Today the Bishop's Year of the Bible reaches 1 Samuel 23 where we find David’s success in leadership, while an outcast, continuing to grow. We also see, repeatedly, how David relies upon God to guide and protect him.
What are the lessons of this Bible chapter to us? Here to explain is Brian Flynn, Director of Middle School/High School Ministry for the Diocese of Lansing. Appropriately, Brian picks out a particular lesson for young adults.
"David was just a youth when the Lord called him. Earlier in 1 Samuel 2 we heard the song of Hannah, revealing her to be a type pointing to Mary, our Blessed Mother. Remember that Mary too was a teen when the Lord called her and her yes changed the world!" says Brian.
"Don’t under estimate the call the Lord might be putting on your heart! You too can change the world for Christ." Here is Brian's script in full:
Hello I am Brian Flynn from the Diocese of Lansing Office of Middle and High School Ministry. Thanks for joining me as we make our way, together, through Bishop Boyea’s Year of the Bible.
Today, we will be looking at 1 Samuel 23 and how it fits into the overall narrative of the Books of Samuel. Particularly, I want to share with you a few reflections on the typology found in this book. Remember that typology is basically the study and interpretation of types and symbols, and there are some awesome examples of this in the books of Samuel. You may remember when we first began this book, Bishop Boyea mentioned that the 2 books of Samuel related to the 2 key roles in Israelite life: prophecy and kingship. This idea of “kingship” is woven throughout the text.
In 1 Samuel 23 we continue reading about how Saul, now jealous of David and feeling his kingship threatened is trying to track down David to capture him.
Well here’s something to consider…
David is mentioned throughout the bible over 1000 times! That’s even more than Moses and second only to Jesus! Why is that? Because David, perhaps more than any other character foreshadows Christ! The Lord destined David to be king and Saul is seeing the writing on the wall. But David was a man after God’s own heart. He was a type of Jesus. He pointed to The King, Jesus who was to come through the Davidic line. Recall how in the Gospel of Matthew we hear the crowds shout, “Hosanna to the Son of David; blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord?”
David was the anointed one, just as the name Christ itself means “anointed one.” Both David and Jesus were kings, they were both shepherds, they were both born in Bethlehem, they were both betrayed and went to pray at the Mount of Olives and more. David is pointing to Jesus all along. When we see David as a type of Christ, it makes sense why he is mentioned so many times and why these books focus so much on kingship. As we continue through the books of Samuel watch for these parallels and be drawn into the life of Christ through the story of David.
I want to close with a special invitation to any of you teens or young adults going through the Year of the Bible with us… pay close attention as we continue to hear about David in the coming passages. David was just a youth when the Lord called him. Earlier in 1 Samuel 2 we heard the song of Hannah, revealing her to be a type pointing to Mary, our Blessed Mother. Remember that Mary too was a teen when the Lord called her and her yes changed the world! Don’t under estimate the call the Lord might be putting on your heart! You too can change the world for Christ. Let’s pray!
Heavenly Father, You are the first and primary author of Sacred Scripture. Help me to receive what you have revealed in your Holy Word. Give me a greater hunger to daily seek you in the Scriptures so that I might come to know you and your Son more intimately. May your Holy Spirit open me to be transformed by your Holy Word throughout this Year of the Bible. We ask these blessings through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Amen.