The Rise of David
Over 200 years before King David, around 1220BCE, following the long period of slavery in Egypt and liberation under Moses, the tribes of Israel invaded what was called “The Land of Canaan.” During this period, they settled the land, or what to them was “the Promised Land.” This period of the Conquest is recorded in the Book of Joshua. Israel had no unifying government or single leader. They were a federation of tribes. This 200-year period was marked by ups and downs. As the people fell away from their covenant with God, they experienced conflicts without and within. Foreign enemies would attack and get the upper hand on various tribes. During this time military leaders would emerge to deliver the people. They were known as Judges. Often these leaders would be responsible for turning the hearts of people back to God. But at the end of the book, we are given a foreboding description of the times, “In those days Israel had no king, everyone did as they saw fit.”
Into this period comes the first of the line of prophets, Samuel. He tried to lead the people to be personally responsible in their covenant faithfulness. This was the source of their security and wellbeing, but in the end the people demanded to have a king. They wanted to be like other nations (1 Samuel 8:5). God told Samuel that it is not him the people have rejected, but God. Nonetheless, God consented and gave them a king, Saul. We are told that Saul was a tall, imposing person, perhaps meaning that if people had to look up to him physically, they might look up to him spiritually. Well, that didn’t turn out that way. Saul proved unreliable and unfaithful.
This history shows how Israel had been struggling since the time of Moses to live obediently to God. As historian Frederick Owens said, “The people were on a long drift from God.” (David: The man of Passion and Destiny, Charles Swindoll, p. 2) Into this scene comes a person who will reverse this drift, someone who the Bible says, was a man after God’s own heart, someone who was a most unlikely choice to be king: David, son of Jesse.