David revisited

In our family prayer time right now, we have been going through the Books of Samuel, with the figure that stands out being David.

I wrote about David a little over a year ago: “David – a man after God’s own heart” and will do so again (DV) when I get to it in my current writing project: “Kings and Priests of the Bible”.

One of the wonderful things reading again and again well known Bible passages is something fresh and new always comes out, and this has been the case this time. One thing, which in some quarters will be seen as a negative, and thus skipped over when teaching Sunday School children, is how much violence there is, but the great thing about the God and the writers of the Bible is when it tells a story or presents a message, it always provides balance when it comes to giving attention to “the good, the bad and the ugly”.

One of the impressions I got studying the story of David this time round was David, rightly placed in the category of good kings and, for some, the best, for when he was good he was very good but there was very bad too and not just in the matter of his adultery with Bathsheba and murder of Uriah, as well as happenings that were downright ugly, including when God still doesn’t make sense.

What I would like to do is to tell the story of David; good, bad and ugly, in ten episodes from the perspective of ten relationships / interactions, after doing due diligence in researching the relevant material and upon prayerful reflection. I hope this will prove a worthwhile exercise, for as with all we read in the Bible, we do well to study and meditate. Here’s my list; meanwhile, watch this space:

1. David and Samuel
2. David and Goliath
3. David and Saul
4. David and Jonathan
5. David and Bathsheba
6. David and Absalom
7. David and Solomon
8. David and Gad
9. David and Joab
10. David and God