Day Four: The Principles of an Apostolic Command.

 

1 Sam 17: 17Then Jesse said to his son David, “Take now for your brothers an ephah of this dried grain and these ten loaves, and run to your brothers at the camp. 18And carry these ten cheeses to the captain of their thousand, and see how your brothers fare, and bring back news of them.”

David received five commands from his father, Jesse. He acted quickly on these commands. It showed the heart of David. He understood the apostolic command of the day.

Part of an apostolic command is that you have to act quickly. There should be no delay in your actions. It is not time to think about the next step; it is time to act.

• He had to take an ephah of dried grain and ten loaves,
• He had to run to his brothers in the camp,
• And carry the ten cheeses to the captain of their thousand.
• He had to see how his brothers fare,
• And report back to Jesse.

Meaning: He had to take the moral law back to his brothers. Israel needed the moral law to fortify their minds once more.

They had forgotten what God had said and David had to remind them who they were, and Who they represented. They had to eat the word once more. They needed the proceeding word to remind them who they were. God’s nation.

The symbolism of the ten cheeses can be seen as:

1. Provision and nourishment: cheese, as a food item, symbolizes sustenance and nourishment. By bringing these cheeses, David was providing for his brothers and the soldiers. It reflects his care and concern for their well-being during the battle.

2. Offering of peace: in ancient times, sharing food was often a gesture of peace and goodwill. By delivering the cheeses, David may have been extending a message of peace or unity to the captain and his brethren.

3. Faithfulness and obedience: David’s obedience to his father’s instructions shows his faithfulness and willingness to carry out even seemingly mundane tasks. This faithfulness would later play a significant role in his life. 

19Now Saul and they and all the men of Israel were in the Valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines. 20So David rose early in the morning, left the sheep with a keeper, and took the things and went as Jesse had commanded him. And he came to the camp as the army was going out to the fight and shouting for the battle.

· David was a picture of a true shepherd. He left the sheep with a keeper. A person he trusted. A person who walked with him.

21For Israel and the Philistines had drawn up in battle array, army against army. 22And David left his supplies in the hand of the supply keeper, ran to the army, and came and greeted his brothers. 23Then as he talked with them, there was the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, coming up from the armies of the Philistines; and he spoke according to the same words. So David heard them. 24And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him and were dreadfully afraid.

• Goliath’s voice kept the Israelites in a state of fear and dread. This alarmed David.

25So the men of Israel said, “Have you seen this man who has come up? Surely he has come up to defy Israel; and it shall be that the man who kills him the king will enrich with great riches, will give him his daughter, and give his father’s house exemption from taxes in Israel.”

26Then David spoke to the men who stood by him, saying, “What shall be done for the man who kills this Philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?”

• David had his own questions. He wanted to know what the champion of God will receive to remove the reproach from Israel.
• The zeal of God compels us to do mighty exploits.
• David was compelled to act on behalf of the Lord.

2 Corinthians 5:14-15 (NLV)

14 For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. 15 And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.

27And the people answered him in this manner, saying, “So shall it be done for the man who kills him.” 28Now Eliab his oldest brother heard when he spoke to the men; and Eliab’s anger was aroused against David, and he said, “Why did you come down here? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your pride and the insolence of your heart, for you have come down to see the battle.”

Eliab represented the institution.

• Eliab didn’t understand the proceeding word and found fault with David. Remember; he was the accuser of the brethren. Though his name signified that God was his father, he didn’t live like that.
• Instead, he acted in haste and became angry.
• He didn’t enquire about David’s motives.
• They didn’t have a relationship, and, because of this, he didn’t know his brother, otherwise he would have known that there is no pride or insolence in David.
• He looked down at David because of his age.
• Eliab didn’t know about David’s exploits. He didn’t know that David had defeated the lion and the bear.

29And David said, “What have I done now? Is there not a cause?” 30Then he turned from him toward another and said the same thing; and these people answered him as the first ones did. 31Now when the words which David spoke were heard, they reported them to Saul; and he sent for him. 32Then David said to Saul, “Let no man’s heart fail because of him; your servant will go and fight with this Philistine.” 33And Saul said to David, “You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him; for you are a youth, and he a man of war from his youth.”

• Saul made the same mistake as Eliab. They looked at the outer man and not the heart.
• God looks at the heart and not the package.
• David was unwavering in the face of danger. 

34But David said to Saul, “Your servant used to keep his father’s sheep, and when a lion or a bear came and took a lamb out of the flock, 35I went out after it and struck it, and delivered the lamb from its mouth; and when it arose against me, I caught it by its beard, and struck and killed it. 36Your servant has killed both lion and bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, seeing he has defied the armies of the living God.” 37Moreover David said, “The Lord, who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.”

And Saul said to David, “Go, and the Lord be with you!”

It is a choice that you must make. To keep your head up, is the only defence that you have. Be sure of who God is in your life. 

Grace and peace to you.

Day One / Day Two / Day Three / Day Four / Day Five/ Day Six / 

Day Seven / Day Eight / Day Nine / Day Ten / Day Eleven / Day Twelve