not, and also for asking counsel of one that had a familiar spirit, to enquire
of it.” 1Sam 15:20; 1Sam 28.
## Beware of walking the broad way that leads
to destruction. Saul’s downfall is a beacon to warn us.
## Transgression against the Lord God will
result in misery and calamity.
## Remain faithful, keep His word, seek the
guidance of the Lord always – which characterized the life of David.
2. David Recognised as King by His People
a. Both Samuel and Kings and Chronicles speak
of steady growth in David’s power once he had been recognized as king,
- “So David went on and became great, and the
Lord of hosts was with him.” 2Sam 5:10
- “So David waxed greater and greater: for
the LORD of hosts was with him.” 1Chro 11:9
- 11:1 marks the climax of that gaining in
preeminence and supremacy in David. His people were gathered to him.
b. There are four "wonderful" and
instructive things in this gathering of the people to their king.
- They recognise David’s oneness with them:
“we are thy bones and thy flesh.”
- They honour his achievements: “Thou was he
that had leddest out and broughtest in Israel.”
- They accept his covenant: “David made a
covenant with them… and they anointed David king over Israel.”
- They acknowledge his commission: “…
according to the word of the LORD by Samuel.” (1Sam 16).
c. Psalm 89 puts the whole event in poetry,
and makes all the 4 things mentioned above. (see v 19,20,28).
- Having thus enshrined in the Psalm, the
great king-coronation is lifted to a higher plane by being fulfilled in the NT.
The pattern foreshadowed in David is clearly seen in David’s greater Son.
- Jesus too was one with His won people he
and they were kinsmen. “He was not ashamed to call them brethren… He himself
likewise partook of the same nature… He had to be made like his brethren in
every respect.’ (Heb 2:11,14,17.)
- His achievements too are to be honoured: He
is the pioneer of our salvation and of our faith (Heb 2:10; 12:2). We praise
Him for all that He has done and endured on his people’s behalf.
- His covenant is to be received: we hail the
power of Jesus’ name… and crown Him Lord of all, fully aware that ,the
initiative has been his, and that we are simply responding to the terms of
grace.
- And His commission too is to be
acknowledged: at conception, birth, baptism, transfiguration, and resurrection
His authority, like David’s, has been sealed by a word from God. (cp Lk 1:32;
2:11; 3:22; 9:35; Rm 1:4. )
- All this is the fulfilment of the prophecy
in Gen 49:10, “Unto Him shall be the gathering [obedience] of the people. “All
Israel is gathered together to David at Hebron” – verse 1.
## Do we honour and delight in Christ’s
achievement for us, His complete and perfect work of redemption?
## Do we receive gladly His covenant of grace
with us, to be our Lord and Saviour? Are we gathered unto Him?
3. The City of the Great King is
Established
a. This place is described in four different
ways in the space of only two verses: Jerusalem, Jebus, Castle/stronghold of
Zion, and the City of David.
- The name ‘Jerusalem’ e.g. is increasingly,
and the divine revelation progresses, to stand for the eternal city. This is
the home of God and His people in the world to come (Rev 21:2ff).
- Salem, the short for Jerusalem, was the
home of the mysterious priest-king Melchizedek, ‘a priest forever’, having
neither beginning of days nor end of life.’ (Gen 14:18; Heb 7:3).
- ‘Jebus’ is the historical city, the home of
an old Canaanite tribe called the Jebusites. Jebus is dead but not gone. Its
rubble lies deep beneath the modern city of Jerusalem.
b. ‘Zion’ is the name used again and again in
Scripture when the city’s spiritual meaning is in view. There is a constant
reference to Zion in the Psalms. “I have set My King on My holy hill of Zion”
(Ps 2:6). Cp. Ps 48, 87, 125, etc.
- ‘City of David’ is the city of the great
King, (Ps 48:2). And concerning this city it was announced “For there is born
unto you this day in the City of David a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord.” Lk
2:12.
c. In the days of Joshua, the Jebusites were not thoroughly destroyed or expelled from the land. They reasserted themselves and became arrogant and began to provoke David, (2Sam 5:6). But David and his army conquered the city and dwelt in it. David was mighty enough to keep it (11:7-9)
- Jerusalem was a very strategic city, a
mountain stronghold in the center of the nation of Israel. Thus the king, the
throne and the stronghold: the ingredient which bound the people of God
together as a unity is this represented by Jerusalem, the city of the great
King.
- Thus at the heart of the new kingdom under
David is a city both eternal and historical. BUT no such king existed in the
days of the first readers of Chronicles. But in David and Jerusalem they are
reminded of the coming greater than David.
## For NT believers we do have a king
enthroned among His subjects, and can see something of the inner meaning of
these chapters. We have come to heavenly Jerusalem, whose walls are salvation
and whose gates are praise. (Heb 12:22; Is 60:8)
## Where God’s people are what they ought to
be, it is only because of Christ, the greater David, in whose words and works
alone the heart and will of God can truly be known, is at the center. When He
is not proclaimed and obeyed, the church will disintegrate.
*The King’s People* – 11:10- 12:40 - next study.
Questions
1. How do we honour the Lord Jesus Christ?
Explain.
2. What are some lessons of Chapter 10 for
us?
3. David was a man after God’s own heart. How
was Christ David’s greater Son in that respect?
