The Son Of Jesse The Beth-lehemite

by J. Miller | Category: General | Dec 1962

As David's playing on the harp marked him out as a youth fit for the court of a king, so did his spectacular triumph over Goliath of Gath in the vale of Elah reveal him as the great warrior and shepherd of God's people. He was but a youth, ruddy and beautiful, from the hills around Bethlehem when he appeared in the camp of Saul. Saul and Israel were confounded before the giant who was the champion of the Philistines. No one from Saul downward moved out of the ranks of Israel's army to take up the challenge of Goliath. Instead they cowered like frightened birds beneath the poised hawk in the air. At last David came after the Philistine champion had proclaimed his challenge for forty days. Had God no man? So Goliath thought, and little did he think that that day he would be dead, humbled in the dust by God's man by one fell blow. There were no hours of combat, as the respective champions strained sinew and muscle and plied the arts of war known to them; the fight was over in less time than Goliath took to put on his helmet.

When David went forth against the Philistine, Saul said to Abner, the captain of the host, "Whose son is this youth?" This apparent ignorance of Saul has provoked some to think that the events of 1 Samuel 17 come before those of 1 Samuel 16.14-28. For they have taken the question of Saul to mean that Saul was quite ignorant of who David was. But Saul's question was not "Who is this youth?" but "Whose son is this youth? " Saul, as he saw the fearless courage of David, no doubt thought of his pedigree, that his father must be a mighty man and one who had trained his son in the arts of war and imparted to him the undaunted heart 9f a lion. There is, we know, a great deal naturally in pedigree and heredity. In divine things the first prerequisite is the new birth, then follows that experience that "the people that know their God shall be strong, and do exploits" (Daniel 11.82).

The issue in the question of Saul as to whose son David was is similar to that in the question the Lord addressed to the Jews "What think ye of the Christ? whose Son is He?" (Matthew 22.42). They answered quickly. "The Son of David," whereupon the Lord asked them, "How then doth David in the Spirit call Him Lord, saying: "The Lord said unto my Lord,

Sit Thou on My right hand,

Till I put Thine enemies under Thy feet?"

If David then calleth Him Lord, how is He his Son?

To this it says, "No one was able to answer Him a word, neither durst any man from that day forth ask Him any more questions" (Matthew 22.43-46).

Here the Jews stuck, and here they stick still. The Shoot has arisen from the stock of Jesse the Bethlehemite (Isaiah 11. 1), the One who is Root and Offspring of David (Revelation 22.16), who is also the Son of God; Son of God and Son of Man, God and Man, One Christ, One who is of one essence and nature with God the Father, and of our essence and nature by His birth of a human mother in Bethlehem, yet apart from sin. Here is God's Champion, who appeared in the likeness of sinful flesh to destroy the flesh and its deadly fruit-sin, to bear sin's penalty and to free the slaves of sin with a victory which needs no repetition.

Who is He in yonder stall,

At whose feet the shepherds fall?

Who is He on yonder tree

Dies in grief and agony?

Who is He who on the throne

Sits till all His sway shall own

'Tis the Lord I

Oh, wondrous story,

'Tis the Lord! the King of glory!

At His feet we humbly fall,

Laud Him, own Him Lord of all."

J. Miller | Dec 1962
General