An Earthy Spirituality~the life of King David
“God’s Choice”, I Samuel 16 -Pastor Bob Leroe, Cliftondale Congregational Church, Saugus, Massachusetts
“People look at the outward appearance, but God considers the heart,” verse 7.
As we enter the story of David, we discover a man with an earthy spirituality. David’s life shows us what we can become, but it also shows us how far we need to go. David’s life displays not an ideal, but a real, rough-cut human being in whom God’s Spirit worked. In spite of David’s rough edges he is made into the ideal king of Israel against whom all subsequent rulers are compared, and who paves the way for the Messiah.
Israel insisted on having a king, and so God gave them Saul, who showed some promise, but wasn’t right for Israel. Saul failed to appreciate the importance of his office and the authority of God. He had been anointed, but was not letting God shape his administration. Saul impulsively overstepped his bounds, put self-interest first, and went his own way as if he answered to no one…and so it’s time for a change. God summons Samuel the prophet to anoint a new king. Samuel has been dealing with Saul’s failings and has taken it all very personally. He had invested a great deal of time and effort into advising Saul. God tells the prophet that it’s time to let go of the past and stop grieving over Saul. There’s no primary, no election, no political process involved. This is God’s choice, a sign of His electing grace.
Samuel is led on a secret mission to the house of Jesse, a Bethlehem farmer, to select Saul’s replacement. Jesse is the grandson of Ruth and Boaz. From this moment on, the name of Jesse, the city of Bethlehem, and the tribe of Judah will all be linked to Israel’s Messiah. Samuel’s journey is taken at some risk; he could be charged with treason. The prophet is fearful, but obeys. The town elders are also afraid that Samuel has come to pronounce divine judgment on them. When a prophet showed up at your door it usually wasn’t a good thing! In the previous chapter Samuel personally executed King Agag (after Saul failed to obey God). With a sigh of relief, the elders learn that Samuel has come to offer a sacrifice. The prophet tells the town elders to consecrate themselves. He tells Jesse to have his sons attend the ceremony.
David was such an insignificant youth that he was left behind to tend the sheep, while his seven older brothers were presented to Samuel, only to be turned down. The brothers appear as likely candidates, yet none are chosen. Appearances can be deceiving. Samuel is perplexed; he was sent to this home, but got no indication from Above regarding these young men. So he asks Jesse, somewhat desperately, “Are all your sons here?” He might have asked, “This is Bethlehem, isn’t it?” Did he approach the wrong family? He cannot proceed. To his relief, there’s one more sibling--David, the youngest, the “baby brother.” And the last became first.
It didn’t occur to David’s father that David was even a contender. He didn’t “look the part.” The key is verse 7: “People look at the outward appearance, but God considers the heart.” What made Saul stand out is not what God was looking for. In some respects, David is the “anti-Saul”. What David’s family could not see, is what God can do with those He selects for positions of leadership. Do we choose leaders by personality and appearance, or by their moral integrity?
Paul the Apostle notes: “God chooses what is ordinary and despised by the world, people counted as nothing at all, and uses them to bring to nothing what the world considers important, so that no one can ever boast before God” (I Cor 1:28-29). David is chosen, not for what anyone saw in him, not for any proven ability, but because of what God saw in him. David’s life proved that nothing in him--or us--can be understood apart from the presence and power of God, Who qualifies us. We are God’s handiwork; He uses us in spite of our flaws and imperfections. By this anointing, God obligates Himself to David.
What no one realizes is that God will equip David with everything he needs to be Israel’s king. David is given the Spirit of God to guide and empower him. In the providence of God, David is strategically placed in the presence of Saul as his armor-bearer, where he can learn how a king rules.
David is not chosen to immediately replace Saul; he’s placed in a kind of internship, to be groomed for the kingdom which will not be his for several years. He doesn’t walk in and take over; Saul is still on the throne. Saul doesn’t know he’s been replaced. David ascends to the throne of Israel gradually. He begins by being asked to perform a musical exorcism.
Just as God’s Spirit came upon David in power, His Spirit departed from Saul, the result of disobedience. This shift of spiritual power means Saul is destined not to remain king. Saul is rightfully troubled. God allows Saul’s inner demons to surface and take over. Saul is distressed--his broken relationship with God has caused an inner brokenness. David recalled the demise of Saul when he prayed in Psalm 51, “Do not take Your Holy Spirit from me” (verse 11).
Saul’s attendants became alarmed by Saul’s raging anxiety and saw the need for some means to calm their ruler. One of them knew of David, knew that God was with him. Instead of a physician, they seek out a musician! Saul unknowingly welcomes his replacement to enter his service. Hearing David skillfully play the harp, Saul was refreshed by the soothing music and delivered from his dark despair. David in turn got a lesson in leadership by serving.
When I was assigned as a hospital chaplain I would often take my guitar on open wards, where I saw first-hand the therapeutic power of music. I’d pick a central location and play quiet classical and folk music. I used to tell patients that I was “practicing medicine without a license.” One patient told me, “If they’d give me a wheelchair, I’d follow you around the hospital.” I saw many tense patients relax. I’d occasionally play in mess tents during combat field training. One of my commanders remarked, “Chaplain, you don’t realize the important role music plays until you’re away from it and under stress.” Music helps create an environment in which healing can take place. It conveys peace and rest to the soul. We should choose our music as carefully as we choose our diet.
By studying David’s life we discover that God is writing the story of our salvation. We may feel like we have very little to offer God, but that is based on our limited perspective. When God calls, He empowers us. We fail to see the potential in ourselves and others because we’re guided by the wrong indicators. Just as Jesse’s son seemed insignificant, so did Jesus, a son of the lineage of David. The world did not recognize David’s greatest son because they saw him only with human eyes. Isaiah predicted that the Messiah would have “no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him” (53:2).
So what happened after David was anointed king of Israel? He returned to his flocks. Not a bad place to go; kings were often described as shepherds of the people. We may be convinced of the idea that God’s at work in our lives, but sometimes we harbor doubts because we can only see today. We don’t know God’s timing. David probably wondered when and how Samuel’s anointing might come to pass. We’re not privy to the specifics of God’s behind-the-scenes involvement, how the events of our lives fit into His “big picture.” Faith means trusting God, esecially when His sense of timing differs from ours.
In chapter 13 Samuel rebukes Saul, stating: “Your kingdom will not endure; the Lord has sought out a man after His own heart and appointed him leader of the people, because you have not kept the Lord’s command” (verse 14). As we consider the life of David we get an idea of the kind of person God uses, and we realize that God can use even us.
