David was a man who had a song in his heart even in the
worst of circumstances. He was a man who was possessed by God and His Spirit.
David certainly was a learned man—one who was probably schooled well, and would
have know the success of intellectual knowledge, but David was also prepared in
a different school than this one from which you are graduating from today. And
truly if you are going to be someone for God, if your are going rise above this
world—even if the foundations be destroyed, you must also graduate from this
school! It is the school of trusting God, and experiencing His constant
presence.
David became King of Israel when he was 30 years old—he was
not much older than I am. Yet God did not elevate him to be King because of his
physical stature or his winning personality. David was King of Israel because
God knew David’s trust was in Him and David was experiencing His constant
presence. And so, God entrusted him not only with the Kingdom of Israel, but
also to be a type of the Messiah, Jesus Christ Himself. In fact, Jesus took on
Him the very Name: THE SON OF DAVID!
David is a man that God used—that is why he is known around
the world today. I would venture to say that at any moment in time in the whole
earth, even right now as we speak of him, God is using David’s example in other
Christian’s lives. Maybe there is someone in India that is reading of his
victory over Goliath, or a missionary in Africa leading a congregation in one
of his Psalms in worship to God. Certainly at this moment there are God’s
ministers right now lifting up the Christ that David so often spoke of in these
Psalms.
David knew God well during those 30 years before he was
king. It was also 30 years before the Saviour began His ministry, and in that
time span we find 3 stages of life for David: We find him as a SHEPHERD in the
COUNTRY tending sheep, and learning the presence of God. It was there that he
learned to trust God, and he slew a lion and a bear. A little shepherd boy
trusted God, and God took that trust and turned that SHEPHERD into a SOLDIER as
we see David slaying Goliath, and that is when God took David from the COUNTRY
to the COURT of King Saul.
It could have been just great for David to be content in the
COURT of Saul, but God had anointed him
King in the place of Saul. It was there that you would think David would learn
to be the King, but God had other plans. In order to prove David in the school
of His presence, God took David from being a SHEPHERD in the COUNTRY to being a
SOLDIER in the King’s COURT, and finally to being a STRANGER in the CAVE.
David
was hunted by the King of Israel, and here we find a beautiful Psalm written
during the this time.
Let
us read what David said during probably the most confusing time in his life:
Psalm 11
1 In the LORD put I my trust: how say ye to my soul, Flee as a bird to
your mountain?
2
For, lo, the wicked bend their bow, they make ready their arrow upon the
string, that they may privily shoot at the upright in heart.
3
If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?
4
The LORD is in his holy temple, the LORD’S throne is in heaven: his eyes
behold, his eyelids try, the children of men.
5
The LORD trieth the righteous: but the wicked and him that loveth violence his
soul hateth.
6
Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible
tempest: this shall be the portion of their cup.
7
For the righteous LORD loveth righteousness; his countenance doth behold the
upright.
Look
very closely at Verse 3: If the foundations be destroyed, what can the
righteous do?
No comments :
Post a Comment