Bible Study Seattle

King David was annointed or inaugurated king three times.  The first was privately and secretly while Saul was still king.

“Now the Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you grieve over Saul, since I have rejected him from being king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and go; I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have selected a king for Myself among his sons.”  But Samuel said, “How can I go? When Saul hears of it, he will kill me.” And the Lord said, “Take a heifer with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.’  You shall invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do; and you shall anoint for Me the one whom I ^[a]designate to you.”  So Samuel did what the Lord said, and came to Bethlehem. And the elders of the city came trembling to meet him and said, “Do you come in peace?”  He said, “In peace; I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. Consecrate yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice.” He also consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.

When they entered, he looked at Eliab and thought, “Surely the Lord’s anointed is before Him.”  But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”  Then Jesse called Abinadab and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, “The Lord has not chosen this one either.” Next Jesse made Shammah pass by. And he said, “The Lord has not chosen this one either.”  Thus Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel. But Samuel said to Jesse, “The Lord has not chosen these.”  And Samuel said to Jesse, “Are these all the children?” And he said, “There remains yet the youngest, and behold, he is tending the sheep.” Then Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and bring him; for we will not sit down until he comes here.”

David Anointed

So he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, with beautiful eyes and a handsome appearance. And the Lord said, “Arise, anoint him; for this is he.”  Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon David from that day forward. And Samuel arose and went to Ramah.”  1 Samuel 16:1-13

It is interesting that David was annointed at his father’s house in Bethlehem.  Commentators have noted that the father and brothers never necessarily knew what Samuel was there for.  He simply pored oil on David’s head.  No announcement was made possibly.  On commentator thinks that Samuel merely whispered in David’s ear, “you are king”.   Josephus says this happened when David was 10!  Most other commentators think he was about Bar Mitzva age, no older than 15.  This explains why Jesse didn’t have David pass in front of Samuel.  Even if the family did know what was going on, they kept the matter to themselves, else Saul would have them killed.  A long time passed before David became king of Judah at age 30.  Saul spent much of that interim time jealous of David and trying to kill him.

“Then it came about afterwards that David inquired of the Lord, saying, “Shall I go up to one of the cities of Judah?” And the Lord said to him, “Go up.” So David said, “Where shall I go up?” And He said, “To Hebron.”  So David went up there, and his two wives also, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess and Abigail the widow of Nabal the Carmelite.  And David brought up his men who were with him, each with his household; and they lived in the cities of Hebron.  Then the men of Judah came and there anointed David king over the house of Judah.

And they told David, saying, “It was the men of Jabesh-gilead who buried Saul.”  David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh-gilead, and said to them, “May you be blessed of the Lord because you have shown this kindness to Saul your lord, and have buried him. Now may the Lord show loving kindness and truth to you; and I also will show this goodness to you, because you have done this thing.  Now therefore, let your hands be strong and be valiant; for Saul your lord is dead, and also the house of Judah has anointed me king over them.”  2 Samuel 2:1-7

Here David is king over Judah, but Abner appointed Saul’s son king over the northern ten tribes.  After 7.5 years of challenges, David gets the whole tamale:

“Then all the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron and said, “Behold, we are your bone and your flesh.  Previously, when Saul was king over us, you were the one who led Israel out and in. And the Lord said to you, ‘You will shepherd My people Israel, and you will be a ruler over Israel.’”  So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and King David made a covenant with them before the Lord at Hebron; then they anointed David king over Israel.  David was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned forty years.  At Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty-three years over all Israel and Judah.

Now the king and his men went to Jerusalem against the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land, and they said to David, “You shall not come in here, but the blind and lame will turn you away”; thinking, “David cannot enter here.”  Nevertheless, David captured the stronghold of Zion, that is the city of David.  David said on that day, “Whoever would strike the Jebusites, let him reach the lame and the blind, who are hated by David’s soul, through the water tunnel.” Therefore they say, “The blind or the lame shall not come into the house.”  So David lived in the stronghold and called it the city of David. And David built all around from the Millo and inward.  David became greater and greater, for the Lord God of hosts was with him.”  2 Samuel 5:1-10

Isn’t this amazing?  Does not this show the progression of the Messiah?  Isn’t it interesting that David’s first annointing was at Bethlehem?  Like Jesus’ first public ministry 2,000 years ago.  Then there’s a long period of trouble with Saul (Satan).  Did Jesus have trouble with Satan even after the cross?  There’s some evidence to support this (primarily the story of Joseph).  Then he’s crowned publicly in Hebron, but only over Judah since Saul’s son is crowned over the northern tribes.  This is the first part of the second coming, where Jesus is crowned secretly while Satan still has some sway over the world.  Finally, David gets the complete throne over all Israel.  This is like the second part of the second coming – Armageddon, where Satan is bound a thousand years, and Jesus’ reign is total.  We even get some timing clues.  While David’s first annointing has no dating, his second and third are 7.5 years then 33 years.  This is probably the ratio of time in the Millennium – rougly up to the completion of the bride of Christ, the church.  187 years, then 823 years, give or take.