David - The Making of a Servant Leader

1 Samuel 16:1-23

God gave the people a chance to have a king of their own choosing. And he gave that king ample opportunity to have a relationship with him and lead the people towards Yahweh and against God?s enemies. But just as self is at the center of the unredeemed human soul, Saul acted just like a human king should act: completely self focused and only interested in doing things that gets God to do things that further Saul?s plan.

When God has given ample time though, he is able to make changes quickly and move?this time anointing a man who is after God?s heart, not man?s heart.

1

Back in chapter 8 the people demanded a king ?like all the nations? (8:5). God knew what it would be like and warned the people extensively. He told them that this desire was a rejection of Him as their God (8:7). He told them that this king would enslave them, not set them free (8:11-14). The people wouldn?t listen so they got Saul.

Saul was tall, dark and handsome (9:2). He was everything we admire from a worldly perspective. He was self-assured while appearing humble, he was a quick decision maker, he had at least the appearance of spirituality and a relationship with God, and he was rich.

In reality Saul was arrogant, egotistical, selfish, jealous, rash, quick tempered, spiritistic, superstitious, greedy, loveless, and hypocritical. It didn?t come out, though, until the heat got turned up. This is often how it works in our lives as well. We have one face that we put towards the world and the church but when a crisis occurs and the pressure is on the veneer comes off and some of the junk even we didn?t know we had comes up to the surface.

In our case, God does this in order to reveal our true selves so that we can see our need for a Savior and for the transforming power of the Holy Spirit in our lives. In Saul?s case it was to reveal to Israel that when you ask for what you think you want you find out that it isn?t what you really wanted and certainly not what you need.

Samuel was dead set against this king thing from the beginning and several times told God and the people that it was wrong (12:6-15). But when the end really came for Saul, after he disobeyed in the battle with the Amalekites, Samuel appears really sorry?not sorry that Saul was king, but sorry for Saul. At the end of chapter 15 it says ?Samuel grieved over Saul.?

Saul really is a pathetic character, and beginning here we see Saul go from the arrogant jerk of a king to a pitiable shell of a man. But here in chapter 16 God is telling Saul ?enough of the pity.? He tells Samuel that there is kingdom work to be done and that he is to anoint a new king. Sometimes it is time to move on when a heart is so hardened that it will not listen anymore to the gospel.

Notice what God says ?I have provided for myself a king.? This sure reminds me of Genesis 22:8 when Abraham said that God will provide for himself a lamb for the burnt offering. We really are powerless but God really can and does provide for himself the offering and the king. That lamb was a picture of the suffering Lamb of God, and David, the king to be anointed, is the picture of that Lamb as King.

3 ? 5

Saul?s reputation for jealousy was now pretty well known and Samuel is good to be careful. We?ll see in the next series of chapters that Saul becomes interested in only one thing: keeping himself in power and he will do anything to anyone in order to secure his position. So Samuel must not tell the whole truth. The elders of Bethlehem are understandably concerned but Samuel invites them to the by-invitation-only event.

6 ? 7

Even Samuel does not have the eyes of God automatically. He?s impressed by Jesse?s eldest but God makes a very pointed statement to Samuel which I?m really glad we have. Don?t use your external senses and internal pre-conceptions to guide you. ?For the LORD sees not as a man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.?

It?s interesting if you look at the original here. When man ?looks? the word comes from a Hebrew word that means ?to scan.? Whereas when God ?looks? it comes from a word that means ?to see.? The same word can be translated ?bird of prey? due to its very keen sight. We scan a person on the outside and make a judgment. God sees right into the heart and knows what we are really like.

Jesus would say something very similar in John 7:24 ?Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.?

8 ? 10

Samuel goes on to each of Jesse?s sons. He runs out of them before he runs into the next king.

11 ? 13

?You got any sons left, Jesse?? Samuel says. Jesse apparently felt so little for the little runt David that he didn?t even invite him to the feast. How we underestimate what God can do! ?Oh, yeah, well, there?s my youngest David who is out doing chores.? Samuel will not start the feast until David comes. He is described as ruddy (means ?red? in complexion or having red hair). Oddly the word is just one vowel marker away from the word ?Adam?. Interesting in that David is a picture of the 2^nd Adam, Jesus Christ. He is also described as ?beautiful? (handsome) which comes from a word that means ?bright,? and that he has good eyes.

While Saul was striking because he was tall, David?s appearance was striking. Some have suggested that he is called ?ruddy? because he was fair skinned instead of dark like a ?typical? Semitic man might be. As we?ll find out, David attracted people not because he was so incredible looking physically but because he was different, and his personality made him very unique.

And once Samuel anoints him king the Spirit of God rushes upon him. By the way, ?Messiah? means ?anointed one.? This happened on an individual basis, and as we?ll see in a moment, the same Spirit has now left Saul to anoint David. For all intents and purposes David is now the king of Israel. It will take some time, though, until he actually sits on the throne owing in part to the differences between David and Saul.

Just as Saul grabs for power whenever he can and is very jealous of anyone else, David truly does not seek power but will rise to the occasion when it comes to leading the people for God. But jealous? No. David is not jealous and even bends over backwards to let others have their way (like his son Absolom). God now begins training and maturing David to be ready to wear the crown of His country.

14 ? 15

God allowed an evil spirit to torment Saul, but in reality the demon was only enhancing Saul?s own character. God will allow this to happen to us as well.

16 ? 18

Saul?s servants feel that music may make their master ?feel? better. It did, but it didn?t heal him. But, no coincidence here, one of the servants had heard David play his lyre. Interesting how David?s reputation of a musician and worship leader was the first thing noticed by others. Do other people notice that you worship the Lord? Notice too that they didn?t even know his name!

But here is what they did notice: skilled, brave, trained for battle, wise with words, pleasant to be around and a man of God. What a good resume for all of us!

19 ? 23

Jesse probably didn?t know anything about David?s anointing as king. He probably just thought Samuel was putting him into Saul?s service. He sends a gift with his son as this was a very high honor. Saul too did not know at this time the fact that he was bringing in his replacement and that David would bring such joy to him.

I wonder if part of God?s motivation here was to show Saul mercy, even in failure.

Lessons

Don?t write yourself off just because other people do

You don?t have to be a superstar but you do have to have the Lord

There are no coincidences in God?s kingdom

Offer what you have and God will train you for the rest (be humble, but available)