I find it incredible that King David gets the reputation he does within our churches. This is the first time I have read the whole story of David and I found a plethora of examples that if it were anyone else, they would have been overlooked, if not only the areas of injustice David inflicted (1 Sam. 1:13-16; 25:39-44; 27:8-28:2; 30:1-21, 2 Sam 17), but the amount of attention he gets for reigning for a minimal amount of time, forty years. I think we need to re-evaluate the lofty level of importance we put on David. All throughout 1 and 2 Samuel we have this picture of someone who raided villages and killed men and women, stole all the possessions and kept them for himself or his people. I would need to do a further in depth study on this, but it doesn't add up. He begins with marrying 2 women right off the bat. This is quite alarming to those who want to take the Bible as literal. (You can't say this is different because it was a different culture and time without saying that about women's roles, Paul's letters, Jesus commands, etc...) The obvious Bathsheba in 1 Sam 17. I mean if you read both Samuels, it's scattered all over the place that David is causing unjust actions and creating a pretty screwed up form of leadership.
I just think it's interesting the level of claim and fame this guy gets for being a pretty awful man.
I just think it's interesting the level of claim and fame this guy gets for being a pretty awful man.
Yes, absolutely.
ReplyDeleteI hold David in high esteem because God holds David in high esteem.
ReplyDelete"But now your kingdom shall not continue. The LORD has sought out a man after his own heart, and the LORD has commanded him to be prince over his people, because you have not kept what the LORD commanded you.”"
(1 Samuel 13:14 ESV)
"And when he had removed him, he raised up David to be their king, of whom he testified and said, ‘I have found in David the son of Jesse a man after my heart, who will do all my will.’"
(Acts 13:22 ESV)
"And as for you, if you will walk before me, as David your father walked, with integrity of heart and uprightness, doing according to all that I have commanded you, and keeping my statutes and my rules, then I will establish your royal throne over Israel forever, as I promised David your father, saying, ‘You shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel.’"
(1 Kings 9:4-5 ESV)
"For I will defend this city to save it, for my own sake and for the sake of my servant David.”"
(Isaiah 37:35 ESV)
"Thus says the LORD: If I have not established my covenant with day and night and the fixed order of heaven and earth, then I will reject the offspring of Jacob and David my servant and will not choose one of his offspring to rule over the offspring of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. For I will restore their fortunes and will have mercy on them.”"
(Jeremiah 33:25-26 ESV)
""And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets—who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated—of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect. Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,"
(Hebrews 11:32-12:1 ESV)
Did David live a perfect life? No, nor did any saint in the bible. David's life displays blessing, sin and repentance. He is a testimony to the grace and mercy of God. I thank God for his merciful dealings with David and also with me, without which I would be hopelessly lost.
"Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God,
O God of my salvation,
and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness.
O Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth will declare your praise.
For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it;
you will not be pleased with a burnt offering.
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise."
(Psalm 51:14-17 ESV)
As for reigning a minimal amount of time - 40 years - what standard do you use for comparison? Alexander the Great assumed power when 20 years old and was dead at the age of 32. Julius Caesar reigned for 5 years. The great king Nebuchadnezzar reigned about 40 years. I think 40 years in power is quite incredible.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owNFDPIPoSk
ReplyDeleteTW thanks for your comments. For the record I have no problem with david being who he was. I was simply stating that all I ever hear about him is all the greatness that e was. If we're going I talk about him lets be honest about all of who he was. We hold this man up to be almost greater than Jesus. We use the phrase "a man after Gods own heart" to make David out to someone almost inhuman. All your quotes about David came from everyone but Jesus. Does that invalidate them? Of course not, but if I look at the people around that time that we have recorded in the Bible, Samuel and Jonathan seemed much more righteous than David by far. Upon my reading and taking a class right now that is focusing on this section curently I've realized there's more to David than what I've web told my whole life and what many others have been told. You can't have this David without the other. I don't tend to take the text as literal as it simply reads, so I will need to take in the context, culture, author, etc... So with all your verses I will need to look at the bigger narrative to see what is happening. Thanks again TW.
ReplyDeleteDavid paints the illustration that murders, adulterers, haters, etc. can be "saved" (not that I particularity like that term). I don't know the story well enough to know if David had a defining, saving moment with God. But, what I've always took from David's story was that in ones life, there can be hope and restoration even after he "raided villages and killed men and women, stole all the possessions and kept them for himself or his people." As I was reading your article, Ted Haggard from New Life Church popped in my head. As an attender of the church during the time of Ted's findings of gay relations, meth, etc., was he a done deal in God's eyes because he was doing awful things behind the scenes and hiding it from his huge congregation? What about all the great things Ted did to honor God and bless others during his simultaneous "secret affairs"? I still wrestle with the fact I sat through so many of Ted's sermons, believed them, but then found out he was doing things most of us wouldn't fathom of doing. David loved God, but didn't always obey God (just like me all too often!) But, in the end, you are right, he wasn't maybe as perfect as he's made out to be. As with anything in life, there are two sides to every story. Perhaps the church could use David's illustrations in a different light? Maybe as an example of God's grace/mercy and not just a great man who did all great things?
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