Samuel was told to find the new king of Israel. Saul, Israel’s first king, had turned out to be a train wreck, and it was time to choose the man who would take his place.

We’re familiar with the story: God leads Samuel to Jesse, father of seven strapping sons. After Samuel has eliminated all seven as kingly options, he asks Jesse, “Are these all of them?” Jesse responds, “Well, no, I have one more. But you wouldn’t be interested in him; he’s the youngest and he’s busy watching the sheep.” Samuel has them bring this eighth son before him, and, sure enough, this shepherd is the one God chooses. David is anointed immediately (though he doesn’t come to the throne without a tumultuous season of hiding from Saul) and “the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon David from that day forward” (1 Samuel 16:13).

Some time later, probably not much later, Saul requests that someone be brought to play the lyre to comfort him. (God’s Spirit has left Saul, and a harmful spirit has come to torment him. The music calms him down.) One of Saul’s servants knows just the man: “Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, who is skillful in playing, a man of valor, a man of war, prudent in speech, and a man of good presence, and the Lord is with him” (1 Samuel 16:18).

If you know anything about King David, you know that that’s exactly what he was—a mighty, valiant man. David was the shepherd king—the insignificant, last son of Jesse, relegated to the field to care for the sheep. But God’s Spirit rushed upon him, and he became one of the most well known, godly kings of Israel. He was mighty in battle, compassionate, wise, powerful. He led his people with authority, and walked in the fear of the Lord. He was a man after God’s own heart (1 Samuel 13:14).

And yet…David was far from perfect. He took Uriah’s wife Bathsheba as his own, and had Uriah killed to cover it up. And that’s just one of the major sins recorded for us. While David was a mighty man of valor, he was definitely human and far from perfect. But David was the foreshadowing of the perfect One to come. Jesus.

This Hebrew word used to describe David as a mighty, valiant man in 1 Samuel 16 is gibbowr. It’s the same word used in Isaiah 9:6 as a name of God, used to describe the coming Messiah: El Gobbowr, Mighty God.

It’s a picture of God as warrior, defender, champion. Mighty in battle. It brings to my mind the image of the God of Armies, named over and over in the narratives of the kings and the prophets. He is protector, avenger, MIGHTY.

“There is none like you, O Lord;

you are great, and your name is great in might.”

Jeremiah 10:6

In Isaiah 9, Isaiah is pointing to the coming Christ, the Messiah—God Himself. Jesus, the Savior of the world, Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God. Full of wisdom and compassion to counsel, and equipped with the power to accomplish. Referred to by God’s own name.

Jesus, God made flesh, is God.

In Deuteronomy, as Moses is giving the Israelites the Law, he describes to them their God:

“For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who is not partial and takes no bribe. He executes justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the sojourner, giving him food and clothing.”

Deuteronomy 10:17-18

In Revelation, John describes his vision:

“Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.”

Revelation 19:11, 16

Some of my favorite lines from a Christmas song are these:

So [Joseph] held her and he prayed,

Shafts of moonlight on his face.

But the baby in her womb—

He was the Maker of the moon,

He was the Author of the faith

That could make the mountains move.

This baby, the rescuer of the world, is the Mighty God—Maker of the moon and Author (and Finisher!) of our faith. He created the world, was born of a woman, born in a manger, killed on a cross, raised to life again. And He’s coming again, coming to reign as King over the world for which He gave His life.

This is Jesus, the One Isaiah prophesied. King of kings, Lord of lords, mighty to save. The One with the power to accomplish.

And He shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.