Stand Tall and Answer The Call

Biographical Overview

Holman Concise Bible Commentary Faithful David (16:1–31:13)

The book’s final section focuses on the personalities of Saul and David. Although Saul is king until the end of the book, the story turns to his successor’s rise. David’s story is told from the viewpoint of Saul’s continued failures. Saul’s reign was chaotic, marred by personal problems and the threat of Philistine oppression. While it became clearer that Saul was unfit for leadership, David emerged before the nation as God’s champion to defeat the Philistines and rule the land.

Samuel

Leadership Defined

David

Leadership Defined

Leadership is influencing people by providing purpose, direction, and motivation while operating to accomplish the mission and improving the organization. FM 6-22

As we move forward we will see the attributes and characteristics of a strong leader. In these very scriptures are the standards for leadership as developed by God.

Samuel

David anointed King

David anointed King

1 Samuel 16:1 ESV

1 The Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you grieve over Saul, since I have rejected him from being king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go. I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided for myself a king among his sons.”

David

1 Samuel 16:1

Your first blank is:

God chooses who he wants.

1 sAM 16:

1 Samuel 16:6–13 ESV

When they came, he looked on Eliab and thought, “Surely the Lord’s anointed is before him.” But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” Then Jesse called Abinadab and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, “Neither has the Lord chosen this one.” Then Jesse made Shammah pass by. And he said, “Neither has the Lord chosen this one.” And Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel. And Samuel said to Jesse, “The Lord has not chosen these.” Then Samuel said to Jesse, “Are all your sons here?” And he said, “There remains yet the youngest, but behold, he is keeping the sheep.” And Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and get him, for we will not sit down till he comes here.” And he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy and had beautiful eyes and was handsome. And the Lord said, “Arise, anoint him, for this is he.” Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers. And the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon David from that day forward. And Samuel rose up and went to Ramah.

Samuel was being led by God

notice again that David was first chosen, then anointed and from then on guided by the Spirit of God

He was anointed before he was appointed

Your second blank is:

God sees deeper than we can see.

1 Samuel 16:14–18 ESV

Now the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and a harmful spirit from the Lord tormented him. And Saul’s servants said to him, “Behold now, a harmful spirit from God is tormenting you. Let our lord now command your servants who are before you to seek out a man who is skillful in playing the lyre, and when the harmful spirit from God is upon you, he will play it, and you will be well.” So Saul said to his servants, “Provide for me a man who can play well and bring him to me.” One of the young men answered, “Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, who is skillful in playing, a man of valor, a man of war, prudent in speech, and a man of good presence, and the Lord is with him.”

1 Sam 16:14-18

Saul’s underlying issue

What kind of Spirit tormented Saul?

Saul was possessed and it took music to control it. Remember, this was before Jesus came and we had the authority to cast out these demons.

Holman Concise Bible Commentary God Anoints David (16:1–23)

Since the Lord rejected Saul as king, He withdrew His Spirit; and Saul received an “evil spirit.” The identity of this “evil” spirit has been disputed. Some believe that it was a demon. Others argue that it was a troubling spirit causing emotional disturbance (see Judg. 9:23). Some have suggested that the Lord permitted Satan to afflict Saul as punishment for his sin (see 2 Sam. 24:1 with 1 Chr. 21:1). What is clear is that this spirit was sent by the Lord (see 1 Kgs. 22:20–23) to show that Saul had been rejected. It caused Saul to experience bouts of rage and despondency. Christians do not have to fear that the Lord will remove His Spirit from them, since the Spirit is the believer’s permanent possession

David’s characteristics are the character traits shared by all of our greatest leaders

Skillful

Valor

Battlefield experience

Articulate

Executive presence

Has the Lord on his side

Your next blank is:

To be a successful leader, you must walk in the will of The Lord

- 23

1 Samuel 16:19–23 ESV

Therefore Saul sent messengers to Jesse and said, “Send me David your son, who is with the sheep.” And Jesse took a donkey laden with bread and a skin of wine and a young goat and sent them by David his son to Saul. And David came to Saul and entered his service. And Saul loved him greatly, and he became his armor-bearer. And Saul sent to Jesse, saying, “Let David remain in my service, for he has found favor in my sight.” And whenever the harmful spirit from God was upon Saul, David took the lyre and played it with his hand. So Saul was refreshed and was well, and the harmful spirit departed from him.

David served under the King before becoming King

David served with loyalty and he was motivated to serve

God even used the madness of King Saul to help train the Shepard boy

You must learn to follow before you can lead.

1 Sam 17:1-

1 Samuel 17:1–11 ESV

Now the Philistines gathered their armies for battle. And they were gathered at Socoh, which belongs to Judah, and encamped between Socoh and Azekah, in Ephes-dammim. And Saul and the men of Israel were gathered, and encamped in the Valley of Elah, and drew up in line of battle against the Philistines. And the Philistines stood on the mountain on the one side, and Israel stood on the mountain on the other side, with a valley between them. And there came out from the camp of the Philistines a champion named Goliath of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span. He had a helmet of bronze on his head, and he was armed with a coat of mail, and the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of bronze. And he had bronze armor on his legs, and a javelin of bronze slung between his shoulders. The shaft of his spear was like a weaver’s beam, and his spear’s head weighed six hundred shekels of iron. And his shield-bearer went before him. He stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, “Why have you come out to draw up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not servants of Saul? Choose a man for yourselves, and let him come down to me. If he is able to fight with me and kill me, then we will be your servants. But if I prevail against him and kill him, then you shall be our servants and serve us.” And the Philistine said, “I defy the ranks of Israel this day. Give me a man, that we may fight together.” When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid.

Goliath’s Height

6’9” to 9’9”

Goliath is emblematic of the obstacles and troubles we face in life

Your final blank is:

Don’t see your Goliath as a challenge, see it as an opportunity.

1 Samuel 17:26–30 ESV

And David said to the men who stood by him, “What shall be done for the man who kills this Philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?” And the people answered him in the same way, “So shall it be done to the man who kills him.” Now Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spoke to the men. And Eliab’s anger was kindled against David, and he said, “Why have you come down? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your presumption and the evil of your heart, for you have come down to see the battle.” And David said, “What have I done now? Was it not but a word?” And he turned away from him toward another, and spoke in the same way, and the people answered him again as before.

1 Sam 17:26-30

David recognizes the opportunity

Give example of Elijah using opportunity so God could shine

Conclusion:

As I close, the key factors that were established here are:

Finding Favor in God

Developing the Character and Qualities of a leader

Serving - Sit at the feet of the elders while getting that battlefield experience

There must be a purpose, direction, motivation, and a mission. Davids’ purpose was To fulfill the destiny that YHWH had set for him by becoming leader of the Israelites. David's direction came from his knowledge, through experience of what God can do, his motivation was his faith and confidence that God would fight the battle, and his mission was to defend the name of the Lord. David had respect for those in authority even though he was destined to be King. Although David had all of the physical characteristics we expect to see in a leader, he still depended on God, trusted in God, and walked in the will of God. The leader-servent attributes of David aught to be true of us as well. Why? These are the attributes God wishes to develop in each of our lives.

As you look at the life you are living can you see the qualities that marked David’s life in your own? If you see room for improvement, I challenge you to come before the Lord and ask him to work on you. God is in the business of building Kings and leaders.

We are in the battle of our lives in today’s time and we have to defend the name of God and stand up for our faith in this day where God is being taken out of everything. Where we are willing to stand up for a flag but won’t stand up for God. That flag can’t give and sustain life and as a matter of fact, to be brutally honest, a lot of atrocities were perpetrated under that flag, but nothing but good can come from God.

We are in the battle of our lives in today’s time and we have to defend the name of God and stand up for our faith in this day where God is being taken out of everything. Where we are willing to stand up for a flag but won’t stand up for God. That flag can’t give and sustain life and as a matter of fact, to be brutally honest, a lot of atrocities were perpetrated under that flag, but nothing but good can come from God

We are all soldiers in the Army of the Lord and we must prepare for battle by becoming skillful leaders, just as David was.

We are all soldiers in the Army of the Lord and we must prepare for battle by becoming skillful leaders, just as David was.

Many are called but few are chosen......... and even fewer accept.