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Some fourteen years later David was anointed in his tribe. Saul and Jonathan were
dead. David did not seize upon the opportunity to establish himself as king. First "the
man after God's heart" sought to know what was in God's mind:
"And it came to pass after this, that David enquired of the Lord, saying, Shall I go up
into any of the cities of Judah? And the Lord said unto him, Go up. And David said,
Whither shall I go up? And He said, Unto Hebron" (II Sam. 2: 1).
In obedience to Jehovah's instructions, David `went up':
"And the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of
Judah" (2: 4).
So David's progression to the kingship of the nation developed. First in his family,
then in his tribe, and finally in the whole nation.
It was a further seven years before David was finally anointed king over the whole
house of Israel (II Sam. 5: 1-3). Numerology is a subject to be treated carefully, yet there
are certain aspects of the calling and appointment of David which are worthy of note.
His calling, or appointment was over a period of 21 years; a period of three sevens.
Three is the number of completion and seven that of perfection. Now, at length, David is
king over the complete nation, and is perfectly suitable, being God's choice. The nation
entered into blessing because it, and in turn, accepted God's choice.
God is never in a hurry. From God's choice of David to his complete acceptance by
the nation took 21 years. God is never too soon, nor is He too late. It could have been a
time of frustration and disappointment, even of rebellion against God for David. He was
prepared to wait for Him.
David reigned over Israel for forty years (I Kings 2: 11). Forty is the number of
probation; but it comprises the factors four (the number associated with creation and the
earth), and ten (the number signifying divine order). So David's reign is symbolic of
Christ's millennial reign: the perfection of the divine order for creation for one thousand
years. One thousand being 10 X 10 X 10 is symbolic of the completeness of the divine
order.
David's call demonstrates, perhaps more than any other, the progressive nature of
God's purpose for the believer, and reminds us that God's choice is best, though, not
infrequently, the choice is not one we ourselves would make, and that the man God calls,
needs the co-operation of those to whom he is to minister, if success is to attend him.
Isaiah and Jeremiah are instances of men whom God called who were not given the
co-operation of those to whom they ministered: and their `success' was their faithfulness
to the Lord.