Old Testament Persons
David as Type of Christ
The Shepherd King
Description
David, the shepherd who became king, is a profound type of Christ. He was anointed but not yet enthroned, rejected by Saul, gathering a band of mighty men in the wilderness. David was both shepherd and warrior, musician and prophet. God promised David an everlasting kingdom—fulfilled in Christ, the Son of David, who sits on David's throne forever. David's suffering, rejection, and eventual triumph mirror Christ's path to glory. The sweet psalmist of Israel prophesied Christ's death and resurrection in his psalms.
Key Verses
Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David... Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne; He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ.
And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever.
He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.
And I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David; he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd. And I the LORD will be their God, and my servant David a prince among them.
And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.