Samuel experiences a calling from Yahweh and has to tell Eli that judgment is coming against his family because of his two sons’ wickedness (they get killed in battle; Eli falls off a chair and dies) AND the Philistines have captured the ark of the covenant.
Over the next century things begin to turn around with the ark being returned and Israel experiencing some peace under Samuel’s leadership. BUT the Israelite’s want a king! This is seen as a rejection of Samuel and Yahweh. He warns them that monarchy is not the way to go, but gives in and anoints with oil an ‘impressive young man’ named Saul who is a ‘head taller’ than anyone else.
There are renewed attacks by the Philistines, Saul’s son Jonathan comes into the picture; Saul fails to follow Solomon’s clear instructions to subject the Amalekites to herem (a total destruction); Samuel announces that this disobedience will mean the end of Saul's kingship: “The Lord has sought out a man after his own heart.”
Saul and David (chapters 16 – 31) - Here’s where we meet David – the youngest of Jesse’s eight sons; Samuel anoints him as Israel’s future king. First, he serves in Saul’s court as a young musician; then he has a famous encounter with Goliath who taunts the Israelites daily challenging them to a duel. Young David takes on this challenge asking, “Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?” With his slingshot, David lands a knockout blow on Goliath’s head then cuts off his head with his (Goliath’s) own sword.
David receives a high rank in Saul’s army where he is incredibly successful in battle after battle. This leads to Saul’s paranoia and he repeatedly tries to kill David. His best friend (and Saul’s son) Jonathan warns him and David flees. Then two times David is in a position to kill Saul, but refuses to kill the “Lord’s anointed”. Eventually, David flees and hides among the Philistines.
Saul is fearful; he violates his own law (he has outlawed all mediums who are forbidden – see Leviticus 19:31) and seeks a medium to channel Samuel for advice. Woe is he because Samuel tells him that he will die in battle the next day. Sure enough, the Israelite’s are defeated, three of Saul’s sons (including Jonathan) are killed, and Saul commits suicide – his life ends in shame. Israelite’s first kingship comes to a close.
So . . . let me share what my research has shown me (I LOVE THIS STUFF!!!) We first learn about this land a thousand years before we hear of David in Genesis 14:18 where Melchizedek is the king of Salem. Salem comes from the Hebrew word shalem (today we use the word Shalom) which means peace. This land is eventually taken over by the Jebusites and they called the land Jebus (Judges 19:11; II Samuel 5:6; I Chronicles 11:4) which becomes Jebus-Salem or as we say Jerusalem which means peaceful. Jerusalem thus becomes the City of David, the center of his new regime – uniting southern and northern tribes.
Soon he arranges for the ark to be brought into his new city – the glory of the Lord is returning!!! David begins to wonder if he shouldn’t build a permanent temple for house the ark – a place for the Lord to live among His people. Nathan the prophet tells David – this will be done by one of his sons BUT Yahweh is promising to build David a house – a dynasty – through his descendants.
David’s family: the seeds of decline (chapters 8-24) – David’s lust gets the best of him when he notices the beautiful Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah. He commits adultery with her, she gets pregnant; he tries several ways to avoid blame (if you haven’t read this Scripture – read Chapters 11 and 12) and eventually has her husband killed.
“But this thing David has done displeased the Lord.” Nathan returns with a judgment from the Lord that the child will die and that Yahweh will bring calamity. David repents; Bathsheba bears another child (Solomon) who will become David’s successor and the rest of the book tells how the prophecy comes true.
First, his son Amnon rapes his half-sister Tamar; gets killed in revenge by Tamar’s brother Absalom; Absalom is eventually allowed to return to Jerusalem; David refuses him an audience for two years.
Next Absalom plots against his father (David); declares himself king in Hebron; David flees over the Mount of Olives into the desert ; Absalom fights David’s troops / loses; flees on his mule – gets his hair caught in branches and dangles from an oak tree; Joab (one of David’s generals) kills him against David’s orders. David again mourns his enemy; Joab warns him his supporters will dessert him if he continues to mourn his enemies; David returns to Jerusalem. PHEW!
David’s monarchy is restored, but weak. The last four chapters include a psalm of David (Psalm 18); a list of his mighty men and some exploits and David’s calling for a census which according to the prophet Gad is against God’s will (prideful) triggering a divine judgment in the form of a plague.
Gad instructs David to build an altar on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite (II Samuel 24:16; 18). HINT: THIS is the place where Solomon’s Temple will soon be built.
Summary: Saul is seen as full of promise, but appears to be marked by an inferiority complex and ends up knowing he has been played. David starts as a less likely leader, but quickly rises to the challenges until he gradually begins to abuse his power. Sexual temptation takes its toll and his complex family situation begins to unravel.
God uses this to forward His purposes. Despite their failures, Saul and then David are offering a necessary leadership within God’s people; and David becomes an icon for the ideal way in which God will one day rules his people by an anointed king. In David we have a sneak preview of how God will rule over his people – through a righteous king.
The New Testament picks up the words of Nathan’s prophecy and says that Mary’s child will ‘reign over the house of his father David’ and that ‘his kingdom will never end’ (Luke 1:32-33). Jesus is the long-awaited Davidic king, who rules perfectly over God'’ people. David thus foreshadows the Messiah and so proves to be a vital element, despite his failings, in the gradual revelation of God’s purposes.