(Men God Made) David — Willie Mullan

David, the Man After God’s Own Heart

942, looking at David this evening, the man after God's own heart.

And I want to say that that phrase, and remember that phrase was spoken by God himself. God called David the man after his own heart and that has been criticized right down through the years and so many of the critics come along at times and say now how can he be called the man after God's own heart when he committed these terrible sins against Bathsheba and against her husband.

Well, we'll get round to see exactly how that's answered this evening next week in the Bible class, let me say this we're going to look at Enoch. I want to say now that the whole biography of Enoch given by the Spirit in the book, it just covers 9 verses in the Bible a few in Genesis, and a few in Hebrews and a few just at the end of the New Testament.

I want you to get the hold of that because when you compare the Spirit given biography of Enoch with the Spirit given biography of David what a comparison. You see there are 62 chapters in the Old Testament given to the biography of David.

I think I told you the other night there were 14 chapters given to Abraham and yet you see, Abraham is mentioned more times in the New Testament than David was. But the Spirit was so infinite that he can teach more, not teach less and paint the picture of the scholar in the school.

And so we're looking at David tonight, and we have plenty of material there are 62 chapters for us to take the cream from. And looking at David tonight we know that he was the shepherd boy and he was only 16 years of age.

He was the shepherd boy that was taken from the plains around Bethlehem, London and taken by God to the palace to be the king of this great and mighty nation. And you can see I've outlined for you on the notes the many stages that he passed through.

He was a shepherd boy for some time and then we're going to find out tonight that he was a very cunning and very capable and very skilled musician one of the great harpists of the Old Testament. Of course we do know that he was the sweet figure of Israel and I think you know this that once upon a time he faced this great giant Goliath and he became the champion of the nation of Israel on that occasion.

We know he was a poet and I think there would be no arguments when I say that the 23rd psalm written by the hand of David it's still at the top of the charts tonight no matter what way you look at it and remember at this moment it is 2600 years old and some of the songs we're listening to today won't stand up this he was not only a shepherd boy and a musician and singer and champion of course great writer and warrior.

David said that he was a warrior from his youth up. He was also an outlaw and there should be a comma at the back of outlaw she has failed again and left out the comma.

Yes, yes.

In fact there's a very beautiful book written about David as the Robin Hood of the Old Testament and he did rob the rich you know to feed the poor and he was an outlaw in those days. And then at last he came to be the king and not only the king but the great king.

That's actually the title given to him great king of Israel. So you can see we have plenty of scope for this evening. I want to look first of all at David's election by God. I think you remember this don't you that God brought Israel out of Egypt brought them through the wilderness and eventually into the promised land on the Joshua.

And after Joshua's death the judges of Israel became the rulers of the nation. And then you will find that when old Samuel the prophet was judging Israel that Israel cried to Samuel first of all that they wanted to have a king over them like the nations around them and the Lord gave in to this it allowed them it was the permissive will of God and God permitted them to have a king.

And the first king was Saul, king Saul you remember he was a Benjamite and you remember when God gave him a task to do to wipe out the Amalekites. Then he disobeyed God and saved Agag who was the king of the Amalekites.

Saul’s Disobedience and David’s Election

Now that's where we want to start the story this evening of David. And we are at first Samuel and we are at chapter 15. Please first book of Samuel. And we are at chapter 15. And then Saul had failed and disobeyed God.

Then Samuel the prophet came to talk to him. And we are at first Samuel 15. Verse 24. And Saul said unto Samuel I have sinned. He is admitting to the prophet that he failed. I have sinned for I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord on thy words because I feared the people and obeyed their voice.

And there are so many people who disobey God just because they fear the people. And that's a terrible thing when the fear of man brings a sort of snare upon you. Verse 25. Now therefore I pray thee pardon my sin and turn again with me that I may worship the Lord.

And Samuel said unto Saul I will not return with thee for thou hast rejected the will of the Lord and the Lord hath rejected thee for being king over Israel. And as Samuel turned about to go away he laid hold upon the stick of his mantle and it rent.

And Samuel said unto him the Lord hath rent the kingdom of Israel from me this day and hath given it to a neighbour of thine that is better than none. Now I want you to gather one or two things quickly here.

You know Saul at that moment was being rejected by God as the king of Israel and he certainly didn't know who the neighbour was that was going to get the throne in his place. And I tell you once more that our Lord Samuel is coming out and talking so loudly and so clearly.

He didn't know either. God was talking in his innermost breath and he knew there was somebody nearby who was going to get the kingdom but he didn't know and that is more important for us. David was the neighbour and he was 16 years of age and he was on the hills around Bethlehem attending a few sheep and he didn't know either.

It never even dawned on the wee fellow if you will allow me to say that. Oh but God knew long before the wee fellow knew and God had now settled it, God was electing electing David. Now we are commencing in 1 Samuel 16 I want you to get this this one.

And the Lord said unto Samuel how long wilt thou mourn for Saul seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel. Fill thine horn with oil and go. I will send thee to Jesse the desolate knight for I have provided thee a king among his sons.

You see God knew where the king was. And although the little fellow is just young and he is 16 and he is on the mountains and he is tending a few sheep and we are on the line map in the moment. You know this election works doesn't it.

God had him picked up. God had chosen him. David doesn't know and we are going to find out that. Samuel didn't know. And most certainly Saul didn't know but God knew. And you know God may have desired one or two of you in this place and you don't need to worry about the future too much.

You know leave the unknown future in the masters ears. I don't know about tomorrow but I do know who holds tomorrow in his hand. Samuel was a little bit afraid here although he was the great prophet. Verse 2.

And Samuel said how can I go. If Saul hear it he will kill me. And the Lord said take an apple with thee and say I am come to sacrifice to the Lord and call Jesse to the sacrifice. And I will show thee what thou shalt do.

And thou shalt remind unto me him whom I name. Did you get that little bit. Yes him whom I name not him whom the gospel should be named or anything like that or anybody else or any other club or colleague or anything unless God sends you you may go home.

Remember that. And for any fit you young fellows don't be using red hip. This masonic business doesn't work in God's domain. This leads the thing with God. I mean Samuel didn't need to scratch his head you know because I'll tell you you're the prophet but I'll tell you.

And when I tell you you'll know. And so you see. Verse 4 says. And Samuel did that which the Lord speak. It's a good idea and seemed to better him. And the elders of the town turned on his coming and said come astide Peter Bley.

And he said Peter Bley I am come to sacrifice unto the Lord sanctify yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice. And he sanctified Jesse and his sons and called them to the sacrifice. And it came to pass when they were come that he looked on Elias.

Elias and said surely the Lord's anointed it before him. Oh this was the firstborn you see have a look at him frappin big fella broad shoulders and all the rest of it. The old prophet you know was going to be taken in here.

But the Lord said unto Samuel verse 7 look not on his countenance or on the height of his stature because I have refused him for the Lord seeth not as man seeth for man looketh on the outward appearance but the Lord looketh on the heart as he was rejected to.

Then Jesse called the den of God that's the next son and made him pass before Samuel. And he said neither hath the Lord chosen this. And Jesse made Sam out to pass by. And he said neither hath the Lord chosen this again.

Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. And Samuel said unto Jesse the Lord hath not chosen thee. And Samuel said unto Jesse are here all thy children. And he said there is an innest yet thee youngest and behold thee keepeth the sheep.

And Samuel said unto Jesse send and fetch them for they will not sit down till they come hither. And he sent and brought them in. This is David's picture for you. Now he was ready and with all of a beautiful countenance and goodly to look through.

And the Lord said just as quick as lightning arise anointed this is he the second one. This was the new king. He is only sixteen at this moment. In fact the family thought so little of him. They didn't think it was worthwhile bringing him in to see the prophet at all but we'll get around to that in a moment.

All the other big fellows were there but he wasn't there and he wasn't called and Jesse didn't think it fit to call him. And I want you to get the hold of this that he was away out in the mountains there and he was learning a whole lot of little things.

Ruth’s Lineage and David’s Family Background

Now I want to sort of paint for you David's situation at home next. Now let's go through the book of Luke. It just comes before 1st Samuel Joshua judges. And then comes Luke and I think that every lady in the meeting knows the story of Ruth.

She was a moor bybred and you remember that she had married Naomi's son and he had died and she was a young adult and now her mother-in-law Naomi is going back to God and getting back into fellowship with God and Ruth wants to go with her.

You remember the decision that Ruth made looked into the eyes of her mother-in-law she stood on the borderline between the two countries and she said these words entreat me not to leave thee nor to return from following after thee for where thou goest I will go and thy people shall be my people and thy God shall be my God.

That's what made her decision. Everything she was changing for God. She had worshipped at an idol down in Moab for ever so long but she was turning to God from idols now turning to the living God. And so she came into the land and she met a man in the land called Boaz and he married her.

And we are at the last chapter of Ruth just now chapter 4 find us a time as we go along. So Boaz, verse 13 so Boaz took Ruth and she was his wife and when he went in unto her the Lord gave her conception and she bared a son and Naomi, verse 16 took the child, that's Ruth former mother-in-law.

Naomi took the child and gave it a name and between this one to it and the woman her neighbours gave it a name saying there is a son born for Naomi and they called his name Obed he is the father of Jesse and Jesse was the father of David so you can see the last verse, verse 22 Obed begot Jesse and Jesse begot David so that you can see that Ruth was Obed's mother and she was Jesse's grandmother and she was and Obed begot Jesse he was the grandson of Ruth and of course David was the great grandson.

That's what I am getting round to so you see where he came from. Now there is something that I want you to see a way back from the very first chapter of Ruth. When Naomi is talking she is getting back to God and going back to where God is worshipped.

In verse 21 she said I went out full and the Lord hath brought me home again empty. I want you to see that this woman not only lost her sons by getting away from God but she lost all her possessions now that tells me that when she came back she had very little of an inheritance to come to.

Now it's quite true that Boaz was a rich man and it's quite true that he married Ruth but it's equally true that when we see Jesse's home let's go to 1st Samuel 17 for a moment. 1st book of Samuel chapter 17.

And we come to this because this is the place where Goliath appears and David is asking questions and his elder brother heard them and he speaks. See verse 28. 1st Samuel 17. And Goliath his elders brother heard them when he spoke unto the men and Goliath's anger was kindled against David and he said why camest thou down hither and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness.

I want you to get the hold of it because all the little details are given us by the Spirit of God because Jesse had a family of boys here and the little fellow is out on the hills and he's attending just a few sheep and you can see the household they set this land at knots didn't even bring it when Samuel came and I'm getting the whole picture painted together with just a few sheep on the hills and I think they're back to poverty again or pretty near for this is the situation he's despised looked down upon and the family hasn't got very much to talk about just a few sheep on the hills for this is the situation now.

David’s Preparation Through Shepherding and Courage

I want you to think about David out on the hills and that brings us to David's preparation for life. You know when this giant appeared David who had come down to see his brothers in the battle on the army camp.

David said to Saul in verse 32. 1st Samuel 17. Verse 32. We can't see this young fellow coming to this great king. And David said to Saul let no man's heart fail because of him that is because of Goliath.

Thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine. Saul said to David thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him. For thou art but a youth and he a man as well from his youth. David said unto Saul thy servant kept his father's sheep and became a lion and a bear and took him 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. And this all circumcised Philistine shall be as one of them seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God.

David said moreover 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 the Philistine. This little fellow had learned to trust God on the hills.

You know it ain't the morphitans up there. It was the preparation for life. You see God was putting him into the school. That's the bit I've got to get round to tonight. Sometimes God puts you into the school you know.

And here he is up on the hill. He's learning what courage is where it really comes from. And it comes from faith in the living God. That's where it comes from. You don't breed guts. Oh he learned to trust God.

And neither the lion nor the bear annoyed him. Yes he learned a lot more up there. Didn't. He learned to play the harp learned to sing as he sat on the hill learned all about the sling and the storm. Didn't he.

He didn't know what he was doing. He was preparing some school now you know I was way up on the mountains of Samaria one morning. We got to Cropwood tonight and I was climbing up the wall of an old ruined temple that's up there and I spied a shepherd boy.

I think he must have been something just like David. He was beautiful. He was really tanned almost black but he was just a lad and must have been 15 or 16. And he's further down the hill. And I said to the guide who was an Arab.

I said there's a lad on the hillside there. He said he's a shepherd boy. And I jumped from the wall down. I said go down and see this kid. He said don't go near him. He said don't turn back because when you're a stupid Irish man like me you go on you know don't turn back.

And then I flew away there. So I went on down the hill slowly and watched him like a hawk. He watched me as I came down and when I got close to me he couldn't speak English of course. And I looked at him and I said oh son touch it along the shoulder.

Then he took the water bottle off and pulled the cork out and gave me this water bottle and the old Arab said I've never seen a gun before you're in with them. I said sure I could get in with anybody so this kid and I just looked at each other and I couldn't talk to him better.

I had a whole lot of money I don't mean a whole lot of money. I had a whole lot of Israel money and you can have your two hounds full and you can have about 9 or 10 million and I don't know what was in it.

I couldn't take time to count it but I took it all off and I gave it to the boy and so pleased to get it and put it in his pocket. It wasn't very much I'm sure it wasn't very much. I gave it to him anyway.

So he began the three hour spend with him and he brought me over and he gathered a whole lot of stones and I thought we were going to have to charge the other boys and Crawford wouldn't have been able to charge that very much so he didn't.

And one thing he told me what he could do with these and what an exhibition I got and it was well worth my while going down there were great big slippy stones and he could pinch them that's the word just from all down here he could pinch them and while he had talked to me and I had fiddled about with him the sheep had got away across the plain and he could pinch the stone and you could hear it going through the air right across to the very front sheep and then it would just drop at a close and it would stop and then he'd bump another one and he would turn them and when they were coming this way he would bump one over here and turn them in and what this lad was doing.

He was bringing all the sheep up to let me finish and with a lot of these stones he drove this whole flock in just a stone over there and one over there. He brought the whole flock right on up round my feet one he could see and I came to the conclusion.

This is what David was doing up here and I feel he was young fella started a full stone but he had been in a bad way. He needed ten heart on or something like that if he should even handle it and you see David must have been doing this with a sling.

He wasn't Haitian but could put them in the sling and pull them and let them go. And when we were boys I used to use a sling wasn't very good at it but I know about it how you do it and how you roll it round and how you let one end of it go and how it goes to there.

I know all about that and I would think David was up in the hill preparing ah yes it's never wasted. You know I look back at my life and I'm the youngest one of seventeen and I remember days you know I can remember this as clear as anything watching all this.

I was the youngest one I must have been the cutest one I could watch all the boys faces round the table and I tell you you know my mother used to tumble a big pot of potato drop on the table or a fancy tablecloth or anything like that.

She used to tumble them up and I'll tell you this. You didn't have to put your fork in it or anything. You just lifted it and if you didn't lift it it was a pity of you. There would be no man in the middle of the room.

Just lift it and you know you should see all the faces. I can see them yet you'd see them smiling. And my big bear looked down at me and shake his head. Ah I'll get one pretty quick you know. And there it was.

And we got buttermilk and sponge and salt. And I say this before God I wouldn't like it if I had changed. I'm glad I was brought up like that. There's a great school to go through that fitted me for any part of this world you know.

And I'm so pleased I thank God every day. I was pure thank God for that. I think I was the greatest blessing I ever had. And I never want to be anything else. Somehow you get brought up like that. It's good for you.

And David you know was being prepared for life wasn't he. And in this 1st January 17 and 32 you can see his decision. He's prepared to go to fight. He says I said I'm going to go and fight with this for this time.

I think you can see this. Can't you. He's prepared to stand in the evil day. This is what comes with God you know what you say in hallelujah. Or amen enjoy the thing.

It's the day you stand up and you fight it that's what comes.

See all the world is following. They call this. We follow them. They despise them. For what nearly is now when the evil day has come he's standing on his two feet and he's looking at their king first.

He says I'll go. There's this trust in God. You know that's when decisions are made when you can trust the Lord. So might you see this. And I want you to see this. Let's get round to this rejection by Saul.

Saul’s Rejection and David’s Persecution

1st Samuel 18. Just skipping a verse or two. 1st book of Samuel chapter 18. See verse 9. Just because David did so well at the battle and so many people cherished him. You know when God begins to bless you and people begin to thank God for you you always find there's somebody nearby who doesn't like you.

You can be prepared for that young fellow. Yes. See verse 9. And Saul eyed David from that day. And Saul went. Oh yes. See 19 chapter 19 verse 1. And Saul spake to Jonathan the son and to all his servants that they should kill David.

It will always be so. You know you know I've come up through life. I know a lot of things. You know in there and everywhere. You know when I got saved just a poor drunkard saved. And I was enjoying the Lord.

Just enjoying the Lord. I remember going down the street in the rain. You know and said Lord you with me. We're walking down this footpath together. You sit round and talk to the Lord and squeeze each hand.

And I was enjoying the Lord. Just stand in the street and tell the people about the Lord. Oh yes. My sister didn't like it. She thought I'd gone crappish. There's more wonderful people in there. But the old Methodist minister to his credit.

That's Beardsford Lyons. They called him an old fellow with a beard coming up the footpath. He stopped me one day. He said you haven't got really saved son. I said praise the Lord for that minister. You saved.

Yes. I am indeed. That's the Lord. You saved. Just talk to him like I talk to anybody else. No no. No bigotry or any bitterness in it or anything like that. I'll tell you what I want you to do. Why don't you come into the big Methodist church there and have a week's meetings have a room with pizza out.

He said I don't say to you anything I'm just happy I'm saved.

I'll come along some Sunday night as you like and you take the meeting and I'll tell them all to say. I didn't want to listen to anything. I couldn't really believe the old man for what he meant it and he still commented me if that's the right words.

But one day I said alright and what a day that was. And when I saw a big bill outside this big fashionable yes in the church with my name on it I thought I should take a picture to Canada dear. But you know the whole time came and I'll tell you how I prepared the messages.

I was digging roses every day. It was big starting at 7 o 'clock in the morning and just for Christ's sake I was punching the clock at 10 to 7. I was never late in my life for Christ's sake. Once the clock let the boys say someone you can't get out of your bed your ma can't get you up you haven't got your breakfast when you go to your work.

I was up a long time before that to talk to the Lord. And as I dug the roses I'd say Lord Jesus please tell me about this meeting tonight what I'm to say. And each day I'm sure as I'm here the souls would come.

Christ died for the ungodly they must be born again and praise. But I'd work it out all day as I dig and I'd go along preach and the Augustan people saved at night. And I was so stupid you see so glad I was that I didn't realise the Lord was in this place in the night array just was glad to get out of bed at night and away back home and alone with the Lord and get out in the morning and talk to the Lord.

And oh please the baton of the Lord and he'd give me a new message for the next day and so on. It was the Lord Him all but some of the Christians they have my life. The pastor of the church. I remember in the church the pastor of the church said to the elders and patients you have to keep them back.

Don't give them a meeting.

Don't let them know it's their fault it's going to take the town over.

I really pissed my life in over there. Bless you. It's just not so popular for me. The old pastors. You know pastor should be the name. Yeah. Well if God's going to bless you you'd better make up your mind about it.

You see David Hartford grew up in the wilderness and he lived away in the caves where we were dying for a long time. And I went up into the caves one day and told you about it. Let's have a look at Psalm 142 book of Psalms.

And we're at Psalm 142. If you've got a good Bible there you'll find right at the top of this Psalm it says a prayer. A prayer of David when he was in the caves. He's up in the caves. Now I know where the cave is and I was in the caves.

And as you lie if you would lie on your belly and look out of the cave mouth you would look right across the fields of Bethlehem. And then he was brought up and all the rest of it. And he lost a day there at times and wondered what was happening.

After all you know he would remember that he had been among us but I'll tell you this if the Lord allows you to be king then there's Paul.

There's Goliath there's lions there's bears there's nobody else to keep you back. It's bound to happen all your life and ever. And keep you back. I'll beat God. I'll do anything that will beat God. If God elects for them to be king king he will be.

Always get that quite right in your mind if God gives you his will and I don't know anything that will beat his will. If God says I have provided me a king who's going to watch after me. The author of Mormon but he didn't you know like the rest of us he doubted God at times.

Here he is in the cave he says. I cried unto the Lord with my voice. With my voice unto the Lord. I did I with my supplication. I pulled out my complaint before him. I stood before him. My trouble.

When my spirit was over veiled within me.

Lay down yours my path. You might get there one day. You know some of us have been there. When your spirit is over veiled within you you think it's all lost it's all over. The darkness has bequeathed me.

The lion roars and the goats tell him about it. Oh God knows all about it. Lay down yours my path. In the way when in I watched the little lady stare for me I looked on my right hand looking out of the third mouth low and beheld but there was no man that would know me that should save me.

He's a good child no man cared for my soul.

It's a lie but you talk nonsense at times even though you are the mightiest you know. But to say no man cared for his soul. I'll tell you at that moment that he's lying in the cave and looking up and he's down in the dumps away in the king's palace.

The king's son loves David but with his own soul. Jonathan dear you no matter how dark the night gets or how many foot get up against you or how lonely you may seem to be remember the Lord loves you. And he's on the throne and he won't change.

Neither death nor life nor angels nor anything else can change. Ah yes you can see this. David's rejection David's devotion itself. You know if you take a night at this wouldn't it. You need to take the sounds.

And you need to go through the small book of sounds. And there are a hundred and fifty sounds. And you know as I go through the sounds I can see that some of the sounds were all praise. Oh how he climbs into the heights by himself.

And he touches the top note on the keyboard of praise. Oh how he praises the Lord. Yes they're all praise. And then the prayer begins. And we're going through the sounds. And we're not touching the praises.

We're just thinking of the prayers. Oh he prays. You know. And oh how he could pray. Oh this fellow could really pray. You know we have been moved in the prayer meetings by the prayers of David. And those wonderful praises.

Because you know there are. Let's say Alex Sands in this wonderful book of sounds he was a prophet. You know you see he graduated in the school and God made him a prophet. And being a prophet he could see.

He could see Christ. In fact in Psalm 22 he saw the cross. He saw the hands and the feet pierced. In fact he heard the cry of the cross. Psalm 22 begins with my God my God why hast thou forsaken me. You see David's emotion itself.

Don't you do. You see David's reflection of God. You see it was God that said he's the man after my own heart. Now there are arguments about this. Let's go back to 1st Samuel 26.

David’s Mercy Toward Saul

Samuel 26 we need to read the verse to get this properly you see.

And the siphon came on the throes of Gebeah. You see do not let David hide himself in the hill of Hathorah which was before Jashamon and follow those that went down to the wilderness of Zith having three thousand children men of Israel with them and mark the figure three thousand children men all warriors to put David in the wilderness of Zith.