1 Samuel 16:1-1

1 Samuel 16:1-13 (NKJV)
David Anointed King

 1 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.”

Q: Why are they mourning for Saul ??
A: Saul did not follow God’s command to utterly destroy everything Amalekite. (Ch.15)
· We cannot pick and choose how much of God to follow or which of His commands we should endear ourselves to.

God is providing this King (David) . . the people desired Saul. Saul was the most handsome and strongest and tallest Israelite. Saul was chosen by God in response to the cries of the Israelites wanting a King. Saul was a product of the people’s sinful desires. (1 Sam 9,10,11) . . . After this latest sin, God removes Saul (the people’s desire) and picks His King.

2 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.’
3 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.”

Nice . . having God be with you and SHOWING you what to do!
Does that happen to you in your life ??
Can we say “YES”.

4 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?”
5 And he said, “Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to the LORD. Sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice.” Then he consecrated Jesse and his sons, and invited them to the sacrifice.

The people were fearful in seeing the great Samuel coming from so far away … something must be wrong.
They stood in awe of God’s messenger.
When Jesus came to this world, men were fearful that He came to judge/condemn, but He made it clear that He came in peace to sacrifice/save.
Notice that Samuel only consecrates Jesse and his sons .. not the others.

6 So it was, when they came, that he looked at Eliab and said, “Surely the LORD’s anointed is before Him!”
7 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.”

Samuel saw Eliab’s appearance and thought he must be the one . . Samuel judged like so often we do.
God judges by what’s in a man’s heart.
David is probably about 20-y.o. here.

8 So Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, “Neither has the LORD chosen this one.”
9 Then Jesse made Shammah pass by. And he said, “Neither has the LORD chosen this one.”
10 Thus Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel. And Samuel said to Jesse, “The LORD has not chosen these.”

In 1 Chronicles 2:13-15 it says that Jesse only had seven sons . . . one must have died after that time and another one born ???

11 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.”

Jesse thought for sure that David wouldn’t have been “the chosen one” . . he was tending to the sheep .. Apparently not thought to be bright nor strong enough to do anything else.

12 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!”
13 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.

David was immediately endowed with extraordinary gifts of God's Spirit: like strength, and courage, and wisdom, and other excellent qualities which fitted him.


It was strange that Samuel, who had been so disappointed in Saul, whose countenance and stature recommended him, should judge of another man by that rule.
We can tell how men look, but God can tell what they are.
He judges men by the heart.
We often form a mistaken judgment of characters; but the Lord values only the faith, fear, and love, which are planted in the heart, beyond human discernment.