1Samuel
15:34--16:13: Then Samuel left for Ramah, but Saul went up to his home
in Gibeah of Saul. 35 Until the day Samuel died, he did not go
to see Saul again, though Samuel mourned for him. And the Lord regretted that
he had made Saul king over Israel. 1 The Lord said to Samuel, “How
long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel?
Fill your horn with oil and be on your way; I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem.
I have chosen one of his sons to be king.” 2 But Samuel said, “How
can I go? If Saul hears about it, he will kill me.” The Lord said, “Take a
heifer with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to
the Lord.’ 3 Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you
what to do. You are to anoint for me the one I indicate.” 4 Samuel
did what the Lord said. When he arrived at Bethlehem, the elders of the town
trembled when they met him. They asked, “Do you come in
peace?” 5 Samuel replied, “Yes, in peace; I have come to sacrifice to
the Lord. Consecrate yourselves and come to the sacrifice with me.” Then he
consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the
sacrifice. 6 When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and
thought, “Surely the Lord’s anointed stands here before the
Lord.” 7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance
or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things
people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at
the heart.” 8 Then Jesse called Abinadab and had him pass
in front of Samuel. But Samuel said, “The Lord has not chosen this one
either.” 9 Jesse then had Shammah pass by, but Samuel said,
“Nor has the Lord chosen this one.” 10 Jesse had seven of his sons
pass before Samuel, but Samuel said to him, “The Lord has not chosen
these.” 11 So he asked Jesse, “Are these all the sons you
have?” “There is still the youngest,” Jesse answered. “He is tending the
sheep.” Samuel said, “Send for him; we will not sit down until he arrives.” 12 So
he sent for him and had him brought in. He was glowing with health and had a
fine appearance and handsome features. Then the Lord said, “Rise and
anoint him; this is the one.” 13 So Samuel took the horn of oil and
anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit
of the Lord came powerfully upon David.
The David
Saga, Pt 2. This Sunday David, the main character of the sermon
series, is introduced. The newly established monarchy of Israel isn't going
well. In last week's text the prophet Samuel warned the elders of Israel about
the prerogatives a king would demand for himself. A demanding, yet obedient
king would have been one thing; Saul demonstrated his arrogant and independent
attitude by disobeying the Lord's precise instructions, (followed by lying
about it and feigning ignorance). This whole event is detailed in an earlier
part of chapter 15, but the key point comes from vss 10-11: Then
the word of the Lord came to Samuel: “I regret that I have made Saul king, because
he has turned away from me and disobeyed me.
And that leads us to this
week's reading, the introduction of David and his 'secret' anointing as God's
choice of king. The reading begins with some degree of subterfuge. God desires
Samuel to travel to Bethlehem, but Samuel responds: “How can I go? If
Saul hears about it, he will kill me” (v2). Two things need to
be remembered here: (1) Saul may be king, but Samuel has been on the scene
for much longer. And while Samuel's sons may not have panned out, Samuel's
reputation as a prophet/judge of the people is still the gold standard. And (2)
Samuel's oracle denouncing Saul was a matter of public record. Aging though he
may be, might Samuel be so emboldened as to lead a coup d’état against Saul?
Similar sentiments can also be seen in the response of the elders of
Bethlehem: Samuel did what the Lord said. When he arrived at Bethlehem,
the elders of the town trembled when they met him. They asked, “Do you come in
peace?” (v5).
What follows is an
interesting 'pass and review' of Jesse's sons. And while Samuel is pretty
impressed with the first son, this timeless sentiment is expressed in the
narrative: But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or
his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things
people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at
the heart.” This makes sense, as Scripture refers to David as a man
after God's own heart.
There is a temptation to
interpret this passage as meaning that God prefers to work by doing big things
with little people. David is, after all, just a boy when Samuel anoints him as
God's choice. This line of thought is bolstered when we consider the Gospel
reading it has been paired with, the story of the mustard seed from Mark
chapter 4--the smallest of seeds growing into a great shrub. But this is more
than just a big things come in small packages story. It's a story of
having the RIGHT HEART. Further, it's the story of David the prototype with the
right heart, foreshadowing the ultimate Servant of God who had the right heart.
This, after all, is why we bother studying David; not because ancient history
is so important, but because in studying the life of this ancient king of
Israel, we learn to turn our hearts more toward his heir... the King of kings
and Lord of lords, our Savior Jesus whose heart was such that for the joy
that was set before him he endured the cross, despising its shame, and has
sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Heb 12:2).
Cheers,
T.M.
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