David died at age 70 (2 Samuel 5.4) from, it seems, simple old age (1 Kings 1.1). As we said yesterday, he gave a final speech to his son, Solomon, in which he both encourages and warns (1 Kings 2.2-4, 1 Chronicles 28.20-21). Whilst given specifically to Solomon, the utterance is still very encouraging for us today:
“David said to his son Solomon: “Be strong and brave! Do it! Don’t be afraid and don’t panic! For the LORD God, my God, is with you. He will not leave you or abandon you before all the work for the service of the LORD’s temple is finished.”
(1 Chronicles 28.20, NET)
David’s life was lived to the full, wasn’t it? He battled and overcame seemingly insurmountable enemies that allowed God’s people to prosper, he survived and prospered through times of persecution, and emerged from trial after trial with a solid faith in God. Knowing his death was coming he did all he could to provide for his loved ones (cf. John 19.26-27). I recently read that
“His dedication to God, loyalty in the face of ill-treatment, courage in war, benevolence in conquest, and faithfulness in friendship were so extraordinary that he would forever be viewed as an ideal king and a man after God’s own heart.”
As we’ve said before, David sets a wonderful example for us of how despite being fallen and fallible, we can be referred to as one after God’s own heart. More than this though, I believe his major contribution to the grand narrative of Scripture is to show us the Saviour:
He loved the law and sought to follow it, but ultimately knew that it pointed to a better and truer experience of living in fellowship with God: the person and the work of Jesus (Psalms 2, 10, 22).
James Travis 