Ruling as Both Lord and Servant

David was just the second king of Israel, a fledgling nation that still had birthmarks of being set apart for God. But when David set up the Ark of the Covenant and made Jerusalem Israel’s centre of religious worship and political power, it became Israel’s golden age.

Israel’s so-called shepherd king was far from perfect. He showed remarkably poor judgment with family relationships. His attempted cover-up of his affair with Bathsheba was like that of a common killer. Even so, David was called a man after God’s own heart because of his abiding servant’s attitude.

A thousand years later, under the thumb of Roman dominance, Jews were especially yearning for a new Davidian age. This is what Jesus works with during this match of wits with religious leaders of the day. By bringing David into the discussion, Jesus not only alludes to these deep national longings, but he also alludes to the truth that Israel’s mightiest king was first and foremost a servant of the one Lord God.

This is what the religious scholars didn’t see. They wanted the glamour of Israel at its zenith, but not the humble service that made that possible. This is why they were stumped by how David could be called both Lord and subservient to another Lord. It’s also why Jesus then immediately warned his disciples against behaving like these religious scholars, always clamouring for public attention.

After bringing the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem, David had prayed for his many descendants, men and women from years in the future whom he would never even meet. He asked that God would make them kings in their own right, with rich blessings. Believers can accept this prayer as if it were for us even now, 3000 years later. But only in the spirit of humility and service of that one Lord.

Respond in Prayer

Loving Heavenly Father: You are the one Lord who rules even the rulers. Help me to let you rule my own fickle heart and my own desperate life. For in this, I will also become royalty, one who lives in your courtyard, in service with blessing and joy.

Thomas Froese

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version® (NIV®).