Last week we explored some legendary facts concerning David’s Mother. We saw proof or evidence that suggested David had erroneous reasons to believe he was not actually Jesse’s son. This fact was corrected. However, it was long into David’s adulthood before the truth became known. This fact might have influenced David’s relationships with the Gentiles. Today’s lesson will reveal some astounding truth about David and the Gentiles.
It is possible David’s brothers and the rest of his relatives believed this untrue supposition. Maybe they thought of David as an illegitimate child and treated him as an outcast. It could be that was why David became a shepherd. Also, it might be why David wasn’t available when Samuel showed up to see Jesse’s sons.
CAST OUT BY JEALOUS BROTHERS
Further, we know how the jealousy of King Saul cast David out of Israel. David lived among foreigners. He hid in caves and lived off the land. Friends were made only by taking in all of the misfits of society.
Possibley, up till the time David became King of Hebron, he had experienced nothing but fierce rejection from everyone that he knew. So, why did David remain good, strong, and courageous in spite of all of this rejection? Why did he not become angry, bitter, and resentful? What kept him kind and loving toward God and other people?
GOD’S LOVE IS AN OVERCOMING LOVE
There was one reason. He knew and loved God. David knew God loved him. Some think his Mother instilled this strong faith in David as he grew up. Perhaps she taught the first bible verse we all learn as children. God is love. Maybe the teaching of David’s Mother led him to know the greatest of the commandments, to love God and love others. Perhaps she instilled the importance of living God’s way of grace, mercy and truth from the moment he was born. All we really know is that as he grew in faith, God proved His love for David in a million different ways. He became known as “a man after God’s own heart.”
THE FAITH OF STRANGERS
There were also others who loved David. In his days of running from Saul, David made friends with strangers, foreigners and drifters. These people were also outcasts of society. Many of them were running from the law. A lot were innocent but persecuted for one reason or another.
David took them in, fed them and led them. He gave them shelter. As he did this, he also shared his faith in God. All of these men were Gentiles. Some were of the hated Philistines. 600 of these misfit foreigners came to be David’s most loyal body guards. They were all willing to give their lives for David. They loved him that much.
In return for their love and loyalty, David taught them the scriptures. He shared psalms of praise to God with them. These rugged individuals converted from paganism to true and loyal followers of Yahweh. For years they worshiped in the wilderness with David. Because of David’s evangelism, they followed the way of the One they knew as The Promised Messiah.
EARLY EVANGELIZATION
How could these men and David, born long before Yeshua came to earth, know the way of Messiah? It was all spelled out symbolically in the book of Genesis, and we know David had memorized much of this scroll. His Father, Jesse, had been a great bible schoolar and teacher. His Mother would have soaked that up during their years together. She had probably insisted that David memorize the scriptures.
Now God decided to reverse the events of David’s life and make him into a King. These loyal men who now believed in Yahweh and The Messiah To Come came into The Kingdom with him. They were the ones who helped David to take Jerusalem. These ragged men built up The City of David.
In lieu of killing his captives, David converted the Philistines. He taught them about God. David patiently revealed the holy scriptures to them. He converted these hated Philistines from pagans into people who followed Yahweh. This was just as he had done with his Mighty Men. The nation of Israel was growing with converts because of the evangelization of David.
THOUSANDS OF CONVERTED GENTILES
By the time David became King in Hebron, there were thousands and thousands of men converted from paganism and now true followers of Yahweh. They were willing to follow David wherever he went because they knew David followed God. Moreover, they desired to follow the God of David. These were those of the greater faith, because they believed in Messiah before He walked the earth. Each of these men were waiting on the promises of God. David had proclaimed them. They believed and led godly lives. Each man repented of his sins and turned instead to God’s best ways to live. They prayed to God daily. All of them worshiped and honored God. These men devoted their lives to living out God’s commandments.
So when David became King by uniting the whole nation of Israel, Israel was FULL of converted gentiles. Yet, none of these converts could worship in Gibeon. They were not of Jewish heritage. The law would not allow uncircumcized men to enter The Tent of Moses. There were many cultural differences. The one thing the whole nation had in common was God. Yet, half of the nation of Israel were not allowed to worship where The Ark of God resided.
DAVID’S HUGE PROBLEM
This one huge problem must have bothered David greatly. Remember that question he asked of God back in 2 Samuel 6:9? These are the words of that verse: David was afraid of the Lord that day and said, “How can the ark of the Lord ever come to me?”
This was the prayer of David after the first attempt to bring the Ark failed. Not only did David ask God for answers to this dilemma, he searched the scriptures for obvious solutions he had not known.
I think he especially read Genesis 14. This is the passage in Genesis which speaks of The Battle of Four Kings. It is a type and shadow of Armageddon and the first mention of The King of Salem – Melchizedek. Melchizedek was of a different order than the Aaronic Priesthood.
Not only did David discover he needed more respect for carrying sacred objects, but David also discovered a different order of another type of priesthood. This particular High Priest of Righteousness came and shared bread and wine with Abraham. Abraham was a Gentile, not a Jew. Israel did not even exist during the time of Abraham, though the whole nation grew out of the promises God made to Abraham.
GENESIS 14
In that place of the very beginnings of Jerusalem, there once lived a King of Righteousness. His name was Melchizedek. Melchizedek blessed Abraham, though Abraham was a Gentile. After Abraham’s great victory over the Kings, Melchizedek served him bread and wine in the Valley of the Kings.
In his prayer and studies, as he tried to make amends in bringing up the Ark to Jerusalem, David must have read and pondered this history of Melchizedek. This ancient King was from Jerusalem! His history was found in The book of Genesis. Perhaps it was written in the books containing Jerusalem’s history. In this history, God had met with Gentiles and shared a communion-type meal with them. Melchizedek presided as High Priest. He was from another order, an order that was not Jewish, but Gentile.
This was the answer David sought from God. If you have any doubt, go back and read the story of the Four Kings. Then study the way David finally brought the Ark to Jerusalem. You will see the similar patterns. He must have mulled this plan around inside his head for hours every day as he waited on God to show him what to do next.
OBED EDOM IS BLESSED
The day came when David received a word saying the house of Obed Edom received blessings as the Ark rested there. Obed Edom was a Gentile who worshiped Yahweh. This was a HUGE sign to David. Perhaps it meant it was okay to go ahead with the plan.
It wasn’t just a plan to set the Ark inside a new tent. This had been David’s intention all along. It was to find a way he and his Gentile followers could worship God together within the nation of Israel. They had done so in the wilderness. Why not in Jerusalem? David needed confirmation that people would understand. There could be no better way than to set the Ark in a place where all nations could pray to the same God of Israel.
No Gentiles were allowed inside the Tabernacle of Moses for worship. However, if David pitched a separate tent and brought the Ark into it, he could preside as a Priest and King after the Order of Melchizedek. All could worship and pray together. This was the answer to the information David sought from God. Through David moving the Ark God provided a way for this worship to happen. It was clearly God’s desire for the nation.
For this reason David pitched a separate tent. He brought the Ark of God to rest inside a new tent in Jerusalem, instead of carrying it to Gibeon and placing it with the remains of The Tabernacle of Moses.
JEW AND GENTILE COME TOGETHER UNDER DAVID
Long before the Council of Jerusalem ever met to determine if it was acceptable for the Gentiles to come into Christianity, David already had this answer from God. He united Israel in a type of worship which allowed both Jew and Gentile to come together under God. The wall that had divided the nation fell.
This was an amazing milestone in the history of Israel. This event became an important historical fact. For some reason this fact has been overlooked by many for years. We would do well to understand and follow David’s example today.
PRAYER: Father, we know the promise you have made to us. In Amos 9:11-12 you proclaimed through your prophet Amos these words: “In that day I will raise up the booth of David that is fallen and repair its breaches, and raise up its ruins and rebuild it as in the days of old, that they may possess the remnant of Edom and all of the nations who are called by my name, declares the Lord who does this.” We look forward to this day when your house will truly become a house of prayer for all nations. Amen.
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