In 1 Samuel 8, we are told how the people of Israel asked for a king to lead them. When they made this request of Samuel he went to the Lord, and the Lord told him that they were not rejecting Samuel, but they were rejecting God from being king over them. Samuel was told to tell the people what the rule of an earthly king would mean and what they would be subjected to, yet they still requested that a king be put over them to lead them as a nation. Samuel went to the Lord again and was told, “Listen to them and give them a king,” (1 Samuel 8:22).
The king that God led Samuel to was Saul (1 Samuel 9). Saul was everything one might have expected in a king.
“They ran and got him. He took his place before everyone, standing tall—head and shoulders above them. Samuel then addressed the people, ‘Take a good look at whom GOD has chosen: the best! No one like him in the whole country!’ Then a great shout went up from the people: ‘Long live the king!’” - 1 Samuel 10:23-24 (The Message)
But despite his qualifications, Saul had a heart problem - his heart was not right with God. As a result of his disobedience to clear commands from God, Saul is rejected as king. Now in chapter 16, we find that Samuel is told by the Lord to quite mourning and to get moving! God is going to raise up someone else who, unlike Saul, will have a heart that is right and will lead Israel in a way that will honor Him.
Two thoughts here about how God works:
1. God works despite the failures of men.
“God will never allow His work to die with the death or failure of a man. If it is God’s work, it goes beyond any man. Perhaps Samuel was paralyzed with mourning because of Saul’s tragic rebellion, but God was not paralyzed.” - David Guzik
So God told Samuel to go anoint another as king. Now, the rift between Samuel and Saul had been rather public, so Samuel was nervous about Saul becoming angry with him should he learn that he was anointing another to take his place. But God told Samuel how to go about things in such a way as to protect himself from Saul’s possible vengeance. He was to go to Bethlehem to offer a sacrifice.
This would not only protect Samuel; it would calm the nerves of the elders of Bethlehem.
In his commentary on this passage, Bob Deffinbaugh shares this story to illustrate the reason why the elders were nervous. "I remember my first day on the job delivering for a wholesale meat company. It was actually my brother-in-law’s job, but I agreed to fill in while he did practice teaching one semester. The first day on the job I accompanied him as we delivered meat to various
businesses. I thought I should dress appropriately since it was my first day, so I wore a suit. I have never made that mistake again. When we entered one of those eating places, we went through the back door into the kitchen. We were greeted with startled, panic-stricken looks. I did not understand, but my brother-in-law did. “It’s that suit you’re wearing,” he said. “People think you’re from the health department.”
Just like the restaurant owners were relieved when they learned that Bob wasn’t from the health department, the elders were relieved that Samuel hadn’t come to cause any trouble.
As they prepared for the sacrifice, Samuel invited Jesse and his sons to participate. He was looking for the next king from among Jesse’s boys.
2. God works despite the foolishness of men.
Despite the foolish choice of the people to want a human king to rule over them, God was still going to carry out His work and fulfill His
purpose of having a people on earth. So even though an earthly king was not God’s preferred method of leading His people, He would work among them through this less than perfect way, nonetheless.
Often God’s people carry out God’s work in ways that are clumsy and careless, yet God amazingly carries out His work despite our foolish ideas and approaches.
“What the Church needs today is not more machinery or better, not new organizations or more and novel methods, but men whom the Holy Ghost can use - men of prayer, men mighty in prayer. The Holy Ghost does not flow through methods, but through men. He does not come on machinery, but on men. He does not anoint plans, but men -men of prayer.” - E.M. Bounds, Power Through Prayer
This sense of God dependence that E.M. Bounds was talking about is what is illustrated in our story here about how David ended up being called to be king. God was looking for a man who was living in full and complete dependence upon God. David was such a man.
Unlike Saul, David did not have a heart problem. David’s heart reflected a complete and total dependence on God; and this was what God was looking for (read v. 7). The same is true today.
“For the eyes of the LORD move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His.”
- 2 Chronicles 16:9 (NASB)
If I am going to be used by God, my heart must be right with Him. What are the evidences that my heart is completely His?
1) I am willing to serve in virtual obscurity - v. 11a
David was the youngest. No one had even thought about him. Where was he? Tending the sheep. He was serving in virtual obscurity.
The folks God will use are those who will serve Him, whether or not they are recognized or rewarded.
“There is no ideal place to serve God except the place where He has set you down.” - Eric Alexander
Service is never to be about the recognition I receive but all about the honor God is given. David’s focus was on honoring God, not receiving recognition. And ironically, because this was so, he received the most important recognition one can ever receive - God’s recognition!
2) I am willing to serve in any opportunity - v. 11b
It was because David was willing to serve in the role of shepherding his father’s flock, that he was later granted the opportunity to serve in the role of saving the nation of Israel (1 Samuel 17:34-37).
David was prepared to face a formidable opponent in the Philistine because he had successfully been empowered by God to face
formidable opponents in the lion and the bear. He wasn’t intimidated by the loud mouth of Goliath, because he had been enabled by God to have courage in the face of the roar of the lion and the bear.
Consider the experience of young Daniel in the movie, “The Karate Kid.” Daniel finds himself out of place when he and his mother move from New Jersey to California. When a group of tough guys beat him up, he enlists the help of Mr. Miyagi, an elderly Japanese gardener from his apartment complex, to teach him karate. Mr. Miyagi agrees to teach Daniel and takes him to his home. Instead of jumping into lessons, Daniel is put to work painting a fence, waxing Mr. Miyagi’s car, and sanding the floors. Daniel grows quite frustrated with his experience, much like some of you who are frustrated with your life experiences. He thought he was supposed to be doing something else. But what Daniel didn’t know is that Mr. Miyagi was teaching him all along. The movements from the chores he was doing were the basics of karate. When Miyagi demonstrates that he was actually teaching Daniel all along, Daniel was amazed and put his trust in him.
In the same way, we will be amazed at what all God can teach us and prepare us for if we have a heart to serve in virtual obscurity and in any opportunity He gives us.
“If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones.” - Luke 16:10 (NLT)
3) I am willing to serve in full obedience - v. 13
Unlike Saul, who hid when called upon (1 Samuel 10:21-22), David willingly surrendered to serve when called upon. Because David’s heart was completely God’s, the Lord was able to strongly support David - “from that day on the Spirit of the Lord came upon David in power.”
“Our reliance on the Spirit is not intended to foster an attitude of ‘I can’t do it,’ but one of ‘I can do it through Him who strengthens me.’ The Christian should never complain of want of ability and power.” - Jerry Bridges
“When it is a question of God’s almighty Spirit, never say, ‘I can’t.’” - Oswald Chambers
In his heart, David understood this; but Saul didn’t. That’s why when God called, David fully obeyed; but Saul ran and hid.
Conclusion: Note that in surrendering to the call to serve, David also experienced the privileges of royalty. Likewise, as ones born into the royal family of God, the key to experiencing the privileges and joys of royalty are tied up in our willingness to serve in virtual obscurity, at any opportunity, in full obedience. Who do you more closely identify with today? David or Saul? What does your attitude toward service say about the condition of your heart?
