Lesson One from The Life of David by Dr. Mike Holloway

David is, by far, the most popular Bible character of all which is probably due to the fact that God chose to reveal more of his life than any other Bible character.  Because of the abundance of information, we are able to examine his life in much more detail than others.

By examining his life, we can gain insight into the ideal Christian life.  His mistakes have been recorded to help us to see how to properly deal with them as they occur.

In this first lesson, we will look at the very beginning of God’s dealings with David as a teenager and why he was able to capture God’s attention in spite of his youth and inexperience.

God was impressed with … HIS YOUTH.

“And the Lord said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons.”

1 Samuel 16:1

It is of great interest to notice that when it came time to choose the next king, God passed over both Jesse and Samuel.

Samuel was a godly man and a prophet.  There was no reason God could not have chosen him to rule over the people as king just as he had done as a prophet.

God could also have chosen David’s father as the next king. Why did He not?

Why did God prefer a teenager instead of an older, wiser, and more experienced man?

The reason is simple.  God will take anyone and everyone, including those in the last days and hours of life.  However, He prefers to have an entire life spent in service to Him and not just the leftover crumbs.

Young people sometimes feel as if they are of little value to anyone, including their church and the Lord.  In reality, it is just the opposite.

God longs to have young people who are willing to give Him their entire lives!

God is not looking for talent or ability but rather potential.  Young people have so much more to offer in the many years that they have to live.

We are grateful to God for those who come to Him in the eleventh hour of their lives, but how much greater it is to see a young person who is willing to live for God and give to Him the next sixty or more years of his life.

God was impressed with … HIS HEART.

“But the Lord said unto Samuel, 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 outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.”

1 Samuel 16:7

As Jesse began parading his sons before the prophet Samuel, the man of God began making the same mistake that all of us make.  We tend to judge a book by its cover and a person by his looks or abilities.

When Samuel saw David’s oldest brother, he assumed that such a fine looking young man just had to be God’s choice, yet how wrong he was!

We know very little about David’s brothers, but the one comparison made by God and won by David was the heart.  Perhaps his brothers were filled with pride, or maybe they allowed hidden sins to plague them.

Whatever the issue, David’s heart stood in strong contrast, and out of all his brothers, he had the most tender heart.  In fact, it was not only a comparison of his brothers but of all Israel.

The young shepherd boy had a heart that God was happy to look upon because He found that it was good and pure and clean.

God was impressed with … HIS ATTITUDE.

“And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all thy children? And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him: for we will not sit down till he come hither.”

1 Samuel 16:11

It is fairly obvious that David was not well regarded in his family, especially by his father.

There did not seem to be any outward hatred by his brothers, but it is very noticeable that his father deliberately omitted him from being presented to the prophet Samuel.

Why was that?  Some speculate that David’s reddish hair, which was rare for a Jew in the Middle East, may have caused his dad to wonder if he were even his own son.

For whatever reason, David seemed to be the one who was stuck watching the sheep more than any other in his family, yet he seemed to do so with a great attitude.

How important is a person’s attitude? Attitude is everything! A bad attitude in a lost person will result in his remaining lost, while a great attitude can lead him to get saved.

David’s willingness to do the worst job with a smile caused God to notice him for one reason. A great attitude is such a rarity!

God was impressed with … HIS YIELDEDNESS.

“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.”

1 Samuel 16:13

The ministry of the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament varied from what it is today, especially in relation to those who were saved.

Today, He has a ministry of indwelling every Christian.  When Christians get saved, the Holy Spirit seals them with Himself and promises to never leave them.

In Old Testament times, however, He would come upon saved people outwardly, but His presence was conditional.  If believers reached a point where they severely grieved the Holy Spirit, He would leave them.  If they recovered themselves spiritually, the Holy Spirit would return to once again use them.  If they remained backslidden, the Holy Spirit’s presence would be removed.

David was a godly young man, and the Holy Spirit came upon him which is no surprise.  The surprise, however, is found in the fact that He remained on David’s life from that day forward.

David made his share of mistakes.  He grieved the Holy Spirit time and again, as we all have.

David’s spiritual greatness is seen in how surrendered he was to the Holy Spirit, for even in his worst spiritual condition, the Holy Spirit chose to remain on him. Why?  David, though not perfect, kept himself yielded to the Holy Spirit.

God was impressed with … HIS BALANCE.

“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.”

1 Samuel 16:17-18

The typical person would read this description of David and think, “What a talented man he was!”

To think that he was simply talented is to misjudge what God saw in him.

David was all of these things, but they were things of opposites!  To be good in opposite directions requires balance.

David was a gifted musician, but he was not just a man with a sensitive nature that enjoyed good music. He was also a man of great courage, a man of war.  He knew how to play the flute and handle a sword. He was a man who was good looking, but he also had a head on his shoulders and knew how to make wise decisions.

God was impressed with … HIS DEVOTION.

“And David came to Saul, and stood before him: and he loved him greatly; and he became his armourbearer.”

1 Samuel 16:21

When David was brought into Saul’s presence, something happened in David’s heart.  He fell in love with Saul and saw him as a hero.  He was willing to do anything for the king including die if need be.

Again, this kind of behavior is rare.  People only love themselves, and their loyalty only goes as far as their character, which is not very far.