Why did God call David a man after God’s heart?
David is the only person who has received the title of being a man after GOD’S heart. GOD the Father said several times about the Lord Jesus that the Father was well pleased with Him, which means the same as being a man after God’s own heart. Of course, there were several men and women in the Bible who were men and women after God’s own heart, but they weren’t titled so. Abraham, Moses, Daniel and Paul are not inferior to David and, if we consider their lives, they were in some respects even more men after God’s own heart than David. David did things that no other hero of faith has done before or after him. Murder and adultery are on the same level in the eyes of God, but it makes a difference whether I have just one bar of sin in my eye or two bars. I mentioned that David’s relationship to God was the cause and prerequisite for his title. David was a man after GOD’S heart because he had an intimate relationship with GOD. Through his intimate relationship with GOD, David became a man after GOD’S heart. Of course, we can now say that every born-again Christian is a man or woman after God’s own heart, which is not wrong. But if we look at David’s title on such a general level, we miss the value of this statement. Not every child of GOD is a man or woman after GOD’S heart in the sense that GOD meant that title in reference to David. To receive the title of being a man or woman after GOD’S heart, it takes far more than just being born again. Of course, no human being can please GOD without being born again, but people who are born again can also displease GOD. Not every child of GOD is a man or woman after GOD’S heart. Our relationship with God determines whether or not we are men or women after God’s heart. It is not how much we apparently do for GOD and people that determines our value in GOD’s eyes, but how intimate our relationship with GOD is. A person who is Christlike and has a close fellowship with GOD glorifies GOD more than one who appears to do a lot for GOD. In Matthew 7 we are told of people who appear to have given their whole lives to serve Christ but still go to hell because they fooled themselves.
David was a man after GOD’S heart because his relationship with GOD was real, deep and intimate. Let us now look at an incident that revealed David’s relationship with God.
1. Sam. 30,1-8: We have here an incident in which David entered into a coalition with the Philistines to fight against the people of Israel. However, some of the Philistine princes did not trust David, so he was not allowed to go into battle. During the nearly year and a half he had been with the Philistines (1 Sam. 27:7), David had told the king of the Philistines that he had repeatedly attacked and robbed the people of Israel, even though he had killed and attacked the Amalekites and other people again and again. The Philistine king trusted David because he thought David had made himself hated by the people of Israel, which was not true. David had lied to the Philistines all along. Most likely, the Philistine princes were right, and David intended to fight with his own people. This was the war against the Philistines in which Saul, Jonathan and Saul’s other sons died. While David was traveling with the Philistines, the Amalekites had attacked Ziklag, most likely to seek revenge. When David and his men returned to Ziklag, they found that the Amalekites had kidnapped their wives and children.
Where in this terrible situation do we see David’s relationship to God?
We read that David’s men were so angry that they wanted to stone him to death. Here David found himself in a situation where his life was threatened, he had lost his family and all his possessions were stolen. He had lost just as much as his men and was certainly just as sad as they were But on top of his own loss, they blamed him for their terrible situation and wanted to kill him. The most natural thing in the world would have been to turn the wrath of his men on the enemy, to go into battle full of energy, and to do everything in his power to save his and his men’s families. In such a situation, the most important thing was not to lose any time, so that the enemy was chased as quickly as possible and the anger of his own men was not increased by indecisiveness. But David first strengthened himself in the Lord, which would have been understandable, that he wanted to deal with the first shock first and then act all the more powerfully. But David not only strengthened himself in the Lord, he also asked about GOD’S will. David seriously asked GOD if he should chase after this horde of Amalekites. As if it had been questionable what to do. In such a situation, who thinks of asking what GOD wants? Who is waiting for GOD’S advice? In such circumstances, most people are not at all interested in GOD’S will. They just do what they think is right. But David knew GOD and David trusted that GOD’S will was what was best for him. David sought fellowship with GOD to be strengthened. He sought consolation and encouragement from GOD. Surely David also knew that it could never be GOD’S will that they should not chase the Amalekites. But David wanted to hear GOD’S voice. He wanted GOD to confirm his plan. David wanted to hear the promise of God before he went. He wanted to know if he could even catch up with this horde of Amalekites and GOD not only gave him in Verse 8 the promise that he would definitely catch up with the Amalekites, but also that he would definitely bring about rescue. GOD had promised David certainty and given certainty. David then ultimately brought back absolutely everything the Amalekites had stolen. He trusted GOD and looked to GOD for protection, comfort and encouragement. He spoke directly to GOD and GOD answered him. Because David strengthened himself in God, he was able to do God’s will and not act rashly. David needed inner strength before he could be outwardly strong in leading his men and fighting the Amalekites.
In this situation David was deep in the dirt and mud (Psalm 40,1-5). His own sin had caused this hopeless situation. His men were right. It was his fault that everyone was kidnapped. He should not have sought protection from Saul at the Philistines. He should have trusted GOD that He could also protect him from Saul in Israel and in the desert. He provoked the Amalekites and lied to the Philistines. David was up to his neck in sin, lies, insincerity and deceit. But GOD didn’t let him drown in this mud. GOD placed David’s feet on a rock and made his steps firm. Because David firmly trusted GOD and sought GOD’s face, his men also trusted in GOD. David confidently awaited the voice of GOD and when GOD spoke, David acted and was not cowardly or afraid. Many have heard the praise of God from David’s mouth and have feared and trusted the Lord. David no longer turned to lies and liars, but to the Lord his God. David had obeyed GOD by faith, but before that he had to listen to what GOD had to say to him.
What did Solomon wish for when he had a free wish? What did David wish for?
Psalm 27,4: One thing I have desired of the Lord, that will I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in His temple.
This shows why David was a man after God’s own heart, but Solomon was not. When Solomon had a wish from God, he desired wisdom so that he could lead God’s people and make righteous judgments (1. Kings 3,9). David wished that he could stay in GOD’S house for the rest of his life. Solomon desired wisdom. David wanted a close relationship with GOD. Solomon’s wish was honored and rewarded by GOD. It was a good wish, but it wasn’t the best wish. David had wished for the best. We read of Solomon that his heart was not whole with God like the heart of his father David and that he did not fully follow the Lord like his father David (1. Kings 11,4+6). David followed GOD with an undivided heart. David loved GOD. He desired only one thing, that he might see the beauty of the Lord.
Psalm 27,8: When You said, “Seek My face,” My heart said to You, “Your face, Lord, I will seek.”
David knew GOD as a lovely and kind GOD because he sought the face of GOD. If he had not sought the face of GOD, then he would not have known GOD as a lovely and friendly GOD. When we seek the face of God as Moses and David did, He meets us in His goodness and grace. David sought the face of God when everything he had was taken from him and his life was at stake. He knew that after making so many corrupt and ungodly decisions he was actually not worthy to approach God. God had every right to be angry with David and to hide His face from David, but David trusted that if he came to God he would receive forgiveness from God. David had repented of his hypocrisy.
In the year and a half that David spent with the Philistines, he lived a life of hypocrisy. During this time his relationship with GOD was broken. In chapter 27 we read that David decided in his heart that hiding from Saul at the Philistines made the most sense. He did not ask GOD’s will regarding this. During this time at the Philistines we read nothing of David ever seeking the face of God. Only when GOD caused great difficulties to befall David did David seek GOD’s face again and returned to fellowship with GOD.
David had turned away from GOD for months and had not cultivated fellowship with GOD, but he turned back and repented. David’s relationship with GOD was real, it wasn’t feigned. If you don’t read GOD’S Word and pray every day, then you don’t know GOD and you will never get to know HIM. Absolutely everything we know from the Bible testifies that it is necessary, important, essential and vital for a child of God to seek fellowship with God on a daily basis. Our Lord Jesus has cultivated the relationship with His Father daily and at all times. Daniel prayed to GOD three times a day (Dan. 6:11). In Psalm 1 we read the following:
The Psalmist not only meditated on GOD’S Word daily, but day and night, which means in every free minute he had (Psalm 1,1-2). The Lord Jesus spent day and night in prayer.
David loved GOD and he wanted a close and intimate relationship with GOD. David had turned back to the Lord and had again sought the face of God. David was a man after God’s heart because he loved fellowship with God more than anything else. David sought GOD because he loved GOD. He walked with GOD. David longed for GOD. His relationship with GOD was a pleasure for him. David’s relationship with GOD was characterized by trust, obedience, love, closeness and longing for GOD. Reading God’s word and praying is the prerequisite for becoming a man or woman after God’s heart. How close is your relationship to God?