King David was a very important anchor in the genealogy of Jesus Christ, as recorded in the gospel of Matthew. Jesus is sometimes referred to as “The Son of David”.
17 So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations, from David until the captivity in Babylon are fourteen generations, and from the captivity in Babylon until the Christ are fourteen generations. Matthew 1:17 (NKJV)
King David died somewhere around the age of seventy, having reigned as king of Israel for forty years. He suffered much from illness in his final days, a sickness that left him unable to get warm or comfortable and might have contributed to his premature aging and death.
By biblical standards, seventy is not a long life for such a pillar of faith, so approved of by God. For instance, Moses lived to be 120 years old. In fact, Moses was not even called by the Lord to free the Israelites from Egypt until he was already eighty.
David’s son and Israel’s next king, Solomon, also live a short life. This remarkable man, gifted with great riches and wisdom beyond that of any other person, only lived to be sixty years old.
Like everything about David’s life that is recorded in scripture, there is a message in it for us. Here, it is that our time on earth is limited, so use it wisely.
Though he is a bedrock in the eternal annals of God, David struggled in many areas, especially with his family life. Having so many wives and children competing for his attentions did not make life any easier. There was much strife, conflict, and tension within the family, and this spilled over into his public life. His ill-advised episode with Bathsheba and Uriah did not help with these matters, either.
Like Moses before him, David faced many difficult challenges as he led God’s people. Some problems were of his own making and some were not. But the Lord loved David, and comforted and supported him through every trial, building up his faith along the way. It was David’s faith that ultimately pleased the Lord the most, and gave David his great effectiveness and strength. For example, during one difficult episode:
6 Now David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and his daughters. But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God. 1 Samuel 30:6 (NKJV)
David’s faith was also the bedrock upon which the Lord would establish the eternal throne of His Messiah, Jesus Christ, as recorded in Psalm 89:
3 “I have made a covenant with My chosen, I have sworn to My servant David: 4 ‘Your seed I will establish forever, and build up your throne to all generations.’” Psalm 89:3-4 (NKJV)
At the end of the day, God sees through all of our faults and shortcomings to examine our faith. It is faith that fuels us whenever we choose to walk alongside Him, or to serve others in love. Each new day we awake is another opportunity to seek His face and to savor and share the good gifts that He provides.
Reflection:
How would life be different if we knew the time allotted by God to us to be on this earth?
The richest returns on our investment of time and energy come from serving the Lord, as He leads. What steps can I take today to follow Him?
Father God, show us specifically where you want us to be of service to You, and grant us the strength and purity to effectively do so. Our hearts yearn to be close to You. Help us to live out the days that You have ordained for us with wisdom and faith, bearing eternal fruit for Your kingdom. We ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Daily Meditations from the Genealogy of Jesus 