David - A Portrayal of Christ

David and Goliath - Christ and Armageddon

In I Samuel 17 we find an account made familiar to all. We would be hard pressed to find anyone who has not at least heard of David and Goliath! We know of the sling and the stone that fell the giant! Yet David bears his heart in Psalm 62: “Truly my soul waiteth upon God. He only is my rock. . .my salvation. . .my defense.” David went forth to meet Goliath, but the stone in his sling was not his defense! His trust, his defense was the Rock! May we learn well this lesson: our defense is not held in our hand, but in ourheart! He only is our Rock!

May our attention be drawn to I Samuel chapters 16 and 17 where we shall attempt to unveil an Old Testament portrayal of our Lord in the life of young David. As we should be well aware, prophesy is given both in word and in picture. We shall spend much of our time comparing scripture with scripture, and looking for Word/pictures.

Does David fulfill the requirements in portraying Christ?

The Lord said to Samuel, “fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Beth-lehemite; . . . And Samuel did that which the Lord spake, and came to Bethlehem” I Sam.16:1,4. Thus, David was born in Bethlehem of Judaea! So was Jesus: “Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea. . .” Matt. 2:1.

David was the son of Jesse. So was Jesus. He is the true “rod out of the stem of Jesse,” a Branch who would “grow out of his roots” Isa. 11:1.

David was a shepherd. “And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all thy children? And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and behold, he keepeth the sheep” I Sam. 16:11. Jesus declared, “I AM the good shepherd.” “I AM the door of the sheep.” “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” [These selected from John chapter ten.]

Of David it is said, “Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to.” I Sam. 16:12. Should any less have been said of the Son of God? He is “a lamb without blemish and without spot” I Peter 1:19b. Yet in Isaiah 52 and 53 we see Jesus: “His visage was so marred more than any man;” As such, “He hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see Him, there is no beautythat we should desire Him.” Remember, on the Cross He became Sin for us; became identified with sinful man. Though created in the image of God, when man fell, his “image” became marred so as not to even resemble that image in which the Lord God made him. Thus, Jesus’ “visage was marred more than any man.” He was portraying sinful man; a physical picture of the spiritual image and condition of fallen men.

David was anointed. “and thou shalt anoint unto me him whom I name unto thee.” “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” I Sam. 16:3,13. Is not Christ the anointed one of God; having the Spirit upon Him? Psalm 89:20, 92:10, 132:17.

“and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward” I Sam. 16:13. Though Jesus is God, yet the account is given: “And John bear record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon Him” John 1:32.

“for I have provided Me a king among his [Jesse’s] sons” I Sam. 16:1. “And the Lord said, Arise, anoint him: [David] for this is he” vs. 12. Has not Jehovah provided Himself in the person of Christ to be King of kings and Lord of lords? “For the Lord is our defense; and the Holy One of Israel is our king. . .I have found David my servant; with my holy oil have I anointed him. . .Also I will make him my first-born, higher than the kings of the earth” Psalm 89:18,20,27. In Acts 13:22-23: “He [God] raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will.” In the text it is Christ who is identified. Only the Lord Jesus himself could “fulfil all my will.” “David” is identified: “God according to his promise raised unto Israel a Savior, Jesus.”

David was anointed at about the age of 30: “and they anointed David king over Israel. David was thirty years old. . .” II Sam. 5:3b,4a. Christ, the “true David”, was baptized, then anointed by the Holy Spirit, being about the age of thirty.

David was a prophet as well as a king; and so was Christ. David fought and defeated Goliath and his armies. Christ will yet fight and utterly defeat Satan, his “Goliath,” and the armies at Armageddon.

Christ is often called David. “And I will set up one shepherd over them. . .even My servant David. . .And I the Lord will be their God, and my servant David a Prince among them,” Ezek.34:23a,24a. “But they shall serve the Lord their God, and David their king, whom I shall raise up unto them” Jer.30:9. “For the children of Israel shall abide many days without a king. . .Afterward shall. . .return, and seek the Lord their God, and David their king; and shall fear the Lord and his goodness in the latter days” Hos. 3:4a,5.

Chapter 17. Enter Goliath

His height: 6 cubits. He had 6 pieces of armour. His spear head weighed 6 hundred shekels. 666. And just who might he portray? The Beast/Antichrist/Satan?

In Daniel chapter three we are told of another “giant;” an image of gold made by king Nebuchadnezzar. ALL were to fall down and worship: “To you it is commanded, O people, nations, and languages” vs.4. Any who refused to bow would suffer the penalty of death. The height of the “image” was threescore [60] cubits; the breadth, six [6] cubits; exactly six [6] instruments would sound to indicate when the people should “fall down and worship.” Again, 666. Revelation chapter 13 reveals yet another “image.” Interestingly enough, this “giant” or “image” is to be given “life,” “that the image of the beast should both speak and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.” vs.15. “Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is six hundred threescore and six” Rev. 13:18. Again, 666.

“Now the Philistines gathered together their armies to battle” I Sam. 17:1. The place? Ephes-dammin,Ephec Dammiym, Heb. an end (espec. of the earth); boundary of blood. Would these definitions not be well suited to the last battle and that sea of blood known as Armageddon?

The Philistine drew near, presenting himself a threat to Israel for 40 days (number of trial, testing). Antichrist shall present himself, bringing a time of Tribulation.

The cry of Goliath: “choose you a man for you, and let him come down to me. . .give me a man, that we may fight together.” I Sam. 17:10. Let Him come down to me? You asked for it! “And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war!” Rev. 19:11. “And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against Him that sat on the horse” Rev. 19:19.

“And David said. . .thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine.” I Sam. 17:32. Christ will come to fight, prevail against, utterly consume and destroy the Wicked with the brightness of His coming. II Thes.2:8.

“And David said. . .Thy servant kept his Father’s sheep. There came a lion and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock. I went after. . .delivered it out of his mouth:” I Sam.17:35,36. And of Christ? “And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which He hath given me I should lose nothing. . .John 6:39. “I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. . .the wolf coming. . .catcheth them. . .scattereth the sheep. . .I lay down my life for the sheep” John 10:11-14.

It seems needful to pause here in order to clearly view verses 34 through 37 of our text. Notice; “there came a lion and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock: And I went after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth; and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him,and slew him.” “Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear. The lion and the bear suddenly become identified in the singular, then the last phrase identifies them once again in the plural: both!

In verse 37 “David said. . .the Lord that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, He will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine.” The words “paw” and “hand” in the text are identical: yad (Heb.) a hand (the open one, indicating power, means, direction, etc.) “Paw” is not to be found in the definition! What then, the lion and the bear? Pro.28:15,16 speaks of a “roaring lion, and a ranging bear;” these are compared with a “wicked ruler” and a “great oppressor.” The rangingbear. shaqaq, Heb. to course (like a beast of prey), to seek greedily, run (to and fro.) What a coincidence! I Peter 5:8 says: “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion,walketh about, seeking whom he may devour!” In Job chapter 2: “And the Lord said unto Satan, From whence comest thou? And Satan answered the Lord, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it! And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job. . .?” “The “Beast” found in the book of Revelation must take after his “father:” And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion:and the dragon [Satan] gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.” Rev. 13:2.

O.K. Let’s get back to where we were. Compare carefully I Sam. 17:34-37 with Rev. 13:2: Plural to singular; “paw” and “hand” are the same; power, authority; the mouth” of the lion in both passages. David “slew both the lion and the bear.” Our Lord declared; “I AM He that liveth and is alive forever more, Amen, and have the keys of hell and of death” Rev. 1:18. Both! “And having spoiled princjpalitiesand powers [both,] He made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it” Col. 2:15.

David chose “five smooth stones out of the brook.” Five is called the number of Grace, but may likewise be the number of Judgment. Example:(the five wise and the five foolish virgins). Some went in to the marriage, some were cast out. (Matthew 25)

Isaiah chapter 57 may shed a bit of light on our text: “Ye sons of the sorceress, the seed of the adulterer and whore. . .children of transgression. . .Among the smooth stones of the stream is thy portion: they are thy lot.” Goliath certainly qualified for that! And he received his portion - from the sling of David! (and, from the God of David)

Goliath said, “Come to me and I will give thy flesh unto the fowls of the air, and to the beasts of the field.” David likewise replied, “This day will the Lord deliver thee into my hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth.” I Sam. 17:44-46.

And what of the outcome? We all know: David felled the giant! Again in Rev. 19:17-19: Armageddon. “And I saw an angel standing in the sun; [Christ?] and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowlsthat fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God: That ye may eat the flesh of kings. . .captains. . . mighty men.” And may we not well say that that includes giants?

“That all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.” I Sam. 17:46. This prophesy will not be consumated until Christ returns in power to destroy that Wicked.

“And all this assembly shall know that the Lord saveth not with sword and spear.” “And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the Spirit of His mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of His coming” II Thes 2:8.

        The giant came against David with a spear, but “the sword of him that layeth at him cannot hold” Job 41:26. Goliath had on his head a helmet of brass, but “he [God] esteemeth iron as straw, and brassas rotten wood!” Job 41:26.

That the stone should strike Goliath in the forehead, was of course, Divinely ordained! “And I will put enmity between. . .thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head!” Gen. 3:15.

David entered Jerusalem, having defeated the wicked one. Much praise and glory was given him. Very timely, the words of Saul: “What can he have more but the kingdom?” I Sam. 18:8. “the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from Heaven in flaming fire taking vengeance on them. . . .everlasting destruction. . .when He shall come to be glorified in His saints, and to be admired. . .II Thess. chapter 1. Christ the “Son of David” - King of kings, Lord of Lords. The Kingdom is His!