I Samuel 16
Friday, 28th July 2023
Rev Daniel Xi An Poon
Saul became the king because the Israelites wanted a king to rule over them when they saw Samuel’s sons were not capable and Samuel was getting old. But why did God chose David to become the king? Because Saul no longer follows the Will of God. Saul was a mighty warrior, no one in Israel was like him, but David did not appear to be a warrior when he was first anointed the king. How God looks at people is different to how men look at the people. Furthermore, how we look at people is different to how God looks at people, we use the worldly way to see our lives, we want to be successful in the world, but God’s interpretation of success is different.
Section One V1-5 God Prepares Men Follow 神預備人要跟從
V1 ‘Now the Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go; I am sending you to Jesse the Bethlehemite. For I have provided Myself a king among his sons.”’ Samuel was very sad for Saul, because he stayed with him a led him from a nobody to a somebody. Saul could be who he was because of Samuel’s guidance and support all the way. We take ownership of what we are doing, this is being diligent and responsible, but when God asks us to let go, are we able to let go and let God? Because when we don’t let go, then this ownership is not from God. Why are we unwilling to let go? Because we feel like we will have nothing left when we let go, and we make this ownership an idol in our lives. We are in a ‘doing’ mode and we didn’t live under the Tree of Life.
V2-3 ‘And Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hears it, he will kill me.” But the Lord said, “Take a heifer with you, and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.’ Then invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do; you shall anoint for Me the one I name to you.”’ Samuel also had weakness, he was unable to let go of Saul and God reminded Samuel that everything was in God’s hands. Samuel was sad and weak, when God spoke, Samuel lost his faith and he was in depression. He couldn’t let go of Saul and his faith was lost. But God remembered his weakness and helped Samuel to go forward.
V4 ‘So Samuel did what the Lord said, and went to Bethlehem. And the elders of the town trembled at his coming, and said, “Do you come peaceably?”’ When God talked to Samuel, Samuel was able to return and follow God. Because he saw God’s love and His detailed instructions. Samuel was hiding in the cave, he was in depression, he was scared of Saul, but when God spoke, he came out of his comfort zone. When we are willing to turn back to God, God will restore us and give back our authority and power. God will prepare we only need to follow.
Section Two V6-13 God Chooses Men Obey 神揀選人就服從
V6 So it was, when they came, that he looked at Eliab and said, “Surely the Lord’s anointed is before Him!” Samuel saw Eliab and thought that he was the one anointing to be the king. But God told Samuel not to look at the outward appearance. God was teaching Samuel and discipline him. God reminded Samuel to see what God sees, not what the world sees.
V7 ‘But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” Why was Samuel sad? Because he only look at what the world sees and therefore when Saul failed, Samuel became sad.
V8-9 ‘So Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, “Neither has the Lord chosen this one.” Then Jesse made Shammah pass by. And he said, “Neither has the Lord chosen this one.”’ Then Jesse called another son, Abinadab, who was obedient to his father, he honoured his father but did he honour God? When we don’t treasure what God gives to us then people will also not honour us. Next, Jesse called Shammah, he was one of the great warriors of David, he was mighty and skilful, but Samuel knew he was also not the chosen one.
V10-11 ‘Thus Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel. And Samuel said to Jesse, “The Lord has not chosen these.” And Samuel said to Jesse, “Are all the young men here?” Then he said, “There remains yet the youngest, and there he is, keeping the sheep.”
And Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and bring him. For we will not sit down till he comes here.”’ For Jesse, David was the youngest, the weakest, the least influential, the one keeping the sheep… but Samuel asked Jesse to call David to come.
V12 ‘So he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, with bright eyes, and good-looking. And the Lord said, “Arise, anoint him; for this is the one!”’ The Bible described David with bright eyes and good looking, but why would Jesse see him as weak and small? What is the eyesight we use to look at ourselves, our authority, and our church? It’s so easy for us to envy others and see others better than what we have. But do we really believe in what God gives to us is the best for us? Stop using the worldly way to see what we have, and start using God’s way to see the world and to see ourselves. Why did God choose David? We all live in blindness and we use the worldly perspective to see the Kingdom of God.
V13 ‘Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel arose and went to Ramah.’ God anointed David in front of his father and all his brothers, who were strong and mighty. When God chose us, we must follow, because we can never rely on people, we can only rely on God. When we honour God, then people will also honour us.
Section Three V14-23 God Presents Men Admire 神同在人會佩服
V14-15 ‘But the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and a distressing spirit from the Lord troubled him. And Saul’s servants said to him, “Surely, a distressing spirit from God is troubling you.’ Saul was not follow the Way of God, and he started to allow the spirits of the world to come into his life. He started to have headache because his life was lack of the presence of God.
V17-18 ‘So Saul said to his servants,“Provide me now a man who can play well, and bring him to me.”Then one of the servants answered and said, “Look, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, whois skilful in playing, a mighty man of valor, a man of war, prudent in speech, and a handsome person; and the Lord is with him.”’ Jesse saw David was weak and young, but other people saw David was skilful in playing and a mighty man. Do we see our church as the best? He has given us the best and He has prepared abundantly for us on His holy mountain.