Douglas Jacoby Podcast

OT Characters: David

Episode Summary

Douglas continues his series on Old Testament Characters now exploring the story of David. Douglas shares what we can learn from David's life as well as what we can learn about God from his story. He also shares ideas for how to share this story with your kids.

Episode Notes

For additional notes and resources check out Douglas' website.

Hebrew words:

• Dawid or Daweed—David—has a meaning similar to "loveable." He was evidently a very likable person,
  • He was loved by Saul.
  • He was greatly loved by Jonathan.
  • Michal, Saul's daughter, falls in love with him.
• Appears 1137x in the Bible, compared to Abraham (309x) and even Jesus (918x), who is often called the "Son of David"

Further study / review:

• Passages mentioned or read this podcast
  • Ruth 4; 1 Samuel 16:11-13
  • 1 Samuel 16; 17; 18; 23:16; 24; 26; 25; 27; 30:6; 2 Samuel 1; 5:5; 6; 7; 1 Chronicles 28; 2 Samuel 9; 10; 11-12; 13+; 2-; 23; 24; 1 Kings 1; 2:20; Acts 2:34
  • Isaiah 66:2
• Apocryphal Psalm 151
  • Shorter version:  My hands made a harp, my fingers fashioned a lyre / And who will declare it to my Lord? The Lord himself; it is he who hears / It was he who sent his messenger and took me from my father's sheep, and anointed me with his anointing oil / My brothers were handsome and tall, but the Lord was not pleased with them / I went out to meet the Philistine, and he cursed me by his idols / But I drew his own sword; I beheaded him, and removed reproach from the people of Israel.
  • Longer version: see 11QPsa (also called 11Q5)
• Acts 13:22 captures the heart of this great man of God.
  • The Davidic Messianic hope
  • Always viewed the as ideal king.
  • Messiah to be a son of David.
  • David to return (Ezekiel 34), good shepherd (Zechariah 12:7 -- other vv. in Zechariah 12-13)
  • In Jesus’ genealogy (Matthew 1:6).
  • Jesus is called “Son of David” – Matthew, Mark, Luke.
  • Mentioned in NT Matthew-Luke; Acts; Romans 1:3, 4:16, 11:9; 2 Timothy 2:8; Hebrews 4:7, 11:32; Revelation 3:7, 5:5, 22:16.
• There are 3 separate introductions to David:
  • (1) Anointing by Samuel, the man of God.
  • (2) Before Goliath, the blasphemous Philistine warrior.
  • (3) Before Saul, the manic depressive.
• He loses his family.
  • This begins with the consequences of his adultery.
  • Note that David had already been an "absentee father" to his children, much like his own father, Jesse.
• In the final scene, he is an old man, cold and alone (for a while) in bed.
  • In 1 Kings 1:1, he is old—but still referred to as "king."
  • In 1 Kings 2:1, he is only a man dying before God.

Some things we learn about God:

• God seeks in us a responsive heart. He knows we will lapse; our willingness to come back to him is what he seeks. See Jeremiah 8:4.
• We respond to God through his word, and to input for our lives based on his word, channeled through others.
• The Lord sometimes combines gifts of leadership and music in his servants
• God forgives us, but there are still consequences to our sin. He does not “forget.”
• God will use a man or woman of deep conviction. God makes us strong, bold, and capable when we are close to him.

For kids:

• Rework the script of 1 Samuel 17, making it child-friendly. Assign the parts:
  • Saul, who is the king and should be leading the charge but it having young David do the work.
  • Goliath, who is rude and very tall.
  • David, who is offended for God’s sake and is taking a stand for truth.
  • Extra characters: Goliath’s armor-bearer and cowering Israelite soldiers.
• Then act out the parts. Have fun!
• Talk about what you learned.
  • How would you have felt if you had been on the battlefield? Would you have been brave enough to challenge the Philistine giant?
  • What kind of person was David? Saul? Goliath?
  • David took a stand. How do we sometimes need to take a stand? (Do the right think even when others aren’t doing it, and it’s hard. At school (play-group)? In the neighborhood? Even at church?
• Tell the kids that David is mentioned more than 1000x in the Bible. And that he is called “a man after God’s own heart.” And that Jesus is also known as the “Son of David.” He is not just his great great… grandson, but also another individual who was very brave, and cherished his relationship with God.
• Pray as a family.

Key verses:

• 1 Samuel 16:13 -- anointed king for his godly heart.
• 1 Samuel 17:51-- slays Goliath.
• 2 Samuel 11:1ff -- affair with Bathsheba.
• 2 Samuel 12:13 -- accepts Nathan’s correction.
• 2 Samuel 24:1ff -- census, punishment, humble response, and sacrifice.
• Psalm 51 (most famous Psalm)