1 Samuel 15:34 - 1 Samuel 16:13
Lessons from the Father of a Nation
This Father’s Day I thought it would be interesting to learn from the Father of a nation. We usually look at today’s story from the perspective of David, but why not see it through Samuel’s eyes? Samuel, in essence, is the father of a nation. He is the glue that holds the nation together, through the ups and downs of King Saul. Samuel teaches us what it means to follow God. And how important true obedience is. As well as an aging priest, Samuel serves as the last of the great judges and first of the great prophets, the maker of kings. Today’s scripture covers a period of time when God said, “I’m done with King Saul,” and hand picks the next king, although he would not assume the crown for many years. Let’s look at some lessons Samuel might teach us, as he faithfully follows God’s lead to choose Saul’s successor. Lesson #1, simply put, is to:
1. Obey the Lord (vv. 3-4)
Samuel is famous for his obedience. As a little boy, serving alongside the elderly priest Eli, he learned to listen for God’s voice. Throughout Samuel’s life, he wanted nothing more than to obey God. Immediately before today’s passage, he told King Saul of God’s disappointment in him for not obeying the Lord and allowing an evil pagan king to live. He told Saul, “Your days as king are numbered. God is done with you.” Then Samuel killed the foreign king himself. The opening of our scripture today shows him in mourning for a king who has not yet died, but is dead to him in God’s eyes.
Notice the challenge of obedience Samuel faces if he is to obey God. He has to go from his hometown to Bethlehem, the town of Jesse; that route will take him right through the town of King Saul. He knows Saul needs some anger management lessons. He knows Saul is intensely jealous and will kill him and the future king if he ever finds out about this plan. To obey God, then, is to commit an act of treachery in the eyes of King Saul.
Samuel asks God about this, so God gives him a cover story. “You’re going to make a sacrifice. And be sure Jesse and his family are there.” It’s the truth, just not the whole truth. Then God says, in verse 3, “You will anoint as future king the man I tell you to.”
Ever wonder why God just doesn’t spell it out? “Samuel, I want you to go to the town of Bethlehem and anoint David, the youngest son of Jesse, the next king.” No, God doesn’t do that! He keeps the mission vague; it’s a big secret. Like when God says to Abraham, “Go to the land I will show you.” He doesn’t tell Abraham where he’s going until he gets there! Why does God hold back the complete picture in our lives? Sometimes it seems he gives barely enough to take the next step. And maybe that’s the answer. Maybe God gives only the next step so we will continue to depend on him instead of ourselves, so we’ll learn to trust him. Or maybe God knows the whole future would overwhelm us. Either way, Samuel obeys. Verse 4 begins, “Samuel did what the Lord told him to do.” He obeys the Lord. He takes the next step.
I love the reaction of the local yokels: they quiver in their boots as Samuel enters their town. Why? Because Samuel had just killed a foreign king with his own hands? Maybe. And maybe because they see Samuel as the very spokesperson for God. His life of obedience has gained him a reputation. It’s kind of like how his ancestors revered Moses when he came down off the mountaintop with a message from God.
Sometimes, not all the time, but sometimes, when you follow God, God will give you great respect among others, because of your obedience. Your obedience matters, not only to you, but also to those around you, those you love, those who are influenced by you. Godly fathers and grandfathers know that their obedience will affect generations behind them. One of my Vietnam Veterans recently came to know Jesus personally, and now he is trying to actively love his family and make up for a life of emotionally abusing them. They are slowly coming around, seeing that he is a new creation in Christ.
Perhaps Samuel leaves some influence on David in today’s story. The Apostle Paul later will give us God’s take on him. In Acts 13:22 Paul quotes God as saying, “I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; [Why? ...] he will do everything I want him to do.” It’s all about obedience!
First and foremost, obey the Lord. Do the last thing he told you to do. Take the next step, then watch and wait for what he wants from you next. Secondly,
2. Never stop learning (vv. 6-11)
Think about this: Samuel has been speaking for God for a long time by now. He is at the pinnacle of his prophetic role. Anointing David will be the most important thing he ever does, the capstone of his career. Yet, even at this point, he is still working to discern God’s will.
In verse 6, Samuel surmises that Jesse’s firstborn son looks kingly. But God gives an important lesson in verse 7: “But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.’”
When the Bible talks about the heart, it’s not referring to the organ that keeps the blood flowing. It’s talking about the center of one’s will, emotions, intellect, and desires. It is your spiritual core. Evidently Samuel learns his lesson, because he quickly surmises that none of the seven of Jesse’s sons are the one God had chosen. They may look good on the outside, like King Saul, but they don’t have what it takes on the inside. So Samuel says, “Don’t you have any other boys?” When he hears Jesse has one more son in the fields with the sheep, he says, “We’re not sitting down until you get him here!” And as the youngest is brought in, the Lord whispers to Samuel’s soul, “Rise and anoint him; this is the one” (verse 12b).
Please take encouragement from this: even at Samuel’s advanced age and high office, he is still learning to follow God. Godly fathers and grandfathers are not afraid to say, “I’m still learning to follow God. Please forgive me. God is not done with me yet.” Never stop learning! Leaders are learners! Never be content with your spiritual life. Seek more of God. Seek to be more of the man or woman God has called you to be. Know that God is not done with you yet. And lastly,
3. Cultivate character (v. 13)
Although Samuel is known for his godly character, I want to shift focus to David with this last point. Today’s story is his big unveil; it is his moment. The Holy Spirit comes on him powerfully, probably never to leave him again. 1 Samuel 16:13 is a pivotal moment in the book of 1 Samuel, because it is the first time the author mentions David by name. Most scholars think the shepherd boy is around fifteen years old in today’s story. After Samuel leaves, his dad probably sends him back out to care for the sheep. Later, when the big brothers go to war, underage David is left behind. Dad gives him the job of taking food to them at the front. That is when he becomes famous overnight for killing Goliath, and is pressed almost immediately into royal service as the King’s personal musician, the only one who can calm King Saul. Yet, still no one knows outside his immediate family that he has been anointed the next king. What a secret to carry! It will be fifteen long years before the southern kingdom of Judah crowns him as king, and another five years before the northern kingdom of Israel joins in, uniting the two kingdoms, the 12 tribes, under one crown. Twenty years of waiting. Can you imagine?
Why would God do this? Why would God appoint someone to such a high office and then let them wait 15-20 years before it happens? I used to wonder about this in the Army. You come out on a promotion list, but then you might wait a year or more before you pin it on.
In David’s life, I can only imagine that it is to cultivate character. He has led sheep; now he has to learn to lead people. There are similarities. Both can be pretty stupid creatures at times. Yet, there are differences. David never rushes God’s timetable. He always speaks highly of God’s anointed, refusing to ever threaten a hair on the ruling king’s head. David waits for God. And God grows his character.
We are never too old to cultivate character. We can take the experiences life brings us and work on growing, work on learning, work on improving. Always a learner. Always growing. Always seeking to be more Christ-like in our attitudes and behaviors, to be faster in our obedience and slower in our disobedience. Allowing God to have more and more of us, as we seek his will. Because it matters for generations to follow, for those we will bring into the kingdom, for all that God wants to do through us. It matters. Let us pray.
Thank you, Lord, for Samuel who, even in his later years, never stopped growing in his dependence upon you. Thank you that you worked through him and through a young David to bring about your kingdom purposes. Heavenly Father, we lift up all fathers across our land today. We need you. We need you to be at work in our lives, to help us to be men of God, men of obedience. Actually, all of us need your help to be the people of God you have called us to be. Let your revival start with us, as we surrender our hearts to you. In Jesus’ name, amen.
