Day 1117: Where God looks - 1 Samuel 16 vs 1 - 13

1-3 The Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you grieve over Saul, since I have rejected him from being king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go. I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided for myself a king among his sons.” And Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hears it, he will kill me.” And the Lord said, “Take a heifer with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.’ And invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do. And you shall anoint for me him whom I declare to you.”

4-5 Samuel did what the Lord commanded and came to Bethlehem. The elders of the city came to meet him trembling and said, “Do you come peaceably?” And he said, “Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. Consecrate yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice.” 6-7 And he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice. When they came, he looked on Eliab and thought, “Surely the Lord's anointed is before him.” But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”

8-10 Then 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.” And Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel. And Samuel said to Jesse, “The Lord has not chosen these.” 11 Then Samuel said to Jesse, “Are all your sons here?” And he said, “There remains yet the youngest, but behold, he is keeping the sheep.” And Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and get him, for we will not sit down till he comes here.” 12-13 And he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy and had beautiful eyes and was handsome. And the Lord said, “Arise, anoint him, for this is he.” Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers. And the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon David from that day forward. And Samuel rose up and went to Ramah. 1 Samuel 16:1-13 English Standard Version

Verse 1-3 describe Samuel's mission to Jesse, a man from Bethlehem. In the book of Ruth we're told that Naomi took the child who'd been born to Boaz and Ruth, and became his nurse. “The neighbour women said, 'A son has been born to Naomi,' and they named him Obed. He became the father of Jesse, the father of David.” (Ruth 4:16-17) God told Samuel that He had provided for Himself a King from among Jesse's sons, and we see that God's provision began even in the days of Boaz and Ruth. The people of Israel had demanded a King, and ended up with Saul. Now God provides a King of His own choice.

The people trembled when Samuel came to their town. A Bible commentator of old said that it's good for men and women to hold God's servants in awe, and to be willing to hear a word that is for blessing or judgment. Samuel tells them that he was coming in peace, and we then have the parade of seven of Jesse's sons. Samuel was struck by the appearance of Eliab, Jesse's eldest. But God tells Samuel that “the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” What a vital truth for us to keep in mind if ever we are looking to call a man to God's work.

So David is brought before Samuel. And we see that he indeed was someone who was handsome, and with beautiful eyes. But it was David's heart that God saw. In fact, Samuel was told earlier that “The Lord has sought out a man after His own heart.” (1 Samuel 13:14) And Samuel anointed him with oil, and we are told that the Spirit of the Lord 'rushed' upon David from that day forward. Some translations say 'came mightily upon him'.

Even in Old Testament days, God's Spirit was active in empowering people for God's work. Jesus told His disciples that it would be good for Him to return to heaven, because then the Holy Spirit would come to them. And we read in Acts 2:1-4 that “when the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting . . . and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit.”