The Holy Bible
The Old Testament
The First Book of Samuel, chapter 16, verses 1-13
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? Saul will hear about it and 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 man looks at. Man looks 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, “but he is tending the sheep.”
Samuel said, “Send for him; we will not sit down until he arrives.”
12 So he sent and had him brought in. He was ruddy, with a fine appearance and handsome features.
Then the LORD said, “Rise and anoint him; he 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 upon David in power. Samuel then went to Ramah.
(Picture credit: www-biblical-art.com)
The first king of Israel, Saul, failed to carry out God’s specific commands and was rejected from continuing in office. And God sets about the task of anointing his successor. This is where this story begins.
There are several truths that emerge right at verse 1. Having agreed to a monarchical form of government to administer and lead His people, God was not going to leave them kingless so early in such a dispensation. In fact, the successor had already been chosen by God, though not revealed fully as yet. Might we even say, “chosen in eternity” but still to be manifested in time.
And God entrusted Samuel with the task of anointing the next king. Well that is the way He quite often works – through people, through selected, chosen people who can be trusted to do His will, implement His plan. But while the mission appears fairly well defined, it is not. God says He has chosen one of Jesse’s sons to be king.Samuel does not know which one nor indeed how many sons Jesse has; and trusting soul that he is, he does not ask. God will reveal that when the time comes. One step at a time.
Yes, God rarely lays out a complete blue print in front of us with all the questions answered upfront as they arise. He expects His servants to trust in Him, demonstrate some faith and move on. Remember John Newman’s beautiful lyrics in the hymn Lead kindly Light:” I do not ask to see the distant scene; one step enough for me”.
Now, trusting God for some future revelation is one thing and dealing with real and proximate issues is something else. Samuel is caught in just such a dilemma and he is not shy of voicing his problem:”Saul will kill me” Yes, sometimes we have no problem believing that God will work out things – eventually. God of the future. But can we trust him to deal with the pressing problems of the present that are making us tense?
But God’s purposes are not about to be thwarted by anything, not least by a shortly- to-be-deposed king, however powerful for the present. And God provides a solution (v 2).
Are we hesitant to tell God about our fears, apprehensions even as we show readiness to obey his call? He is a God not only of the “yet-to-fully-unfold” future but He is also the Master of the very clear and worrisome current. Talk to Him about it (June and Johnny Cash: “I talk to Jesus everyday”). He will show a way.
And reassured by God at this point that He will reveal His plan when he got to Bethlehem, our man goes – on an ostensible and perfectly legitimate mission of sacrificing to God. Yes, Samuel did what God said (v 4).Wonderful. So far so good. But the story takes a turn in v 6. Samuel thought (to himself) that Eliab was the guy. Whereas the word was categorical that God will indicate, Samuel was beginning to speculate.
Perhaps he reckoned that a prophet of his standing had some inner sense that resonated with God’s own thought process. How often do we see that? Men of God, beginning to play God,basking in the adulation of masses hanging on to their every word. It so easy to get carried away when you are riding the crest of ministerial success and speak in the name of God when in reality it is your own human self at work. Misleading people by presuming to be an oracle.
But to Samuel’s enduring credit, he only thought. He was careful not to pronounce. What about us? Do we freely air our views without even the ballast of thought? It doesn’t state explicitly, but we can surmise that he consulted with God. What a lesson for us! We may be 99% sure that this is the way. But it won’t do to move forward without checking with God. Let us not presume. Consult, ask, clarify. “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding “(Prov.3:5)
Here’s where we see the memorable verse that “man looks at the outward appearance but God looks at the heart”. A truly great prophet Samuel undoubtedly was. Note that the folks in Bethlehem trembled at his visit (v 4). But he was man. Prone to make mistakes, in the name of God.
The corollary is that when we judge people as we so often do, we might be mistaken. We see in part, we do not know enough about them. We are taken in by colour, race, beauty, height, weight, language, nationality, wit, gait, bearing, clothes, kinship…….everything except the heart, which we cannot know. Better leave judgment to God.
We can conclude that Samuel passed the test of faith. But only as it were by the skin of his teeth. Now we know why God didn’t provide a blue print upfront. He wants us to exercise faith. “Looking unto Jesus, the author… of our faith” (Heb.12:2). Depending on Him and growing strong. Even Samuel needed that.
With the lesson learnt, Samuel disposes of the rest of Jesse’s sons at a trot. No more self, only God. Waiting to hear what He has to say. And it seems He has nothing to say and the parade is over. Perplexing? You bet. Time perhaps for Samuel to start doubting if God was playing games with him. Such a great prophet, grand sacrifice, gala feast. But ending in a whimper. Zilch. Null. No result. Disappointment all around.
Blame it on Jesse. And his beloved – unnamed- wife. David. One son too many? Not in the reckoning, not counted, not regarded, neglected, discarded, certainly not invited to the party. Insignificant, unimportant. Doesn’t even arise in Jesse’s consciousness until asked the specific last ditch question: “Are these all the sons you have?”( v 11). Then comes the sheepish admission that that yes, there is one more. “Tending the sheep”, almost suggesting that the poor bloke was good for nothing else.
Against this backdrop, it is not difficult to empathize with David when he writes: “Though my father and mother forsake me, the Lord will receive me” (Psalm 27:10). And later in Psalm 139 (v 2,4) he avers: “You know when I sit and when I arise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. …Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O LORD”.
Yes, “the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him” (2 Chron. 16:9).
El roi, the God who sees (Gen.16:13)
Are we wondering if God knows what’s happening in our lives?
If our heart is right with God, we needn’t worry about missing out, being overlooked, bypassed. We needn’t anxiously run after men and women of influence or power. The shepherd boy David was selected for the top job in the country without a visible qualification. What is more no one other than Samuel and Saul even knew the position was soon to fall vacant. It certainly wasn’t advertised and of course David did not apply.
Mysterious are the ways of God