DAVID AND CHRIST by H. A. St. John

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Apr 22, 1903

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 29, No. 16.

DAVID AND CHRIST.

By H. A. St. John

LONG centuries ago David ascended the throne of his complete dominion over all Israel, by three distinct steps, all of which were taken in accordance with the instruction and revelation of Him, “whose kingdom ruleth over all.”

The first step in David’s ascendency was his anointing by the prophet. David was born in Bethlehem, of godly parents, of the stock of Israel, and the tribe of Judah. In his youth he followed the occupation of shepherd, keeping his father’s sheep on the plains of Bethlehem. When a lad of fifteen years, there came a day when the distinguished prophet, priest, and judge of Israel came to Bethlehem. The object of his coming was unknown to the inhabitants of the quiet little village, but all knew his visit must have great significance, and the elders trembled at his coming. Samuel called to the sacrifice Jesse, the father of David, and requested of him that his sons might appear before him, as he had a divine mission to perform for one of the number. The sons of Jesse, seven in number, successively passed before him. Then the prophet of God in some perplexity, inquired, “Are here all thy children? the Spirit of divine wisdom and discernment upon me does not point to any of these as the one chosen of God.” The father replied, “There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep.” “Send and fetch him,” enjoined the prophet, “we will not sit down till he come hither.” So David was brought without delay. “Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to. 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 brethren, and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward. This was the first step toward making David king of Israel. He was anointed and Spirit-guided, but not crowned.

Saul, an apostate king, still held the throne, and when he learned that David, of another family and tribe, was likely to be his successor, he determined to prevent it. So he pursued David with an army, far and near, year after year, hunting him like a flea, or a partridge, that he might take his life. David’s noble character was revealed, in that he would not harm the Lord’s anointed, even when he had, on several occasions, both the power and the opportunity to do so.

At length Saul threw away his life in battle with the Philistines. David was very soon anointed and crowned king over a part of Israel, at Hebron. Here he reigned for about seven years. At the end of this period the whole kingdom came to him and he was again, for the third time, anointed king, this time king over all Israel, and his final coronation took place. Then began David to reign in Jerusalem and in Mount Zion gloriously. All his enemies were subdued, and the boundaries of his kingdom greatly extended. The dominion of Israel was enlarged under David ten-fold, and never was extended by his successors.

The most illustrious prince in the house of David is the Prince of princes, the Prince of Peace, the Lord Jesus Christ. Of Him the exalted angel Gabriel said, “He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of His father David; and he shall reign over the house of Jacob forever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.”

Jesus, like His father David, will reach the throne of universal dominion over all Israel by three successive steps. Jesus was anointed, but not crowned, when He bowed in prayer on the banks of the river Jordan after His baptism,—anointed with the Holy Ghost, the oil of gladness, above His fellows. The devil, the king of this world, at once began the most desperate and determined campaign against Him. There was the battle of the wilderness, and many another conflict followed, and he never for a moment abandoned his purpose to overthrow Jesus as long as He was in his usurped dominion. As David found refuge outside of Saul’s dominion, so Jesus finds refuge in His Father’s kingdom, where He is gradually, silently, but none the less surely, making up the subjects of His kingdom—the spiritual Israel.

The time is nearing when Jesus will again be anointed, and this time crowned as King of kings and Lord of lords, and then Satan will be bound, and Christ will deliver all the subjects of His kingdom from the dominion of Satan, leaving only the territory as a gloomy prison-house to the apostate. Christ will begin His reign at once over all Israel, but within the circumscribed limits of the capital of His kingdom, the New Jerusalem.

At the end of a thousand years reign in the Holy City will come the third anointing and final coronation of the Lord Jesus. All rebellion will be put down, all rebels, including the arch-rebel himself, will be destroyed, and God will have a clean universe once more. All the consequences of sin, the curse, will be forever wiped out, and the first dominion, a beautiful new heaven and new earth will return to the illustrious son of David, the second Adam. And of His peace and dominion and kingdom there shall be no end. Then will be fulfilled the prophetic words of the angel Gabriel, “He shall sit upon the throne of His father David, and rule over the house of Jacob [or Israel] forever.” In justice and judgment, in harmony and happiness, in love, life, and loyalty His throne will be established and His kingdom honored above all other kingdoms, while the ages of eternity roll. Let His subjects now preach, practise, and pray, “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven.”

May the time hasten on when the mighty hosts of redeemed Israel, numberless as the sands upon the seashore, all clothed with immortal youth and beauty, shall be gathered around the King of saints, seated upon His throne of glory. Then the power and majesty of Christ no language can describe, no pen portray. The brightness of His presence will fill the city of God and flow out beyond the gates, flooding the whole earth with its radiance. And then songs of praise will ascend from the white-robed ones, everywhere in the universe of God. “Worthy is the Lamb, that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing.” H. A. ST. JOHN.