David as a Type of Christ

It is clear from Peter’s sermon in Acts 2 that David is a type of Christ. Peter quoted Ps 16:8ff where David said, “Therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced; Moreover my flesh also shall dwell in hope: Because thou will not leave my soul unto Hades, neither wilt thou give thy Holy One to to see corruption.” So David speaks of himself as not seeing corruption, but Peter said, “Men and brethren, let me speak freely to you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day.” It was because David was a prophet that he spoke of himself as experiencing these things, when the reality was that he was merely typical of his more famous son.

While Ps 16:8ff is directly prophetic, there are many aspects of David’s life that are more subtly typical of the life of Christ. One such typical parallel is David’s early rule in Hebron. David’s early rule was not in Jerusalem. In order to rule in Jerusalem David had to conquer his enemies that held that city. Jesus rules, but not in Jerusalem. It will not be until the end of the world when Jesus moves His rule from a distant country to Jerusalem. Like David, when He comes to rule there, He will have to conquer His enemies first (Zech 14:2).

There are more types involved regarding the end of the earth. For example, in Mt 24:4-7 Jesus described the woes surrounding the destruction of Jerusalem. Jesus said these troubles were “the beginning of birth pains” (Mt 24:8, NIV). Now, when a woman feels the beginning of birth pangs and goes into labor, it may be many hours before the baby is actually born. In a similar way, these pangs that were experienced in the first century were the beginning of the sorrows that would follow after and precede the birth of God’s children into God’s new earth at their resurrection. God spoke of Jesus being begotton of the Father at Jesus’ resurrection from the dead (Acts 13:33, Rom 1:4). Like the most severe contractions immediately precede the birth of the child, the throes of earth at the end of the age immediately precede the birth of God’s children from their beds of clay. While God’s children are here on earth, they are isolated from their Father, even as an unborn babe is isolated from his father while in the womb.

My son made the observation that by being born from the earth at the end of the age, the
Christian actually experiences three births. He is born once of his mother. He is born again at baptism (I Pet 1:23), and born yet a third time at his resurrection from the dead. In a similar manner, our mother, the earth is reborn three times. The first earth was born in Gen 1. The second birth of the earth was at the Flood (II Pet 3:6). The third birth of the earth will be at the end of the age when the new heavens and the new earth are revealed (II Pet 3:13).

Like we have three births, we also experience three cleansings. The Hebrews used three things to cleanse: water (Lev 13:6), fire (Num 31:23) and blood (Lev 14:14). Christians will be cleansed by all of these things. We are cleansed by water through having our bodies washed with pure water (Heb 10:22). We are cleansed a second time by having our hearts sprinkled with the blood of Christ to purge us from an evil conscience (Heb 10:22), and we are cleansed the third time by fire at the end of the world, when like Shadrack, Meshack, and Abednego we pass through the fiery furnace of the burning earth (II Pet 3:10). John the baptizer said,

Mt 3:11 He that cometh after me is mightier than I…he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:

In the same way that Christians are purified three times, the earth likewise is purified three times. It was purified once by the waters of the Flood (Gen 7:20). It was purified again by being sprinkled by the blood of Christ (Jn 19:34). It will be purified yet a third time by the fire at the end of the age (II Pet 3:10).

Jesus has come once like David begain His career, as the Shepherd of the Sheep. Jesus will come again a second time like King David, as the mighty warrior king who overcomes all His enemies (Rev 19:16). He will even go out alone and face the mighty “Goliath” of the enemy, where He will kill him (the Devil will be thrown into the Second Death, Rev 20:10), and cut off his head (the Beast and False Prophet, the head of the army of the Devil, Rev 19:20). The army of Satan will then be pursued until not one of them is left (Rev 19:21, 14:20), like David destroyed the Canaanites (I Sam 27:8-9).

There are some amazing parallels between Jesus and lives of many of the Bible worthies. These hidden gems are there for the finding for those with the determination to go looking for them. God’s word is a wonder of intricately interwoven wheels within wheels, and He works out His plan precisely as it was intended. Let us therefore serve God, for His message is clear: He wins.