The next King

Hello: 

In today’s lesson,  we find the story of how the next King of

Israel was chosen: 

Here is the text:I Samuel 16:4 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. 6 When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and thought, “Surely the Lord’s anointed stands here before the Lord.” 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 man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” 8 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, “but he is tending the sheep.” Samuel said, “Send for him; we will not sit down until he arrives.” 12 So he sent and had him brought in. He was ruddy, with a fine appearance and handsome features. Then the Lord said, “Rise and anoint him; he 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 upon David in power. Samuel then went to Ramah. Our story today picks up from Samuel finally getting up from his mourning of Saul and following the Lord’s instructions to go to Bethlehem and there he will anoint

Israel’s next king.  Samuel knows that the king will come from the house of Jesse but he does not know which son is to be chosen.  Samuel invites the house of Jesse to the sacrifice and this is where we ended on yesterday. 

In today’s text, Samuel is at the sacrifice and he sees the oldest son of Jesses whose name is Eliab and Samuel is sure that this is the choice of God for the king for he looks like a king in both his stature and appearance.  God tells Samuel do not be distracted with appearance for God is not looking at the outward appearance but is looking at the heart.  God rejected Eliab and Samuel had Abinadab to pass in front of Samuel and then Shammah all the way up to seven sons and God rejected them all.   Samuel finally asks is there no other sons.   Jesse responds that the youngest son is out tending the sheep and Samuel says bring him.   When he appears, the text says that he was ruddy but of a fine appearance and handsome features.   God tells Samuel that this is the one and he anoints David as the next king of

Israel. 

As you can see in our text today, the person that God had chosen to be king was not even included at the sacrifice even though Samuel invited the entire house of Jesse to come.  David was left in the field to tend the sheep probably because his father just assumed that it couldn’t be David.    

Out of all the sons, David’s heart was the one that God was after.  I am so excited that God looks at the heart.    So many people have their outward appearance together and they looked the part, but our God looks at the heart.     What matters is what is in our heart.    

This story always touches my heart because it shows how someone who has been left out, wasn’t even considered worthy to be chosen by God is the one that ends up being the anointed and chosen of God.   

Tomorrow, we will continue our study of how the second king in the monarchy comes to power.    

Be encouraged! 

God Bless!!!!!!!  Don’t forget to pray and read God’s word daily.

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