FAITH || Lesson 29 

FAITH

Hebrews 11

Lesson Twenty-nine – V.32

Examples of the ancients who were commended for their faith: (Cont’d.)

DAVID [Part 3]: V.32 – And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets,

The prophetic aspect of David’s life is noted in the following New Testament passages.

Matthew 22:43-44 – ⁴³He said to them, “How is it then that David, speaking by the Spirit, calls him ‘Lord’? For he says,

⁴⁴” ‘The Lord said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your feet.” ‘

[The quotation in verse 44 is from Psalm 110:1]

Speaking by the Spirit (V.43) – Note 2 Samuel 23:1-2 – These are the last words of David: “The oracle of David son of Jesse, the oracle of the man exalted by the Most High, the man anointed by the God of Jacob, Israel’s singer of songs:

²“The Spirit of the LORD spoke through me; his word was on my tongue.

Acts 1:15-16, 20 – ¹⁵In those days Peter stood up among the believers (a group numbering about a hundred and twenty) ¹⁶and said, “Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled which the Holy Spirit spoke long ago through the mouth of David concerning Judas, who served as guide for those who arrested Jesus–

²⁰“For,” said Peter, “it is written in the book of Psalms, ” ‘May his place be deserted; let there be no one to dwell in it,’ and, ” ‘May another take his place of leadership.’

[The quotations in verse 20 are from Psalm 69:25 and Psalm 109:8, respectively.]

See Acts 2:22-39 – (V.25-35 – ²⁵David said about him: ” ‘I saw the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.  ²⁶Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will live in hope, ²⁷because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay.  ²⁸You have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence.’

²⁹“Brothers, I can tell you confidently that the patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is here to this day.  ³⁰But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he would place one of his descendants on his throne.  ³¹Seeing what was ahead, he spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to the grave, nor did his body see decay.  ³²God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact.  ³³Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear.  ³⁴For David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said, ” ‘The Lord said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand ³⁵until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.” ‘

[The quotations in verses 25-28 and 34-35 are from Psalm 16:8-11 and Psalm 110:1, respectively.]

Acts 4:23-26 – ²³On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them.  ²⁴When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. “Sovereign Lord,” they said, “you made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything in them.  ²⁵You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David:

” ‘Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain?  ²⁶The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the Lord and against his Anointed One.’

[The quotation is from Psalm 2:1-2.]

See 1 Corinthians 14:1-25 regarding the “gift of prophecy.”  (V.1, 4, AMP – EAGERLY PURSUE and seek to acquire [this] love [make it your aim, your great quest]; and earnestly desire and cultivate the spiritual endowments (gifts), especially that you may prophesy (interpret the divine will and purpose in inspired preaching and teaching).

4 He who speaks in a [strange] tongue edifies and improves himself, but he who prophesies [interpreting the divine will and purpose and teaching with inspiration] edifies and improves the church and promotes growth [in Christian wisdom, piety, holiness, and happiness].)

Let us thank the Lord that He is hereby reminding us of the importance of being filled with the Holy Spirit, so that the “gifts of the Spirit” and the “fruit of the Spirit” may be manifested.  Note:

Acts 10:37-38 – ³⁷You know what has happened throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached–³⁸how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.

Acts 10:44-47 – ⁴⁴While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message.  ⁴⁵The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles.

⁴⁶For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God.

Then Peter said, ⁴⁷“Can anyone keep these people from being baptized with water? They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have.”

They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have – Note that this was approximately eight years after “Pentecost.”  Acts 2 is dated AD 33; Acts 10, AD 41.

It is observed that, whereas the prophetic aspect of David’s life is highlighted in the New Testament, the sinful aspect, which had resulted in terrible consequences, has been omitted.  Let us therefore thank the Lord for the blessing of: 

Psalm 32:1-6 – Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.  ²Blessed is the man whose sin the LORD does not count against him and in whose spirit is no deceit.

³When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long.  ⁴For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer. Selah   ⁵Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD”– and you forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah

⁶Therefore let everyone who is godly pray to you while you may be found; surely when the mighty waters rise, they will not reach him.

Romans 8:1-4 – Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, ²because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.  ³For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful man, ⁴in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit.

1 John 1:9 – If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.