Lessons from the Life of David - Chapter 10
The Fruits of the Spirit 1
In the first talk in this series on the life of King David, we recalled that he was chosen by God to do a great work as the shepherd of God's people, Israel. Samuel, the leader of Israel at that time, anointed him with oil to signify that God had selected him to fulfil a very special role in the service of the Almighty. The Bible then tells us, in 1 Samuel 16, that the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward. The Bible teaches that no one is fit for God's work who has not been anointed. In the new Testament we read in 2 Corinthians 1 verses 21-22, that every true believer in the Lord Jesus Christ has received the Holy Spirit. Paul writes, "Now it is God who makes both you and us stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set His seal of ownership on us and put His Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come."
The Bible teaches further that no one can do God's work except by the Holy Spirit, and by God's work is meant living for God as well as working for God. "Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts." Our sinful hearts will always lead us astray unless they are cleansed and we are guided by the Holy Spirit constantly, if we are to please God and do His work.
In relation to David, at his anointing, we are told that from that day on, the Spirit of the Lord came upon David in power. It was inevitable then that evidence of the Holy Spirit working in David's life could be seen. I think it is best described in the words of St Paul the New Testament, as the fruit of the Spirit. We read about this in Galatians chapter 5 verse 22. The fruit of the Spirit, Paul explains, is nine-fold. Notice it is the fruit of the Spirit - singular - indicating the unity of the qualities and their connection with each other in contrast to the works of the flesh. This fruit, Paul explains, is the product of an inward power - the Holy Spirit, described in detail as - love, joy, peace, patience, kindness goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. They can be seen in three groups:
1. Those which look towards God: Love, Joy and Peace.
2. Those which are in relation to others: Patience, Kindness and Goodness.
3. Those which are personal: Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self Control.
We can find it helpful in our study to look at these attributes in the life and work of David in some detail.
Firstly: Love. This Paul teaches is AGAPE (God's love) and there is no other love like it. The Apostle John in his first letter, chapter 4, tells us as believers to love one another, for love comes from God, he says further, "Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God, because God is love, and this is how God showed His love among us: He sent His one and only Son into the world that we might live through Him."
So we gather that the practice of love is godliness. David practised it and others responded. We are told that Saul, the king, loved David greatly, also that Jonathan, Saul's son, loved David as his own soul. Further we are told that all Israel and Judah loved David, and all found their hearts won and knit to him. In this David was a type of our Lord Jesus Christ, "The altogether lovely one", as scripture puts it. I believe that people in his day showed love like that of his God to them.
Someone has said that David's heart of love was perhaps best seen in his grieving over the loss of those he loved dearly. When Saul, the king, and Jonathan his son and David's great friend, were killed in battle, David said, "The beauty of Israel is slain. How are the mighty fallen." Here, David displayed his love for his enemies because Saul had sought to kill David on a number of occasions. But now David recalled the tremendous love bond that existed between him and Jonathan saying, "Your love to me was wonderful more wonderful than the love of women. I grieve for you Jonathan my brother, you were very dear to me."
Another example of David's love was seen much later when his rebel wayward son Absalom was killed after leading a revolt against him. We hear him cry, "O my son Absalom, my son, my son. Would to God that I had died for you." There was only one love greater than this - love for rebels, love for sinners, the love of Christ for me. Little wonder that the Apostle Paul wrote in one of his letters, "I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." David, in his life, manifested some of the love of God to others, but his greatest love was for his God.