THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST
SPREADING THE SOUL-SAVING MESSAGE OF JESUs
“David—The Man After God’s Own Heart”
Introduction by narrator accompanied by a cappella singing:
THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST. Spreading the soul-saving message of Jesus. And now, Ben Bailey.
God said, “I have found David, the son of Jesse, a man after my own heart, who will do all My will” (Acts 13:22). Welcome to our study of “David—the man after God’s own heart.” One of the most looked-up-to figures in the Old Testament is King David. He is remembered for the good that he did in destroying heathen nations, for bringing unity to God’s people, and for setting the stage so that his son Solomon could eventually build the temple of the Lord. David’s reign was a time of prosperity and peace in many ways. The people wanted to give David a place of honor, even during his own life. After David passed, the people especially held him in high esteem.
But what does it mean that David was “a man after God’s own heart”? Today we will be examining reasons why we can look up to David—“a man after God’s own heart.” Let’s think for just a moment about why David was such an individual. In 1 Samuel 13:14 we read,
“But now your kingdom [Saul] shall not continue. The Lord has sought for Himself a man after His own heart, and the Lord has commanded him to be commander over His people, because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you.”
When we link this with 1 Samuel 16:7 and Acts 13:22, we realize that the man being discussed is David. What made David a man after God’s own heart? What does such a statement mean? It means first that if we want to be “after God’s own heart,” we need to be people who are ready to prove what God’s heart is. How do we find “the heart of God”? When we seek it and search for it, we can find it (Jer. 29:13). It is no farther away from us that within the pages of the Bible. We must “prove all things, and hold fast to that which is good” (1 Thess. 5:21). To find the heart of God, we must prove what it is by going to the Scriptures. So what is “the heart of God”? The heart of God is a heart of holiness. Leviticus 11:44 (as repeated by Peter in 1 Peter 1:15) tells us what the heart of the person who will follow after God must be like. In 1 Peter 1:15 Peter said, “But as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct.” We are to be a people of holiness because God Himself is holy. He cannot look at sin or have any type of relationship with it (Hab. 1:13). God is not tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone with evil (Jas. 1:13-15). Thus, when we think of an individual who is “after God’s own heart,” that is a person who is striving to be perfect as our Father in Heaven is perfect (Mt. 5:48). A man after God’s own heart is also a man of The Book. What made David a great leader of God’s people? David had to learn that the hard way (through events such as those that centered on Nashon’s threshing floor and the sin of Uzzah). But from 1 Chronicles 15:13,15 we see David learning that he and his people needed to consult God’s law to be sure that they were doing what God had said to do. How true that is for people today who are trying to follow the heart of God. In 2 Timothy 2:15 we are told that we must study to show ourselves approved unto God, as workmen who do not need to be ashamed, “rightly dividing the word of truth.” Paul said in 1 Corinthians 2:13 that God has revealed Himself to us in words that the Holy Spirit spoke. We have those words within the pages of the Bible. Thus, we must search the Scriptures daily to see if what we are being told is true to the will of God. There are two great questions when it comes to finding the heart of God. The first is found in Jeremiah 37:17. An evil king asked the question, “Is there any word from the Lord?” There had been word from God, but he did not want to hear it. His question, however, emphasizes the need to seek God’s will. The second is found in Romans 4:3 where Paul asked, “What does the Scripture say?” The person who is seeking the heart of God will ask such questions, and then turn to the pages of God’s Word to find the answers.
We also can look up to King David as a man after God’s own heart because he had the courage to conquer the giants in his life. In 1 Samuel 17 we are introduced to the giant, Goliath. David, being a youngster at that time, was not involved in the battle. But his father Jesse sent him to take supplies to his brothers. While he was there, he saw Goliath, who daily taunted the people of God and tarnished the name of God. As a result, David has a righteous indignation. He says, “I will fight this giant!” Of course, they laughed at him. Eventually, however, he does fight Goliath. David cannot even wear the type of armor that Saul and his men were wearing. Still, he took five smooth stones and a sling, and before anyone knew what was happening, Goliath had been struck in the head. After he fell dead, David cut his head off. David gives the honor and glory to God for his being able to conquer the giant. If we are going to be like David, we must have the courage to conquer the giants in our lives. What some of those “giants” might be? The greatest giant ever is Satan himself. He is the “Old Dragon” (Rev. 12:9). He is that ravenous lion mentioned in 1 Peter 5:8 which says, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” Just like the giant Goliath, Satan is seeking to pick a fight with God’s people today. But the good news is that “He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world” (1 Jn. 4:4). More good news is that “this is the victory we have, even our faith” (1 Jn. 5:4). Thanks be to God, Who gives us the victory through our Lord, Jesus Christ! He always leads us in triumph to victory (1 Cor. 2:14). Just as it was with David, so it is with us today. As we stand up courageously to conquer the giants, we do not stand alone. Listen to Hebrews 2:17, which says, “Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.” Hebrews 2:18 goes on to say that Christ is able to “help those who are tempted.” Because Jesus made the great sacrifice that He did, He is able to offer succor and aid to those who are facing challenges. In 1 Peter 5:7 we are reminded to “cast all our cares upon Him, for He cares for us.” If we are going to be people “after the heart of God,” we must have the courage to conquer the giants in our lives.
David also is looked up to because he knew how to deal with his enemies (and especially Saul). There were times in David’s life where King Saul was at war with him. In 1 Samuel 18, Saul threw a spear at David to try to kill him. In 1 Samuel 24 and 26, David caught Saul unaware. On one of those occasions, he was so close that he was able to cut off a piece of Saul’s garment. And in the other he easily could have thrust his sword through Saul. But because Saul was God’s anointed, David did not do that. We need to learn from David how to deal with our enemies. We do not need to have the mindset, “I won’t get mad; I’ll get even!” We must not think, “Let’s do unto others before they do unto us.” We need to remember, “’Vengeance is Mine,’ says the Lord. ‘I will repay’” (Rom. 12:19). We need to allow God to exact His own vengeance in the way He chooses. The Bibles teaches us as Christians how to deal with our enemies. Jesus said in Matthew 5:44-45,
“But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.
Just like David, we need to do what God says when it comes to our enemies. We need to love them, do good to them, and try to reach them with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In Pro-verbs 25:21-22 we are told that doing good to our enemies is like heaping coals of fire upon their heads. We are putting shame on them for not living and acting like they ought to act.
Another reason we ought to look up to King David is that David learned how to respect the authority of God’s Word. Let me remind you of the events that occurred in 2 Samuel 6. David and the army were transporting the Ark of the Covenant after the Philistines had returned it to Israel. The Ark was being transported on a new cart, the text tells us. Ahio was driving the cart, and Uzzah was walking alongside it. The cart reached a place called Nashon’s threshing floor. As they were crossing it, the Ark hit a bump and began to tilt. Uzzah—because he loves the Ark and wants it to be safe with the people out of respect for God—reaches up to steady the Ark. Immediately he drops dead—right on the spot! The text tells us that David was angry with God because of what had happened. He did not understand everything that was going on at the time. We then get the rest of the story in 1 Chronicles 15:13-15, which teaches us how David learned to respect the authority of God’s Word.
“‘Because you did not do it the first time, the Lord our God broke out against us, because we did not consult Him about the proper order.’ So the priests and the Levites sanctified themselves to bring up the ark of the Lord God of Israel. And the children of the Levites bore the ark of God on their shoulders, by its poles, as Moses had commanded according to the word of the Lord.”
Why did Uzzah die? It was because the people had failed to consult God. God was not to blame. David realized that the blame lay on him. As we study the Book of Numbers, we learn that the Ark was to be moved on the shoulders of the Levites (sons of Kohath) as poles were placed through rings on each side of the Ark. If the people had done that, Uzzah never would have died. If we are going to be men and women after God’s own heart today, we must respect the authority of God’s Word. Colossians 3:17 says, “Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.” To do something “in the name of the Lord Jesus” does not mean that we can simply throw our hands in the air, do something, and then say, “I’m doing this in Jesus’ name!” It means that we are to do things by Christ’s authority. In Acts 4:7 the Jews asked the apostles, “By what power or by what name have you done this?” Proverbs 30:6 says, “Do not add to His words, lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar.” How I wish people would engrain in their minds the teaching of 1 Corinthians 4:6. Paul said that he had transferred some things to himself and to Apollos for the sake of the Corinthians so “that you may learn in us not to think beyond what is written.” Wouldn’t we do a great amount of good in following after God’s heart if we said to ourselves, “If it is not in the Bible, we are not even going to think about it”? What about instrumental music? No, it is not in the New Testament? What about women leading in prayer? No, it is not in the New Testament. What about dedicating babies? No, it is not in the New Testament. Think of the good we would do if we would just follow that principle. Let me remind you of the solemn warning at the close of the Bible. In Revelation 22:18-19 says,
“I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.”
We must not add to or take away from God’s Word. If we do, God will place things on us that we do not want. Furthermore, He will blot our names out of the Book of Life.
David also is a great man for us to follow because although he was far from perfect, he was man enough to confess and repent for his sins. Let me illustrate. In 2 Samuel 11 and 12 David, when kings usually were out at war, was in Jerusalem in his palace. He saw across from his palace a beautiful woman by the name of Bathsheba, who was bathing nude. He lusted after her. His lust was so strong that he took her and engaged in sexual relations with him. She became pregnant. Then David concocted a plan to have her husband Uriah come home to try to make him think that the baby is his child. That, however, did not work. So, David told the commander of his army to put Uriah on the front line and then pull back so as to ensure Uriah’s death. There was adultery. There was an unborn child out of wedlock. And there was murder. Then David lied to try to hide all of that. But in the end, did David admit his sins? Absolutely he did! The prophet Nathan came to him about his sin, and David said, “I have sinned.” When we see David saying in Psalm 51, “Wash me thoroughly from my sins; cleanse me with hyssop; I have sinned against You, and You alone,” we get the full picture of his repentance.
In the Bible there are people who confessed their sins, but their confession was not proper in God’s sight. For example, in Joshua 7, when Achan was caught, and when there was no other way out, he said, “I have sinned.” It was too late. He and his entire family were slain and burned because of his sin. In 1 Samuel 15 Saul said, “I have sinned. I have played the fool. I have erred exceedingly.” But again, it was too late. In Matthew 27:4 we see Judas realizing that he had sinned by betraying innocent blood, so he went out and hanged himself. David not only confessed his sin, but also repented of it and made it right before God. Listen to what the Bible says concerning confession and repentance of sin. In 1 John 1:7-10 we are told,
“If we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.”
We must be big enough to say, “I have sinned.” And we must be big enough to make changes in our lives—or we make God a liar. Here’s why. God has said, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23). In Acts 8 Simon got involved in sin. He had obeyed the Gospel. Earlier, he was a sorcerer (something like a magician). After obedience to the Gospel, he saw that through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, the Holy Spirit was given. He reverts back to his old life and says, “I’ll give you money if you’ll give me the ability to do that.” Peter said, “Your heart is not right in the sight of God. You have neither part nor portion in this matter. You need to repent and pray to God so that the evil thought of your heart might be forgiven you.” Simon, then, was big enough to say, “Pray for me, that none of the things you have said will come up on me.” How we need more people like David and Simon! In Luke 13 Jesus said to certain people who were trying to vindicate themselves while desiring that God’s wrath come down on others, repentance is essential. Some people had come to Jesus to ask, “Lord, what about people who had their blood mingled with sacrifices? Weren’t they worse sinners than anyone else? Or, what about the eighteen people who were walking down the road and had the tower of Siloam fall on them? Weren’t they worse sinners than all others?” Jesus said in verses 3 and 5, “I tell you, no. But unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”
What is repentance? Repentance is not sorrow alone. In 2 Corinthians 7:10 we are told that “godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation.” If we have the right kind of sorrow (godly sorrow), that will motivate us to want to repent. But sorrow alone is not repentance. Repentance is a turning from sin to God. In Acts 3:19 Peter said, “Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.” Repentance means that we must stop doing the wrong things in our lives. In Luke 3, everyone was coming to John the Immerser to be baptized. The “Jewish elite” came, too, because it was “the popular thing to do.” John said to them, “You brood of vipers. Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth fruits worthy of repentance.” These people thought, “We have Abraham as our father, so everything is all right. We will just be baptized because everyone else is. John is a great prophet, and he says we need to. But we’re still OK.” John said that they needed to bring forth “fruits of repentance.” His meaning was that those people had to make changes in their ways of life. They no longer could live the way they were living.
Another reason we can look up to David as a man after God’s own heart is that David is a great example of how to deal with death. In 2 Samuel 11 we see the adultery that occurred between David and Bathsheba. From that relationship, a child was born. Unfortunately, that child was not going to live. As the child lingers at death’s door, David mourns, weeps, and prays to God. But when the child dies, David gets up, cleans himself off, and is ready to go on with his life. His servants did not understand his actions, so they questioned him about it. David then provided a great gem of wisdom about death. In 2 Samuel 12:23 we read, “Now that he is dead, why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.” How did David deal with death? David knew that no matter how hard he tried, he could not bring back his dead child. But he also knew that he would see the child again if he lived faithfully before the Lord. If you have lost someone close to you who was a Christian, you do not need to make it your life’s aim to revive that person’s life in the here and now or to live in the past, but instead to realize that if you are faithful to God, you can be with that person again. Death is something that we all will have to face. Hebrews 9:27 says, “It is appointed to man once to die, and then the judgment.” If we are blessed, we might have 70 or 80 years on this Earth (Ps. 90:10-12). It will all seem like a vapor. We are here for a little while, and then we vanish away (Jas. 4:14). “Man who is born of woman is of few days, and full of trouble” (Job 14:1). But the good news is that the dead in Christ have hope. In Revelation 14:13 John says, “‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.’ ‘Yes,’ says the Spirit, ‘that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them.’” David understood, and we need to understand, that death is not a bad thing. For the child of God, death is a blessing. Notice the beautiful words of Psalm 116:115—“Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints.” From God’s perspective, death is not a dark, evil, or ungodly thing. Death is simply a doorway to life with God forever.
Another reason we can look up to King David as a man after God’s own heart is that David was a man who believed in the inspiration of God’s Word. David was sure that the words of God’s law (including some of the words he spoke) were from the very mind of God. Notice 2 Samuel 23:2—“The Spirit of the Lord spoke by me, and His word was on my tongue.” It was not just God’s “thoughts” or “ideas,” but God’s words that were on David’s tongue. How we need to appreciate and stand firmly today on the inspiration of God’s Word! Paul said it to Timothy like this: “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Tim. 3:16-17). We can know the truth, and the truth will make us free (Jn. 8:32). The truth is God’s Word (Jn. 17:17). Another beautiful passage about inspiration that helps us understand the fulness of inspiration is found in Psalm 119:160—“The entirety of Your word is truth, and every one of your righteous judgments endures forever.” We must realize that from Genesis 1:1 to the very last word of Revelation 22, the Bible is the complete Word and will of God. David wrote beautiful texts within the Scriptures. Psalm 23, for examples, teaches us David’s ability to let God lead him. “The Lord is my shepherd,” David said. “I shall not want.” We can see in David’s life God working and leading him as he went about doing great things in God’s kingdom. David also teaches us through some of the psalms that he wrote the importance of glorifying God in our daily lives. David wrote, “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament shows His handiwork” (Ps. 19:1). In Psalm 95:6 David said, “Come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.” David thus teaches us the power of glorifying God in our daily lives.
Are we like David? Are we a people “after God’s own heart”? Are you a person who is trying to live “after God’s own heart”? If you are not willing to submit to the Bible, then you cannot say that you are a person after God’s own heart. If you are willing to obey the Gospel and submit to God’s will, then you can become a person after God’s own heart. Have you heard the Word of God (Rom. 10:17)? Have you believed that Jesus is God’s Son (Jn. 8:24)? Are you willing to repent of your past sins (Lk. 13:3)? Are you willing to confess Christ as Savior and Lord (Acts 8:36-37)? Are you willing to be baptized in water for the forgiveness of your sins (Acts 2:38)? If you are willing to do those things, then you can begin to be a person after God’s own heart. If you will live faithfully before God and walk in newness of life, then, like David, you can have the hope and joy of knowing that you will one day be with God. May it be said of all of us that we were a people trying to be “after God’s own heart!”
Narrator accompanied by a cappella singing:
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“David—The Man After God’s Own Heart”
1. What statement is quoted in Acts 13:22 that serves as the pivotal scripture for this lesson?
2. What event took place in 1 Samuel 13 that caused Samuel to say to King Saul that God had sought “a man after his own heart”?
3. What does 1 Thessalonians 5:21 admonish us to do?
4. What important piece of information is found in 1 Peter 1:15 concerning God’s heart?
5. What important piece of information is found in Habakkuk 1:13 concerning God’s heart?
6. This lesson discusses two important questions that people need to ask regarding knowing the heart of God. The first is found in Jeremiah 37:17. What is it?
7. This lesson discusses two important questions that people need to ask regarding knowing the heart of God. The second is found in Romans 4:3. What is it?
8. This lesson makes the statement that we can look up to King David as a man after God’s own heart because he had the courage to conquer the giants in his life. What does that mean for us today since we cannot battle, as David did, a literal giant?
9. King David knew how to treat his enemies. What did Jesus say to us in Matthew 5:44-45 about how we today should treat our enemies?
10. What event occurred in 2 Samuel 6 that taught David the importance of respecting the authority of God’s Word?
11. What message is contained in Colossians 3:17 for those of us today about respecting the authority of God, Christ, and the Word of God?
12. What does Revelation 22:18-19 admonish us never to do?
13. What tragic series of events is recorded in 2 Samuel 11 and 12 concerning David?
14. When Nathan the prophet confronted David about the events mentioned in 2 Samuel 11 and 12 (see question #13 above), what was David’s response?
15. What does 1 John 1:7-10 have to say to Christians today about how to handle sin in their lives?
16. According to 2 Corinthians 7:10, what does “godly sorrow” produce?
17. What is repentance?
18. What event in King David’s life helped him understand that death is not necessarily a bad thing?
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