David Anointed King

 

 

1 Chronicle 11:1-9

 February 21, 2023

 

David Anointed King

Then all Israel gathered together to David at Hebron and said, “Behold, we are your bone and flesh.  In times past, even when Saul was king, it was you who led out and brought in Israel. And the Lord your God said to you, ‘You shall be shepherd of my people Israel, and you shall be prince over my people Israel.’”  So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and David made a covenant with them at Hebron before the Lord. And they anointed David king over Israel, according to the word of the Lord by Samuel.

David Takes Jerusalem

And David and all Israel went to Jerusalem, that is, Jebus, where the Jebusites were, the inhabitants of the land.  The inhabitants of Jebus said to David, “You will not come in here.” Nevertheless, David took the stronghold of Zion, that is, the city of David.  David said, “Whoever strikes the Jebusites first shall be chief and commander.” And Joab the son of Zeruiah went up first, so he became chief.  And David lived in the stronghold; therefore it was called the city of David.  And he built the city all around from the Millo in complete circuit, and Joab repaired the rest of the city.  And David became greater and greater, for the Lord of hosts was with him.

 

As I read back over this Scripture we see how different David was from men of his day, and more so of today.  Shall we examine the Scriptures to see when God first told David he would be king of Israel?  But first, let us see when God told King Saul through His prophet Samuel that he and his sons would not be kings over Israel.  1 Samuel 13:13-14, “You have done a foolish thing,” Samuel said. “You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you; if you had, he would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time.  But now your kingdom will not endure; the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him ruler of his people because you have not kept the Lord’s command.”  We do not know how long  Saul was king over Israel after Samuel told him the Lord had taken it from him, but most believe 20-plus years.  

 

Now back to David, when he was a teenager, God sent Samuel to anoint him as the next king of Israel.  It was before David faced Goliath, and it was after David fought many battles under King Saul that Saul tried to kill him and he was banished by Saul and lived in the desert running from Saul.  It was almost 15 years between the time he was anointed and David became King.  

 

God was getting David ready, much like when as a shepherd boy he looked to God to fight the bears and lions that came after his father's sheep, he was now being taught how to lead a nation.  Waiting is not easy, but often it is the way God prepares us for His plan for our life.

 

Now a note on Joab, he was one of the mighty men, he gave David some good counsel but he also did evil in the Lord’s eyes when he killed two men who were more righteous than him, his time on earth did not end well.

 

From The Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice