Sample Chapter
David
(about 1040–961 B.C.)
The great prophet, warrior, and conqueror, King David, ruled two
kingdoms: Judah and Israel. Chosen and anointed by God, he succeeded
Saul as second king of the united kingdom of Israel. His forty-year reign
was known as the golden era—the most brilliant, glorious time in the history
of Israel. He secured the boarders of the country, united the tribes,
and established a government according to the will and laws of God. The
entire nation enjoyed unprecedented prosperity under his reign.
David, the great grandson of Boaz and Ruth, was the youngest of
eight sons born to Jesse, of the tribe of Judah. He grew up tending his
father’s flocks on the hillsides of Bethlehem, his birthplace. A gifted
young musician and poet, David was described as “beautiful” to behold
(1 Samuel 1:12). While David was yet a child, the Lord sent Samuel the
prophet to anoint him in place of King Saul, whom God had rejected for
disobedience.
Young David proved faithful and brave. When a Philistine giant defied
all of Israel to combat, David met the challenge.
“Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a
shield; but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the
armies of Isreal, whom thou hast defied. This day will the Lord deliver
thee into mine hand…And all this assembly shall know that the Lord
saveth not with sword and spear; for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will
give you into our hands,” (1 Sam. 17:45-47)
With God’s help, David defeated the brute. This victory earned him
a position as courtier at the palace of King Saul. But David’s popularity
made Saul so jealous that he eventually ordered him killed. David fled
the palace and lived in exile as an outlaw. After Saul and his son Jonathan
were killed in battle, thirty-year-old David returned to claim the
throne. He conquered the city of Jerusalem and declared it the capital of
his kingdom and the religious center of his people. To that end, the new
king transported the Ark of the Covenant from Cariathiarim to the City
of David.
Through a series of battles and conquests, King David enlarged the
nation’s borders as far as the Euphrates. During this campaign David fell
into the sin of adultery with Bathsheba and arranged for the death of her
husband, Uriah. These sins brought a series of calamities upon him and
his kingdom during the last twenty years of his life. Through David’s
deep sorrow and pleadings for forgiveness of his sins, we find an example
of true contrition.
Early on King David had set his heart on building a temple unto the
Lord, but God told him he could not —that his son Solomon was chosen
for that honor. Nonetheless, David spent several decades and huge
fortunes amassing all of the raw materials needed: timber, gold, silver,
brass, and so forth to be used in this magnificent monument.
Shortly before his death, King David assembled all of the leaders
of Israel to collect their contributions and money offerings for the new
temple, and he announced that Solomon was appointed of God to build
the great edifice. David turned over all of the materials, including the
pattern for the temple, to Solomon. Then he offered what is believed to
be his last public address, wherein he blessed and praised the Lord for
all of Israel’s generous contributions. The entire congregation was then
called to pray and offer sacrifices unto the Lord. The official anointing
of Solomon as king followed. David died shortly thereafter of natural
causes, sometime around his seventieth year.
King David was a prophet of God who spoke by the Spirit and had
many revelations. Of all the wonderful sermons, teachings, psalms, laws,
lyrics, music, poetry, leadership, righteous works, and prophecies that
came by and through this great king, his last humble words to Solomon
were uttered by a man who understood that ultimately, through sin, he
had failed his God. His example stands as a powerful testimony to the
world of the importance of enduring to the end. After his last public address,
we find two versions of King David’s last words to his son—one
in 1 Kings and one in 2 Samuel.
Last Words (spoken publicly)
1 Chronicles 29:10–19
Blessed be thou, LORD God of Israel our father, forever and ever.
Thine, O LORD, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the
victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is
thine; thine is the kingdom, O LORD, and thou art exalted as head above
all. Both riches and honour come of thee, and thou reignest over all; and
in thine hand is power and might; and in thine hand it is to make great,
and to give strength unto all.
Now therefore, our God, we thank thee, and praise thy glorious
name. But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer
so willingly after this sort? For all things come of thee, and of thine
own have we given thee. For we are strangers before thee, and sojourners,
as were all our fathers: our days on the earth are as a shadow, and
there is none abiding.
O LORD our God, all this store that we have prepared to build thee
an house for thine holy name cometh of thine hand, and is all thine own.
I know also, my God, that thou triest the heart, and hast pleasure in
uprightness. As for me, in the uprightness of mine heart I have willingly
offered all these things: and now have I seen with joy thy people, which
are present here, to offer willingly unto thee.
O LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, our fathers, keep this
for ever in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of thy people, and
prepare their heart unto thee: And give unto Solomon my son a perfect
heart, to keep thy commandments, thy testimonies, and thy statutes, and
to do all these things, and to build the palace, for the which I have made
provision.”
2 Samuel 23:1–5
The Spirit of the LORD spake by me, and his word was in my tongue.
The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, He that ruleth over
men must be just, ruling in the fear of God. And he shall be as the light of
the morning, when the sun riseth, even a morning without clouds; as the
tender grass springing out of the earth by clear shining after rain.
Although my house be not so with God; yet he hath made with me
an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and sure: for this is all my
salvation, and all my desire, although he make it not to grow.
1 Kings 2:1–4
I go the way of all the earth: be thou strong therefore, and shew
thyself a man; And keep the charge of the LORD thy God, to walk in his
ways, to keep his statutes, and his commandments, and his judgments,
and his testimonies, as it is written in the law of Moses, that thou mayest
prosper in all that thou doest, and whithersoever thou turnest thyself:
That the LORD may continue his word which he spake concerning me,
saying, If thy children take heed to their way, to walk before me in truth
with all their heart and with all their soul, there shall not fail thee (said
he) a man on the throne of Israel.
About the Author
Kathleen Ryan is an award-winning writer and public relations professional. Originally from Massachusetts, she moved to Florida where she resided for 25 years before relocating to rural Alabama.
Kathleen launched her writing career in 1980, and since then has written more than 1,200 articles for national and international magazines, newspapers and trade publications, in addition to editing, co-authoring, and ghost writing a variety of specialty books.
As a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, her life-long service has included: Area Media Specialist, Stake Relief Society President, Sunday School Teacher, and Church Educational System (CES) Instructor for both Seminary and Institute classes.
The inspiration behind the book...
... I knew God answers our prayers in His time when we're really ready to receive it, and I believed with all my heart that He would answer mine...(read the full story)
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