David, a Type of Jesus Christ

Davids witness of faith - Part 1:

The Spirit of the Lord came upon David when Samuel anointed him with oil, 1 Samuel 16:1313 Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.

13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.

. (According to The Students Commentary by George Williams, page 152, it is generally accepted that David was about 15 years at this time.) The next verse states that the Spirit departed from Saul and an evil spirit began to trouble him, 1 Samuel 16:1414 But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him.

. The Scripture then informs that Sauls servants told him they should seek out someone to play the harp when the evil spirit came upon him and this would make him well. Saul told them to do it, Then answered one of the servants, and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, that is cunning in playing, and a mighty valiant man, and a man of war, and prudent in matters, and a comely person, and the LORD is with him. 1 Samuel 16:15 - 1815 And Saul's servants said unto him, Behold now, an evil spirit from God troubleth thee.

16 Let our lord now command thy servants, which are before thee, to seek out a man, who is a cunning player on an harp: and it shall come to pass, when the evil spirit from God is upon thee, that he shall play with his hand, and thou shalt be well.

17 And Saul said unto his servants, Provide me now a man that can play well, and bring him to me.

18 Then answered one of the servants, and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, that is cunning in playing, and a mighty valiant man, and a man of war, and prudent in matters, and a comely person, and the LORD is with him.

. The fact the Scripture recorded these events in succeeding verses might lead one to believe they occurred in sequence and contemporaneously. However, it is unlikely David could have gained the reputation to which Sauls servant refers in verse 18 prior to the time Samuel anointed him.

Davids own father must not have considered him a candidate to be anointed because after reviewing the sons Jesse presented Samuel had to ask him if he had any others. Jesse answered that his youngest (David) was tending sheep, 1 Samuel 16:88 Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, Neither hath the LORD chosen this.

11. If David had a reputation for being a mighty valiant man; a man of war; prudent in matters, etc., his own father would surely have considered him a candidate for being anointed in the first place.

The point of this is that David did not earn the reputation of being cunning in playing, and a mighty valiant man, and a man of war, and prudent in matters on his own, that is, before The Spirit of the Lord came upon him. He was given the wherewithal to earn this reputation by the Spirit of God upon the anointing by Samuel. Also, it is most likely that it was after The Spirit of God came upon David that he killed the lion and bear that attacked his fathers flock of sheep as described in 1 Samuel 17:3434 And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father's sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock:

36. David himself did not claim credit for this but instead gave God credit, 1 Samuel 17:3737 David said moreover, The LORD that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said unto David, Go, and the LORD be with thee.

. Gods men and women in the Old Testament who performed miraculous deeds did so after the Lord spoke to them and/or Gods Spirit came upon them. Why would David be any different? Therefore, there must have been a gap in time between Davids receiving the Spirit upon anointing and when he was called to Sauls court. During that time, however long, David killed a lion and a bear and had the opportunity to do whatever to earn his reputation for being cunning in playing, and a mighty valiant man, and a man of war, and prudent in matters.

He could have been called into Sauls army for service for a period notwithstanding that he was back caring for his fathers sheep when called to Sauls court, 1 Samuel 16:19 & 2019 Wherefore Saul sent messengers unto Jesse, and said, Send me David thy son, which is with the sheep.

20 And Jesse took an ass laden with bread, and a bottle of wine, and a kid, and sent them by David his son unto Saul.

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After being anointed by Samuel and receiving the Spirit the next event recorded in the Scriptural account is his encounter with an evil spirit: And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took an harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him. 1 Samuel 16:2323 And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took an harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.

23 And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took an harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.

. Music can influence for good or evil and David was blessed as a musician. He went on to write many of the Psalms and he most likely composed the music to face down the evil spirit tormenting King Saul.

The chronology of Davids experience points to the Man of Whom he was a type for just as he was introduced as being anointed and the Spirit of the Lord coming upon him, 1 Samuel 16:13 and then encountering the evil spirit upon Saul, 1 Samuel 16:23 so it was when Jesus Christ was introduced into public life: And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. Matthew 3:16 - 4:1.

The evil spirit harassing Saul was not Gods evil spirit because God has none such. God does not tempt man, Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: James 1:1313 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:

, but God has, can and does allow mankind to be tempted by Satan and his minions.

He did so in Sauls case placing David in position to face an evil spirit and He did so when His Son, The Man Jesus Christ was led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted. The Spirit led Jesus to the place but the devil himself did the tempting.

These Faith Studies have been and are written from by my personal study of the Bible however I occasionally use various commentaries for background facts and insights and always attempt to attribute to those to whom they belong. As we open this series on David I found something in George Williams Students Commentary on the Holy Scriptures in his introduction to the Psalms that should be considered and it is quoted verbatim, as follows:

The Holy Spirit trained the writers of the Psalms; but He was their Author (Acts 1:1616 Men and brethren, this scripture must needs have been fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake before concerning Judas, which was guide to them that took Jesus.

; 2:25 & 30; Hebrews 3:77 Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice,

). Hence He says that no Scripture is of human origination (2 Peter 1:2020 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.

), but that all scripture is of Divine Inspiration (2 Timothy 3:1616 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

). The Book of the Psalms is a volume of prophecy; its principal predictions concern the perfections, the sufferings and the succeeding glories of Messiah.

God having been dishonored by human unbelief and disobedience, it was necessary that a man should be born who would perfectly love, trust and serve Him; and Who would be the True Adam, Noah, Abraham, Israel, Moses, and David, etc. Gods moral glory demanded that sin should be judged; that sinners should repent, confess and forsake sin and worship and obey Him; and being God His nature required perfection in these emotions of the heart and will. Such perfection was impossible to fallen man, and it was equally out of his power to provide a sacrifice that could remove his guilt and restore his relationship with God.

The Psalms reveal Christ as satisfying in these relationships all the Divine requirements. He, though Himself sinless, declares Himself in these Psalms to be the sinner; and He expresses to God the abhorrence of sin accompanied by the repentance and sorrow which man ought to feel and express but will not and cannot. Similarly the faith, love, obedience and worship which man fails to give He perfectly renders.

Thus as the High Priest of His people He, the True Advocate, charges Himself with the guilt of their sins; declares them to be His own; confesses them, repents of them, declaring at the same time His own sinlessness; and atones for them. Thus those Psalms in which the Speaker declares his sinfulness and his sinlessness become quite clear of comprehension when it is recognized Who the Speaker is.

Messiahs other offices and ministries as Son of God and Son of Man, as King and Priest, as Servant of Jehovah, as Angel of Jehovah, as the Word of God, and as the Burnt Offering the Meal Offering, the Peace Offering; and as the Resurrection and the Life, are all sung of, together with the sufferings or the glories appropriate to each office. The Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke & John) record the fact that He prayed; the Psalms furnish the words of the prayer. It may, therefore, in this aspect be justly regarded as a diary kept by the Lord when on earth in which are recorded His own experiences and experiences proper to those in whom He dwells.

The interpretation of the Book, therefore, belongs to Him as Messiah, to Israel as His people, and to the nations as His possession. Its application is to all who feel their need of a Savior from sin and from its consequences. As stated in Romans 16:2525 Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,

& Ephesians 3:55 Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;

, the Church, as such, does not appear in the Book. (The Students Commentary of the Holy Scriptures, pages 297 & 298.)