1 Samuel Session 4

Kevin Arnold

1 Samuel • Sermon • Submitted 3 years ago

1 Samuel 16:4–13

Anoint

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God desires people who seek to follow Him with all their hearts.

Notes

Transcript

Anointed

UNDERSTAND THE CONTEXT

USE THE FOLLOWING CONTENT TO PREPARE FOR YOUR GROUP TIME.

Saul’s fall no doubt had a profound impact on Samuel. He would have to overcome his grief over Saul before God could use him to move the nation toward a new leader. A dose of reality was part of God’s prescription: “I have rejected him as king over Israel” (1 Sam. 16:1). The Lord reminded Samuel of what he already knew: the kingship of Saul was finished. Though Samuel would never again visit Saul (see 15:35), the king occupied a large place in the prophet’s thoughts. No doubt Samuel held affection for Saul in spite of his misdeeds.

No matter how Samuel might have felt toward Saul, their final parting exhibited a degree of friction. Samuel performed the deed Saul should have done (see vv. 32-33). As someone who was sensitive to public perception (see v. 30)—though he should have been more concerned with the Lord’s honor—Saul was exposed and perhaps embarrassed by Samuel’s actions. It isn’t hard to imagine that Saul’s later paranoia toward David began to emerge at that time with Samuel. At least the prophet suspected as much (see 16:2).

God commanded Samuel to anoint a successor to Saul. As before with His guidance toward Saul, the Lord’s initial direction of Samuel was general. All Samuel knew was that the new king would come from Bethlehem and would be a son of a man named Jesse. Because he trusted God, the prophet would be used in what would become a high watermark of his ministry, the anointing of Israel’s greatest king.

Think About It

What expectations do you see expressed or suggested in these verses? What biases, if any, are expressed?

Read the Passage

1 Samuel 16:4–13 HCSB

4 Samuel did what the Lord directed and went to Bethlehem. When the elders of the town met him, they trembled and asked, “Do you come in peace?” 5 “In peace,” he replied. “I’ve come to sacrifice to the Lord. Consecrate yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice.” Then he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice. 6 When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and said, “Certainly the Lord’s anointed one is here before Him.” 7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or his stature, because I have rejected him. Man does not see what the Lord sees, for man sees what is visible, but the Lord sees the heart.” 8 Jesse called Abinadab and presented him to Samuel. “The Lord hasn’t chosen this one either,” Samuel said. 9 Then Jesse presented Shammah, but Samuel said, “The Lord hasn’t chosen this one either.” 10 After Jesse presented seven of his sons to him, Samuel told Jesse, “The Lord hasn’t chosen any of these.” 11 Samuel asked him, “Are these all the sons you have?” “There is still the youngest,” he answered, “but right now he’s tending the sheep.” Samuel told Jesse, “Send for him. We won’t sit down to eat until he gets here.” 12 So Jesse sent for him. He had beautiful eyes and a healthy, handsome appearance. Then the Lord said, “Anoint him, for he is the one.” 13 So Samuel took the horn of oil, anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and the Spirit of the Lord took control of David from that day forward. Then Samuel set out and went to Ramah.

EXPLORE THE TEXT

SAMUEL’S ASSIGNMENT (1 Samuel 16:4-5)

1 Sam 16:4 - Though the Lord asked a dangerous thing of Samuel (going to Bethlehem would have required him to pass through Gibeah, Saul’s town), he complied and went to Bethlehem. He did what Saul failed to do on several occasions—the Lord’s will. Samuel’s arrival provoked a fearful response on the part of the local leaders, perhaps due to a perception of a growing schism between Saul and Samuel. While the prophet was respected, the king possessed the military power. The elders might also have been afraid because of Samuel’s recent execution of King Agag. Serving as God’s spokesman is a lonely existence because people both misunderstand you and place you on a pedestal. While they obviously admired and revered the prophet, they were also uncomfortable in his presence.

In what ways does pursuing the call of God on one’s life bring isolation from others? What are the risks and rewards of such a pursuit?

1 Sam 16:5 - Samuel assured the people that his intentions toward Bethlehem were peaceful, explaining that his purpose was to offer a sacrifice to the Lord. Such a time of worship required preparation and cleansing. Such consecration would have involved certain rituals and abstinence from certain activities (see Ex. 19:9-15). Old Testament worship regulations point to Christ (see Heb. 9:10-14), teaching the necessity of preparing oneself for worship. Samuel prepared Jesse and his sons for the sacrifice. Christ does the same for us. God requires purity of heart in those who approach Him in worship (see 10:19-22).

GOD’S CRITERIA (1 Samuel 16:6-10)

1 Sam 16:6 - As the sacrificial ceremony began, Samuel saw Jesse’s oldest son, Eliab, and he was favorably impressed. We learn in the next verse that Eliab was tall, a quality Saul also possessed (see 10:23). The prophet seemed confident that Eliab was the one chosen by God to become the king.

What dangers lie in assuming that certain individuals are suited for leadership based on appearance or a generalization?

1 Sam 16:7 - Though it is likely that Eliab was later a leader in the tribe of Judah, he was not the Lord’s choice for the earthly throne of Israel. The Lord often chooses those the world deems undesirable as a way to bring honor to Himself (see 1 Cor. 1:26-29).

The Lord reminded Samuel that He’s different from man because He can assess more than a person’s outward appearance. God perfectly knows the heart, that is to say, a person’s values, motives, and deepest convictions. Eliab may have been a true worshiper of Yahweh—and he probably was—but there was something missing at the core of his being for which God was looking.

1 Sam 16:8-9 - Abinadab, the second son of Jesse, was also summoned to come before Samuel. Because the Lord had corrected Samuel’s superficial evaluation, the prophet was able to discern that neither was Abinadab the Lord’s chosen king. The scenario repeated itself with Shammah, the third in birth order of Jesse’s sons. None of the top candidates were the Lord’s choice. More frequently than we might realize, God rejects our human pecking order in calling a leader.

What criteria do we use to select our leaders? How does God’s choice open the door for Him to be honored?

1 Sam 16:10 - Seven of Jesse’s sons were rejected as the future king of God’s people. We can only imagine the awkward silence in the air that day. We can only wonder what might have been going on in the heart of Samuel. He was obedient to the Lord and committed to the task of appointing Israel’s next king, but all his efforts had been fruitless up to this point.

The human tendency is sometimes simply to settle for someone to fill an empty office or role. We can grow anxious in our search for spiritual leaders or even spouses; as a result, we make a premature choice. To his credit, Samuel waited for the Lord’s guidance, and we should do the same.

DAVID’S SELECTION (1 Samuel 16:11-13)

11Samuel asked him, “Are these all the sons you have?” “There is still the youngest,” he answered, “but right now he’s tending the sheep.” Samuel told Jesse, “Send for him. We won’t sit down to eat until he gets here.”

Samuel found himself in a very real dilemma. He’d been obedient to the Lord’s guidance, and yet his experience wasn’t in line with the revelation he’d received. But the prophet didn’t lose heart. His faith prompted him to keep seeking and to ask Jesse if he had any other sons.

Jesse replied that indeed there was another son. Samuel received Jesse’s words hopefully and commanded that the boy who’d been caring for the sheep be summoned. Someone had to watch the sheep, so perhaps this was a reason for the initial exclusion.

The image of a shepherd-leader is prevalent throughout the Old Testament Scriptures (see Ps. 78:72; Jer. 3:15), partly because it’s a picture of the way God led His people (see Pss. 23; 100:3; Ezek. 34:11-16). Perhaps an early predictor of Saul’s incompetency as a leader was seen in his ineptness as a shepherd, unable to find his father’s animals that had wandered off (see 1 Sam. 9:3-4). It’s even more likely that this reference to a son of Jesse who shepherded the flock would foreshadow a king of Israel who would lead God’s people (see 2 Sam. 5:1-2; 7:8).

What similarities exist between a shepherd and an effective leader?

Perhaps it was because this absent son of Jesse was so young that he wasn’t included in this adult gathering. Samuel was adamant that this youngest son join them for the meal associated with the sacrifice. A reader can almost sense the hope rising in Samuel’s heart that Saul’s successor could still be found among the sons of Jesse.

1 Sam 16:12-13 - Samuel demonstrated before everyone present the Lord’s selection of David as king by pouring oil over him. This selection was the work of God (see 2 Sam. 23:1); Samuel was merely the instrument. Anointing with oil was a symbol of the work of the Holy Spirit and His coming on an individual (see Isa. 61:1). Through the Spirit, David would lead the people of God, bringing justice to the entire nation (see 2 Sam. 8:15). Even when David sinned, he understood his need for the Holy Spirit and the presence of God in his life (see Ps. 51:11).

Samuel anointed David in Bethlehem (1 Sam. 16:4). Bethlehem would be important for God’s people not only in Samuel’s day but also in days to come. The prophet Micah would point to Bethlehem as the birthplace of the promised Messiah. Centuries later that prophecy was fulfilled with the birth of Jesus Christ, God’s Anointed One (see John 1:41) who’s our perfect King (see Matt. 2:1-6).

Only a few individuals in the Old Testament were empowered by the Holy Spirit. However, the Spirit today baptizes every believer in Christ into His body, the church (see 1 Cor. 12:13). Though He was in the midst of God’s people in the Old Testament (see Hag. 2:5), the Spirit indwells each believer today (see 1 Cor. 6:19).

On a scale of 1 to 10, how important is it for leaders to be sensitive and responsive to the Holy Spirit? Would you consider their willingness to follow Him as a requirement for being an effective leader? Explain.

OBEY THE TEXT

God chooses leaders for His people. At times believers’ motives are more important than their actions. When we’re called on to lead, we can trust the Holy Spirit for guidance.

Outline the process used by your group and church for selecting leaders. How is God’s direction incorporated into the process? How do you seek God’s direction for the process?

Examine your motives for your involvement or leadership in any ministry area. Ask God to reveal any motives that need to be brought in line with His purposes. What do you need to do so that God can purify the motives of your heart?

How can your group encourage your pastor as he seeks the guidance of the Holy Spirit for the church? Discuss options as a group and adopt at least one action for encouraging your pastor and other leaders to remain faithful to God’s direction.

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