Many of the outstanding characters of the Old Testament foreshadow in different ways the Lord Jesus. Adam, it is written in Romans 5:14, "is the figure of Him that was to come"; being the head of a race, which partook of the results of his fall; even as Christ is the head of a race that partakes in all the blessings that have been procured by His death. Such as Noah, Isaac, Moses, Aaron, Joshua, David and Solomon, present some of the distinctions that belong in their perfection to Christ. The moral features of Joseph, as also his exalted place in Egypt, with a remarkable number of other details in his interesting course, speak forcibly of the Lord Jesus. In Noah we learn of the government entrusted to Christ; in Isaac of the beloved of the Father, who receives his bride after passing through death; in Moses of the prophet whom God would raise up for the deliverance of His people; in Aaron of the priesthood that Christ would exercise; in Joshua of the leader who would fight the battles of Jehovah; and in Solomon of the king who would reign in righteousness and glory.
David is not only a type of the Lord Jesus as the warrior king, but as the man after God's own heart. In the life of David there were many imperfections, and one very dark blot that cast its shadow upon the remainder of his life; but there were features that indicate to us the perfections of Jesus, and on these the heart delights to dwell, even if it is necessary for us to consider the failures so that we might learn that there was only One in whom there was no failure; only One who could say, "I do always those things that please Him" (John 8:29). But there were features in Christ, prophetically recorded, that were His alone. An example of this is found in Psalm 45, "Thou art fairer than the children of men: grace is poured into thy lips: therefore God hath blessed thee for ever." David may have been the fairest of his generation, but Jesus was fairer than all the children of men; all His inward springs poured grace into His lips, expressing what He was; and He is the One who is blessed for ever because of what He is and was down here.
When God had rejected Saul because of his disobedience to His commandment, He sent Samuel to the house of Jesse the Bethlehemite saying, "I have provided me a king among his sons." God did not indicate which of Jesse's sons was to be anointed, and when Eliab, the eldest of Jesse's sons came before Samuel, he said, "Surely the Lord's anointed is before Him." But the divine answer was most instructive, not only for Samuel and all present that day, but for us also; "Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the out-ward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart" (1 Sam. 16:7). Whatever the notable features of the first seven sons of Jesse, none of them had been chosen of God to rule over His people; but David, the youngest, who had not even been called, had to be sent for, for he was the one to be anointed.
Although God had said to Samuel concerning Eliab, "Look not on his countenance," yet, when David, the chosen of God, is described, his countenance is specially mentioned. It would seem that the Spirit of God in noting the appearance of David is not simply concerned with features naturally attractive, but rather with the moral traits indicated by them. The outward beauty in the case of David reflected the hidden beauty that delighted the heart of God, a beauty that pointed to the deep perfections of Christ. How different it was with Absalom! His outward beauty was deceptive; beneath the fair exterior were features that were despicable, arrogance, treachery and murder.
He was ruddy. The natural freshness and vigour of youth and early manhood were evident in the colour of David; but what is commended by the Spirit of God in him was offensive to Goliath and despised by him, for we read in verse 42 of the next chapter, "And when the Philistine looked about, and saw David, he disdained him: for he was but a youth, and ruddy, and of a fair countenance." The giant was unable to discern the lovely traits of moral worth that God took pleasure in, and that were reflected in his appearance. When the bride in the Canticles speaks of the perfections of her
Beloved, she says, "My Beloved is white and ruddy" (Song of Songs 5:10). She delights in the precious features that the Spirit of God discerned in David.
Withal of a beautiful countenance. The beautiful features of the Lord Jesus could not be seen by the leaders of Israel; their eyes had not been opened to see beauty that was the delight of His God and Father. Of this Isaiah had foretold when he wrote, "There is no beauty that we should desire Him" (Isa. 53:2). But there were those who were attracted by His beauty. The poor sinner of Luke 7, who washed His feet with tears in Simon's house had discernment far beyond anything known by Simon. Wherever we see the Son of God, whether surrounded by publicans and sinners, or His face shining as the sun on the glory mount, or on the cross with "His visage … marred more than any man," it is to behold the moral beauty that can only be seen by those in whose hearts God has wrought by His Spirit.
Goodly to look to. How goodly to look to was Jesus! Of John the Baptist it is recorded, "And looking at Jesus as He walked, he says, Behold the Lamb of God." John's heart was enraptured with the beauty that he beheld in Jesus, and it was this that brought from his lips the expression that evidently caused his two disciples to leave him and follow Jesus. Stephen teaches us that Jesus is goodly to look to where He is in heaven, for gazing upon Him there he was changed into the same image, reflecting His features as he died in testimony for Him; and we too are privileged to behold the glory of the Lord with unveiled face, and to "see Jesus" crowned with glory and honour.
Called to Serve Saul (1 Samuel 11:18)
When the Lord departed from Saul, and sent him an evil spirit, on the advice of his servants he sought a cunning player on the harp to charm away the evil spirit. One of Saul's young men knew of the very man who would answer to the requirements, and he gives a very remarkable testimony to David, indicating that he had watched David closely, and was intimately acquainted with his outstanding features. It was evident from his accurate description of David that the future king of Israel had early manifested the traits becoming to the high office for which God was preparing him.
A son of Jesse the Bethlehemite. There was nothing outstanding, so far as man could see, about his birth; but when we trace his genealogy, as given in Matthew's Gospel, how much there is to learn of God's ways in preparing His King, whether it be King David, or David's greater son, the Son of God. Although Jacob, when dying, had indicated that Judah was the royal tribe, it was not until David was anointed that the royal family came into evidence. None could have foreseen that David, the youngest in a family of eight sons, and that a family comparatively obscure, would be the one to sit upon Jehovah's throne. And who would have thought that the lowly Babe, born in Bethlehem's stable, was God's King; and that the little hand that appeared so weak would wield the sceptre of the universe, as it had formed the wide creation?
Who is skilled in playing. The skill that had been acquired in the obscurity of Bethlehem was now to be displayed in the presence of the king; and later, when David came to the throne, and instituted the service of song in the house of Jehovah, "the sons of Asaph under the direction of Asaph … prophesied at the direction of the king" (1 Chr. 25:2, 6). All was under the chief musicians, but they were controlled by the king, "the sweet Psalmist of Israel." The service of praise to God today is not with instruments of music as in David's day; but there is the praise in which God delights, and the One who leads the praise is Him who says, "In the midst of the assembly will I sing praise unto Thee" (Heb. 2:12).
And he is a valiant man. When David proposed to fight Goliath, he had to persuade Saul that he was able for the task, and he cited his battles with the lion and the bear. Saul was evidently unaware of David's prowess, even though he had been told before that he was "a valiant man." Indeed, after David had slain the giant, he was enquiring as to who he was, having evidently forgotten all about his service with the harp, and as his armour-bearer. But others knew that David was brave and fearless, and could bear witness before Saul as to him. And what shall we say about the Son of God? How valiant was He! Coming into a world of sin to meet all the deadly opposition of Satan and of his instruments, He met all, not in the spirit that men call brave but, with the meek and quiet confidence of dependence upon God for every phase and detail of His conflicts.
And a man of war. So far as we know, David had never been called upon to show himself a man of war; and even when the three eldest sons of Jesse followed Saul to battle, David returned from Saul to keep the sheep. But the young man who spoke of David to Saul had evidently discernment and judgment in so describing David. His overthrow of Goliath, and his history, prove how right the young man's judgment was. When Moses and the children of Israel celebrated the defeat of Pharaoh, they sang, "The Lord is a man of war"; and this they had seen. Our Lord Jesus met and defeated Satan and all his hosts; and the day is swiftly approaching when He shall come out of heaven upon a white horse, "and in righteousness He doth judge and make war" (Rev. 19:11). Before He introduces the blessings of His kingdom, it is necessary that the true David, the warrior King, should remove every opposing force, so that no evil will be able to raise its head during His reign in righteousness.
And skilled in speech. The Psalms of David attest to the excellence of his words, and his ability to speak what was pleasing to God. His "last words" reveal that the secret of his skill in speech was "The Spirit of the Lord spake by me, and His word was in my tongue" (2 Sam. 23:2). David's words were inspired of God, and he could also say, "The Rock of Israel spoke to me," for he also received communications from God. But when we listen to Jesus, how surpassing wonderful are His words. At Nazareth they wondered at the words of grace that proceeded out of His mouth. The men sent to take Him are compelled to return without Him, saying, "Never man spake like this man." Yet all His words were the words of the Father: He never claimed to be the source of His communications; as sent by the Father, He attributed both His words and His works to the Father.
And of good presence. There was a charm about David that had caused this young man to speak of him in this way: and later, Jonathan, the son of Saul came under David's charm, even facing his father's anger to speak well of David. What was true of David naturally was true of Jesus spiritually: there was a charm about Him personally, and about His words, that drew others to Him. When some left Him, and He challenged the disciples with the words, "Will ye also go away?" Simon Peter answered, "Lord to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life." Even in His death, Mary of Magdala refused to leave Him; and Saul of Tarsus, after years of devoted service to Him, desired that he might "know Him." Christ held his heart, so that he could say that he desired that Christ might be magnified, whether in his life or in his death.
And Jehovah is with him. This was David's greatest asset. All his natural ability and charm would have availed him little without the presence of Jehovah. We see this in Saul, who had so much that was naturally attractive, but when he lost the Spirit of the Lord, all his personal greatness was without avail. Of the blessed Lord Jesus we read in Acts 10 that He went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil "because God was with Him"; and when the hour drew near for Him to go to the cross, He said to His disciples, "Behold the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me" (John 16:32).
It is impossible to overestimate the value of considering the features of Christ as they are brought before us by the Spirit of God in the saints of Old Testament times. Sometimes it may be in the position or relationships in which the type is found that Christ is seen, as in Adam, who was the figure of Him to come; or as in Aaron, who prefigured Christ as God's High Priest. Often, the lovely moral traits that were found in their perfection in Christ are seen in some dim or feeble light in the saints of old, as in a Joseph, a Moses or a Daniel; but every ray of moral beauty, no matter how dim its shining, is delightful to contemplate if it brings Christ before us; for every feature of Christ in the saints brings pleasure to God. Every feature of grace and beauty that we can trace leads our hearts to Him in whom all were seen in their fulness and perfection, God's well-beloved Son in whom was found all His delight.
In spite of all the imperfections and failures that are to be found in the life of David, there were many lovely traits in him that bring Christ before us, traits that caused God to say, "I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will" (Acts 13:22). From the very first mention of David there was that which the Spirit of God viewed with pleasure, and at the close of his life his last words are pregnant with meaning as they point to Christ. Although his house did not answer to what God required of His king, yet his confidence was in the word of God, and his soul rested in the "everlasting covenant, ordered in all things and sure," that He had made with him; a covenant that did not depend on David's faithfulness, but on God's and that would be made sure in Christ risen from among the dead.
Although David had been made Saul's armour-bearer, his services were evidently not valued or required by Saul when the Philistines gathered together their armies to fight against Israel. Saul had evidently forgotten that one of his young men had described David to him as "a mighty valiant man, and a man of war" (1 Sam. 16:18). Yet David is content with his lot, whether it be in the service of the king, or looking after his father's interests, for we read, "But David went and returned from Saul to feed his father's sheep at Bethlehem."
David's obedience to his father. There is no indication of David fretting among the sheepfolds, or resenting being absent from the armies of Israel; and at the bidding of his father he is content to be his messenger to take food to his brethren and a present to their captain, and to bring back tidings of the welfare of his brethren. The simplicity of David's obedience is very beautiful: his own will is entirely lost sight of, and his father's will is the only reason for his mission. Having received his father's commandment, he makes haste to carry it out, for "David rose up early in the morning … and went, as Jesse had commanded him" (1 Sam. 17:15-20).
Do we not see in this something of the obedience that marked the Son of God when here on earth? Although so great and glorious, He is content to be the Good Shepherd, and to say, "I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me" (John 5:20). How often we read of the Son seeking the Father's will, as in John 4:34, where He said to His disciples, "My meat is to do the will of Him that sent me, and to finish His work." The obedience of the Son was perfect in every moment of His life, and "being found in fashion as a Man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross" (Phil. 2:8).
In his obedience, David is careful to look after every interest of his father's, for, on leaving the sheepfold "he left the sheep with a keeper," and when he ran into the army to salute his brethren, "David left his carriage in the hand of the keeper." Diligence and eagerness marked him in carrying out his father's will, and also faithfulness regarding all that had been put into his hands, whether the sheep or his father's substance. Does not this remind us of Him who said, "And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which He hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day" (John 6:39)?
Opposition to David. While carrying out his father's commandment, and speaking to his brethren, Goliath, the champion of the Philistines came forth and issued his challenge to Saul and his armies, a challenge that dismayed Saul and all Israel. But David was not dismayed, for he viewed the challenge of the giant, not to Saul and his armies but to the armies of the living God. Bringing God in between the enemy and His people made all the difference; for it is not now seen as a challenge to the weakness of Saul and his men, but a challenge to God and His power. David viewed this situation as the Lord Jesus viewed every situation in relation to God.
Bringing God in made David bold, but it made Eliab angry. Eliab, like Saul and all Israel, was afraid of Goliath, and David's confidence in God exposed the lack of confidence in God in all who feared the giant; and this was the real cause of Eliab's opposition. Nature's strength had been exposed in its weakness, not only by the challenge of Goliath, but by the confidence that David had in God. The unrighteous anger that burst out in false accusations was quietly met by the simple answer, "Is there not a cause?"
David could have answered the first question, "Why camest thou down hither?" with the words, "To do my father's will." As regards the sheep, they were well cared for by the keeper. The pride was not in David's heart, but in Eliab's, and it had been wounded by the manifestation of his weakness, and his envy of his brother's confidence in God was responsible for the explosion of his anger. There was no naughtiness in David's heart; the evil was in Eliab's and was exposed in his false accusations. Nor was there a battle for David to witness: only the cowardly shrinking of the men of Israel from one who defied the armies of the living God.
While on earth, the Lord Jesus had to meet the same spirit of opposition, but when He was reviled, he reviled not again. How often was he misjudged and falsely accused! The very nation that he had come to save "received Him not," but His confidence in His God and Father was unshaken in the midst of all the evil. At the close of His life the deadly opposition of the leaders of Israel reached its height, and when they falsely accused Him before Pilate, even the Gentile Governor could discern that it was "for envy they had delivered Him" up to be condemned (Matt. 27:18).
David's confidence in God. The first words of David to Saul, "Let no man's heart fail because of him" expressed his simple, yet profound, confidence in God. Israel's God would not only meet the challenge of the enemy, but would give him the strength to fight with him. Saul, viewing the whole matter from a natural point of view says to David, "Thou are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him; for thou art but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth." David's answer showed where his confidence lay, "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."
Is there not in David's attitude the reflection of that of the Lord Jesus as He approached the hour when He would meet the "strong man," in mortal combat? Already He had met the foe in the wilderness, and triumphed through the word of God, in simple obedience to it; when He approached the hour of the cross, it is written, "And being in conflict, He prayed more intently. And His sweat became as great drops of blood, falling down upon the earth" (Luke 22:44). But His confidence is in God His Father, and coming forth from the Garden He said, "The cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?" (John 18:11). He could speak to His disciples of what lay before Him, telling them of the death He would die, but assuring them of His triumph in resurrection.
David went forth to the conflict assured that "This uncircumcised Philistine" would meet the same end as the lion and the bear, because he had "defied the armies of the living God." He does not speak of Goliath as a giant, but as an "uncircumcised Philistine," one who had no link with God, but on the contrary was an enemy of God and His people. Moreover he views Israel in their true dignity as "the armies of the living God," whom God had set apart to act for Him with divinely given power.
Every moment in His sojourn on earth the Lord Jesus was conscious of the dignity that was His, not only because of who He was, but also because He had been sent by His Father to do His will. He knew the true character of the prince of this world. whom he would meet and defeat, and knew all that He would have to endure before the victory was won. We learn something of this from Psalm 22, where the Lord cries, "Save me from the lion's mouth: for Thou hast heard me from the horns of the unicorns" (verse 21).
David's weapons. Having put on the armour that Saul provided for him, David refused it as untried. Many centuries later the Apostle Paul also refused the weapons of the world saying, "For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds" (2 Cor. 10:4). God has armour for His saints, described in detail in Ephesians 6:11-19. David's weapons had been used in secret with God, and in the solitudes he had learned to rely on God, and that He could use to accomplish His will what would be viewed as foolish by the warriors of this world.
David therefore went forth, unarmed, so far as man could see, relying on God with his staff, his sling, and five smooth stones. There was no appearance of power in what David possessed, but his staff indicated that he leaned on a power that was not his own, His stones had not been fashioned on human anvils, but had been prepared by the work of God. The sling, which could hardly be called a weapon, was in its simplicity but the means used of God to bring down the embodiment of human strength and power.
The strength of the giant was to be expressed by his sword and his spear, and his protection by his helmet of brass, his greaves of brass, his target of brass, and the man that bore his shield; David's strength, and protection, were "in the Name of the Lord of hosts."
David's victory. When Goliath saw David come to meet him with only a staff in his hand, he said to him, "Am I a dog that thou comest to me with staves?" He disdained David for his youth and lovely features, despised his weapons, cursed him by his gods, and threatened to give his flesh to the birds and wild beasts. All the power of the giant was marshalled, his weapons, his curses and his threats, but what could these avail against one protected by the Lord of hosts?
When cursed and threatened by Goliath, David manifested his unbounded confidence in God in replying that his triumph over the giant would enable all the earth to know "that there is a God in Israel," and all present would know that "the Lord saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the Lord's." In delivering His people from the power and dread of their foes, the power and glory of their God would be proclaimed throughout the world (1 Sam. 17:46).
In the case of David there was only the threat of death; but the Lord Jesus had to enter into death to overcome the enemy. To Jesus death was real, even the anticipation of it caused Him to sweat, as it were, great drops of blood falling down to the ground. He had to meet all the forces of evil face to face; all Satan's power; all that man could do to him, as energised or terrorised by Satan. He was mocked, spit upon, buffeted, reviled, insulted in every way, betrayed and forsaken by his disciples, unjustly condemned, falsely accused, scourged and crucified. After men had done their worst, He met the full force of divine wrath, being made sin and bearing our sins. Alone He sustained the judgment, and was crucified in weakness, but the strength of His love and compassions enabled Him to sustain all till the judgment was exhausted. It was in this way that the Son of God overcame the enemy.
It was through weakness that David conquered; the stone, so insignificant a weapon compared with the sword and spear of the giant, was directed of God to lay him low; then with his own sword Goliath was slain and beheaded. Little did the giant realise how his end would come! And was it not so with Satan? The proud enemy of God and of men saw all his forces assembled to meet Christ in the weakness of Manhood; he saw Him submit to all the indignities of the high priest's palace, of Herod and his men of war, and of Pilate's judgment hall; but how he must have been mystified by the hours of darkness on the cross. Then the Son of God entered the dark domain of death, that by which the devil had terrorised men; but it was impossible that He could be holden of death. The very weapon that made men tremble, the Lord Jesus used to defeat Satan, and break the power of death, for it is written," Forasmuch as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise took part of the same; that through death He might destroy him that had the power of death, that is the devil; and deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage" (Heb. 2:14-15).
David's notable victory signified the most wonderful triumph of the universe, the triumph of weakness over Satan's power, the triumph of good over evil, and the triumph of divine love over all the hatred and malice of men and Satan. Very soon, in the day of His glory, the Lord Jesus will reign over the earth, all the kingdoms of the world subject to Him; and at the end He will entirely remove death by casting it into the lake of fire, and the eternal state, where righteousness shall dwell, will be the witness of God's triumph in Christ for the ages of ages.
Wm. C. Reid.