1 Samuel 15:34-16:13 | God Sees

If you weren’t with us last week, we looked at 1 Samuel 8 and we saw the people of Israel make a foolish request of God. They wanted to look like everyone else around them. They wanted a King like all the other nations because living under King Jesus’ made them uncomfortable. Essentially, they wanted to walk by sight rather than walk by faith! They wanted a King they could see, who would go before them in battle! They were tired of being distinct!

And if you remember, this was super offensive to God because as we said, being distinct was kind of the whole point. God chose Israel and made them a nation with Him as their King so that they would look different. He made them a holy nation. A nation set apart. He meant for them to be distinct and different from the world so that the world could see the greatness, goodness, and glory of God!

But they didn’t really care all that much about God getting glory. No, they cared more about their immediate comfort and perceived security and so they asked for a King like all the other nations. Make us like everyone else they said! And even though this was the request of a very short-sighted and ignorant toddler, God, after warning them, gave them exactly what they wanted.

They wanted what the world was selling. They got caught up in the hype of the world. God warned them that it was fake news. He warned them that any earthly King would make them slaves and take more from them than they would ever get in return, but they insisted, they knew better, they wanted what the world was selling.

And here’s what I want us to see this morning as we move from 1 Samuel 8 to 1 Samuel 16, we as human beings are quick to believe the hype of the world. We, too like Israel, are quick to ask the Lord to make us like all the other nations, so to speak! We are quick to look out at the world with social media and all the filtered glamour shots and self-promoting images out there carefully curating a beautiful world before us and make the same request of Israel, God we want what they have! Make me important like them. Make me rich like them. Make me powerful like them. Make be smart, beautiful, popular, healthy, athletic like them! Make me matter like them!

Now hear me, this desire to matter, to be important, to have people in our lives who are glad to see us, this desire is not sinful. In fact, it’s a part of how God created us. He created us with a desire to feel see, heard and treasured. This is not a bad thing, but it becomes a destructive desire in our lives when we look to the hype of the world to try and find and fill this desire!

While the world would have us look towards they hype of all the externals to try and find meaning and worth, God wants us to know that He looks upon our hearts. God does not see things as the world does and what He sees is ironic and encouraging. While the world may peg you as an outcast, outsider, or inconsequential to God, in Christ Jesus, you are a King and a Queen in His royal family!

You see, no matter what the world is hyping up, we as believers need to remember what truly matters: God picks heart over hype and works distinctly through the faithful.

Let’s look at the calling of King David to see how this is true and why this is such good news!

Turn with me to 1 Samuel 15 which picks up after King Saul arrogantly changes the word of God and disobeys a direct order from God leaving God to make this pronouncement through the prophet Samuel in vs. 34

1 Samuel 15:34–35 (NIV)

34 Then Samuel left for Ramah, but Saul went up to his home in Gibeah of Saul. 35 Until the day Samuel died, he did not go to see Saul again, though Samuel mourned for him. And the Lord regretted that he had made Saul king over Israel.

and now 1 Samuel 16:1-13

1 Samuel 16:1–13 (NIV)

1 The Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and be on your way; I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem. I have chosen one of his sons to be king.” 2 But Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hears about it, he will kill me.”

We see here, there is tremendous tension between Saul and Samuel. Saul is upset for having been rejected as King. In 1 Samuel 15, Samuel pronounces that God is going to tear the nation of Israel from Saul’s hands. So it’s understandable that Samuel is nervous. If King Saul gets word that the prophet who made him king is about to annoint another King over Israel, it doesn’t take much to see where this movie plot is going to end. Right? Kings don’t like to be overthrown and to prevent these types of things, they almost always resort to assassinations! So Samuel understandably nervous. He’s not saying he won’t do what God is asking, but he raises his concern and God hears him out and gives Samuel a pretty shrewd plan that will serve as a cover and protect him from Saul!

The Lord said, “Take a heifer with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.’

God is so wise. This is just the shrewdest plan. It would not be weird or out of the norm at all for God’s prophet to travel to a town to present a sacrifice to the Lord with the people of that town. And this is precisely the cover God gives Samuel to anoint the next King. God says:

3 Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what to do. You are to anoint for me the one I indicate.” 4 Samuel did what the Lord said. When he arrived at Bethlehem, the elders of the town trembled when they met him. They asked, “Do you come in peace?” 5 Samuel replied, “Yes, in peace; I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. Consecrate yourselves and come to the sacrifice with me.” Then he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.

Again you can see the political tension that exists across the nation at this time. I’m sure the gossip train had spread the word throughout the nation. Samuel pronounced that Saul was rejected by God as King and God was going to raise up another! I think this is why the elders of Bethlehem tremble when Samuel shows up. They realize either that Samuel’s presence is there to pronounce more judgement against them or that his presence is potentially going to bring down some punishment from the King they all had asked for! But Samuel assures them, I come in peace. And presumably he explains what’s about the take place. It’s not written, but Jesse and his sons seem to know that Samuel is there to anoint the next King of Israel by the way the events play out.

6 When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and thought, “Surely the Lord’s anointed stands here before the Lord.”

Now why would Samuel make such a statement about this Eliab? Well, first off, Eliab is Jesse’s firstborn and in this culture, the firstborn of the family was the next in line to inherit a double portion of the family estate. He was the one who would succeed upon his father’s death. The position of firstborn, typically made you top dog in the family. The firstborn held the position of prominence in the birth order and usually held the most responsibilities, rights, and privileges in the family. They were the right hand of their fathers. If there was any hype surrounding birth order in this culture, they hype surrounded the firstborn! So it’s not surprising that up front at the line coming to the sacrifice, Eliab is there with his father Jesse! He’s the firstborn. He’s right where he should’ve been.

So Samuel sees Eliab first and what he sees, I imagine makes Jesse’s heart swell with pride. His first born is an ox of a man! Now we all notice handsome and beautiful people and so did the ancients but in probably a little bit different way. This was an agrarian community, and since they didn’t have tractors or machines, manual labor took on quite a different look. Men who were tall and strong floated to the top because of their physical skill in battle and manual labor.

So Samuel sees Eliab and much like Saul, Eliab was tall, dark and handsome. The hype train was all about King Eliab. Even Samuel, God’s prophet, he’s take been this strapping young man...

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.” 8

Circle or highlight this verse. We’re going to come back to it. It’s important.

Then Jesse called Abinadab and had him pass in front of Samuel. But Samuel said, “The Lord has not chosen this one either.” 9 Jesse then had Shammah pass by, but Samuel said, “Nor has the Lord chosen this one.” 10 Jesse had seven of his sons pass before Samuel, but Samuel said to him, “The Lord has not chosen these.” 11 So he asked Jesse, “Are these all the sons you have?” “There is still the youngest,” Jesse answered. “He is tending the sheep.” Samuel said, “Send for him; we will not sit down until he arrives.” 12

Now, don’t you think this is a little odd? Think about this with me for a minute. Imagine a super important man of God, a prophet shows up to your town and says, “hey God has big plans for your family, gather your clan and meet me out at the altar.” What would possess you as a parent to leave one of your kids behind?

You have eight kids, but you decide you only need to bring 7. The youngest, he can stay behind. The sheep need tending to and surely, God couldn’t have anything to do with that little rascal!

Now it isn’t that uncommon for the youngest of the family, especially in their day and age to get the short end of the stick when it came to responsibilities. Normally shepherding was left to the servants, but here we find David, the youngest son, he’s out there doing the job that was normally left to the servants. This wasn’t the most common practices. Also, Samuel seems to imply that he expected Jesse to have all his sons present. So even though David is the youngest, it’s weird that Jesse didn’t bring him to this important occasion! Samuel expects Jesse to have all his sons there.

So what’s going on here? Well, apparently David was such an outside or seemingly less than important individual in his family, that his father can’t imagine God or His prophet having anything to do with him.

Church, I know some of you have had really rough bringing ups. Some of you felt unseen, unwanted even in your own families. I don’t want to paint Jesse in too bad of a light here because this is speculation on my part a bit, but what is going on here? Was David such a second class citizen in his own family, Jesse can’t even be bothered to send someone to go get him when the exciting news comes that that prophet is here and he’s about to give life changing news to the family!

To say David comes from humble beginnings doesn’t go far enough. To say that David was overlooked in his family, I’m not sure that even goes far enough. David as the youngest, he got the shaft. He got one of the worst and most insignificant jobs in the family and it appears here that he was regularly excluded from important events within his family.

Seemingly, there is very little hype that surrounds this kids life. It seems that his father thought very little of David but when he did think of him it was most like thoughts that this kid is never going to make much of himself.

But Samuel has a rebuke for this family. I told you to bring all you sons, now send for David and it’s obvious to me that you all think very little of this son and brother of yours so to rebuke you, none of you are going to sit down until he shows up here. You and me, all of us, we are going to great David standing when he arrives. You and me we are going to honor this son whom God sees even though you apparently do not!

v. 12 So he sent for him and had him brought in. He was glowing with health and had a fine appearance and handsome features. Then the Lord said, “Rise and anoint him; this is the one.” 13 So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon David. Samuel then went to Ramah.

Now if you’re paying attention, it may strike you a bit as odd that the written of Samuel says anything about David’s physical appearance since Samuel was rebuked for getting excited about Eliab’s physical appearance earlier. Right, it’s a little weird after God says, listen I don’t look on the external hype, I look at the heart, why then does the author see fit to mention that David F.I.N.E… fione in appearance and handsome.

I thought this was weird too so I looked it up. It seems the author includes this for 2 reasons, one is to highlight some irony. Physically speaking, there appears to be no reason that Jesse or his brothers should be excluding their son and brother! We find out later a bit more about David’s personality and even though he’s a shepherd he’s also a musician and a poet, perhaps this didn’t fit the mold of what the ancients thought it meant to be a macho man and so they pushed him out? Perhaps? It’s a bit ironic.

Along this this, I think David’s form is commented on to emphasis God’s sovereignty despite the focus being on the heart, hype does not exclude people from God’s work or grace! God can choose someone who meant human standards of beauty or human hype as much as those who do not, but his choice has nothing to do with those things. His criteria transcends mere appearance. This shows us that God’s ways and His sovereignty are higher than human ways and His choices are ultimately for His pruposes not human preferences!

Needless to say, I’m sure this was a shocking reveal in Jesse’s family! David? Shepherd boy, harp playing, poem writing David is to be King!?

This is quite distinct and unexpected and here’s what I want you to see, this is how God works!

Turn with me briefly to 1 Corinthians and hear the words of Paul:

1 Corinthians 1:26–30 (NIV)

26 Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28 God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, 29 so that no one may boast before him. 30 It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.

Here in 1 Corinthians I believe we get some greater insight into what God is up to in the life of David. David had spent most of his life being overlooked and undervalued by his family. He was the most unlikely choice from the world’s hype standards, but to God, David was never overlooked or unnoticed! God saw him the whole time and what He saw pleased Him. This kid had a heart that sought after the Lord.

Church I am convinced that had God never called David to be King, David would have went on to live quite a fulfilling although undocumented life. We may never have heard about him, but had God not chosen him to be King, I’m willing to bet that if you and I got the chance to meet David up in Heaven he’d tell us that although his life wasn’t recorded for all of history, that he lived a great life under the reign of King Jesus!

Do you know why I thin this? Because of how David conducts himself here and through the rest of most of his life! David rarely bought into the hype! He lived for an audience of one!

Think of how David could’ve responded to being overlooked and undervalued by his family? He could’ve harbored bitterness and envy in his heart. He could’ve turned into a tyrant of a man. As soon as he received the anointing, he couldn’t gloated or used his new found power to repay his family for how they treated him, but he doesn’t!

How is this possible? How is it possible that David seems to respond with love and kindness and grace to his family after having received the anointing of God?

Simple. David didn’t live for the hype from the world! I’m sure it hurt to be overlooked and undervalued in his family. We know it did, because we have some of David’s journal entries in the Psalms. It did hurt to be overlooked and eventually hunted by King Saul. It hurt to be undervalued, but ultimately David didn’t live his life for the hype of men. No, He looked to His heavenly father for validation! And that looking only to God, that gave him a heart that knew, despite what others may say or not say, He was loved. He as see. He was smart. He was Kind. He was important, at least to the most supreme being that truly matters in this universe!

And here’s what God whats you to know child, so are you!

God picks the heart over hype and works distinctly through the faithful.

Have you all seen The Help? It’s a movie based on a novel about the life of an African American maid during the time of segregation. In the movie, we see the maid taking care of a white woman’s daughter. She repeatedly tells this little girl, “You is smart, you is kind, you is important.” She tells her this to counteract the neglect and mistreatment the girl receives from her own mother. This phrase—“You is smart, you is kind, you is important”—resonates with all of us because we all deeply desire to know and feel that these things are true about ourselves.

The world tells us that we can achieve this sense of worth if there's enough hype surrounding us. But what if there's not? What if we are mostly overlooked and undervalued in life? According to the world’s standards, we’d be left feeling insignificant.

Here’s the beautiful news of the gospel: In Jesus, you are never overlooked and you are never undervalued! The cross of Jesus demonstrates our immense worth to the Father. He loved us so much that He did not withhold His one and only Son from us.

This worth doesn't come from anything within us. The world’s message to “believe in yourself” and seek self-esteem is misleading. According to the Bible, our true worth comes from God’s creation and His declaration that we are His masterpiece. While the world encourages us to look within for affirmation, the Bible directs us to look to God, the maker of heaven and earth.

When we recognize that life’s story isn’t about us, we find relief because the pressure is off. God doesn’t need us to prove anything. Yet, He chooses us as supporting actors in His grand narrative to display His glory. His love for us isn’t based on our talents, abilities, or successes but on His unchanging sovereign choice.

God chooses the weak and unexpected, the foolish things of the world, to make a name for Himself and to ensure that none of us can boast. If you take anything from today’s message, let it be this: In Christ Jesus, God has chosen to see you, and He declares that you are important. He has a plan for your life. Don’t buy into the hype of the world—God doesn’t. He looks at the heart and works distinct, beautiful, and powerful things through the lives of those who live faithfully for Him.

And I can think of now better way to conclude this morning than by remembering the lengths that God was willing to go to in order to choose us in Christ. You may feel overlooked, undervalued and insignificant in this life according to the world’s hype, but when those feelings come may I invite you to remember the gospel of Jesus Christ and His death and ressurection. In christ, you are never overlooked or undervalued. In christ, God is glad to see you and the death of Christ, his body that was broken for you and his blood that was shed for you reminds us that we matter immensely to the father. You may have failed, you may not have all the things the world says you need, but none of that matters at least not to the Lord.

With this in mind, let us turn our hearts to communion and remember together the better word that Chrst’s death and resurrection preaches over those who are in Him by faith. Jesus says to you this morning. You is smart. You is kind. You is important!

I’m going to pray and then I’ll invite you as you feel ready to head to one of the 4 tables we have set up and receive the elements of communion together. Communion is open to any and everyone who has a relationship with Jesus here and while all are invited to part according to the relationship, Scripture instructs us not to do so lightly or improperly. If you have any major sin or unreconciled relationship, God says that we should make peace before we part of communion. So I invite those of you with a relationship with Christ to part-take but also grant you the freedom to abstain if the holy Spirit directs you otherwise this morning!

Let’s pray.