Today we begin our study of 2 Samuel. We are going to see several Davidic parallels to Yeshua in this lesson. If you have been studying with us for a long time, we are so happy to see you continue. Should you be just joining us, welcome!
We are deep into the beginning portions of the life of David. His life story is fascinating. No adventure story was ever as exciting. Nothing was predictable. Things were constantly changing and rearranging. You can never guess what lies around the next turn in the road. In it all we see many Davidic parallels to Yeshua. These are fun to discover too.
HAVING TO HIDE AGAIN
At the beginning of 2 Samuel, Chapter One, our story continues with another glimpse into the place of David’s camp at Ziklag. David is having to hide again, and this is his hiding place for the moment. It is here where David runs when he is being chased and persecuted by Saul’s army for no reason. This is where David and his army will be living until God reveals David’s anointing to the world. That event, unknown to David, is just around the corner.
The location of Ziklag is right at the border, between God’s people and God’s enemies. David had to battle with both parties at different times and in different ways. Often he was shown more favor from God’s enemies than from God’s people.
Perhaps that isn’t as odd as it sounds. God is always telling a story of redemption. This time he is telling the story through David. As we see David going about his daily life in this camp at Ziklag, we can’t help be see a picture of some Davidic parallels to Yeshua. We can see how both servants of God suffered greatly. Their perseverance and ability to overcome are also alike. Each had to keep on walking down the path until God showed them the next thing. They had to have faith which would take them to any place that God decided they should go.
INNOCENT AND FALSELY ACCUSED
David was persecuted. He was innocent and falsely accused. If you think about it, Jesus lived his life in the very same place. He too was innocent but falsely accused. Someone was always accusing Him falsely. Yeshua was constantly chased and harassed by the leaders of the day. He often had to leave public places because he knew the leaders there desired to kill him.
Saul was the leader of David’s time. King Saul was constantly falsely accusing David and threatening to kill him. David had to run and hide away in order to keep his life. Here again, is yet another parallel between David and Yeshua.
SURROUNDED BY THE FAITHFUL
Yeshua took refuge in the camp of His disciples. Compared to David’s followers of 400 Mighty Men, Jesus had a much smaller group of faithful disciples. They banded with Yeshua and they banded together. He taught them and protected them, just as David helped and protected His Mighty Men. Another common theme we see from Yeshua and David is the fact that they both had very faithful and loyal followers.
David’s men were rough men with sorted and spotted pasts. The disciples of Jesus were not angels either. Before coming to Christ, they had been among the common fishermen of the villages. Most were poor. One was even a hated tax-collector. These ragged men who loved Yeshua changed as they lived with The Master. He taught them about life. The disciples applied their learning to the things they did. David offered the same type of teaching and renewal for his Mighty men who put hands and feet to their lessons.
So, I hope you begin the study of 2 Samuel with a clear picture of how much of David’s life was lived as a shadow and type of Christ. There are so many Davidic parallels to Yeshua, and we have only named a few. It is fun to look for them as we continue to study. However, they did have one huge difference too. The difference, of course, is that David sinned and Jesus did not.
ONE MAJOR DIFFERENCE
Through his struggles with his sins we see David’s true heart for God. Every time David fell and succumbed to sin, he came before God with lament. His repentance always showed his regret. The sorrow for the sins he committed was obvious. Though Yeshua’s sorrows did not include sins, we can note another parallel in the fact that both men shared great moments of sorrow.
The sorrows of David were often over his sins. Could we owe this wonderful trait to Jesse, David’s father? Here is another parallel. Both men loved and adored their Fathers. Yeshua never missed a day of rising early to go out to a quiet place to communicate with his Father. David also shared a great amount of honor and respect for his father, Jesse.
TWO TENDER HEARTS
It seems that David learned the value of confession early in life. He had mastered the way to keep a clean and undefiled heart by exercising deep repentance. Once he confessed a sin, he always turned away from that temptation. David learned that God could change and transform his life, even when he failed and did very human things.
The Psalms of David reflect this tender, pliable heart. They show his loyalty to his Creator and Master. David’s prayers, psalms and words were always carefully chosen. Each passage we read is full of compassion and desire to please God above all other things. The psalms David wrote were never mere words, but expressions of new actions from David. He remained true to His words before God.
HUMBLENESS WITH HUMILITY
The heart of Yeshua and the heart of David shared another amazing trait. Both had a desire to please God above all. This is a type of humility every follower of Yeshua needs to develop. Can we truly ask ourselves the questions that matter? Is our worship in vain? If we do not have pleasing God above the desires of our own hearts as our goal in life; we do not share the heart of Yeshua. We don’t even share the heart of David. Nothing should be about us. All is to be about The Father.
When our prayers go up like smoke before God’s throne, they should be reflecting our desire to please God. The ways of mankind should be the last thing on our minds as we worship and bow before Our Creator. He didn’t create us so that we could become our own little gods and make our own little rules. We were created to give glory to God, and none other.
PRAYER: Lord, I pray that you give us pure and loyal hearts. We know this is what you truly desire to find in us. Please transform our hearts and teach us the things that matter to you. Help us to see and understand that all that glitters is not gold. Show us your ways and teach us to worship you in the ways that are most pleasing to you.
Guide us as you guided David. Teach us as you taught David. Give us hearts of flesh instead of stone. Help us to be full of compassion and love, even for those who mean harm toward us. May we honor you in all that we do and say as we go out to face the battles of this world each day. Amen.