TEXT: Deuteronomy 17:14-20 I Samuel 16:1-13

SUBJECT: Christ in the Old Testament #15: The Anointed

Today, with God’s blessing, we’ll proceed in our study of Christ in the Old Testament. Last time, we saw Him as the Kinsman-Redeemer. What Boaz did for Ruth and her family, Jesus Christ does for us. Boaz saved Ruth from a life of poverty and despair. Jesus Christ rescues us from a doom even worse than hers.

The last word in the Book of Ruth is "David". That’s a good seque for today’s sermon. For in anointing David king of Israel God was not only saving them from Saul and the Philistines, but also promising another King. A King who would do everything David did--only better and on a bigger scale.

The nation of Israel was not "born in a day", but developed over many years. Its first leaders were Moses, Joshua, and the Elders. They got the people out of Egypt and on to the land God promised them.

Next came the Judges who repelled the invaders of Israel and reformed its worship. Some of the men were obscure, like Othniel, Shamgar, Tola, and Jair. Others were more famous, like Gideon, Samson, and Samuel.

They served a good purpose, but…

It was time for Israel to have its king. The ideal man was described in Deuteronomy 17. To be a good king:

1. He must be chosen by God.
2. He must be native to Israel.
3. He must not love money.
4. He must trust God.
5. He must meditate on and obey the Word of God.
6. He must fear the Lord.
7. He must be humble.

God loves His People. He wants to rule us through a worthy King.

Had Israel waited for God, they would have got the man they needed. But they wouldn’t wait. Instead of asking God to give them a King, they demanded a king—right now.

Samuel condemned their impatience and warned them what their king would do to them. But they didn’t care.

God gave them what they wanted—a king who would look good on TV and was wonderfully gifted at faking humility. Saul became the first king of Israel.

He lasted for twenty years. At first, he did some good things. But success went to his head and he became a paranoid and ineffective dictator. At last, he died a suicide. Of him, God said,

The government of Saul was a punishment on Israel. God might have followed it up with a rule even worse than his. But

"God is love".

He gave them "A man after His own heart".

Samuel was told to drop in on Jesse, a man who lived in Bethlehem. One of his sons—the Lord said—would be the new king. Jesse had eight sons; he was very proud of them. The oldest was called Eliab. He was a tall, good-looking man, full of charisma and eager to fight the battles of the Lord. When Samuel spotted him he said to himself, "Surely the Lord’s Anointed". But he was wrong; God said, No. The next son was brought in, but he too was not the man. The third son wasn’t either; nor was the fourth, fifth, sixth, or seventh.

Samuel asks if Jesse had another son. Yes he does, but he’s such a "nobody" that he wasn’t even told to come in. Samuel says he won’t sit down till he meets the baby.

The young man is called in from the field and the Lord says to Samuel,

The prophet obeys, pours oil over the young man’s head—and with it came the Holy Spirit. The young man’s name is David. From now on, he’s

"The Lord’s Anointed".

What’s he going to do with the Anointing? Three things: wait, fight, and rule.

First he has to wait. From the moment the oil touched his head, David was the King of Israel. But the young man wouldn’t take the crown by force. He would wait and suffer until God’s time came.

The wait was a long one, about 13 years. It was full of pain. Though he was Saul’s most loyal man, the king resented him and hunted him down like a rapid dog. He lived in a cave; he served the Philistines; his wife was taken away; his men mutinied. For years, he cried,

God’s king can wait on the Lord.

After rising to the throne of Israel, David spent much of his time at war, fighting the Philistines and other enemies of the Lord. And not only fighting them, but beating them and putting them under tribute.

God’s king is a Man of War.

He is the Ruler of God’s People. Some rulers drive their people as though they were cattle. But not David; he saw the Lord’s people, not as a herd, but as flock of sheep. Sheep can’t be driven; they have to be led. The Psalm praises David for his wise and gentle rule,

That’s the sort of king David was. Its no wonder all devout Jews saw him—not only as the best king Israel ever had—but as a type of the Messiah, as a hint of what the Kingdom of God would be with the Lord Himself on the throne.

Though David received many good things from God, there was one thing that stood out far above the others. It was a promise. It was made to him several times and in various ways. II Samuel 7:16 is one version of it,

The House of David would stand forever. His kingdom would never end. He would die, of course, but his son would succeed him. He would be followed by another son and another son and so on. The promise of God would not be revoked. Not even Royal sin would change His eternal purpose. Speaking of David’s sons, the Lord said,

Did God keep His Word? Yes He did. David had a son named Solomon. He turned from the Lord to worship idols, but God did not forsake him. He, too, had a son, Rehoboam. He was even worse than his father, yet he too retained the kingdom, though it was reduced in size. The Line of David went on and on and through every sort of king, good, bad, mediocre, and atrocious.

But then something happened. Something terrible. Nebuchadnezzar came to Jerusalem, broke down the city, burned the temple, carried the people into exile…and put an end to the Royal House of David. The year was 587 B.C. The Kingdom of David had lasted 400 years. But now, it was no more.

It was never revived. Israel came back to its land after seventy years, but without a king. Some years later, the Greeks were thrown out, but the ruling family was not David’s. Later, a king ruled in Galilee, but he wasn’t even a Jew.

The promise of God failed. The House of David was wiped out.

Or so it seemed.

Until one day a peasant girl received a strange visitor. His name was Gabriel; he had come to her from a Royal Court with big news: She would have a son. This confused the poor girl because she had never been with a man. Yet the Word was fixed:

The girl was named Mary. She lived in Nazareth. But that’s not where her family was from! They came from Bethlehem. In fact, she was the great-great-great-granddaughter of…guess who? David.

A bit later, the messenger paid a visit on the girl’s fiance’. He was a poor carpenter who lived in Nazareth too. But his family was also from Bethlehem. He was the great-great-great-grandson of…you know who—David.

The Child would be the biological son of Mary, the legal son of Joseph, and the Promised Son of David.

When Zecharias heard the news, he burst into song,

But of course he knew that. He knew His Bible. It said,

The Promise of God was kept! The House of David is alive and well. It is ruled over by David’s Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

He was born King, of course, but He was enthroned at the Resurrection. That’s how Acts 13:33 interprets Psalm 2,

He reigns in Heaven Right Now. And He reigns over all men and angels Right Now. Our King is not in exile biding His time. He’s on the Throne,

The Kingdom of God had a good man in David. It has a Better Man in David’s Son. The Kingdom of God has come. Because Christ is on His Throne.

What does this mean to you?

If you’re an unbeliever it means you’d better submit to King Jesus right now. If you read the Book of Acts, one of the things you’ll notice is how the Apostles hardly ever mention the cross. They hardly ever tell unbelievers how Christ died for them. No, what they keep bringing up is the Crown.

They keep saying things like, "God has exalted Christ". And if you don’t submit to His rule, you’re in very big trouble!

They were right. Jesus Christ has not only the power to save believers, but also the power to punish unbelievers. People laugh about hell nowadays. But Jesus Christ will have the last laugh. Hell is hot and eternal. If you don’t believe in Christ, you’re running for it right now. Every tick of the clock brings you one step closer to the "Wrath of the Lamb".

That’s what it means to unbelievers. The crowning of Jesus Christ means repent or else.

For believers.

What does it mean for God’s people?

It means we don’t have to worry. Our Loving Big Brother is in charge of everything. He won’t let anything happen to us that isn’t for our good.

It means we can witness with confidence. Satan is powerful and bad men are stubborn, but King Jesus can overrule them at any time. We can speak up for Christ and watch Him turn human arguments into nonsense and wicked sinners into believing saints. We’re on the Winning Team. We can play with confidence.

It means we can rejoice. We’re in Christ. And if He’s Seated in the Heavenly Places, we’re there with Him. And will be, forever.