“…From this day I will bless you.” Haggai 2:19
Dear Ones:
The life of David was forever changed by a singular event when he was a young man. Though the killing of Israel’s enemy, Goliath, and the consequent routing of the Philistine army was monumental in thrusting David to the forefront of attention and honor in Israel, it was not the most important event of his life. Perhaps to understand what this event was, and the significance of it, we need to go back in time to the days of Ruth and Boaz. It would be there, in the region around Bethlehem, that a son would be born to this woman from Moab, who possessed true faith in the living God. This was true also of her husband Boaz. This son would be named Obed, the father of Jesse, the father of David. Down the generations, and lineage of time, would come forth in the region around Bethlehem, the birth of the youngest son of Jesse, who would become the greatest king of Israel. The One who looks on the heart, and not on the outward appearance, saw in him two things, great capacity and great possibilities. But, even though this young man David was very handsome, intelligent, and a faithful son to his father, yet, he would not possess in and of himself what was needed to realize that God-given capacity and possibility. What was then the crucial, and essential event?
The context of the story of David at this time, when he was a shepherd of his father’s sheep, and the youngest of all his brothers, was that Israel was at war with the Philistines. There was an existing stalemate between the army of Israel and that of the Philistines. Saul, Israel’s king had been rejected by God as king because of his disobedience to God. The Spirit and blessing of God was no longer upon him for that reason. Fear had replaced faith, and the “armies of the living God” were paralyzed. David’s three older brothers were in the army, and though well-intentioned, were also infected by unbelief, and faithlessness. Prior to this situation which had developed, God had instructed Samuel the prophet to go seek out Jesse the Bethlehemite, as God had chosen one of his sons to be anointed “as king.” Though Samuel was tempted to choose one or several of the brothers of David, none possessed what God was looking for, …something in the heart. Paul, in one of his discourses, gives us a clear understanding of this “something in the heart:” “I (God) have found David the son of Jesse, a man after Mine own heart, which shall fulfill all My will.” (Acts 13:22) Though we see here that David possessed what God looked for in the heart, with respect to capacity of devotion, we do not see HOW the “possibilities” of God’s will for him can be realized, until we come to the singular event that will change everything. It will be on the day when Samuel comes, and invites Jesse and his sons, to come to the sacrifice at Bethlehem, that God will say unto Samuel with regard to David: “Arise, ANOINT him: for this is he.” (1 Sam.16:13) Scripture tells us that Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren. It would be then that “…the Spirit of the Lord came upon David FROM THAT DAY FORWARD.” (v.13) It will be “from that day forward,” as would be the case of Israel mentioned in Haggai, “….from this day will I bless you,” (Hag. 2:19) that the Spirit of God came upon David, and the blessing of God came upon Israel, because “He (God) had returned to Jerusalem with mercies.” (Zech.1:16) Herein is always the great event, God’s intervention in our lives by the Spirit.
Dear Father, give us to see that Your intervention in our lives, by the blessed anointing that you give to each of us who believe, is intended to fill every capacity which You have given us, and realize every possibility for which You have called us. Meet us TODAY, from this day forward, as we go forth in faith, believing, receiving, giving, honoring Thee by a life lived unto Thee. We thank and praise Thee in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Love, Dad