Tamil christians CALL OF DAVID
The
character of David as presented in the Old Testament is hard to determine. David
is also known as the sweet psalmist of Israel. Even today, psalms continue to
bring life, hope, and encouragement to the people in the margin. Many psalms were sung
by him both in the good and difficult times. 1 Samuel 16 it illustrates God’s
passion for judging and his desire to use people whose hearts are right with
Him. Saul’s heart was wicked from the beginning. But on
the other hand, David’s heart is humble, prayerful, and repentant. Because of
this, Saul was punished and David was rewarded. In
1 Samuel 13:14, Samuel said to Saul, “…the Lord has sought out a man after his
own heart and the Lord has appointed him to be ruler over his people because
you have not kept what the Lord commanded you”. This word was immediately
fulfilled in David, son of Jesse. Samuel was directed by the Lord to go to
Jesse’s house. When
Samuel reached Jesse’s house, the Lord taught him an important lesson about
the difference between human and divine vision. After Samuel’s meeting, Jesse and
his sons attended the sacrifice that Samuel had performed. Samuel saw the
first son, Eliab, and thought, “Surely the Lord’s anointed is before him”. God
scolds Samuel for looking at Eliab’s physical appearance and predicting wrong.
Each one of Jesse’s sons who passed by was turned down by God, but there was
still one son left. Samuel enquires and then Jesse tells about David and calls
him. He was the youngest in the family, who was working in the fields keeping
his sheep, which is not an honourable quality in Jewish culture. But God has chosen
David the shepherd to lead his people of Israel. In the same way, God has chosen
his only son Jesus Christ to be the great shepherd for his people, to lead us
to eternal salvation and joy in Him. When Samuel anoints David the Spirit of
the lord rushed upon him from that day forward. God has made a clear break with
Saul as king and devoted all of his Spirit to nurturing and building up David.
David
was also a prophet, namely one who hears the Lord speak and then declares God’s message
to his people. It has been mentioned in 2 Samuel 23:2 as “The Spirit of the Lord
spoke by me, and his word was in my tongue”. David was first called as a
shepherd boy. After being tested through various trials, he was chosen as the king
of Judah. When he was chosen, tested further, and found faithful, he was
anointed as king over Judah and Israel, entering into the fullness of God’s
purposes for his life. David is a type of Christ, the warrior king who brought
Israel. As we shall see later, the life of David foreshadows the life of Christ
in that there are many beautiful parallels and similarities between both lives.
In the same way, there are many believers who are called by God. However, God
chooses who enters into their calling, according to how they respond in trials.
Only those who are found faithful will enter into the fullness of their calling.
