Soul Work
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Invite congregation to pray
As we begin our text today we’re in transition in the book of 1 Samuel. Saul has now been rejected by God and so the prophet Samuel is to anoint another as king of Israel. Perhaps the key line of Saul’s downfall was what he said to Samuel towards the end of chapter 15,
Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned, for I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord and your words, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice.
1 Samuel 15:24
As we saw last week, Saul was more concerned about his own image than the God’s glory. He built a monument to himself, he took credit for having done what was commanded when he clearly had not and he constantly blamed others, the people of Israel, for any lapse in obedience rather than admit to his lack of leadership.
Let’s go to our text
Let’s go to our text
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.” And Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hears it, he will kill me.” And the Lord said, “Take a heifer with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.’ And invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do. And you shall anoint for me him whom I declare to you.” Samuel did what the Lord commanded and came to Bethlehem. The elders of the city came to meet him trembling and said, “Do you come peaceably?” And he said, “Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. Consecrate yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice.” And he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.
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.
May the Lord bless to our understanding this reading from His Word.
Thanks Be to God.
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I want to focus specifically upon the choosing of David. As we look at our passage today. As Samuel comes into Bethlehem, about 10 miles north of Ramah where he was at the end of Chapter 15, he’s asked by the elders ask him, “Do you come peacably?” And Samuel answers v. 5
And he said, “Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. Consecrate yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice.” And he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.
Now one thing I want you to notice that Samuel told the people to consecrate themselves and come to the sacrifice. It then says he consecrates Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.
And he said, “Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. Consecrate yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice.” And he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.
What does it mean to consecrate oneself? It would probably mean they would wash themselves and also wash their clothes. To use an old vernacular in our modern times it would be to put on your Sunday best.
Samuel looked upon Eliab and was sure this was the one the Lord would have chosen:
What does it mean to consecrate oneself? It would probably mean they would wash themselves and also wash their clothes. To use an old vernacular in our modern times it would be to put on your Sunday best. Samuel looked upon Eliab and was sure this was the one the Lord would have chosen:
We then see in the following verses that Jesse’s sons are brought before Samuel as Samuel is eagerly ready to anoint the successor of Saul (the next king of Israel!). Samuel looked upon Eliab and was sure this was the one the Lord would have chosen:
When they came, he looked on Eliab and thought, “Surely the Lord’s anointed is before him.”
He is attractive and Samuel is drawn to him, but the Lord warns him in v. 7
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.”
This is obviously a reminder of the description of Saul who stood head and shoulders above everyone and was the handsomest man in all of Israel.
And he had a son whose name was Saul, a handsome young man. There was not a man among the people of Israel more handsome than he. From his shoulders upward he was taller than any of the people.
The story takes us through all of the sons of Jesse
And Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel. And Samuel said to Jesse, “The Lord has not chosen these.”
6:10
And that’s when the plot takes a twist.
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.”
We know what’s coming, partially because we know the story, an even if we don’t there is a heading in most of our bibles that gives us the knowledge of what is coming.
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.”
It’s interesting to note that we had just heard in v. 7 , “Do not look on his appearance” which is what happened with Saul, but our narrator cannot seem to contain it. We’re told not to look as the man sees but that, “the Lord looks on the heart”.
A few things I want to quickly note here:
7 sons - 7 is the number of perfection or completeness in the Scriptures. Yet, David’s 7 older brothers have already passed before Samuel and “The LORD has not chosen these.” so they send for the 8th son, one who would stand apart from the other 7.
A second word of note: “the Lord looks on the heart.” Did you notice that David came in from the fields, he has just been tending sheep - shepherding is not an occupation known for its cleanliness. Shepherds sleep on the ground, they are with the animals all day and night, they actively fight off threats to the flock. Shepherding is an occupation that takes a lot of physical effort. Shepherds were known for their malodor or less politely, how bad they smell.
And yet, there is no mention of David consecrating himself nor being consecrated. I find that intriguing.
Lastly, there is one thing missing in telling us who David is, and that is his name. It is not mentioned until v. 13.
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.
Jesus tells us in
There is nothing outside a person that by going into him can defile him, but the things that come out of a person are what defile him.”
So as we’re looking at the example of David, I have a question,
How’s your soul?
How’s your soul?
Does what is coming out of you demonstrate the cleanliness that is on the inside of you? OR does what is coming out of you indicate there is some house cleaning that needs to be done?
How do we know?
Don’t compare yourself to the world.
Compare yourself to Christ.
Put on the new self. Daily!
One step at a time.
When you compare yourself to the world, you’re comparing yourself to a world that is fallen. We’re all fallen. We don’t want to fall into that trap. The world is not our home.
If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.
John 15:19
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
R
Don’t compare yourself to the world.
Compare yourself to Christ
Put on the new self. Daily!
One step at a time.
The Bible says, “Be holy, for I am Holy!”
The Bible says, “Be holy, for I am Holy!”
since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”
Wow, now that’s a steep curve. Holiness is what we’re called to.
Don’t compare yourself to the world.
Compare yourself to Christ
Put on the new self. Daily!
Put on the new self, daily!
to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.
And finally, it’s one step at a time.
Don’t compare yourself to the world.
Compare yourself to Christ
Put on the new self. Daily!
One step at a time.
The apostle Paul is probably one of the greatest reasoners recorded in Scripture. He constantly defends the faith, and works hard for us to understand. I love that he says he hasn’t gotten there yet.
Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. Only let us hold true to what we have attained.