September 9, 2007  •  Pastor Randy Smith

We will never find total contentment in life until we realize that the world is out of our control. Regardless of our influence, friends will fail us, washing machines will break, rain will fall on our parades and excessive red lights will always come when we seem to be in a hurry. Everything around us is a reminder that we are not in control.

We are not in control, but the Bible emphatically states that God is. And the sooner we can relinquish our desire for control and learn to trust the One who controls everything, insecurity will fade and peace will rule.

On his first missionary journey, the Apostle Paul encountered devout Jews in a town called Pisidian Antioch. In his effort to explain how Jesus fulfills the perfect plan of God, he begins his sermon by showing how God has been in control of Jewish history.

“The God of this people Israel chose our fathers and made the people great during their stay in the land of Egypt, and with an uplifted arm He led them out from it. For a period of about forty years He put up with them in the wilderness. When He had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, He distributed their land as an inheritance – all of which took about four hundred and fifty years. After these things He gave them judges until Samuel the prophet. Then they asked for a king, and God gave them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years. After He had removed him, He raised up David to be their king, concerning whom He also testified and said, ‘I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My heart, who will do all My will’” (Ac. 13:17-22 – emphasis added).

Our recent studies in 1 Samuel have made us well familiar with those final verses. We too have learned through our recent studies that God is in control. Poor decisions, unfavorable circumstances, spiritually weak leaders, but behind it all was the unseen hand of God working the good and the bad together to accomplish His purposes. Nothing caught Him by surprise. Nothing happened outside of His perfect will. God proved to be in control.

Once again in our study we find ourselves at a precipice of self-destruction for the nation Israel. Saul had committed his final blunder as king. As he lost the Lord’s favor, the people’s long-awaited and much-hyped first king proved to be a failure. But when all hope was lost, God was in control and had something better in store for His people.

Back in chapter 13 of 1 Samuel we were given a glimpse of this blessing. God told Saul, “But now your kingdom shall not endure. The LORD has sought out for Himself a man after His own heart, and the LORD has appointed him as ruler over His people, because you have not kept what the LORD commanded you” (1 Sam. 13:14, emphasis added).

So this new king will be after God’s heart. He will be more successful in keeping the Lord’s commands. And when he fails, he will, as we learned last week, return to the Lord with “a broken and…contrite heart” (Psm. 51:17). In chapter 15 Samuel told Saul, “The LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today and has given it to your neighbor, who is better than you” (1 Sam. 15:28, emphasis added).

As we enter chapter 16, we are finally introduced to this new leader. We finally meet the one who will be remembered as Israel’s greatest king. We finally meet the man after God’s heart. The God who is in control will now announce His choice of King David.

1. SAMUEL ACKNOWLEDGES GOD’S CHOICE

Let’s start off by seeing how Samuel acknowledges God’s choice.

The prophet Samuel viewed his calling as much more than a professional obligation. He gave his heart to ministry because he gave his heart to God. In chapter 15 we saw God grieve over Saul’s sin. What grieves God should grieve His people as well. Samuel too was personally affected by the actions of God’s children. Likewise in parallel to God’s grief we read, “Samuel grieved over Saul” (15:35) and “Samuel was distressed and cried out to the LORD all night” (15:11).

Unfortunately, this grieving, which started off as a good thing was beginning to get a little old in the mind of God. Even godly grief in this case can become unacceptable. For when we grieve beyond the appropriate period of time, godly grief can easily become sinful grief. For one, extended grief begins to convey a distrust in God’s providential ruling. And second, extended grief cripples us for the present work at hand. Human sorrow, especially over that which is offensive to the Lord is to be commended, but there is a time for all of us to put the past behind us and move on (Phil 3:13).

Therefore, in chapter 16 verse 1 we read, “Now the LORD said to Samuel, ‘How long will you grieve over Saul, since I have rejected him from being king over Israel?’” Samuel was crippled by his emotions and our God of action had ministry for the prophet to accomplish. “Get over it, already!” God said, “Fill your horn with oil and go; I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have selected a king for Myself among his sons.”

Right from the start we are informed that this king will be unlike the last one. Saul was selected for the sake of the people. You will remember that God gave them the “Prince Charming” they desired. However, regarding this second king, God says in verse 1, “I have selected.” David, selected from God’s heart, would be from the town of Bethlehem, a son to a man named Jesse, a grandson of Ruth and Boaz (Ru. 4:17, 22). Hope is on the horizon. This man would be God’s chosen one.

The stage is just about set, but Samuel runs into a little snafu. For probably the first time in this narrative, Samuel begins to waiver. He begins to second-guess the commandment of God. Maybe he was a little lacking in the faith department, but Samuel foresaw the potential for disaster.

“You want me to do, what? Anoint the new king while king Saul is still presently in office? The man that I rebuked? The unstable man that would love to see my head on a platter? Lord, your request is suicidal!” Look at verse 2, “But Samuel said, ‘How can I go? When Saul hears of it, he will kill me.’”

The Lord provides a peaceful cover in the design of a sacrifice. “And the LORD said, ‘‘Take a heifer with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the LORD’’” (16:2b). Verse 3, “You shall invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do; and you shall anoint for Me the one whom I designate to you.” Verse 4, “So Samuel did what the LORD said, and came to Bethlehem. And the elders of the city came trembling to meet him and said, ‘Do you come in peace?’”

It is interesting – from Samuel fearing Saul to the people fearing Samuel. The visit from Samuel caused quite a stir. Samuel didn’t make the rounds very often. And when he made the unexpected appearance, the townspeople naturally felt he came with condemning words. Kind of like, “Oh no, why did the principal just call me to his office?” Samuel puts their mind at ease. Verse 5, “He said, ‘(I have come) in peace; I have come to sacrifice to the LORD. Consecrate yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice.’ He also consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.” They blew a sigh of relief.

The big moment was at hand. For a private anointing, a rather large crowd was gathered. In attendance were the elders and Jesse’s family, heavily stocked with strapping male sons. Samuel, armed with the sacrifice and his anointing oil, was at the center of everyone’s attention. All were consecrated. The grand event was about to begin. A new king for the nation was about to be selected.

With no time wasted, Samuel’s eyes lock onto Jesse’s oldest son – the firstborn, a quite impressive figure. There was no doubt in Samuel’s mind that this was the man!

Verse 6, “When they entered, he looked at Eliab and thought, ‘Surely the LORD'S anointed is before Him.’” Verse 7, “But the LORD said to Samuel, ‘Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.’”

That is such a key verse! Permit me to provide six observations regarding the deceptive nature of outward appearance.

First, we are all susceptible to this error. Samuel is depicted as a wise man of God, but even the elder statesman proves to all of us how easily we can be deceived.

Nobody witnessed the spiritual failures of Saul better than Samuel. Nobody saw the consequences of what this man’s actions as a leader did to the nation better than Samuel. Samuel was around when Saul was introduced, not as a godly man but as a man that was, “Handsome (and) taller than any of the people” (9:1-2). In his own words Samuel said, “Do you see him whom the LORD has chosen? Surely there is no one like him among all the people” (10:24).

Yet the leading contestant for “Mr. Israel” proved to be “Mr. Flop.” You would think Samuel of all people would have learned his lesson; however, just shortly after Saul’s meltdown, Samuel is obsessed with Eliab’s “appearance” and “height” and is immediately prepared to anoint him as Saul’s replacement. Had God not intervened, Israel would have been experienced, “Saul – Part II.”

Second, God’s standards are much different than ours. Our perspective is limited. God is totally omniscient (“all-knowing”). We tend to judge by what we see externally. God judges by what He sees in the heart. Understanding God’s principle for operation which is totally opposite from the world’s will help us develop a heart like God’s. We will begin to admire a heart like David’s that weeps over sin more than Jon Bon Jovi’s latest haircut. We will begin to respect the gentle spirit of godly woman more than Brittany Spear’s cover photos in People Magazine. Isn’t this what the Proverbs teach us? “Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised” (Pro. 31:30). God delights in the company of those who are impressed with what impresses Him. This is why David was selected. This is what it means to have a heart after God’s.

Third, evaluating as God does, appreciating His standards over the world’s standards, should guide us in our daily operations pertaining to ministry. We should not favor people based on their appearance (Jas. 2:1f). We should not evaluate people based on their outward credentials and attempt to gauge their effectiveness for the kingdom. For example, should we select leaders based on professional success, charisma, and advanced education, or men that have a heart for prayer, a commitment to their family and the church, and a soft heart that loves God and people and hates sin? Oftentimes the guys who seem to have it all together on the outside are spiritual wimps. Oftentimes (generally speaking now) God’s most prized servants for ministry come wrapped in very unexpected packages.

Fourth, God looks at the heart. Therefore don’t ever limit your potential based on your attractiveness, physical capabilities, God-given personality, talent, giftedness or education. Have faith to see God’s potential in you! It is not about your strength as much as it is about His grace. It is not about your drive to succeed as much as it is your desire to surrender. It is not about your ability as much as it is about your availability.

Fifth, are we investing our time and resources in that which impresses God, or are we into the here and now? How many of our treasures will go with us to heaven? Do we prioritize our spiritual health more than our physical health? Do we realize the outward appearance is fading, but the inward appearance can forever increase in beauty? Here is a good question; did we spend more time preparing our hair or our heart for worship this morning? Are we more concerned with our comfort, our reputation, and our appearance than we are with pleasing the God who examines the heart, the true measure of a person.

And six, lest the pendulum swing too far the other way, I am not saying that ugliness is better. We will see in verse 12 that David was a handsome man. I am not saying God is impressed with slobs, immodesty or undisciplined lifestyles. I am not saying that it is wrong to look nice or enhance our God-given beauty. What I am saying is that external appearance in and of itself neither qualifies nor disqualifies because the Lord looks at the heart.

Chapter 16 verse 7, “For God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”

Though impressive, Eliab was not God’s choice for the new king. Verses 8-10, “Then Jesse called Abinadab and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, ‘The LORD has not chosen this one either.’ Next Jesse made Shammah pass by. And he said, ‘The LORD has not chosen this one either.’ Thus Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel. But Samuel said to Jesse, ‘The LORD has not chosen these.’”

I am sure there was a slight panic in the air. Samuel was at the right home (maybe he did a double-take on the address), but all of Jesse’s sons that were present were rejected one after the other. Therefore, Samuel logically said to Jesse, verse 11, “Are these all the children?” And Jesse replied, “There remains yet the youngest, and behold, he is tending the sheep.”

In other words, David was not even a consideration! He was a last in the family line (some say 20-25 years old). He was inexperienced. His name was not even mentioned. He is just referred to as “the youngest.” Nobody that day even considered him a possibility.

“Then Samuel said to Jesse, ‘Send and bring him; for we will not sit down until he comes here.’” That is one way to speed up the process! No shepherd. No food!

Verse 12, “So he sent and brought him in.” Imagine the shock that permeated the atmosphere. And then comes David, innocent, puzzled, dirty and smelling like sheep. The verse continues, “Now he was ruddy, with beautiful eyes and a handsome appearance. And the LORD said, ‘Arise, anoint him; for this is he.’”

God selected the one with the shepherd’s heart! In Psalm 78 we read, “From the care of the ewes with suckling lambs He brought him to shepherd Jacob His people, and Israel His inheritance” (Psm. 78:71). Verse 13, “Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon David from that day forward. And Samuel arose and went to Ramah.” Mission fulfilled!

2. SAUL ACKNOWLEDGES GOD’S CHOICE

We just observed how Samuel acknowledged God’s choice. Let’s now move to the second point and observe how Saul unwittingly acknowledged God’s choice.

Verse 14, “Now the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD terrorized him.”

Regarding the Spirit, the author is obviously stating a contrasting parallel. In verse 13 we read, “And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon David from that day forward.” Now in verse 14 we read, “The Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD terrorized him.” One gained the Spirit resulting in blessing. One lost the Spirit resulting in torment. What is going on?

I do not believe, as I think many erroneously teach, that the Holy Spirit did not indwell believers in the Old Covenant. We have a greater fullness of the Spirit in the New Covenant (Eze. 36:26, 27; 37:14), but that does not negate the fact that the Holy Spirit’s presence to some degree was still permanent and internal, sanctifying Old Testament saints. As Wayne Grudem said, “We should not conclude…that there was no work of the Holy Spirit within people before Pentecost” (Systematic Theology, p. 637).

What we do see, as exemplified here is the Holy Spirit in the Old Covenant coming upon individuals in the Old Testament to empower for specific and temporary tasks (a prophetic office, a special skill, a kingship – Num. 27:18; Dt. 34:9; Eze. 2:2; 3:24; Dan. 4:8-9. 18; 5:11, Mic. 3:8). The Lord was with David. He was empowered with the Spirit for his kingship. Saul disqualified himself. As the Lord removed him, the Spirit that was once upon him (1 Sam. 11:6) went with his departure (cf. Ju. 16:20).

People often ask many questions about the “evil spirit” (small “s”) that then came to terrorize Saul. Yes, the Bible says that God did send it (cf. Ju. 9:23; 1 Sam. 18:10; 19:9), but we must take that in the broadest sense possible. The Old Testament writers often communicated with the absence of intermediate causes. One author said, “The world of biblical perspective is a world without secondary causes” (Brueggemann, First and Second Samuel, p. 125). In other words, who put Jesus on the cross?

God sent the evil spirit in the sense that He is in control of everything (cf. Job 2:10; Ecc. 7:14; Isa. 45:6), but I believe this evil spirit was a direct result of Saul’s increasingly hardened heart. Since this all occurred after Saul’s confrontation with Samuel, the evil spirit was an outcome of his consistent rebellion to God. We see this throughout Scripture. Reject the Lord and He withdraws His influence, often resulting in all forms of self-destructive behavior (Ex. 7:3; Dan. 4:31-32; Rom. 1:18-32). I like the way Matthew Henry put it: “If God and His grace do not rule us, sin and Satan will have possession of us” (Commentary, 1 Sam. 16:14).

We will see in the weeks ahead that Saul grew obstinate, unreasonable, overly suspicious, paranoid, irritable and basically a burden to all around him. In the weeks ahead we will see David experience all of this first-hand in his dealings with Saul.

The remainder of the narrative makes it easy for us to see how the unseen hand of God is bringing about a shift in His political power. Nevertheless, you will be surprised how David makes his first appearance in the king’s palace.

Beginning in verse 15, “Saul’s servants then said to him, ‘Behold now, an evil spirit from God is terrorizing you. Let our lord now command your servants who are before you. Let them seek a man who is a skillful player on the harp; and it shall come about when the evil spirit from God is on you, that he shall play the harp with his hand, and you will be well.’ So Saul said to his servants, ‘Provide for me now a man who can play well and bring him to me.’”

Samuel had departed from Saul. His servants know the king needs some relief. Instead of dealing with his sin, Saul seeks temporary relief in the form of music. There is no doubt that music can be relaxing. We all enjoyed Kevin’s guitar playing this morning. In many ways, Kevin is like my David (I guess that makes me his Saul!) but even music is never to be a substitute for repentance.

The contrast between the rebelliousness of Saul and the godliness of David is now seen. As we begin reading from verse 18 listen to the description of David’s character. “Then one of the young men said, ‘Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite who is a skillful musician, a mighty man of valor, a warrior, one prudent in speech, and a handsome man; and the LORD is with him.’ So Saul sent messengers to Jesse and said, ‘Send me your son David who is with the flock.’ Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread and a jug of wine and a young goat, and sent them to Saul by David his son.”

The very man in whom it was announced would receive Saul’s kingdom, the man after God’s own heart, the man again found with the sheep, was ushered in by the rejected king himself. Unwittingly, Saul brought in his own replacement. Furthermore, Saul soon became dependent on David.

Beginning in verse 21, “Then David came to Saul and attended him; and Saul loved him greatly, and he became his armor bearer. Saul sent to Jesse, saying, ‘Let David now stand before me, for he has found favor in my sight.’ So it came about whenever the evil spirit from God came to Saul, David would take the harp and play it with his hand; and Saul would be refreshed and be well, and the evil spirit would depart from him.”

God made a choice in appointing David. That choice was recognized by Samuel, and in an ironic way recognized by Saul as well. His choice demonstrates His providential control of the world.

But there is a greater choice that God made from eternity past. I began this message by quoting Paul’s sermon pertaining to Saul and David. I will pick up where I left off. “From the descendants of this man (David), according to promise, God has brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus, after John had proclaimed before His coming a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel” (Ac. 13:23-24).

The story of David foreshadows the arrival of a greater King. He would be God’s greatest gift to the people. Not just to Israel (Lk. 19:43-44; Jn. 1:11), but the whole world (Jn. 4:42; 1 Jn. 4:14). He too would be from the tribe of Judah (Mt. 2:6; Heb. 7:14; Rev. 5:5) as David’s greatest Son (Isa. 11:1; Jer. 23:5; Lk. 2:4; Jn. 7:42). He too would be born in Bethlehem (Mic. 5:2; Mt. 2:1; Lk. 2:15; Jn. 7:42), a birth that would be attended by the heavenly host of angels (Lk. 2:13). He too would have a heart after God in the greatest sense (Isa. 42:1; Mt. 17:5; Jn. 6:38; 8:29). He too would be a shepherd, the Good Shepherd that would lay down His life for the flock (Psm. 78:71; Mt. 2:6; Jn. 10:11; Rev. 7:17). He too would be empowered by the Spirit from the time of His inauguration (Isa. 11:2-3; 42:1; 61:1; Mt. 3:16; Lk. 3:22; 4:18). And He too would be unrecognized to the human eye. “Despised and forsaken of men” (Isa. 53: 3), says the prophecy. Rejected by His own family (Mk. 3:21; Jn. 7:5) and countrymen (Lk. 4:29; Jn. 1:46; 7:41, 52) and now, even the world (1 Pet. 2:4). Yet “the stone which the builders rejected…became the very corner stone” (1 Pet. 2:7; cf. Psm. 118:22).

God is in control. Israel needed a savior and God provided David. Through the lineage of king David, God provided King Jesus to be the ultimate Savior of the world.