Let us turn again to God's Word in the portion we read, 1 Samuel 18, and I want to direct you for our text to the words that we find at the end of the chapter, the last part of verse 30, where we read concerning David, that David behaved himself more wisely than all the servants of Saul, so that his name was much said by. In 1 Samuel 18 and the last part of verse 30, that David behaved himself more wisely than all the servants of Saul, so that his name was much said by." If you have margins in your Bible you might see that there is an alternative reading in the margin for that final statement where we read that the Hebrew word literally means precious. David beheld himself more wisely than all the servants of Saul, so that his name was much precious.

And I want us to think for a while of that preciousness this morning. We were of course considering the first part of this chapter last Lord's Day evening when I sought to say something of the remarkable love that Jonathan bore towards David. We looked at those words in verses 3 and 4 Then Jonathan and David made a covenant because he loved him as his own soul and Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was upon him and gave it to David and his garments even to his sword and to his bow and to his girdle.

The love of Jonathan for David and I said I wanted on that occasion to think of Jonathan not so much as a type of the Lord Jesus Christ. He's not a type of Christ, but I said then that there are certain parallels that we can draw from what we're told concerning the deep love that Jonathan has towards his friends and the love of the Lord Jesus Christ towards those whom he calls his friends. What a remarkable statement it is that we have concerning the love of this man. We have it there of course at the end of verse 3 but we have it also at the end of verse 1 as a repetition. At the end of verse 1 in the chapter we're told that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. And then we have mention of the covenant that he's made between them and all because Jonathan loved him as his own soul.

Are there not parallels as we were trying to say last Lord's Day evening with that that we're told concerning the Lord Jesus Christ? What does Jonathan do? He strips himself. It's as if David is himself all over again. Another self is what Jonathan sees in David. Does it not remind us of the Lord Jesus Christ and all that he has done? How Christ, in a sense, is one who so willingly humbled himself, stripped himself.

Those words that we have in Philippians 2, We read of him being in the form of God, thinking it not proper to be equal with God, yet makes himself of no reputation, takes upon him the form of a servant, and is made in the likeness of man. or when the fullness of the time was come God sent forth His Son made of a woman and made under the law.

He's not simply bone of our bone and flesh of our flesh made of a woman but He's one who is also under the law and He's under the law for His people. He will be their surety in life He will accomplish all righteousness for them that He might have a robe of righteousness with which to clothe them. And He who is their surety is also their substitute. He is that one who will make the great sin atoning sacrifice in their room and in their stead.

What a love is that that the Lord Jesus Christ bears. and he does it for the love of sinners this man receive of sinners and eateth with them he communes with the sinners this is a friend and it's a greater friendship even than that of Jonathan's towards David he is that one who is pleased to give his life for his friends A friend loveth at all times. A brother is made for adversity, says the wise man. And there is that friend that sticketh closer than a brother. And isn't that a reference to the Lord Jesus Christ?

So we were considering something last Lord's Day evening of that remarkable relationship. Nothing of sin in that relationship. Nothing improper. but all the depth of the affection that there was between those two men and I think I read something of David's great lament which is recorded of course in the opening chapter of the second book of Samuel upon the death of Saul and Jonathan in the battle and David's remarkable lament for his dear friend Jonathan. Well What I want to do this morning really is to turn from Jonathan and to say something more particularly with regards to King David. And David of course is strictly speaking a definite type of the Lord Jesus Christ. With no reason at all to doubt that particular fact.

It's evident from what we read in scripture Think of the language that we have there in the 34th chapter of the book of Ezekiel, where, as you know, I've mentioned here on previous occasions, we have the Lord God rebuking the pastors, as it were, in Israel, those who held offices, those who were the princes, the kings, and the priests. and the false prophets and how Ezekiel speaks of that word that the Lord spoke to him the word of the Lord came unto me saying son of man prophesy against the shepherds where the pastors of Israel prophesied and said unto them, Thus saith the Lord God unto the shepherds, Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flocks? And now the whole chapter really is a reproof of those wicked men who were not fulfilling their offices.

And then we come to what God will do, the promise that God gives to His ancient people. In verse 23, 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. I, the Lord, have spoken it."

Now these words are of course spoken by the Prophet many years after the life of King David. David was dead, his sepulcher was there in Israel. Who is this David? This is the Lord Jesus Christ who is spoken of as David. He is David's greatest son. And in the book of Psalms, of course, we see him as one who is not only the king, he's also a prophet. How much as a prophet he speaks of the Lord Jesus Christ. And there in the Psalms we also see him time and again as a type of the Lord Jesus Christ.

And so as we come to consider these words at the end of the chapter, spoken concerning David, David behaved himself more wisely than all the servants of Saul, so that his name was much set by. His name was precious. I want to think of the preciousness of his name. And to you that believe, Peter says, he is precious, speaking of the Lord Jesus Christ, and so speaking of the preciousness of that name. But first of all to say something with regards to his wisdom, the Lord's wisdom.

David behaved himself more wisely than all the servants of Saul, we're told. And it's not the first time that we have that statement. We see it previously in verse 14, how David behaved himself wisely in all his ways. and the Lord was with him therefore when Saul saw that he behaved himself very wisely he was afraid of him David's wisdom you see it's spoken of even previous to that isn't it verse 5 David went out with us so ever Saul sent him and behaved himself wisely there's repetitions here in the chapter And we know that there's no vain repetition, no idle words anywhere in the book of God. We have to give an account, says the Lord Jesus Christ, for every idle word. God doesn't speak idle words.

And so how significant when we have such repetition, this emphasis being placed upon the wisdom that was manifest in the way in which David was conducting himself at this time. and Saul had set himself to be his great enemy and was obviously set on his death really and yet David so circumspect in all his life and he is here but a remarkable type of the Lord Jesus Christ one who of God is made unto his people wisdom Remember the language of James?

If we feel ourselves to be so unwise, where can we find wisdom? Well, we have to seek it of the Lord God himself. If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God who giveth to all men liberally, says James. But let him ask in faith, not in wavering. Now we have to come and have to ask the Lord to grant that we might be favoured with such wisdom. And James goes on to speak of the source of that wisdom, the wisdom from above which is first pure and then peaceable and gentle and easy to be entreated and full of mercy and good fruits and without partiality and without hypocrisy. Remarkable words that we have there at the end of James chapter 3 concerning that heavenly wisdom.

And it all centers, of course, ultimately in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. And this was really the source of the wisdom that was so evidenced in the conduct of David in all his dealings. And we see that in the words that we have there in that 14th verse.

David behaved himself wisely in all his ways, and the Lord was with him. There's the source of his wisdom. It was the Lord. it was the Lord who was with him, it was that outcome really of his anointing that we read of previously in the book when Samuel the prophet is told to go to the house of Jesse and Jesse's sons are brought before Samuel but there's one overlooked and it's the youngest, it's David who's the shepherd boy who's there busy caring for the sheep but now Samuel demands that he be brought in and this is the man and he anoints him with oil and immediately the Spirit of the Lord is upon him there is the sourcing of his wisdom and it's interesting I read what Dr Gill had to say in his commentary on this 14th verse where David behaved himself wisely in all his ways and the Lord was with him. And Gil simply remarks, in this he was a type of Christ. In this wisdom he was a type of Christ. How the Lord manifested so much wisdom in all his ways, in every part of his life.

What does the prophecy say? Behold my servant shall deal prudently, we read back in Isaiah 52. Concerning that one who is the Lord's servant, spoken of so many times of course, in that capacity in the book of Isaiah the prophet, God calls him my servant. It's amazing isn't it, because here you in the covenant of grace, he is the servant of the Lord, he is none other than the one who is the eternal son of the Father. And yet in the outworking of that covenant of course, though we see him as God manifest in the flesh, yet all the time he is aware that he has come to serve the will of his Father, to do that work that the Father had given him to do. and how he wisely accomplished all that was necessary for the salvation of his people.

The wisdom of the Lord Jesus Christ, we might say, is seen in many ways. But I want just to highlight two particular aspects of that wisdom, as it were. He knew when to speak, and he knew when to keep silent. there was wisdom in that surely he knew when to speak and when to hold his tongue to everything there is a season and a time to every purpose under heaven says the preacher there in Ecclesiastes 3 and amongst other things he says there's a time to keep silence and a time to speak or a time to every purpose under heaven. And there we see the Lord Jesus Christ at times silent.

You think especially of how he conducts himself in that mockery of a trial that he had to endure. He was innocent. He was innocent. In that sense he did not need to defend himself I suppose. He knew he was innocent. but he would do the will of his father and willingly identify with sinners and die in their room and in their stead. And remember how on three occasions in that mock trial, and it was a mockery of a trial, his human judge, Pontius Pilate, announced to the Jews that he could find no fault in him.

He was free from every taint of sin. We know he was sinless in his birth. There was nothing of original sin in his conception, in his birth. He was conceived of the Holy Ghost in the womb of the Virgin. She was a sinner who rejoiced in God her Saviour. that the Holy Spirit so came upon her that what was conceived is referred to, isn't it, in Luke 1 as that holy thing that holy thing that shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God that holy thing, the human nature the human body, the human soul and in the mystery of the incarnation that human nature joined to the eternal Son of God all without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness, God was manifest in the flesh and he was he was sinless in every part of his life, holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, made higher than the heavens he was and yet he dies as a common criminal as I said we we see him there in his trial, he doesn't answer a word in John's account for example where in chapter 19 we see what the Jews have to say and how the Lord reacts really in verse 7 of John 19 the Jews answer Pilate and say to him we have a law And by our Lord he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God.

When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he was the more afraid, and went again into the judgment hall, and said unto Jesus, Whence art thou? But Jesus gave him no answer. He was silent. The Lord was silent. They were accusing him before Pontius Pilate of blasphemy. He made himself the son of God. And he was the son of God, the eternal son of the eternal Father. And yet, here he is, he's the servant of the Lord now. And He doesn't raise His voice, He doesn't speak on His own behalf. It was a time to be silent. He must be obedient. He must be obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

And all of this, of course, as we're aware, is so evidently set before us in Old Testament prophecy. We have the language of that remarkable 53rd chapter in Isaiah's prophecy Isaiah 53 7 he was oppressed and he was afflicted yet he opened not his mouth he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter and as a sheep before her shearers he is done so he openeth not his mouth he was taken from prison and from judgment and you shall declare his generation So I think there, in a sense, surely that statement, who shall declare his generation, has to do with his eternal generation, the eternally begotten one, the eternal son of the Father. They accused him of blasphemy because he was the son of God. He said he was the son of God, and yet he opened not his mouth. Who shall declare his generation? For he was cut off out of the land of the living, for the transgression of my people was he stricken.

Oh, what remarkable wisdom in the Lord Jesus Christ. But it's not only seen there as his silence before his human judge, but we see it also, don't we, in his ministry. Think of the Canaanitish woman, woman of Syro-Phoenicia who comes to him. and the Lord answer her not a word. We have it recorded there in Matthew 15 verse 21 following.

She comes pleading for her daughter and the Lord doesn't answer her. And the disciples weary of her and ask the Lord to dismiss her but she won't give over. And then she worships him, doesn't she? saying, Lord, help me. And then the Lord remarked, he does, he does exactly as she asked in the end, but what is the Lord doing?

He remarks on the greatness of her faith. What is the Lord doing by His silence? He's drawing out her faith. And you know sometimes it's like that surely in the Lord's dealings with us. There are times when the Lord seems to be silent. Maybe there's a matter that troubles us and we try to pray over it and we lie before the Lord and we feel that we're not receiving any answer and the problem seems only to grow greater. But what is the Lord doing?

How wise He is. Remember, he is that good shepherd spoken of as we saw there in Ezekiel 34. What wisdom. No pastor like the Lord Jesus Christ, even when he's silent. Even when he's silent. That's what he does with that woman, he draws out her faith. What remarkable faith we see.

She's a Canaanite woman. And the Canaanites were cut off from the congregation of the Lord forever, it says in the Old Testament. But when we come to the Lord Jesus Christ, even this Canaanitish woman receives an answer to her plea in the Lord's time. Not in her time, in the Lord's time. He brings out the reality of her faith.

And isn't that what the Lord will sometimes do with us? In all His ways, in all His dealings, He's so wise. too wise to be mistaken, too good to be unkind. That's the goodness and the mercy of the Lord. The time to be silent, but also we see there's a time to speak.

And isn't the Lord Jesus that one who is really set before us in the book of Proverbs? If he is that wisdom, the wisdom from above, which is first pure and then peaceable and gentle and easy to be entreated and full of mercy. Remember the language that we have at the end of James 3 concerning wisdom, and that wisdom I said is in the person and the work of the Lord Jesus. Well, surely we're to recognize that Christ is there in the book of Proverbs. That's the wisdom literature of the Old Testament.

Isn't Christ there in the book of Proverbs? Surely we see him clearly enough in the 8th chapter that great 8th chapter concerning wisdom and isn't that the Lord Jesus had spoken of at verse 24 when there were no depths I was brought forth when there were no fountains abounding with water before the mountains were settled before the hills was I brought forth, wisdom eternally brought forth, the eternal Son of God, the one in whom we see the great wisdom of God. And now surely, even in the opening chapter of Proverbs, we are to recognize there that we have, in a way, a prophecy, a prophecy of Christ, Look at the language that we have.

Verse 20. Wisdom crieth without. This is the opening chapter of Proverbs. Verse 20. Wisdom crieth without. She uttereth her voice in the streets. She crieth in the chief place of concourse, in the opening of the gates, in the city. She uttereth her word, saying, How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge.

Turn you at my reproof. Behold, I will pour out My Spirit unto you. I will make known My words unto you." Now, that paragraph, verses 20 through 23, does it not have its fulfillment in the Gospel in John chapter 7? We have wisdom crying A voice is heard in the streets, in the cheap place of concourse, the opening of the gates. And what does wisdom say? Behold I will pour out of my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you.

And that word surely is fulfilled ultimately in the Lord Jesus. In the seventh chapter of John we have the Lord going to Jerusalem for the feast of Tabernacles. There's a great concourse of people. And what do we read later in the chapter? The last day, the great day of the feast. There'd be a great multitude of people there. And here is wisdom. Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink. He that believeth on me, as the Scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. It's a fulfillment.

It's Christ speaking of the coming of the Spirit, as John says. Verse 39, This speaking of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive. For the Holy Ghost was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. Of course the Holy Ghost is there ministering in the Old Testament. David in his great penitentiary psalm 51 says, take not thy spirit from me. The Spirit was there in creation. The Spirit is there in all the godly, they are born again of the Spirit of God.

But what is being spoken of there in John 7.39 is the glorious outpouring of the Spirit, the day of Pentecost. when the glorified Christ is the one who sheds abroad the Spirit, and that Spirit with which he himself was anointed. For the Father gave not the Spirit by measure unto him. All what wisdom by that anointing was under Lord Jesus.

He says, doesn't he, in prophecy, the Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned that I should know how to speak a word in season. to him that is weary. He spoke wise words, gracious words when he was upon the earth. He had that spirit of the learned, he had that spirit of wisdom. How the common people heard him gladly. Why never man spake like that man. Never man spake like that man. How he speaks gracious words. Compassionate words.

Think of the language that we have there at the end of Matthew 11. The gracious invitation of the Lord, Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, learn of me. For I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. He speaks so graciously.

He is indeed the servant of the Lord and He is the Prince of all preachers. There we see the fruit of His ministry in those souls who were blessed to sit at His feet and to hear the gracious words that fell from His lips. All the wisdom of the Lord Jesus, He knew when to be silent, He knew when to speak. And whenever He spoke, they were gracious words. The law was given by Moses, grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.

And here we see David, a remarkable type really. David behaved himself more wisely than all the servants of Saul. so that his name was much said by, his name was much precious. And so, in the second place, to say a little with regards to his name, his name. Because the language that we have in the Song of Solomon concerning that name of the Savior, because of the soul of thy good ointments thy name is as ointment poured forth that's what the bride says there in the Song of Solomon his name is as ointment poured forth, much said by, precious and what is his name? as I said in prophecy his name is David David is a type of the Lord Jesus Christ. And what does the name David mean? Well it simply means the Beloved. The Beloved. And that's what the Lord Jesus surely is.

There again in that 8th chapter of the Proverbs where we see Him as the Wisdom of God. What does He say? Then I was by Him. as one brought up with Him I was daily His delight rejoicing always before Him His eternal relationship with the Father He is the Son of the Father in truth and in love as we read there in that second epistle of John the Son of the Father in truth the only begotten of the Father the Son of the Father in truth and in love by Him daily is delight. The love of the Father to the Son, the love of the Son to the Father.

You know, a guy, remember, he's spoken of, as I said, many times in the book of Isaiah, as the Lord's servant. And as the Lord's servant, he manifests his great love, really, to the Father. He will do all that work that the Father has committed to him. Isaiah 42, Behold my servants, whom I appalled, mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth. I have put my spirit upon him. Remember how it's such a clear prophecy of the Lord Jesus in the opening verses of that 42nd chapter of Isaiah.

And we know it's speaking of the Lord because when we come to the New Testament we see how in Matthew 12, verse 18 following, The evangelist Matthew refers to that very passage. It's quoted. But the interesting thing is, it's more than quoted, in a sense. There's an interpretation. Matthew, of course, is writing in his Gospel under the inspiration of the Spirit of God, just as Isaiah. one of those only men who spake being moved of the Spirit in the Old Testament, so also with those who are the human authors of our New Testament Scriptures. And so if you compare the words at the beginning of Isaiah 42 with what we have there in Matthew 12 verse 18 following, you'll see there are some differences. And it's interesting how it opens there in in Matthew's account, Behold my servant whom I have chosen, my Beloved in whom my soul is well pleased.

He is referred to there as God's Beloved. He is David. He is David, the Beloved of the Lord. And oh, the Lord God declares His love for his son at the baptism of Christ, doesn't he? As Christ comes forth out of the waters of baptism, and the heavens open and the Spirit descends upon him in the form of a dove, the Father giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him, he's the anointed one. And then the Father speaks, this is my beloved son. in whom I am well pleased. He is the Beloved.

He is David. He is David. And then again at the transfiguration, there in the marriage when those three favoured ones, Peter and James and John, they see through the veil of his humiliation, they see beyond his human nature, they see something of the glory of his deity. He's gone and glistering. And the Father speaking those words again from heaven, this is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.

Hear ye him. Those three words are added there, aren't they? At the transfiguration. Hear ye him. Well this is the one that we are to hear. This is the one who speaks wise words and gracious words. even our Lord Jesus Christ. Look at what we're told here in verse 16.

All Israel and Judah loved David because he went out and came in before them. Are we those who love the Lord Jesus Christ? Do we love him as our David? Can we say that he is truly our beloved? How can we test ourselves when he says, if you love me, keep my commandments? There's the mark, you see. Do we really love Christ? If you love me, keep my commandments. In other words, we're to be like him. He says again, doesn't he? If you keep my commandments, you shall abide in me. Even as I kept my father's commandments and abode in his love. There's the test. By their fruit ye shall know them. And sometimes when we would examine ourselves and prove ourselves and know ourselves, it's fearful, isn't it? We fear that maybe after all we are reprobate because we don't come up to the mark.

He's the Beloved. He's the Father's Beloved. Is He our Beloved? If we love Him, then we're to keep His commandments. This is His name. In prophecy, He is David. But of course, when we come to the New Testament, we see that His real name, His human name, is Jesus. His full name, of course, is Lord Jesus Christ. There we have His Divine Name, He is the Lord, He is Jehovah, He is the Great I Am that I Am. He is the Christ, that's His Office. The Anointed One, the Messiah. But that human name, they shall call His name Jesus.

For He shall save His people from their sin. His very name, His human name declares to us salvation. Salvation is of the Lord. All salvation is sure and certain. Christ is salvation. He is salvation in His very person who He is, as the God-man. And of course He is salvation in that work that He accomplished. And that accomplished salvation is applied, and who applies it?

Why? God the Holy Ghost, but he comes as the Spirit of Christ, that's his ministry. All his self-effacing ministry when the Spirit comes, he doesn't speak of himself. He comes to speak the things of Christ, to reveal Christ to us. But the salvation that was accomplished must be applied, and it will be applied.

That precious blood He will never lose his power till all the ransomed church of God is saved to sin no more. Do we believe that? Oh remember, neither is there salvation in any other. There is none other name under heaven given amongst men whereby we must be saved. Oh there's something so sure and so certain in that salvation. And what do we do? We simply have to believe. All that comes to me, he says, I will in no wise cast out. You have to simply come.

And God has highly exalted him. given Him a name above every name that at the name of Jesus every knee is to bow of things in heaven and things in earth and things on to the earth and every tongue is to confess that He is Lord to the glory of God the Father they'll all confess it in that day but how many today eternal shame and damnation ought to confess Him in this day of grace and to know Him as our God and our Saviour We know He's ours because we love Him. He's the Beloved. And because we love Him, we want to obey all His commandments.

Can we say, in truth, His name to us is very precious? This is what He said here of David. His name was much set by. His name was much precious. Is that true, friends? with you, is it true with me? Can I really say that He is precious, He is my Beloved, He is my Saviour, He is my God.

The language of appropriation, oh God grant that we might know it. To know that our sins are forgiven and we are those sinners, and we feel ourselves to be sinners, and yet saved sinners. and justified sinners and all that salvation and all our justification only found in Him whose name is precious. May the Lord be pleased to bless His word to us. Amen.