Timeline: David the King

In the account of Abraham we see a faithful believer in God be blessed with tremendous promises; namely to have nations and kings from him and the inheritance of the land of Canaan. In David we see another covenant made full of promises of kings, a kingdom, and peace for eternity. But first how did we get to a human king in Israel? God intended Him to be king of Israel when He led them into the promised land.

Exodus 15:17-18
17 “You will bring them and plant them in the mountain of Your inheritance, The place, O Yahweh, which You have made for You to inhabit, The sanctuary, O Lord, which Your hands have established.
18 “Yahweh shall reign forever and ever.”

This is the song of Moses after they crossed the Red Sea. He proclaimed Israels inheritance of the land that God would plant them in and God reigning over them. Yet after Israel inherited the land we are told they did what was right in their own eyes. They continued to follow their own desires rather than that of God. So God would send nations to punish Israel until they would call out and turn to God. Then He would send a judge to deliver them from whoever was suppressing them.

Judges 2:18-22
18 Now when Yahweh raised up judges for them, Yahweh was with the judge and saved them from the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge; for Yahweh was moved to pity by their groaning because of those who oppressed and suppressed them.
19 But it happened when the judge died, that they would turn back and act more corruptly than their fathers, in following other gods to serve them and bow down to them; they did not abandon their practices or their stubborn ways.
20 So the anger of Yahweh burned against Israel, and He said, “Because this nation has trespassed against My covenant which I commanded their fathers and has not listened to My voice,
21 I also will no longer dispossess before them any of the nations which Joshua left when he died,
22 in order to test Israel by them, whether they will keep the way of Yahweh to walk in it as their fathers did, or not.”

This pattern continued to happen so God left the nations that they didn’t destroy when they entered the land as a test to see if Israel would obey God. Yet due to this, instead of turning to God and relying on Him, they complained to God’s judge Samuel asking for a king.

1 Samuel 8:4-9
4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah;
5 and they said to him, “Behold, you have grown old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint a king for us to judge us like all the nations.”
6 But the thing was evil in the sight of Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” And Samuel prayed to Yahweh.
7 Then Yahweh said to Samuel, “Listen to the voice of the people in regard to all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me from being king over them.
8 “Like all the deeds which they have done since the day that I brought them up from Egypt even to this day—in that they have forsaken Me and served other gods—so they are doing to you also.
9 “So now, listen to their voice; however, you shall solemnly testify to them and tell them of the custom of the king who will reign over them.”

This rejection of God and turning to the practices of the nations around them was a continual problem with Israel. Despite all that God had provided and shown Israel, they continually turned to others than God. So God listened to Israel and brought them Saul as their king.

Saul started as what Israel saw as a perfect king. He was tall and handsome, while commanding the troops to save them from their enemies. Yet Saul soon started to reject the laws God. Just before a battle with the Philistines, Saul was waiting for seven days for Samual to come to bless them and offer sacrifices to God. Yet Saul lost faith and patience. Instead of waiting and doing as God commanded to let the priests do the offering, Saul took the offering himself and sacrificed to God. Then Samuel arrived, shocked from what Saul had done, he gave the devastating words to Saul that his kingdom would come to an end.

1 Samuel 13:13-14
13 And Samuel said to Saul, “You have acted foolishly; you have not kept the commandment of Yahweh your God, which He commanded you, for now Yahweh would have established your kingdom over Israel forever.
14 “But now your kingdom shall not endure. Yahweh has sought out for Himself a man after His own heart, and Yahweh has appointed him as ruler over His people because you have not kept what Yahweh commanded you.”

A man after Gods heart is what was desired. Someone who would not only love God and keep what God commands, but would be that example of love and obedience to all of Israel. This time God was going to anoint a king not to the standards of man. This anointed king would be as mediator between God and Israel just as was asked by Moses to be between them when God spoke on Mount Sinai.

God instructed Samuel to anoint the new king of Israel and sent him to the household of Jesse in Bethlehem. There, he discovered the eldest son and believed he had found the new king. However, God revealed to Samuel that He was seeking with a deeper understanding.

1 Samuel 16:6-7
6 Now it happened, when they entered, he looked at Eliab and thought, “Surely the anointed of Yahweh is before Him.”
7 But Yahweh said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but Yahweh looks at the heart.”

This rejection continued with all seven sons till Samuel had to ask if Jesse had any other sons. Jesse called for his youngest, David, who was out in the field shepherding. When he came in God told Samuel that this was His anointed! At last one whose heart was for God and would follow in His paths.

David showed this faith in God in his defeat of Goliath along with his continued deliverance of Israel from their enemies. As God had rejected Saul as king, He was setting David up. Yet Saul sought to kill David for this. Despite his efforts, David was delivered from Saul and eventually was set as king over Israel after Saul died. It was at this time as king that David chose to build a house for God. Further showing his love and appreciation for God. Yet God returned this kindness back to David with a covenant to build David a house, one that would last forever.

2 Samuel 7:8-17
8 “So now, thus you shall say to My servant David, ‘Thus says Yahweh of hosts, “I Myself took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, to be ruler over My people Israel.
9 “And I have been with you wherever you have gone and have cut off all your enemies from before you; and I will make you a great name, like the name of the great men who are on the earth.
10 “And I will appoint a place for My people Israel and will plant them, that they may dwell in their own place and not be disturbed again; and the unrighteous will not afflict them any more as formerly,
11 even from the day that I commanded judges to be over My people Israel; and I will give you rest from all your enemies. Yahweh also declares to you that Yahweh will make a house for you.
12 “When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up one of your seed after you, who will come forth from your own body, and I will establish his kingdom.
13 “He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.
14 “I will be a father to him and he will be a son to Me; when he commits iniquity, I will reprove him with the rod of men and the strikes from the sons of men,
15 but My lovingkindness shall not be removed from him, as I removed it from Saul, whom I removed from before you.
16 “And your house and your kingdom shall endure before Me forever; your throne shall be established forever.”’”
17 According to all these words and according to all this vision, so Nathan spoke to David.

The descendant, or seed, of David is going to have an established kingdom that will last forever. Along with this is complete peace from all their enemies where they wouldn’t be disturbed and this seed will build a house for God.

David’s life was not perfect and he would go on to sin and be punished by God; yet, he always repented and turned back to God. Due to this God did not allow David to build Him a house so David planned for his son Solomon to do so. David set things in order so that the promises God gave him would be seen through his son Solomon. David even prayed and wrote a song about this to his son.

Psalms 72:1-20
1 Of Solomon. O God, give the king Your judgments, And Your righteousness to the king’s son.
2 May he render judgment to Your people with righteousness And Your afflicted with justice.
3 Let the mountains lift up peace to the people, And the hills, in righteousness.
4 May he give justice to the afflicted of the people, Save the children of the needy, And crush the oppressor.
5 Let them fear You while the sun endures, And as long as the moon, from generation to all generations.
6 May he come down like rain upon the mown grass, Like showers that water the earth.
7 May the righteous flourish in his days, And abundance of peace until the moon is no more.
8 May he also have dominion from sea to sea And from the River to the ends of the earth.
9 Let the desert creatures kneel before him, And his enemies lick the dust.
10 Let the kings of Tarshish and of the coastlands bring a present; The kings of Sheba and Seba offer tribute.
11 And let all kings bow down to him, All nations serve him.
12 For he will deliver the needy when he cries for help, The afflicted also, and him who has no helper.
13 He will have compassion on the poor and needy, And the lives of the needy he will save.
14 He will redeem their life from oppression and violence, And their blood will be precious in his sight;
15 So may he live! And may they give to him the gold of Sheba; And let each pray for him continually; Let each bless him all day long.
16 May there be abundance of grain in the earth on top of the mountains; May its fruit wave like the cedars of Lebanon; And may those from the city blossom like vegetation of the earth.
17 May his name endure forever; May his name increase as long as the sun shines; Let all nations be blessed in him; Let all nations call him blessed.
18 Blessed be Yahweh God, the God of Israel, Who alone works wondrous deeds.
19 And blessed be His glorious name forever; And may the whole earth be filled with His glory. Amen, and Amen.
20 The prayers of David, the son of Jesse, are completed.

However, this dominion from sea to sea, the abundance of grain, and enduring name would not be the end of Solomon as David prayed. Solomon would later choose to serve his wives and built temples to other gods. This greatly displeased God and this great enduring kingdom was not seen through Solomon. Instead of an everlasting kingdom, Solomon was told that his kingdom would be split between ten tribes (called Israel) and two tribes (called Judah). Hardly an enduring kingdom of peace and prosperity. Yet God tells us that this affliction to the house of David is not going to last forever.

1 Kings 11:39
39 ‘Thus I will afflict the seed of David for this, but not always.’”

As the generations continued, the kings of Israel and Judah didn’t follow God with their whole hearts, continuing the affliction from God. Although one would come to complete these promises God gave to David. Just as David prayed, one who would be there for the afflicted and endure for ever with an abundance of peace: Jesus the Messiah!