Today on the verdict with Pastor John Monroe. Essential to a godly king is knowing the law and obeying the law. And so Saul is set aside. And on to the scene comes this unlikely character. called David, the appointment of David as king.
David was a very unlikely choice as king. Welcome to the Verdict, featuring the Bible teaching of Pastor John Monroe. Today on the verdict, we're continuing our study on the life of David by considering his role as king. Will explore key moments from his reign and the qualities of his faith, which led this mere shepherd boy to become Israel's greatest king and a man after God's own heart.
So let's join Pastor John Monroe as he begins part two of a lesson titled David the King. Last time in our study of the life of David, we began to consider David as a king. Previously, we learned as we looked at the Davidic covenant that David's kingship would never end. and his throne would last forever. It's true, David fell into deep sin.
But he claimed the restoration of God. The Divine commentary is still, That David is a man after God's own heart.
So we're going to continue to see David fungsteng as the divinely appointed king. And that's not always easy. But David's greater son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the root and the descendant of David, will reign forever. I know you'll find this interesting as we think of David the King. who prefigures the great eternal King, our Lord Jesus Christ.
David is brought in. And Samuel realizes this. is the Lord's Anointed. And he anoints him with oil in the midst of his brothers. And so here is David anointed king, but for many years rejected.
Rejected as king. Anointed but rejected. by his people. And those of us who follow Jesus, will know something. of rejection.
Some of you know what it is to be rejected by your own family because you're following Jesus.
Some of you know what it is to be rejected by friends. Perhaps Colleagues at work.
Now that you're working ethically. There is often a rejection, isn't there? Don't be surprised. In a sense, be glad of it because it means that you're making an impact, and David knew what it was. anointed by God to be rejected.
But then finally, in God's timing, He becomes king not only of Israel, but also. of Judah. Turn over to 2 Samuel. Chapter five, Second Samuel. Chapter Yeah.
You recall that Saul And these sons are killed. At the end of 1 Samuel. By the Philistines. Second Samuel. Chapter five.
Then all the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron. and said, Behold, we are your bone and flesh. In times past, when Saul was king over us, It was you who led out and brought in Israel. And the Lord said to you, You shall be shepherd of my people Israel. and you shall be prince over Israel.
David is the great shepherd.
Okay. Just like our Lord, isn't it? David. is a type, is a picture. of Jesus who is the good shepherd, the perfect king.
David himself. It's not just a king. This is not an autocrat. This is not someone Ruling from afar, as it were. No, he is a person who is a Shepherd.
Who loves and cares for the people? And they saw that. How different from Saul. Who was concerned about himself and his own reputation? They said, No, you shall be shepherd of my people, Israel, and you shall be prince over.
Israel, verse 3.
So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron. and King David made a covenant with them at Hebron. Hebron's to the site of Jerusalem. Uh Before the Lord. And they anointed David king over Israel.
Hebron is where. you'll you may recall is for Abraham. uh is buried. And they anointed David king over Israel. You see, the people saw that David had a proven track record of leadership.
He's a strong warrior king. Yes, he can defeat Goliath. Yes, he goes and decimates the Philistines. He's a man who's fearless, a man who's strong, a mighty warrior. But also a tender Shepherd.
Perhaps a rare combination. In a man. But what magnificent qualifications for a leader, a spiritual leader, and for a king to be a strong leader, to be a warrior, to be unafraid, but also the tenderness of a shepherd. And so the elders of Israel come. And David is anointed king.
He's 30 when that happens. He reigns over Judah from Hebron for seven and a half years.
Now, verse four. of Second Samuel 5. David was thirty years old. When it began to rain And he reigned forty years. At Hebron, he reigned over Judah seven years and six months, and at Jerusalem, He reigned over all Israel and Judah.
33. Years. And the king and his men went to Jerusalem against the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land, who said to David, You shall not come in here, but the blind and the lame will ward you off, thinking, David can't come in here. Nevertheless, David took the stronghold of Zion. That is The city.
of David. And David said on that day, Whoever would smite the Jebusites, let him get up the water shaft to attack the lame and the blind, who are hated by David's soul. Therefore it is said, The blind and the lame shall not come into the house. And David lived in the stronghold and called it the city of David. And David built the city all around from the Milo inward.
And David became greater and greater and greater. For the Lord, the God of hosts was with him. Verse 12, and David knew. That the Lord had established him king over Israel. See the confidence he has in God?
And that he had exalted his kingdom for the sake of his people. Israel.
So here is David. He's anointed. King of Judah in Hebron. And he realizes that the Jebusites have this very important place that we now call Jerusalem. And he sees it as an ideal capital.
The Jebusites secure on the mountain. comprising what we now call Jerusalem. They're very secure. They think even the blind, even the lame, can hold this and defeat this. And uh we read here In verse eight, That they come up the water shaft.
You can read the particulars in First Chronicles 11. Uh some of us, was it last year we were in in in uh Jerusalem, in the city of David. And uh We saw uh the the structure of the water shaft. and of the water coming down to the spring of the Gihon. And so Joab, one of the mighty men, who becomes commander of David's army goes up the water shaft.
And in that way, he penetrates. into Jerusalem and Jerusalem is captured and the Jebusites are defeated. And David makes this city, now called the city of David, it's called that to this day. Zion is the other name. You've heard of Zionism, this is where it comes from.
He makes it the capital. of the nation. He builds his palace there. It's the city of David. and just a short distance to the north.
Solomon is going to build his temple. Notice again, verse 10. And David became greater and greater, for the Lord. The God of hosts was with him. Do you feel you're getting stronger and stronger as a Christian?
I hope you do. Do you feel that? Or are you withering? Are you stale? How is it that we could become stronger and stronger in our faith?
Because the Lord. is with us. David is a man who's following the word of God. David is a man who's sensitive to the Spirit of God and he builds his palace there. And did you notice as I read that David recognized it was the Lord who had established him king over Israel.
He's going to say in his magnificent prayer, all things come of you. And of thine own have we given thee. David realizes that everything he is and has comes from the mighty hand of God. And that creates in him a great confidence in God, but also a great humility. And there he builds his palace.
to be king over Israel. And that God had exalted his kingdom for the sake, not of David's sake, but for the sake of his people Israel. Verse 2. Twelve. He realizes that his position as king is not for his personal enrichment.
but is for the sake of the people. And there David Rules. For almost thirty-three years from Jerusalem. the capital. Jerusalem becomes not just the military, religious, and national capital of the city, it becomes, it's referred to throughout scripture, as the city.
Yeah. Listen to Psalm. 87 for example. It's not written by David, but it's a Psalm of the Sons of Korah, a psalm. Psalm 87, verse 1 on the holy mount.
stands the city he founded. What's the Holy Mount? Jerusalem. It's on a mountain. Notice this verse 2.
The Lord loves the gates of Zion more than all the dwelling places of Jacob. Glorious things of you are spoken, O city of God. Yes, the tribes are scattered throughout Israel. They're all in their tents. But the Lord loves the gates of Zion more than all the dwelling places of Jacob.
What's the point? Ah, because it is in Jerusalem. That is the place of the name. It's there the tabernacle is pitched. It's there the temple is going to be built.
It's there that the tribes are going to come at least three times a year up to Jerusalem to render their worship and their praise to God. And it began. with this mighty defeat of the Jebusites. Under the strategy of this great king David. And there Jerusalem becomes the city.
And it is in Jerusalem. that our Savior dies. It's in Jerusalem that our Savior is buried. And it is in Jerusalem where our Savior rises again. And today, Jerusalem is recognized as one of the greatest, if not the greatest cities.
of the world, the very center of the world. Every day, certainly every week. There is news about Jerusalem. It's not the largest city. London's bigger.
New York's bigger. Many said he's beggar. Ah, but Jerusalem is at the very center. Benjamin Disraeli, the former British Prime Minister, said of Jerusalem: the view of Jerusalem is the history of the world. It is more.
It is the history of heaven and earth. And throughout Scripture we have innumerable mentions of Jerusalem. And it is from Jerusalem. Our Lord Jesus Christ in fulfilment of the Davidic Covenant will rule as king. During the wonderful Messianic kingdom.
And the new Jerusalem, the city of God, is going to come down. out of heaven to Earth. It's also a Jerusalem for the final battle of the Lord is fought. Zechariah 42.
Sorry, Zechariah 14 verse 2. For I will gather This is in the last days, all of the nations against Jerusalem to. Battle. Why is there so much in today's news about Israel. And about Jerusalem.
Incidentally, I thought it was wonderful that our government Not too long ago, recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. It's been the capital for 3,000 years. Taken by David. Of course it's the capital. And it is there.
That when our Lord Jesus returns, He's going to reign. When he returns, With power and glory, where does he come to? Not in New York. Not to Charlotte. Not to Edinburgh.
Not a new daily. But to Jerusalem. Zechariah 14, verses 8 to 9. On that day, this is when our Savior returns, the King of kings and Lord of Lords, on that day, living waters shall flow out from Jerusalem. Half of them to the Eastern Sea, that's the Dead Sea.
and half of them to the Western Sea, obviously the Mediterranean. And notice what it says here, and the Lord will be king over all the earth. On that day the Lord will be one and his name. One. How wonderful.
Beginning. Three thousand years ago. When this young king 37 years old or so. Goes and makes Jerusalem as a capital, builds his palace there, and reigns as the mightiest king. of Israel.
ruling as a shepherd king for 40 years, seven and a half years in Hebron. and the remainder from Ju Jerusalem. Let me read finally with you. Sam Seventy-eight. Versus sixty Seven.
Sorry. Psalm 78 verses 70 through 72. The last two. Three verses. of some Seventy-eight.
I hope this will encourage you. Here we see the sovereign hand of God. taking this unknown shepherd boy From the little town of Bethlehem From the sheepfalls and bringing him into this wonderful position. As king. Psalm 78:70.
He chose David his servant. Who did the choosing? God. He chose David his servant and took him from the sheepfolds. From following the nursing ewes, he brought him.
to shepherd Jacob his people, Israel his inheritance. He's moved from shepherding sheep to shepherding people. with upright heart. Notice the emphasis on heart. He's a man after God's own heart.
With upright heart, he shepherded them. and guided them with his skillful hand. Is that what you want? I want to have an upright heart. and skillful hands.
Whatever your ministry is, there's no kings here. We bow before King Jesus. But as you serve him, Do you work in the nursery? As you teach Sunday school. as you greet people, as you usher.
As you go out into the community, what do we want? We want upright hearts. We want to be men and women of integrity. But we also want to have skill. That As God uses you.
In whatever field you are, you want skill. We want skillful musicians. We want skillful ushers, we want skillful Sunday school teachers, we want skillful missionaries, skillful evangelists, skillful elders and pastors. What's your response? Do you think of David, this remarkable story that I've just captured uh very very quickly and very superficially.
Let me say it. to all of us. Let God Be gods. in your life. You begun recently to follow Jesus Christ.
You got no idea where God will lead you or guide you? I didn't. I thought I had my life planned out for me. I like to plan. I'd have an idea what's happening.
I like to write out my goals. But God often has other plans, doesn't he? Like God Be God. Trust God. Wait on God.
You feel, well, there doesn't seem much happening in my life. That may be true. but it tends to your heart. And whatever you do, Do it with skill. to the glory of God.
You may feel you're a bit of an unentity and no one knows you. That may be true, but God knows you, God sees you, and God has a plan for you. And God takes the most unlikeliest people, doesn't he? And uses him for his glory. In that culture, who would have thought that the youngest son?
We'd be the king. In that culture it would have been the eldest son more likely. Not the one who's looking after sheep. That was the task of the youngest. But as David is looking after sheep.
He's not just looking after sheep. He's deepening his trust. In the Lord. He's having a heart that's open to God. He's trusting God as he takes on that bear and that lion.
And as a musician, perhaps he was composing. A song to the Lord. And as he played his harp, he was playing it to the Lord. Yes. perhaps unknown other than his very, very small Community, but God was watching him, and in God's time, God takes him from the sheepfold, and eventually.
Takes a while with the rejection of the wilderness. Eventually, He becomes The great king. Of Israel.
So trust God. Serve the Lord the Lord's way. Wait on God and for His timing. Speaking personally, one of the toughest Things that I ever have to do is to wait. I don't like to wait.
My appointment The dentist is at 2 o'clock. I don't like to wait till 20. win. You're 210. I like to be on time.
I don't like to wait. And to wait on God. To not be sure how God is going to use us is often difficult. Waiting on God in an illness. Waiting in God's For an occupation, you've lost your job and you're waiting on God.
Waiting on God for a godly spouse. These are difficult things for most of us, aren't they? But learn from David. God's timing is perfect, and be humble. And God gives us this book, the Bible.
not only to feed our souls, but to instruct us. And those of us who are in leadership, As Israel's kings had to do, particularly have a responsibility to follow scripture. Paul writes to Timothy in 1 Timothy 3, verse 15, that we, Timothy, you know how to. How one ought to behave in a household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth. That is all of us.
Particularly for those of us in leadership, but all of us must do the Lord's work. In the Lord's way. For the Lord's glory. Will you do that? And God will bless you.
And God can take just one little stone. to kill A giant. Will you trust God? To use you And what may be an impossible situation. You come here and you're a bit discouraged.
You're not quite sure what your future is.
Well, you trust God. God sees you. Perhaps you're not getting much encouragement from us here. I'm sorry about that. But God knows you.
Resist the devil. There's always giants. There's individuals like Gliath. There's difficult people sometimes over us like Saul. But resist the devil, and he'll flee from you.
Stand fast against the forces of darkness. Clothed with the armor of God. Don't trust in yourself. Don't go ahead of God. Be vigilant.
And God will use you mightily. as he did this young man. coming from the sheep holes. to be this magnificent shepherd. and king.
Father, we bow. before King Jesus. And I pray. That You will use us. For your glory.
Help each of us to submit to your will. Help us to be ready to serve you. May we have integrity of heart. May we serve you with skillful hands, we pray. Protect us and use us as weak Father.
As we proclaim and display our Lord Jesus Christ. and demonstrate Your love to us, to others. In Christ's name. Amen. This is the verdict with Pastor John Monroe.
And the final part of a two-day message titled, David the King. And as we continue our study on the life of David, we want to make sure you get your own copy of the new listening guide Jonas put together for this series. With content specially designed for each of these daily lessons, this printable workbook will equip you with keynotes, questions, and specific prompts to help you apply the Biblical teaching from the life of David to your own life to day.
So don't miss out on this valuable free resource. Reach out and download your copy of the Life of David Listening Guide today. by going online to the verdict.org. While you're exploring the website, take a moment to join John's monthly email updates. It's your direct line to exclusive insights and advanced previews of what's coming next on the verdict.
If you've been following the Verdict podcast, you're already familiar with John's thoughtful Avizandam episodes that release each Tuesday. These conversations have become essential listening for many as John wrestles with current issues and cultural questions through a biblical lens, taking the deliberate approach that Scottish law calls avizandam. It's the kind of careful reflection our fast-paced world desperately needs.
So make sure you're subscribed to the Verdict Podcast. We also want you to know that you're always welcome to experience this teaching firsthand by joining us at Calvary Church in Charlotte, North Carolina. Our Sunday services offer the same commitment to scripture-centered worship that draws you to the verdict. along with the warmth of real Christ-centered community. Learn more about visiting us at theverdict.org.
And now, here's Pastor Jean Monroe with closing remarks.
Well, what's your verdict? What do you think of David as king? More importantly, are you part of the kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ? When Jesus began his public ministry, he said, Repent. For the kingdom of God is at hand.
With the arrival of the king, the kingdom has come. But although the kingdom has come, it hasn't yet come in its fullness.
So we pray, your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Today. Bow before King Jesus. Love and serve him with all of your heart.
Thanks for joining us today on The Verdict. I'm Michelle Davies. Today's program with Pastor John Monroe was produced and sponsored by Calvary Church in Charlotte, North Carolina.
