Study In1 Samuel

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David’s Anointing

Chapter 16v1-23

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IntroductionWe find a gracious sternness in God's rebuke to Samuel in v1 as he grieves over the rejection of Saul. Samuel had fallen into the danger in paying more attention to God's instrument than to God's plan. He also reveals the danger of holding onto the past and grieving over what might have been, instead of confidently facing the future with the excitement of faith and wondering what God will do in it.

None of us are indispensable to the work of God. Disobedience can disqualify from useful service, God raises up others.

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Panic And Its RemedySamuel betrays an uncharacteristic fear, when commissioned to anoint another as king cf. v2. Physical and spiritual exhaustion lower our resistance, spiritual perception and response cf. 1Kings 19.24, Matt. 11.2.

The devil is a panic artist and he causes sudden and inexplicable fears to paralyse the child of God. These fears are irrational; theyare not rooted in our experience of the past. They tend to begin in the emotions and by-pass the mind. Cf. 1 Sam 27. 1 but cf. Jn.4.18 'Perfect love cast out fear...’

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Panic And Its RemedyGod accommodates Samuel by providing a suitable cover story for his journey. Samuel’s arrival sparks off a different kind of fear among the elders of Bethlehem v4...

Remember, Samuel was still acting as a judge and his unexpected arrival caused people to reflect upon wrong they may have done.

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Outward Versus InwardVerse 6 says much to those involved in the business of choosing others or in dealing with those whom God has chosen. We are all so easily taken in by outward appearance. True beauty and worth are more than skin deep,

Something that many ministers encourage young people to take on board when choosing a life partner. In 30 years time, the trim figure, beautiful hair and fair complexion will all be gone and so we need to ask, ‘when that happens could I still be attracted to what's left?’

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Outward Versus InwardSamuel acts like a judge at a Mr. Universe competition as the household of Jesse is paraded before him.

The bitter fruit of recent experience [Saul] should surely have convinced him that God is more concerned with a man's heart condition than with his natural abilities and gifts.

Poorly gifted servants - by the world's reckoning, but who have a great love for God, can live fruitful lives.

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Outward Versus InwardDuncan, the CIM missionary to China, was not especially gifted in language but he possessed a perseverance and a great love for souls.

He toiled at his Chinese with a man at the wash-tub while awaiting a better teacher. He repeated simple sentences and verses from the gospels and eventually by his very earnestness won his language helper to Christ

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Outward Versus InwardUsing only human criterion for assessment Duncan would never have passed the mission board evaluation. We often have a mental image of what the man or the woman should be like, whom God could use. Then we shake our head in amazement when we see what God provides.

The best way to be useful in the work of God is to develop an appetite for being like Jesus and loving God more. David was such a man.

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God’s Man Set ApartIs it any wonder that God was attracted to David, a man after God's own heart? Samuel secretly anointed David as king for his safety! Immediately after his anointing David does something quite remarkable. He is content to go back to his sheep. He is not going to force the issue of his future but leaves it with God. A theme that develops.

God's immediate training ground for David is the hillside, where he learns both patience and courage. There is an significant juxtaposition between vs 13 and 14. The Spirit came on David in power and the Spirit of the Lord had departed from Saul. God's work goes on!

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God’s Man Set ApartWhen the Holy Spirit left Saul a spiritual vacuum was left. Vacuums quickly tend to be filled cf. Lk. 11. 17-26, How are we to understand, “an evil spirit from the Lord”, v 14?

God is not the author of evil, but neither does it operate outside his control. God allowed evil to fill the spiritual vacuum in Saul. Some have tried to explain Saul's experience in purely psychological terms. A paranoid! It seems that Saul's affliction took the form of sudden bouts of mental distress, changing moods of fear, hatred and envy and spasms of uncontrolled fury.

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God’s Man Set ApartSaul's courtiers are concerned to treat only the symptom and not the cause of his affliction and so soothing music is prescribed. This is the world's answer to the many spiritual maladies which confront it!

The musician secured for Saul, in the providence of God, turns out to be David, whose qualities were quickly rehearsed to Saul, not least the fact that, "The Lord was with him". Little wonder a love hate relationship for David was to grow within Saul's heart, [cf. the relationship which Herod sustained with John the Baptist].

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God’s Man Set ApartDavid did not engineer this new position, by worming his way into court. It happened without any manipulation on his part and was God's way of providing him with invaluable leadership training.

David who trusted his future to God did not need to force the pace that would lead to the throne. It was God who moved him from sheep-pen to palace. God can be trusted to work, out his plans concerning our lives in his good time.

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