“And as for you, if you will walk before me, as David your father walked, with integrity of heart and uprightness, doing according to all that I have commanded”
1 Kings 9:4
As we study 1 and 2 Kings in the Tuesday Bible Study it is striking how many times this phrase shows up. Numerous times when God anoints a new king he repeats this theme, “walk before me as David your father walked…”. God repeatedly points the new kings back to THE king of Israel, David. But this point begs the question, “Is David really the example we want to follow?”
The book of 2 Samuel tells us the story of king David. David was a great king. David did not choose to be a king of his own desire. David was chosen by God. Everyone thought his older brothers would be better kings, but no God chose what is foolish in the eyes of the world. David was a young boy, not very impressive. However, David was blessed by God with success and David had faith. David trusted in God, and he did not look to find comfort or assurance in making partnerships with wicked rulers. David trusted God to provide all he needed. This is what God meant when he tells the kings following David to follow in his footsteps, to live by faith in the promises of God.
Well, 2 Samuel also tells us of David’s sins. Not only his sin but of his losing his faith. David had a child with a woman that was not his wife. David used his power as king and took a woman that was married to one of his most loyal soldiers Uriah. While David was able to withstand the testing of God when it came to his political loyalties, David sinned in regard to his marriage loyalty. Then you also know that David committed murder to cover up the pregnancy and to have Bathsheba as his own. Are these the ways in which the kings should follow David? Of course not.
David lost his faith. We know this because even David called out to God, “restore unto me the joy of my salvation…”. We sing this in the liturgy as a reminder of God’s faithfulness even in the face of terrible sins. David committed sins that destroy faith. The Bible mentions specific sins, murder, adultery, lying, etc. that have an especially damning effect on our faith. Every sin is enough to damn but there are in particular, sins that are especially dangerous. But most telling was David’s lack of repentance. David had no one around him immediately to warn him and encourage him to repentance.
This is one point we can gather from the story, have friends, family or someone who is willing to speak honestly with you. To call you to repentance. This is one of the callings to being a Christian friend to someone. This is not something though that we take upon ourselves and become a judge to everyone. No, we must take time to make friends that we trust, and we should look to be someone who others can trust. That means you are not just pointing out someone’s sins but that you are also encouraging them. Worshipping with them. David was king and that was dangerous because as king it was only the prophets who had the authority to call the king to repent.
The prophet Nathan spoke God’s condemning law to David. David was crushed by the Holy Spirit, and he was given the gift of repentance. This is the way in which the kings should follow David and we should too, because we also are royalty with Christ, 1 Peter 2:9, “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation”. We need to hear God’s word of rebuke every Sunday from outside ourselves. We need to follow David’s footsteps, not in sin (we don’t need to try and do that!), but in repentance.
God knows we are weak and will sin. He knows your shortfalls and the things that are especially tempting for you. He’s not afraid to test you, in fact he will! But he does so only to make your faith and trust in him more firm. God forgave David through the prophet Nathan. God forgives you for all your sins through the absolution spoken by your pastor but also to each other. All the times you too have not been “kingly” nor “royal.” Your wicked sins are forgiven in the death of Christ on the cross.
Christ speaks his forgiveness to you even as he forgave David through the lips of Nathan. Do you think David then never again asked God for forgiveness? No. David certainly learned a pattern, a way for his life. To daily walk in the newness of life given by the forgiving words of Christ. This is what God meant when he says, “walk before me as David walked…” God is speaking about faith. Daily repenting and being raised to new life.
David had his anointing as king to be reminded that God chose him. That he was God’s choice. You have your anointing too. You have your baptism where God chose you. Even knowing you will sin, he chooses you. To forgive. To restore. To test, yes, but most of all to grow you in faithfulness and righteousness. Only don’t give up. Many of the kings did give up and lost their faith. They were wicked and didn’t listen to God’s word. They maybe didn’t commit murder or a sin as wicked as David, but they didn’t repent of their sins and trust in God. That is our warning as a royal nation of priests, but it is also a reminder of the one faithful king, Jesus Christ.
See you on Sunday!
In Christ,
Pastor Ottmers