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Chapter 05: The Forgotten Son · Bible in a Year with Jack Graham

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Speaker 1: Philippians 4.8 God thank you for filling the world with
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Speaker 1: things that are true and honorable. good and right and pure.
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Speaker 1: Thank you for the beauty, the loveliness, the excellence. Thank
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Speaker 1: you for all the things that bring joy to me,
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Speaker 1: all the things that are positive and uplifting. There are
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Speaker 1: so many, many of these things. Give me eyes to
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Speaker 1: see them, and a heart to understand and appreciate them.
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Speaker 1: Help me to focus on these things in obedience to
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Speaker 1: your word today. Yes, today I declare that I will
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Speaker 1: walk in the light of your love and the joy
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Speaker 1: of your salvation. I will choose to celebrate your goodness,
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Speaker 1: your faithfulness. I will choose to stay hopeful and joyful
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Speaker 1: no matter what happens to me. I will count my blessings.
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Speaker 1: I will look for others who need help or need
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Speaker 1: hope or just need a little more joy in their day.
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Speaker 1: And I will give it to them in Jesus' name. Lord,
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Speaker 1: I ask you to show me what to do and
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Speaker 1: what to say. Use me to encourage and inspire everyone
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Speaker 1: around me today. Let your love and your joy and
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Speaker 1: your light shine through me. In Jesus' name, I pray.
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Speaker 2: Amen.
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Speaker 1: Thank you for praying with me today. Stay tuned to
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Speaker 1: immerse yourself in the greatest stories ever told from Pray.com's podcast,
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Speaker 1: Heroes in the Bible.
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Speaker 3: Hi, I'm Dr. Tony Evans, and I'm excited for you
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Speaker 3: to join me on this series. Please be sure to
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Speaker 3: follow the podcast on Apple or Spotify. so that you
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Speaker 3: get the newest episodes right as they come out. Welcome
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Speaker 3: to The Epic Adventure of David, a story of honor, battle, jealousy, darkness, friendship, love, scandal,
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Speaker 3: and murder. While most people know of David the Myth,
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Speaker 3: few know about David the Man. I'm glad you're here
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Speaker 3: with me as we mine the depths of this renowned tale.
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Speaker 3: In this episode, the wait is finally over. We finally
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Speaker 3: get to meet David, the runt of Jesse Turned King.
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Speaker 3: A question may have crossed your mind along the lines of,
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Speaker 3: why is it taking us so long in the story
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Speaker 3: to finally get to David? This is an important question
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Speaker 3: that deserves time. The arc of Saul's rise and fall
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Speaker 3: from grace was a confirmation of everything Samuel warned the
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Speaker 3: people of. They're clamoring for a king. and Samuel warned
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Speaker 3: them of how corrupt this king could become. Sure enough,
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Speaker 3: the king became corrupt. Saul started out with a pure heart,
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Speaker 3: but quickly descended into pride. His life is supposed to
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Speaker 3: make us look at David with skeptical eyes, watching to
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Speaker 3: see if he will walk down a similar path. No doubt,
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Speaker 3: David is going to have plenty of opportunities in his
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Speaker 3: life to follow his pride instead of commands of God.
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Speaker 3: He will have chances to indulge, stray, and sin. Will
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Speaker 3: he give in the same way Saul did? Is the
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Speaker 3: crown just too heavy a weight so that any man,
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Speaker 3: pure or wicked, would fail if they wore it? Watch
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Speaker 3: David's life carefully and see how he handles the intense
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Speaker 3: pressures of being God's chosen king. But let's not get
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Speaker 3: ahead of ourselves. We have a lot to get to
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Speaker 3: before David is ever given a crown. The prelude of
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Speaker 3: this episode and the beginning of this episode introduce us
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Speaker 3: to two different shepherds. One was once a prince, but
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Speaker 3: became a shepherd. The other was a shepherd, but became
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Speaker 3: a prince. The parallels in their lives speak to the
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Speaker 3: heart of God. He isn't looking for a warrior, a scholar,
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Speaker 3: a noble, or a politician to lead his people. He
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Speaker 3: is looking for a shepherd. Let's meet God's chosen one
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Speaker 3: in Episode 5, The Forgotten Son.
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Speaker 4: Prelude to Chapter 5 The clouds whisked blissfully over the
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Speaker 4: blue skies. It was as if they were traveling slowly
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Speaker 4: somewhere unknown and untouched. Moses smiled as he watched them
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Speaker 4: glide over the skies like sailboats on the open ocean.
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Speaker 4: He lounged in the grass, occasionally glancing over at the
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Speaker 4: sheep grazing beside him. The life of a shepherd suited him.
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Speaker 4: All the cares and troubles of being an Egyptian prince
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Speaker 4: had been a heavy burden. Now, in the wilderness with
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Speaker 4: the people of Midian, he felt at peace. He was
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Speaker 4: content to be a shepherd. He counted and named the
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Speaker 4: sheep daily, led them to the green fields and gentle streams,
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Speaker 4: and ensured they were safe from predators. As Moses lounged,
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Speaker 4: he saw one of the lambs trot away past the
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Speaker 4: large rocks and up the mountain. Moses stood up and
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Speaker 4: grabbed his staff. Every lamb was important, and they were
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Speaker 4: all worth going after. Moses left the other sheep and
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Speaker 4: began to scale the mountains. The little lamb left Moses'
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Speaker 4: view as it wandered through the canyons. Moses picked up
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Speaker 4: the pace, listening to the echoing boss. As Moses reached
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Speaker 4: the peak, he could see a light emanating from the
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Speaker 4: dark shadows of the canyons. He gripped his shepherd's staff
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Speaker 4: tightly and approached slowly. As he turned the corner, a
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Speaker 4: burst of light danced upwards from the flame. Before Moses
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Speaker 4: stood a bush ablaze with bright white fire. Although the
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Speaker 4: fire was burning hot, The bush was untouched and unconsumed.
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Speaker 4: The ground around him was pulsing with power. Moses could
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Speaker 4: feel it in his feet. The prince turned shepherd, came closer,
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Speaker 4: then halted immediately when he heard a voice.
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Speaker 5: Moses.
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Speaker 4: It whispered. The voice was like a still and babbling brook.
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Speaker 4: His eyes widened and he looked behind him. The voice
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Speaker 4: was not coming from another person in the canyon. The
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Speaker 4: voice was coming from the bush itself.
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Speaker 5: Moses. Moses.
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Speaker 4: The voice said louder. This time the voice had the
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Speaker 4: intensity of rushing waters. Here I am, Moses said with
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Speaker 4: a trembling voice. Moses did not understand that his life
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Speaker 4: of being a shepherd was about to come to a close.
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Speaker 4: The simple and endearing days of tending to sheep had ended.
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Speaker 4: Now Moses was asked to tend to a greater flock,
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Speaker 4: God's flock. The flock of Israel needed to be led
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Speaker 4: into greener pastures and stiller waters. God would not choose
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Speaker 4: a warrior to lead them. He would not appoint a
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Speaker 4: king to march against the armies of Egypt. No, God
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Speaker 4: would send a shepherd. The Lord's heart is the heart
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Speaker 4: of a shepherd. Chapter 5 The Forgotten Son The wildflowers
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Speaker 4: had tucked in for the night, and the soft breeze
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Speaker 4: whistled gently to the plucking of the shepherd's harp. The
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Speaker 4: sheep slept soundly under the stars, and the young shepherd
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Speaker 4: boy looked up basking in the vastness of their beauty.
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Speaker 4: He played a melody only he and the Lord knew.
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Speaker 4: His music was better to God than incense, for it
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Speaker 4: came straight from the well of the boy's heart. He
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Speaker 4: worshipped God under the stars and among his sheep. However,
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Speaker 4: the tender moment was quickly disturbed by a rustling in
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Speaker 4: the bushes. The shepherd boy put down his harp and
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Speaker 4: grabbed his staff, resting underneath the cypress tree. Slowly, he
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Speaker 4: approached the bush with his staff gripped tightly. As he
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Speaker 4: drew closer, he could hear the low-pitched purrs of a lion.
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Speaker 4: Its groaning was so deep the boy could feel it
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Speaker 4: in his chest. He paused and reached back for his sling.
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Speaker 4: It was a humble weapon, but effective. His aim had
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Speaker 4: become precise, and the speed of the stone made it
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Speaker 4: so he could send the stone flying straight through the
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Speaker 4: skull of a wolf. As he was arming himself with
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Speaker 4: the stone, the lion burst forth from the bushes right
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Speaker 4: over the shepherd. Its hind legs were massive, allowing it
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Speaker 4: to soar over the boy with ease. It leapt forward
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Speaker 4: to the flock of sheep. They scattered, but not before
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Speaker 4: the lion took one of the lambs in its mouth.
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Speaker 4: The dark covering of night made it hard for the
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Speaker 4: shepherd to see. However, he could hear the painful cries
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Speaker 4: of his lamb. The lion made a run for it
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Speaker 4: with the lamb alive in his jaws. The boy did
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Speaker 4: not think. He acted upon his shepherdly instincts and ran
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Speaker 4: after the lion. He ran with vigor and tenacity. He
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Speaker 4: followed the cries of the sheep all the way to
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Speaker 4: the canyons outside the city. The darkness of night was
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Speaker 4: beginning to melt as the sun began its ascent. The
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Speaker 4: dim light allowed the shepherd to see the lion scaling
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Speaker 4: a cliff. The lion scaled the mountain with ease, with
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Speaker 4: the lamb still crying out for help. The shepherd scaled
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Speaker 4: up the mountain on all fours until finally reaching the
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Speaker 4: mouth of the lion's den. He paused anxiously. Listening to
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Speaker 4: the echoing shrieks of his sheep intermixed with the low
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Speaker 4: roars of the lion. His heart was beating furiously fast.
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Speaker 4: His breathing was heavy and royal. Now that the lamb
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Speaker 4: had been taken to the den, time was running out.
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Speaker 4: The boy stepped forward at the mouth of the den,
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Speaker 4: right in the eyeline of the lion. The beast rose
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Speaker 4: and crouched into an attack position. The shepherd steadied his
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Speaker 4: breathing and reached back for his sling. He placed the
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Speaker 4: smooth stone in the leather hold and began to swing
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Speaker 4: the sling behind him. He had one shot at the lion, almost.
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Speaker 6: One.
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Speaker 4: He pivoted his foot back, bent his front knee, and
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Speaker 4: prepared for the first strike. If the lion attacked first,
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Speaker 4: it was over. He must be the first one to act.
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Speaker 4: The boy burst forward with the sling still swinging behind him.
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Speaker 4: The lion took the bait. and pounced forward, exposing its underbelly.
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Speaker 4: The shepherd released the sling, sending the stone whistling through
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Speaker 4: the air. The stone landed directly into the beast's ribs,
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Speaker 4: cracking them instantly. The lion's momentum was halted as it
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Speaker 4: crumbled to the ground. The boy took action immediately, pouncing
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Speaker 4: on the lion fearlessly. He wrapped his legs around its
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Speaker 4: neck and took his hands on either side of its jaw.
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Speaker 4: The young shepherd roared as he pulled the jaws open
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Speaker 4: three months later. Once he was free, the boy scooped
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Speaker 4: up the lamb and burst out of the cave, not
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Speaker 4: before being slashed in the back by the lion's paws.
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Speaker 4: He kept moving without looking back. He ran as the
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Speaker 4: roaring of the lion bellowed in the distance. Although his
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Speaker 4: back was dripping with blood, all he cared about was
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Speaker 4: the safety of his little lamb. The lion leapt forward
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Speaker 4: out of the cave and cornered the shepherd and his
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Speaker 4: little lamb. Hobbling with a broken rib, the lion made
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Speaker 4: the first move. slashing its paws at the boy. With
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Speaker 4: the heart of a protector, the boy dropped his lamb
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Speaker 4: and leapt forward, wrapping his arms around the lion's neck.
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Speaker 4: It raged against the boy, trying desperately to free itself. However,
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Speaker 4: the shepherd would not let go. He arched his back
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Speaker 4: and screamed into the canyons. The lion roared before falling
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Speaker 4: to the ground and losing its breath. The shepherd did
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Speaker 4: not loosen his grip until the lion's life It would
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Speaker 4: never harm his sheep again. He made sure of it.
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Speaker 4: The sun made its way over the horizon, spraying light
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Speaker 4: over the hills. The wildflowers stretched out their petals and yawned.
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Speaker 4: The boy limped his way up the hill where the
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Speaker 4: rest of his flock was. His sheep were grazing on
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Speaker 4: the grass, enjoying the morning dew on each blade. He
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Speaker 4: set the little lamb down beside her mother. He inspected
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Speaker 4: the lamb's body for gashes or teeth marks. Luckily, Her
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Speaker 4: wounds were not deep. She would heal just fine. The
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Speaker 4: boy was pleased with himself. However, he was very much
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Speaker 4: in pain. He reached over his shoulder and placed his
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Speaker 4: hand on the wound. The lion had slashed at his
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Speaker 4: left shoulder blade, creating a nasty scratch. His hand was
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Speaker 4: covered in blood. He didn't mind. It was a small
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Speaker 4: price to pay for his lamb's freedom. He was a
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Speaker 4: good shepherd, and a good shepherd always lays down his
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Speaker 4: life for his sheep. The boy made his way back home.
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Speaker 4: His light hair was dusty and ragged, and his face
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Speaker 4: was covered in dirt. He limped into his father's house
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Speaker 4: and washed his face and feet with the basin of water.
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Speaker 4: The home was warm from the fire, and the smell
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Speaker 4: of rosemary filled the air from the stew cooking over it.
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Speaker 4: He took a cloth and began to tend to his wound.
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Speaker 4: He dabbed it gently, wincing with every touch.
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Speaker 7: What did you do now?
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Speaker 4: A voice asked from the other side of the room.
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Speaker 4: His oldest brother Eliab was eating casually in the corner.
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Speaker 4: The boy smirked.
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Speaker 8: You wouldn't believe me if I told you.
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Speaker 4: He said, still tending to the wound. Another brother named
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Speaker 4: Abinadab entered in, barely noticing him as he took the
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Speaker 4: ladle and filled his bowl with stew. He glanced over
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Speaker 4: and smiled.
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Speaker 2: Did the little mouse lose a fight with one of
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Speaker 2: his sheep again?
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Speaker 4: He scoffed. Eliab laughed. The two of them ate at
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Speaker 4: the table, chuckling at their youngest brother's pain.
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Speaker 8: If you must know, it was a lion.
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Speaker 4: The boy mumbled quietly.
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Speaker 8: He tried to take one of our lambs, but I
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Speaker 8: was able to wrestle it out of his jaws and
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Speaker 8: save it.
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Speaker 4: As he was saying this, the boy's father entered in
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Speaker 4: with the rest of his brothers. His name was Jesse,
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Speaker 4: and he was an influential man in the city. He
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Speaker 4: had accumulated a small amount of wealth from his farm
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Speaker 4: in Bethlehem. He was tall, strong, and calloused.
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Speaker 2: What did I tell you about telling lies?
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Speaker 4: He scolded. His deep and resonating voice shook the room
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Speaker 4: when he entered.
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Speaker 2: I will not have you parading yourself around like a
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Speaker 2: hero when you and I both know you did nothing
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Speaker 2: of the sort.
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Speaker 8: It did happen, father. Go and see the teeth marks
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Speaker 8: and the lamb for yourself.
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Speaker 4: The boy replied. However, his words fell on deaf ears.
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Speaker 4: His father sat down with his brothers. Together, they discussed
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Speaker 4: Eliab's promotion in the ranks of Saul. The boy stood
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Speaker 4: to his feet and walked outside. His back was sore,
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Speaker 4: but he knew it would heal. He grabbed his shepherd's
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Speaker 4: staff and walked up the hill into the sheep's pasture.
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Speaker 4: He turned his face towards the sun and closed his eyes.
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Speaker 8: Oh, Lord, you have searched me, and you know me.
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Speaker 4: He whispered. The soft breeze caressed his cheek. The boy
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Speaker 4: smiled and looked down at his flock. He knew them
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Speaker 4: each by name. He knew their quirks, their personalities, and
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Speaker 4: who they got along with. He knew his sheep, and
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Speaker 4: they knew him.
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Speaker 5: What a joy it is to be known, he.
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Speaker 4: Whispered to himself. That night, the shepherd picked up his
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Speaker 4: harp that was still resting under the cypress tree. He
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Speaker 4: plucked it joyfully, singing songs of praise to God. As
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Speaker 4: he played, he looked up again at the vast heavens
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Speaker 4: and rejoiced.
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Speaker 8: Praise him, sun and moon. Praise him, all you shining stars.
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Speaker 4: He sang. His voice was filled with emotion. Tears fell
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Speaker 4: down his smiling face. The Lord was his shepherd, and
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Speaker 4: he nestled in closely to him like a little lamb
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Speaker 4: sleeping under the stars. Under the same stars, Samuel bowed
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Speaker 4: before God. His heart ached over the fallen state of
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Speaker 4: Saul's heart. The people had cried out for a king,
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Speaker 4: and what had been set in motion could not be undone.
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Speaker 4: In the dead of night under the twinkling lights, Samuel
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Speaker 4: sought wisdom from the Lord the gentle voice of God
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Speaker 4: spoke to the heart of Samuel, saying.
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Speaker 5: How long will you lament over Saul? I have rejected him,
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Speaker 5: and now it is time to meet my chosen king.
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Speaker 5: Fill your horn with oil and go to Jesse the Bethlehemite.
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Speaker 5: Among his sons you will meet the new king of Israel.
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Speaker 4: For the first time in a long time, Samuel was afraid.
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Speaker 4: Since their last meeting, Saul's mind and heart had grown
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Speaker 4: increasingly more paranoid and harsh. He would send small platoons
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Speaker 4: of his men to march around the perimeter of Samuel's
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Speaker 4: home to keep track of him. He feared if he
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Speaker 4: went and anointed a new king, that Saul would find
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Speaker 4: out and kill him. Samuel dug his hands into the
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Speaker 4: dirt and lifted his eyes to heaven.
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Speaker 2: How can I move without Saul flinching? If I depart
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Speaker 2: from here and make it known that I am searching
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Speaker 2: for a new king, surely Saul will kill me.
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Speaker 4: The Lord spoke softly to his chosen prophet. His voice
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Speaker 4: was like fresh water trickling in from a stream. Samuel
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Speaker 4: listened like he would a song. Fear not, Samuel. Take
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Speaker 4: a heifer with.
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Speaker 5: You to Bethlehem and say that you have come to
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Speaker 5: make a sacrifice to the Lord.
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Speaker 6: Invite Jesse to the sacrifice. When you arrive, I will
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Speaker 6: guide you and show you what to do. When the
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Speaker 6: time is right, you shall anoint the one I have.
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Speaker 5: Declared to be king.
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Speaker 4: Samuel nodded. A resolute peace filled his heart. When he
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Speaker 4: first anointed Saul as king, it was because the people
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Speaker 4: demanded it. However, now he was searching for a king
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Speaker 4: that God had already chosen from the beginning. Samuel took
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Speaker 4: a heifer and made his way to Bethlehem. Samuel led
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Speaker 4: the heifer in on a rope through the marketplace of Bethlehem.
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Speaker 4: People whispered to each other as he passed by. They
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Speaker 4: knew who he was, and they were afraid. Word of
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Speaker 4: what Samuel had done to King Agad spread, and they
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Speaker 4: feared the prophet was now on a campaign of justice.
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Speaker 4: The elders approached Samuel trepidatiously.
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Speaker 2: Do you come in peace?
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Speaker 4: They asked with trembling bowels. Samuel paused for a moment.
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Speaker 4: Among the elders of the city was Jesse. The prophet smirked,
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Speaker 4: amused at God's perfect timing. Yes, my sons, I come
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Speaker 4: in peace, he said with a grin. I have come
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Speaker 4: here to make a peace offering to the Lord and
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Speaker 4: hold a feast. Consecrate yourselves and join me as I worship.
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Speaker 4: Then we will hold a feast in Jesse's home and
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Speaker 4: enjoy the remainder of the sacrifice. Jesse's eyes widened. It
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Speaker 4: was a great honor to be asked by the prophet
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Speaker 4: to share a ceremonial meal. He had heard that King
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Speaker 4: Saul once joined Samuel for such an event before he
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Speaker 4: was anointed as king. Jesse pondered the prophet's reasons for
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Speaker 4: holding the feast in his home. His home was not
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Speaker 4: the largest, nor was he the most prominent elder in Bethlehem.
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Speaker 4: Jesse hurried home and prepared everything for Samuel and the
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Speaker 4: other elders. An altar was consecrated for Samuel to make
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Speaker 4: a sacrifice, and the kitchens were made ready for the feast.
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Speaker 4: Jesse and his wife busied themselves for hours, ensuring everything
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Speaker 4: was perfect for the night. Jesse gathered his sons and
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Speaker 4: daughters and spoke with them. His sons Eliab, Abinadab, Shammah, Nethanel, Radai,
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Speaker 4: and Ozzam stood at attention silently. His daughters, Zeruiah, and Abigail,
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Speaker 4: sat at his feet. However, the youngest son was not
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Speaker 4: in attendance. All must be perfect for the prophet, Jesse demanded.
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Speaker 4: This home will be like a temple to the holiest
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Speaker 4: man in Israel. You are all to attend him and
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Speaker 4: hold yourselves with honor. Jesse then turned to Eliab and
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Speaker 4: grabbed his shoulders.
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Speaker 2: Eliab, my son, you are the pride and honor of
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Speaker 2: this family. You are my eldest and a true warrior.
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Speaker 2: You shall sit beside the prophet tonight. Hold yourself with dignity,
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Speaker 2: for I perceive the prophet is here for more reasons
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Speaker 2: than making a sacrifice.
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Speaker 4: Eliab nodded regally, and the rest of the children nodded
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Speaker 4: in agreement. The sacrifice had been made with the elders
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Speaker 4: and Jesse's sons in attendance. Samuel stood over the flames
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Speaker 4: on the altar and lifted his voice to the Lord.
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Speaker 4: He made himself attentive to the voice of God, for
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Speaker 4: he knew that it was now time to meet the
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Speaker 4: new king of Israel. He turned and gestured for them
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Speaker 4: to make their way to the home of Jesse. He
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Speaker 4: walked behind them, observing each son that marched beside Jesse.
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Speaker 4: They were impressive young men. They walked with confidence in
21:01
Speaker 4: their steps. As they all sat down to eat, Samuel
21:05
Speaker 4: noticed Jesse's oldest son Eliab sitting beside him. As the
21:09
Speaker 4: day drew on, the old prophet observed every word that
21:12
Speaker 4: came out of Eliab's mouth. He spoke like a noble,
21:16
Speaker 4: yet had the strong back of a warrior. He stood
21:18
Speaker 4: taller than the rest of his brothers, and his personality
21:21
Speaker 4: seemed to be even taller. He laughed with the elders,
21:25
Speaker 4: making relatable jokes and jabs at them. However, he was
21:29
Speaker 4: also able to speak of politics, war, and the strategy
21:32
Speaker 4: of King Saul.
21:33
Speaker 2: Surely he must be the one God has.
21:35
Speaker 4: Chosen, Samuel thought to himself.
21:38
Speaker 2: He has all the makings of a young king.
21:41
Speaker 4: Among the clanging of dishes and laughs of the guests,
21:44
Speaker 4: Samuel heard a still and quiet voice. Like a whisper
21:48
Speaker 4: beckoning him away from the feast, he heard God speak, saying,
21:52
Speaker 4: Look past his height and appearance, Samuel. I have rejected
21:58
Speaker 4: the man you see before you. For man sees the
22:03
Speaker 4: outward appearance. They see the strength of the man's arms
22:08
Speaker 4: and the way he carries a sword. But the Lord
22:12
Speaker 4: looks into the heart. Samuel bowed his head for a moment,
22:16
Speaker 4: closing his eyes and recentering his mind on the heart
22:19
Speaker 4: of God. He desperately desired to see what God saw.
22:24
Speaker 4: He did not want to see yet another Saul darken
22:26
Speaker 4: the palace halls. He could not bear it. Jesse, Samuel said,
22:31
Speaker 4: beckoning him over. Jesse quickly made his way over to
22:34
Speaker 4: Samuel's side of the table.
22:37
Speaker 2: Bring all your sons to me. I wish to see them.
22:39
Speaker 4: Jesse smiled brightly. Samuel could tell that his sons were
22:44
Speaker 4: his pride and joy. He was pleased to bring them
22:47
Speaker 4: before the prophet. Samuel looked at them closely. Eliab, Abinadab, Shammah, Nethanel, Radai,
22:55
Speaker 4: and Ozzam all stood at attention before the sitting prophets.
22:59
Speaker 4: Samuel stood to his feet and walked up to them.
23:02
Speaker 4: Since the Lord had rejected Eliab, he moved on to Abinadab.
23:06
Speaker 4: He grabbed his hand and peered into his eyes. Samuel's
23:10
Speaker 4: brow furrowed with concentration. He looked with the eyes of God,
23:14
Speaker 4: trying to peer into the heart and soul of the
23:16
Speaker 4: man standing before him.
23:18
Speaker 2: Neither has the Lord chosen this.
23:20
Speaker 4: One, Samuel whispered to himself. Abinadab looked at his father
23:24
Speaker 4: in confusion. Jesse simply shrugged. None of them knew what
23:28
Speaker 4: Samuel was up to. The old prophet stood before Shammah.
23:33
Speaker 4: Although he was shorter than Eliab, he was clearly more
23:36
Speaker 4: built than the rest of his brothers. His hands were
23:38
Speaker 4: rugged from his recent admission into the ranks of Saul.
23:42
Speaker 4: Samuel scanned him up and down, then looked closely into
23:45
Speaker 4: his eyes. He shook his head.
23:47
Speaker 2: Nor this one, he whispered.
23:50
Speaker 4: The Lord had clearly rejected all the sons of Jesse
23:53
Speaker 4: that were before him. Samuel sighed and scratched his head
23:56
Speaker 4: in confusion.
23:58
Speaker 2: Jesse, are these all your sons?
24:00
Speaker 9: He asked.
24:01
Speaker 2: Ah, there is still the youngest. However, he is keeping
24:05
Speaker 2: the sheep in the pasture. You would not want to
24:07
Speaker 2: meet him anyway.
24:08
Speaker 4: Jesse and the rest of his sons chuckled.
24:10
Speaker 2: Where is your pasture?
24:12
Speaker 4: Samuel asked calmly.
24:14
Speaker 2: Over the hill, just beyond the stables. The boy takes
24:17
Speaker 2: the sheep all throughout the hills and valleys beyond our property. However,
24:22
Speaker 2: today I would imagine he is plucking his silly harp
24:24
Speaker 2: under the cypress tree. I would not bother with him.
24:28
Speaker 4: Jesse's ambivalence toward his youngest son surprised Samuel. He had
24:33
Speaker 4: such pride in his other sons. It was odd that
24:35
Speaker 4: he would forget one of them. Samuel bowed his head
24:38
Speaker 4: to Jesse and the other sons.
24:40
Speaker 2: I shall be on my way. Thank you for your hospitality.
24:44
Speaker 2: May the Lord bless you and keep you.
24:46
Speaker 4: Jesse and his sons bowed before Samuel and thanked him.
24:50
Speaker 4: Samuel picked up his staff and wandered past the stables
24:53
Speaker 4: and up the grassy hill. The wildflowers were in full bloom.
24:57
Speaker 4: or rang the grassy hills in splendor. Soft music could
25:01
Speaker 4: be heard from a distance. Samuel smiled as he looked
25:04
Speaker 4: at the flowers swaying back and forth in the breeze.
25:07
Speaker 4: It was as if they were dancing to the music.
25:10
Speaker 4: Samuel made his way up the hill. Sheep were grazing
25:14
Speaker 4: lazily in the mild sun. The music seemed to soothe them.
25:18
Speaker 4: Samuel looked around for the source of the melodies. Underneath
25:22
Speaker 4: the cypress tree in the shade was the shepherd boy
25:25
Speaker 4: Jesse spoke of. He leaned his back against the trunk
25:28
Speaker 4: of the tree, strumming his harp to the same tempo
25:30
Speaker 4: of the wind. Samuel approached the tree, trying not to
25:35
Speaker 4: interrupt the boy's playing. He sat on the stone only
25:38
Speaker 4: a few yards away from where the boy lounged. The
25:41
Speaker 4: old prophet leaned back and observed him. He could not
25:44
Speaker 4: have been any older than sixteen. His long hair was
25:48
Speaker 4: lighter than his brother's. He was not as looming as
25:51
Speaker 4: his oldest brother Eliab. However, he was very handsome and
25:54
Speaker 4: ruddy in appearance. Samuel was content to be silent for
25:58
Speaker 4: a while and listen to the music. The song was
26:01
Speaker 4: a balm to his weary and downcast soul. The boy's
26:05
Speaker 4: music was emotional and somber, yet filled with an unwavering joy. Clearly,
26:11
Speaker 4: it was a song written from the heart. As the
26:14
Speaker 4: song gently came to a close, Samuel leaned over as
26:17
Speaker 4: he sat and cleared his throat. The boy jumped back
26:20
Speaker 4: and grabbed his staff. Who are you? The young shepherd
26:24
Speaker 4: said quickly. Samuel laughed and waved his hands.
26:28
Speaker 2: I'm sorry if I startled you, my son. Please do
26:31
Speaker 2: not be alarmed. I come in peace.
26:34
Speaker 4: The boy lowered his staff and looked at the man
26:36
Speaker 4: up and down.
26:38
Speaker 8: You must be the prophet I heard about. I could
26:41
Speaker 8: hear my father clamoring to my family about you from here.
26:45
Speaker 4: The boy bowed a knee in respect. Samuel peered at
26:48
Speaker 4: the boy for a long while before speaking again.
26:53
Speaker 2: Tell me. Why were you not in attendance at the feast?
26:56
Speaker 9: He asked.
26:58
Speaker 4: The boy shrugged.
26:59
Speaker 8: I am only a shepherd, he replied. I suppose my
27:03
Speaker 8: place is among my sheep.
27:05
Speaker 4: In that moment, Samuel felt a surge of God's joy
27:08
Speaker 4: well up from within him. As if the voice of
27:11
Speaker 4: God was striking like lightning in his mind, he could
27:14
Speaker 4: hear the Lord.
27:15
Speaker 5: Say, Arise, anoint him, for this is the one I
27:20
Speaker 5: have chosen.
27:21
Speaker 4: Samuel stood in front.
27:22
Speaker 2: Of the boy. Surely you are not only a shepherd.
27:26
Speaker 2: What is your name?
27:28
Speaker 4: David, he replied.
27:30
Speaker 2: Kneel before the Lord, David, for the Lord desires to
27:34
Speaker 2: bless you.
27:35
Speaker 4: Samuel took his horn of oil and anointed David's head,
27:39
Speaker 4: and the Spirit of God rushed upon the shepherd boy
27:41
Speaker 4: like a mighty tempest. A surge of courageous fire burned
27:45
Speaker 4: within David's belly. Although David hadn't the slightest clue why
27:49
Speaker 4: Samuel had anointed him, he knew that from that day forward,
27:53
Speaker 4: The Lord had destined him for great things. Samuel departed
27:58
Speaker 4: and went to Ramah, pleased about who God had chosen.
28:01
Speaker 4: He knew that he did not have to bring David
28:03
Speaker 4: before the people as he once did with Saul. He
28:06
Speaker 4: knew that in God's timing, David would be more than
28:09
Speaker 4: just a shepherd to his sheep, but a shepherd over
28:12
Speaker 4: the flock of Israel. Samuel chuckled to himself as he
28:16
Speaker 4: departed Bethlehem. God chose an unremarkable city and an unremarkable
28:21
Speaker 4: young man to accomplish his purposes. He truly did choose
28:25
Speaker 4: the unexpected things of this world to display his power.
28:32
Speaker 4: A cry of frustration could be heard from the dark
28:34
Speaker 4: halls of the king's palace. The clanging of thrown lampstands
28:38
Speaker 4: and broken pots echoed throughout the property. All the servants
28:42
Speaker 4: knew that it was Saul again. His outbursts of anger
28:45
Speaker 4: in the night had been regular occurrences. They listened as
28:49
Speaker 4: the king raged in his throne room, and evil and
28:52
Speaker 4: dark spirit had overcome him. Since the spirit of the
28:55
Speaker 4: Lord had departed from Saul's presence, a brooding and harmful
28:59
Speaker 4: tormentor had taken residence in his mind. Tears ran down
29:03
Speaker 4: Saul's frustrated face as he leaned against the wall, banging
29:06
Speaker 4: his fists against them. The king fell to his knees
29:09
Speaker 4: and sobbed. He was ashamed of his anger, and angry
29:14
Speaker 4: at his shame. Saul ceased his wailing when he heard
29:17
Speaker 4: the door slowly creak open.
29:19
Speaker 9: Samuel?
29:20
Speaker 4: The king asked frantically. Saul's servant poked his head in.
29:25
Speaker 2: No, my lord. It is I, Tavi.
29:28
Speaker 4: Saul wiped his eyes and stood to his feet. Sweat
29:32
Speaker 4: dripped down his back and brow. He was a haggard sight.
29:35
Speaker 4: What is it, Tavi? Saul said with a tired voice.
29:40
Speaker 7: It is clear that a harmful spirit is tormenting you.
29:44
Speaker 7: I know a young man from Bethlehem who is able
29:46
Speaker 7: to play the lyre and harp. He is very skilled
29:50
Speaker 7: and of good reputation for his music. He is a
29:53
Speaker 7: smart young man and I hear he is courageous as well.
29:56
Speaker 7: When you feel out of control and frustrated, he can
29:58
Speaker 7: play for you. and you can receive peace.
30:01
Speaker 4: Saul sighed and leaned back in his throne. Very well,
30:04
Speaker 4: the king said while rubbing his eyes. Send him to me.
30:09
Speaker 4: Perhaps music will give me peace. Tavi rode into Bethlehem,
30:16
Speaker 4: into the home of Jesse. Jesse was pleased to see
30:19
Speaker 4: a servant of the king present.
30:21
Speaker 2: First a prophet and now a servant of the king?
30:24
Speaker 4: Jesse thought to himself.
30:26
Speaker 2: The Lord must favor me greatly.
30:29
Speaker 8: Good morning, Jesse.
30:31
Speaker 2: How are you and your sons?
30:32
Speaker 4: Tavi asked graciously.
30:33
Speaker 2: They are well, my lord. To what do I owe
30:36
Speaker 2: the presence of the king's servant? The king requires your
30:40
Speaker 2: son's presence.
30:41
Speaker 7: What if his skill has traveled far?
30:43
Speaker 4: Jesse puffed his chest up with pride. With his hands
30:47
Speaker 4: on his waist and a smile on his face, he said.
30:50
Speaker 2: Eliab is truly skilled, isn't he? I'm sure the king
30:53
Speaker 2: would benefit from having a strong right hand such as his.
30:56
Speaker 4: Tavi shook his head.
30:58
Speaker 7: No, sir, the youngest of yours. David is his name,
31:02
Speaker 7: if I'm not mistaken. The king is in need of
31:05
Speaker 7: his skills as a musician.
31:06
Speaker 4: Jesse looked over his shoulder. David was shearing a few
31:10
Speaker 4: of the sheep under the stables. A slight snarl left
31:13
Speaker 4: his upper lip. David, the runt of the litter, was
31:17
Speaker 4: going to receive the highest honor anyone in his family
31:20
Speaker 4: ever received. Jesse turned around. His snarl was replaced with
31:25
Speaker 4: a fraudulent smile. He bowed and.
31:28
Speaker 2: Said, David will be in the presence of the king
31:31
Speaker 2: with his lyre in two days' time.
31:34
Speaker 4: Tabby bowed his head and rode off. David creaked open
31:39
Speaker 4: the large wooden doors into the throne room. None of
31:43
Speaker 4: the lampstands were lit, and the fire in the center
31:45
Speaker 4: of the room was flickering dimly. The shepherd boy approached
31:49
Speaker 4: the throne softly with the lyre in his hands. Laying
31:52
Speaker 4: back in the shadows was the king. Even with his
31:56
Speaker 4: tired and tormented demeanor, His presence was larger than life
31:59
Speaker 4: to David. He noticed the king's massive armor and sword
32:04
Speaker 4: mounted above his throne. They reflected the flickering firelight, bouncing
32:08
Speaker 4: right back into David's eyes. The glow was magnificent. The
32:13
Speaker 4: echoes of David's footsteps came to a halt as he
32:16
Speaker 4: bowed before the king. Saul's eyes scanned David up and down.
32:20
Speaker 9: I hear your music calms the soul, shepherd boy, Saul slurred.
32:27
Speaker 9: Only the Lord can calm the soul, my king, David
32:30
Speaker 9: replied respectfully. The music I play is unto him, and
32:36
Speaker 9: in his delight the peace pours forth. So you are
32:40
Speaker 9: a poet as well, Saul scoffed. The Lord's delight is fickle, boy.
32:46
Speaker 9: One day you have it, the other you don't. David
32:52
Speaker 9: did not reply to Saul's outburst. He simply sat on
32:56
Speaker 9: the stool beside the fire and began to strum. The
32:59
Speaker 9: anthem coming from David's lyre was pure and heartfelt. The
33:03
Speaker 9: song seemed to touch Saul's heart like a warm fire.
33:07
Speaker 9: The highs and lows of the song took the king
33:10
Speaker 9: on an emotional journey, finally finishing in a place of rest.
33:14
Speaker 9: When David was finished playing, Saul felt as if he
33:18
Speaker 9: was resting in the fields of green by quiet streams.
33:21
Speaker 9: He breathed in deeply and fell asleep. David smiled, pleased
33:27
Speaker 9: that his music was able to bring peace to Saul.
33:30
Speaker 9: He stood up and put another log in the fire.
33:33
Speaker 9: Its small flame increased, filling the room with warmth. David
33:38
Speaker 9: set himself again and continued to play. The king was
33:41
Speaker 9: pleased with him and loved him like his own son.
33:45
Speaker 9: Saul sent word to Jesse, asking for him to remain
33:48
Speaker 9: in his service as his armor-bearer. So whenever Saul felt
33:52
Speaker 9: tormented by the evil spirit within, He would call on
33:55
Speaker 9: David to quiet the beast. David was pleased to serve
33:59
Speaker 9: his king. He found in him the recognition he had
34:03
Speaker 9: always longed for in his own father. Nothing was sweeter
34:06
Speaker 9: than sitting in the presence of the king, playing his
34:09
Speaker 9: music unto the Lord. He prayed it would never cease.
34:16
Speaker 3: Just how far would a shepherd go for his lamb?
34:19
Speaker 3: For David, it was into the mouth of the lion's den.
34:23
Speaker 3: In the episode leading up to this one, we're told
34:26
Speaker 3: that God has chosen someone who is after his own heart.
34:30
Speaker 3: Not only is God seeking a man who pursues the
34:33
Speaker 3: heart of God, but also someone who models his heart
34:38
Speaker 3: after God's. The scene of David's pursuing the lion gives
34:42
Speaker 3: us a brilliant glimpse into his heart. He is brave, tender,
34:46
Speaker 3: fierce when needed, and humble. But we must not glaze
34:50
Speaker 3: over the most important quality of David. He is willing
34:53
Speaker 3: to die for his sheep. The story tells us that
34:56
Speaker 3: the scratch on his back was a small price to
34:59
Speaker 3: pay for his lamb's freedom. He was a good shepherd,
35:03
Speaker 3: and a good shepherd always lays down his life for
35:05
Speaker 3: his sheep. This is our first of many allusions to Jesus,
35:10
Speaker 3: who calls himself the good shepherd. David's story is going
35:13
Speaker 3: to continually point forward to the ultimate chosen hero of God,
35:18
Speaker 3: Jesus Christ. We're going to spend a lot of time
35:20
Speaker 3: getting to know David in this series. In many ways,
35:24
Speaker 3: I hope we grow with him, falling deeper in love
35:26
Speaker 3: with God in the process. He is going to have triumphs, tragedies,
35:30
Speaker 3: and many adventures. As we witness the highs and lows
35:34
Speaker 3: of David's life, we must always remember our first impression
35:38
Speaker 3: of him with the lion. This episode depicts him as
35:41
Speaker 3: a warrior poet. One moment he is writing music under
35:45
Speaker 3: the stars, the next he is strangling a lion with
35:48
Speaker 3: his bare hands. David is simultaneously fierce and inspired. We
35:53
Speaker 3: should keep this dichotomy in mind when we follow David
35:56
Speaker 3: on his escapades. He is a sensitive soul, but it
35:59
Speaker 3: does not mean he isn't dangerous. David is clearly capable
36:03
Speaker 3: of great things, like taking down a wild beast, but
36:06
Speaker 3: he would much rather be singing to the Lord among
36:09
Speaker 3: the sheep. David has no ambition for the throne. He
36:12
Speaker 3: simply wants to be near to God and protect his flock.
36:16
Speaker 3: David's balance of faithfulness and fierceness are what make him
36:19
Speaker 3: an excellent shepherd, and it will make him an excellent
36:23
Speaker 3: king as well. After a long day, David leans back
36:26
Speaker 3: and sings to God, This song is taken from Psalm 148.
36:29
Speaker 3: In this series, we will get to hear a few
36:38
Speaker 3: psalms of David. He wrote 73 psalms that we know of,
36:42
Speaker 3: and they are all beautiful, raw, and profound songs from
36:46
Speaker 3: his heart to God's. It is important for us to
36:49
Speaker 3: remember that David was first and foremost a shepherd and poet.
36:53
Speaker 3: He was also a worship leader before the congregation of Israel.
36:57
Speaker 3: The multiple layers of David make him a unique character
37:00
Speaker 3: in Scripture. Many of the figures in the Bible before
37:04
Speaker 3: David were singularly focused Their stories were more focused and
37:08
Speaker 3: less nuanced than David's. David is our first deep dive
37:12
Speaker 3: into a man with diverse interests. He is the Bible's
37:15
Speaker 3: first Renaissance man. David may be interesting to us, but
37:19
Speaker 3: his family doesn't seem to think so. One of the
37:21
Speaker 3: more perplexing mysteries of David's story is why his father
37:25
Speaker 3: and brothers seem to have so much contempt for him.
37:28
Speaker 3: One of the reasons that David may have been forgotten
37:31
Speaker 3: and ridiculed is that he was illegitimate, that is, born
37:36
Speaker 3: out of wedlock, since he himself says, In sin my
37:40
Speaker 3: mother conceived me. At the end of the episode, David
37:43
Speaker 3: is grafted into the household of Saul as his armor-bearer
37:46
Speaker 3: and personal musician. David finds a great deal of purpose
37:50
Speaker 3: and comfort in the house of Saul and eventually becomes
37:53
Speaker 3: his literal son through marriage. Father wounds are a clear
37:57
Speaker 3: theme in David's life. At first, He finds the fatherly
38:01
Speaker 3: attention from Saul that he lacked from his own father.
38:04
Speaker 3: This causes him to be loyal to a fault. Later
38:07
Speaker 3: on in the story, we will see David forgiving Saul endlessly.
38:12
Speaker 3: David is a great man, but we will occasionally see
38:15
Speaker 3: glimpses of his inner child who was neglected by his father.
38:19
Speaker 3: But the loving embrace of God will fill the gaps
38:22
Speaker 3: in David's life better than any father could. An obvious
38:26
Speaker 3: example of this neglect is when Samuel comes to Jesse's house.
38:31
Speaker 3: I want you to imagine the most important person in
38:34
Speaker 3: your country coming to your home, and you purposefully send
38:38
Speaker 3: one of your kids away. This should give you a
38:41
Speaker 3: good idea of where David stood with his family. God
38:44
Speaker 3: had sights on him, though, and Samuel eventually found him.
38:49
Speaker 3: David's brothers had similar qualities to Saul. They were large, charismatic,
38:54
Speaker 3: and outwardly had the qualities of a king. When people
38:56
Speaker 3: look for leaders, they can look for the wrong things,
38:59
Speaker 3: but God looks at the heart. God tells Samuel, look
39:03
Speaker 3: past the height and appearance, for man sees the outward appearance.
39:07
Speaker 3: They see the strength of the man's arms and the
39:10
Speaker 3: way he carries a sword, but the Lord looks into
39:13
Speaker 3: his heart. David is not a perfect person. He, like Saul,
39:17
Speaker 3: will make many mistakes in his life. The difference that
39:20
Speaker 3: God sees between David and Saul is the heart. we
39:23
Speaker 3: would be wise to take personal inventory of our own hearts.
39:27
Speaker 3: Do we do all the right things for God? all
39:30
Speaker 3: the while neglecting our own inner hearts? This is part
39:33
Speaker 3: of why Pray.com is such an invaluable resource. There are
39:37
Speaker 3: hours of content that seeks to tend to your hearts
39:41
Speaker 3: like a garden so they might thrive and grow. Samuel
39:45
Speaker 3: bids Jesse and the other brothers farewell and turns his
39:49
Speaker 3: gaze upward to the hills. Do you remember how beautiful
39:52
Speaker 3: the description of the hill was? The wildflowers were in
39:56
Speaker 3: full bloom, arraying the grassy hills in splendor. Soft music
40:01
Speaker 3: could be heard from a distance. Samuel smiled as he
40:04
Speaker 3: looked at the flowers swaying back and forth in the breeze.
40:08
Speaker 3: It was as if they were dancing to the music.
40:11
Speaker 3: Samuel made his way up the hill. Sheep were grazing
40:14
Speaker 3: lazily in the mild sun. The music seemed to soothe them.
40:19
Speaker 3: This description is supposed to elicit feelings of Eden in us.
40:24
Speaker 3: Samuel steps into this harmonious space where heaven and earth
40:29
Speaker 3: seem to converge. David is a picture of Jesus among
40:32
Speaker 3: the people of God, leading them with a soothing melody
40:36
Speaker 3: of peace. It is a heavenly image, followed by a
40:39
Speaker 3: heavenly blessing that is given to David. Samuel anoints his
40:43
Speaker 3: head with oil, which is a symbol of God's Spirit.
40:46
Speaker 3: David was changed from that moment. We are immediately taken
40:50
Speaker 3: away from the scene of heaven and brought into hell.
40:54
Speaker 3: Saul's chambers are dark, chaotic, and tormenting. The scene with
40:58
Speaker 3: David jumping to the scene of Saul is supposed to
41:01
Speaker 3: be jarring for us and a reminder that the veil
41:04
Speaker 3: between peace and chaos is thin. Saul is tormented by
41:08
Speaker 3: an evil spirit without comfort. Everyone around him feels his pain,
41:12
Speaker 3: and Tavai seeks to give him ease. David is brought
41:15
Speaker 3: into the darkness to bring the peace and light of God.
41:19
Speaker 3: This is an image of what Jesus does to us.
41:21
Speaker 3: He steps into our darkness and brings comfort. He sings
41:24
Speaker 3: a song of grace over us and soothes our anxious minds.
41:28
Speaker 3: The relationship between Saul and David will be a complicated one.
41:32
Speaker 3: As I mentioned before, Saul will be like a father
41:35
Speaker 3: to David, but that closeness will come at a cost.
41:39
Speaker 3: Everyone close to Saul end up hurt by him, and
41:42
Speaker 3: David will be no different. In the next three episodes,
41:45
Speaker 3: we will see the ups and downs of their relationship.
41:48
Speaker 3: We will also get to witness David fall in love,
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Speaker 3: make bonds, and vanquish enemies. But first, we will watch
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Speaker 3: him slay a giant. Follow the podcast on Apple or
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Speaker 3: Spotify to get the newest episodes right as they come
42:04
Speaker 3: out and always be inspired by the Bible. Join us
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Speaker 3: next time for the episode we have all been waiting for,
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Speaker 3: David and Goliath.