What’s your idea of a hero? Is there anyone today, in the military or the sports world, who looks like a hero to you? To a nation that had been longing for the ideal king to lead them and a “Mighty man” to look up to, David fit that description: the teenage boy holding up the head of a giant, the captain who had “slain his ten thousands,” the loyal subject who became a generous monarch, the chief shepherd of his people who made them feel like somebody.
But, as he made sadly apparent once he had reached middle age, David was not their ideal king. If anyone still hoped, their hopes would have been dashed to see the mighty slayer of ten thousands sneaking out of his palace at night to escape of his own son.
How long would God’s people have to wait for their ideal king?
Click below for the .pdf of this week’s study, with Bible passages, questions, and activities for kids and grownups:
(This is a continuation of a series of posts about the “whole story” of the Bible. I plan to run one every week, on Tuesdays, with a printable PDF. The printable includes a brief 2-3 paragraph introduction, Bible passages to read, a key verse, 5-7 thought/discussion questions, and 2-3 activities for the kids. Here’s the Overview of the entire Bible series.)
Previous: Week 21: The Kingdom – David’s Rise
Next: Week 23 – The Kingdom – Solomon and the Temple
“The nation” is now a kingdom. King Saul, as it happened, was a prelude. Now the true king appears, the one God had in mind all along. Every Sunday-school child knows about the boy who killed the nine-foot giant with a single stone, and the shepherd who killed predators with nothing but a stick and his bare hands. David is also one of the few people in the Bible who receives a physical description. From the minute he appears, it’s as if the Word is saying, “Watch this one: he’s special.” But for all that, David’s purpose and place in salvation history outweighs his person.
