All the tribes of Israel claimed a natural inheritance in David as their king. .
so they assembled at Hebron, meaning association. They longed to unite the 12 tribes of which Saul and later Ishbosheth , his son, had been king of 10 and David over 2 tribes. Ishbosheth had been killed, while Mephibosheth, Jonathan’s son had become incapacitated during a fall. They must have God’s man to rule over them. So must we.
‘We are your bone and your flesh’ was their claim, which was first used in the creation of man and woman in the garden. This order is followed through the Old Testament, but reversed in the New Testament, where Paul writes in Ephesians 5: 30 that ‘we are members of His body, of His flesh and bones.’ They actually meant that you, David, were one with us in natural succession, for the ‘bone ‘ speaks of enduring strength, ( the eternal nature ) while ‘flesh’ tells of the sensitive, responsive nature of mankind. Our flesh has nerves, blood vessels, arteries and veins, lymph, with muscles while all is covered with sensitive skin.
David , you have proven to be a capable leader’,( v2 )they said, ‘Also in time past, when Saul was king over us, you led Israel out and brought them in’. They recognised David’s extraordinary leadership now that Saul had died and his son also. David had risked his life, leading the armies, watched jealously by King Saul, who threatened his life on occasions. ‘Saul has slain his thousands, David his ten thousands,’ they cheered. Now the crisis demanded that David be their leader. Our Lord Jesus not only risked but sacrificed his life, as He led us in such a great salvation. It is time to say so in our personal walk with the living God.
They addressed David, ‘You shall feed ( or shepherd) my people Israel’ ( v2) The Hebrew word ‘raah’ is a beautiful word for it is linked with God Himself as ‘Jehovah Raah ‘ , the Lord is my shepherd. A shepherd pastures, tends, grazes and feeds his flock. This they expected from the new king David, even as our Lord Jesus fulfilled these requirements perfectly as the Good Shepherd. And so the Old Testament agrees perfectly with the New Testament.
How tenderly the dear Lord said, ’You shall tend My sheep’. We are precious to our Lord and are constantly on His heart. ‘My’ speaks of our relationship to our beloved Lord, for we are His own. One day He will come for us as His bride.
Isaiah 40:11 reads, ‘He will feed His flock like a shepherd. He will gather His lambs in His arm, and carry them in His bosom, and gently lead them who are with young. This precious promise comforted my dear wife and me when our five-months old son died, called home to heaven. While the Verse is underlined in my bible, is is blazoned on our hearts.
Ezekiel surprisingly spoke of David and, by implication, our Lord Jesus ‘I will establish one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them – my servant David.
( 34:11) . What King David meant to the people of Israel, King David’s greater SON, our Lord Jesus, must mean to us. Our wise God illustrated that great men point beyond us to a great shepherd – and none greater than He.
One choice passage in Psalm 78:70 reads,‘ He also chose David His servant and took him from the sheep-folds. He brought him to shepherd Jacob his people and Israel, his inheritance. So he shepherded them according to the integrity of his heart, and guided them by the skilfulness of his hands.’ David served his apprenticeship with a flock of sheep – and lambs- and fended off a lion and tiger. God promoted him to care for His nation exactly as he had done in the fields. Our Lord Jesus served His human apprenticeship as a carpenter shaping wood which, as the Agriculturist of eternity, He had cultivated.
Our Good Shepherd has shepherded us with the integrity of His heart, even to Calvary suffering, and guided us into His resurrection life and power with skilful hands. The 1000 year old Psalm was fulfilled in our dear Lord.
I have just preached on father’s Day on ‘When your son asks you , say to him’ from Deuteronomy 6. A birthday celebration followed the service. My 80 plus years was eclipsed by a frail but saintly woman of 90 years, who radiated the Presence of the risen Lord. She had prayed for her family and had seen her God save every one of 3 generations. The secret? Aunty Flo knew and loved the Great Shepherd, Who had given her integrity and had guided her skilfully.
Only David was fit to lead them. He must command Israel. ( v2 ) Joshua in chapter 5 saw ‘ A man with a sword drawn’. ‘Are you for us or for our adversaries?’ he asked. ‘No. As Commander of the army of the Lord I have now come,’ He responded. Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and worshipped HIM. The Commander of the Lord’s army, even our glorious Lord Jesus, commanded Joshua to respect the holy ground, which he promptly obeyed. We do not know if any of Joshua’s leaders saw the Lord. David visibly directed his army into victory, while our great Captain, the Lord Jesus as our invisible General, totally triumphed in the cross over the grave, death and sin.
Micah balances the greatness of the Lord with His ability to care for His own. (5:4 ) Earthly leaders mostly care for their own needs while caring little for the common people. ‘ Hitler showed no compassion for the millions of prisoners of war, while the centenarian Queen Mother of England moved lovingly among her people. Micah referred to our Saviour ‘ And He shall stand and feed His flock in the strength of the Lord. In the majesty of the name of the Lord his God. And they shall abide, for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth, for this One shall be the peace.’ In His royal splendour, He tenderly cares for and feeds His own. David qualified as a man, yet pointed clearly to our great Redeemer.
A colourful coronation followed as ‘All the elders came to the king at Hebron, and King David made a covenant with them at Hebron before the Lord. And they anointed David king over them at Hebron.’ ( v4 ) On palm Sunday the people of Jerusalem cried, ‘Hosanna, Hosanna, blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord.’ Our Lord shared the Passover meal with them , making a new covenant in the bread and cup, signifying His broken body and His precious blood shed on Calvary. Notice the strong link or type or foreshadowing of David's crowning with our dear Lord , crowned in His resurrection and ascension to heaven. So the Bible comes alive. David reigned forty years.
Have you made Jesus Christ, your Saviour, your undisputed King?