Thoughts from Mark "Hat" Rackley

 So he asked Jesse, “Are these all the sons you have?”
“There is still the youngest,” Jesse answered. “He is tending the sheep.”
Samuel said, “Send for him; we will not sit down until he arrives.”
So he sent for him and had him brought in. He was glowing with health and had a fine appearance and handsome features.
Then the Lord said, “Rise and anoint him; this is the one.”
So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon David. Samuel then went to Ramah.

• 1 Samuel 16:11-13

Then the men of Judah came to Hebron, and there they anointed David king over the tribe of Judah.

• 2 Samuel 2:4a

When all the elders of Israel had come to King David at Hebron, the king made a covenant with them at Hebron before the Lord, and they anointed David king over Israel.

• 2 Samuel 5:3

We could look at these three Scriptures and see that the only evidence of the Samuel anointment was the word of Jesse and David’s brothers.  Then, David becomes king of Judah.  In his love for Saul and Jonathan, David had no ambition of being the king of all Israel.  So, then, the elders of all Israel convince him.  Thus, one, two, three.

But if it were that easy, mere circumstance, this would be a completed post.

But why is the number three so important in the Bible, and this one was partially hidden?  At least, you had to have a nose for this kind of thing.

God is a Triune God.  One God in three persons:  Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  Thus, there is a divine completeness in the number.  If something is repeated three times, it is very important.  Like “Holy, Holy, Holy.”  It is never “Holy, Holy.”  And you have Jesus asking Peter three times if Peter loves Him.  So, it seems fitting that there is a three associated with King David.

King David got a little less humble when it came to Bathsheba and the census near the end of his reign, but even with all his exploits, he was a shepherd at heart.  After playing cat and mouse with Saul for so long, never wanting to see any harm fall upon Saul, he had worked his way into the role of protecting the tribe of Judah, mostly from the Philistines.  Judah was his tribe.  They were family.  He might have felt obligated to be their king, but being the king of all Israel was a daunting task.

Look at how Israel fell apart after the death of Solomon.  Even prior to Solomon’s death, Jeroboam had rebelled.  Maybe Solomon was having a similar problem late in his kingdom of too much pride, or was it far too many wives?

But knowing how God works, I may find more threes in the Bible that no one talks about.

But whether it is something to do with numbers or some other mystery, when you desire to learn more about God and get closer to Him, He has a way of getting your attention.

Soli Deo Gloria.  Only to God be the Glory.