Have you ever been there? Have you ever had the struggle? with obedience, out of fear of rejection, fear of hostility, fear even of danger to your life. The struggle with fear is the root of so many sins, isn't it? Hello and welcome to this Tuesday edition of Renewing Your Mind.
Yesterday, Dr. R. C. Sproll gave us a brief overview of his favorite Old Testament hero in his series on the life of David. Today, we pick up with the prophet Samuel, being told by God to do something that will put his life in danger.
something that would change David's life forever. Also, I wanted to remind you that there's still time to receive a Renewing Your Mind journal this week to help you keep track of all your study notes. and will give you lifetime downloadable access to all of the messages from this series in the Ligonaire app. To receive this offer, call us at 800-435-4343 to donate in support of this program.
Now, here's Dr. Sproll. As we turn our attention now in this series on the life of David to the actual progress of his life, we notice at the very beginning that the Bible, as much space as it gives to the life of David, Does not provide us with a birth or infancy narrative. About him. Many of the heroes of the Old Testament have that information supplied for our knowledge of where they were born and so on.
But we hear virtually nothing about David's birth except the comment that he makes in the Psalms. when he says simply I was born in the middle of the In sin. And in sin did my mother conceive me. Doesn't say that he was born in Bethlehem or Anatoth or somewhere else, where David thinks of his place of birth was in sin. he was acutely aware.
that the problem of sinful corruption was his from the moment of his birth and even antedated that going back to the very time of conception. But we meet David In the Old Testament, as a young man, and this comes to pass in a time of great crisis. And the crisis that introduces David. in the Old Testament is the crisis of the kingship of Saul. Because Saul, who was anointed by Samuel to be the first king of Israel, Proved To betray the trust that God had given to him to rule over the nation under the authority of God himself.
Saul's corruption. Provoked a serious crisis, and we read. In the end of chapter 15 of 1 Samuel, these words. Nevertheless, Samuel mourned for Saul. And the Lord regretted that he had made Saul king Over Israel.
And now, chapter 16 begins with the words of God to Samuel. Hear what God says.
Now the Lord said to Samuel, How long Will you mourn for Saul? Seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel. Fill your horn with oil and go. I am sending you to Jesse the Bethlehemite. for I have provided myself a king.
among his sons, Do you hear what's going on here? Saul has become so corrupt. that God is going to annul His Monarchy. And he is going to transfer the kingship. From Saul to someone else.
Samuel's heart is broken. Because it was Samuel who anointed Saul. He had been God's representative in this process of the first coronation of a king of Israel. Imagine the pomp and the circumstance that attended that. I remember a few years ago.
when Prince Charles married Princess Dai. If my memory serves me right and it doesn't always do that. The television broadcasts of that event Took place late at night or in the middle of the morning. And I know Vesta and I were on the road someplace. We were staying in a hotel.
And as is my custom, when nighttime falls, I go to bed. Not my wife. She sits up in a chair, props herself in front of the television set, and stays up half the night because she doesn't want to miss this contemporary event. of the tremendous wedding between the royal prince and the princess. And think of the excitement.
At that time And think of how that excitement has turned. to scandal. With the disintegration of that royal marriage, you might get some sense, but only a small taste, of how Samuel was feeling. when after that marvelous day of coronation of Saul as king of Israel, Saul proves to be.
So corrupt. That God repudiates his kingship. And Samuel's in mourning. As I said, he's brokenhearted. over how these things had taken place.
And in his grief He's virtually paralyzed. He doesn't know what to do. And God comes to Samuel and says, What? Stop mourning. For Saul.
I've rejected Saul. We're going to change things. And then he says to Samuel, Fill your horn with oil and go. We're going to do it again. We're going to find another king.
And your job is to find that king. that I have selected, that I have chosen, and to anoint him. as the king of Israel.
So when we go back to chapter 16. We see God sends Samuel. to Bethlehem. To the family. of Jesse.
Saying to Samuel, I have provided myself a king. from among his sons. And Samuel said, How can I do this? How can I go? If Saul hears about that, He will kill me.
Isn't this characteristic of prophets in the Old Testament? You aren't serious, God, are you? You don't want me to do this. I mean, I don't mind preaching every Sabbath day and passing on some of these messages that you want me to give to the people, but enough is enough. This is politically unexpedient.
This is politically incorrect to the highest magnitude. You want me to go and anoint. Another king while Saul is still on the throne. You must be kidding. If I do that, Saul will surely kill me.
But the Lord said, Take a heifer with you and say, I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. and then invite Jesse to the sacrifice. and I will show you What to do? Trust me, Samuel. You obey my commands.
You don't have to know everything that's going to take place. and advance. Look, I'm telling you, go to Bethlehem, go to the sons of Jesse, take a heifer, call for the sanctification of a feast and of an offering. and I'll show you what to do. From that point on, I will show you what you shall do.
You shall anoint for me. The one That I name to you.
Sometimes I love the terse. Way. that the Bible gives us historical narratives. The economy of language. All the next verse says is.
So? Samuel Went to Bethlehem. You better believe Samuel went to Bethlehem. It doesn't tell us anything about his further agonizing or what he was going through inside. It just simply says: So Samuel did what the Lord said, and he went to Bethlehem, and the elders of the town trembled at his coming.
You know, Samuel was not known for being Mr. Milquetoast. He had already expressed the wrath of God and brandished the sword, and had caused no small amount of consternation among the people, and he had a reputation. As the former judge over all of Israel. And when the people in this little village of Bethlehem got the news that circulated like wildfire throughout the community, guess who's coming?
Just who I saw coming down the street, coming down the road into Bethlehem. Samuel. And what's the immediate reaction of the people? Uh-oh. Why is he coming here?
We're in trouble. What did we do? The scriptures say they trembled when they heard. Of Samuel's coming. And they said, Do you come?
Peaceably? And he said to their everlasting relief. He said. Peaceably. I have come.
And then he explains why. He has come. I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. Sanctify yourselves. and come with me to the sacrifice.
Oh, is that all, Samuel? You're just coming for a local visit, for priestly tasks. To offer a sacrifice on our altar at our local sanctuary. That's wonderful.
Now they go around and say, Hey, everybody, come into town. Samuel's here. He has graced us with his presence. He is now going to lead us in a time of sacrificial worship.
So it was that when they came, they looked at Eliab. and said, surely The Lord's anointed is before him. I said, Oh. Samuel's looking for a new leader. It must be Eliad.
Now who in the world is Eliab? Does anybody out there know who Eliab is? Have you ever heard of Eliab? If you have, chances are you've forgotten. Because if we went on the street and said, who was Eliab?
How many people would be able to answer that question? If we at the same time went out and asked the question, who was King David. Virtually the whole world has some idea. of who David was. But the people in that day When they got wind of what was going on here, and realized that Samuel was on a search, that he was looking for a replacement for Saul, that he was looking to anoint a new king over the nation, they all turned their eyes to Elihab.
Why? Have you ever heard the phrase? That we look on the outward appearances. But God looks upon the heart. Where does that come from?
It comes directly and immediately from this incident. The LORD said to Samuel, Do not look at the appearance. or at his physical stature. Because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see.
As man sees For man looks at the outward appearance But the Lord looks at the heart.
So Jesse called Abinadab and made him pass in front of Samuel. And Samuel said, Neither has the Lord chosen this one. And the parade then continues. And Jesse made Shaman pass by, and he said, Neither has the Lord chosen this one.
Well, we're 0 for 3. It's not only ab. It's not a benedive. It's not shaming. Thus, Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel.
And Samuel said to Jesse. The Lord has not chosen these. By now. Jesse and Samuel have to be wondering What is going on here? We've just about exhausted the list of candidates.
If the Lord hasn't chosen any of these. Why am I here? Samuel has to be asking. And so Samuel said to Jesse, Are all the young men here? And Jesse said, Well.
There remains still The youngest. And there he is. Keeping the sheep You see, our youngest son, our little boy. Surely that's not the one you're interested in. I've paraded all of his brothers in front of you.
The youngest one's out doing his chores. He's out there taking care of the sheep. You see that one over there, over in the fields there, the one that's taking care of the lambs. The Shepherd But surely You can't be thinking of a shepherd. To be elevated to the throne of Israel.
And Samuel said to Jesse. Send and bring him. for we will not sit down until he comes here. And so he was sent, and they brought him in now he was ruddy. with bright eyes and good looking.
Oh, no What other kind of people do we exalt as heroes and call great in our society, but movie stars because they're handsome? or the women because they're beautiful. and here comes this lad. He was fair complexed. And he's described as being handsome.
And the Lord said, Arise. Anoint him For this is the one. And you wonder sometimes Why God does what He does the way that He does it. Why didn't he just say to Samuel in the first place, look, go over to Bethlehem. There's a young boy over there by the name of David.
He's taking care of his father's sheep in the fields. He's the one that I have chosen to succeed Saul. I want you to go over there and anoint him king of Israel. Instead, We go through this drama. Where he doesn't tell Samuel who is the one.
And I think, if I can speculate at this point, in light of what the text says, that God, at the time that He's doing this, is teaching His people a lesson. That we look on the outward appearances. But when God looked at the sons of Jesse, he wasn't looking. at their exploits Their age Their credentials. He was looking at their hearts.
And he says to Samuel When David appears. This is the one I have chosen. Anoint Him. Then Samuel took the horn of oil. and anointed him In the midst of his brothers.
And the Spirit of the Lord came upon. David. From that day forward. Do you remember when David fell? in the gross and heinous sin.
and composed Psalm fifty-one, the greatest penitential psalm of all. when David cried out in his heart with brokenness and contrition, saying a broken and contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise. If you desired sacrifices, I would give them. But the sacrifices of thee are a broken and contrite heart. Do you remember that?
But remember that while David is busy confessing his sins in Psalm fifty one, He makes one poignant plea before God. Not only does he ask God to forgive him of his sins, to blot out his transgressions, and to make him clean, but he says, O God, take not thy Holy Spirit from me. David is thinking back. To the day of his coronation. or his anointing his consecration for his role in life This really is not his coronation by the people.
Saul is still the king. And many, many years will pass between this moment and the day when David will in fact ascend to the throne. And through those days and those years that transpire, David will go through one crisis of faith after another, wondering if what happens here at Bethlehem will ever be realized in the history of Israel. But it was that day. That God anointed him.
And it was that day that God ordained him for this task, and it was that day that the Holy Spirit came and rested upon him, just as in the case of David's greater son. At the moment of his baptism. He was anointed. By the Holy Ghost. To be the Messiah.
And to be the king of the kings. And the Lord of the Lord, so that from the day Jesus was baptized in the Jordan. Until this present time. His Ministry of Kingship. Has continued.
And in this moment, David in the sight of God. became The king. Still a child. Undeveloped. Immature.
But anointed. Chosen. Selected. for his destiny. This portion of the history closes with these brief words.
So Samuel arose And went Tarama. Sammy went back home. His task was completed. He had done what God had commanded him to do. And a new king.
was anointed. in Israel. I want us to look at one aspect of this narrative that we've just expounded. Not so much at what David does because he's not yet a major player. on the scene.
But I want us to see the example of Samuel. Who shrunk in fear? before a command that was given to him by God. He was afraid for his life. To do what God told him to do.
Have you ever been there? Have you ever had the struggle? With obedience. out of fear of rejection, fear of hostility, fear even of danger to your life. Isn't that a common human experience?
That we're willing to offer our praise and obedience to God as long as it doesn't cost us something. as long as it may not bring us personal harm. And Samuel himself. trembled. At the command of God.
But what this story tells us. is that he did His duty. He did what God told him. I think it's a very good idea. And what he'd called him to do was of monumental public significance.
This was not obedience that Samuel could offer to God in a corner where it was safe. He had to stand publicly. against the raining King. And sometimes we are called to do that. And only you.
Know where that call comes. in your life. That's true bravery, isn't it? How large God must have loomed in Samuel's heart for him to defy a king like that May God and His glory loom large in all our hearts, and help us to pursue extraordinary faithfulness.
Okay. you've been listening to the second in a fifteen part series on The Life of David. If you grew up hearing David's story like I did, chances are a few defining moments come to mind. the giant Goliath, the shepherd boy, or even the words of Psalm twenty three. But this series explores lesser known parts of David's life as well.
As it progresses we find David at the center of redemptive history, pointing beyond himself to Christ. When you donate today, you'll receive lifetime downloadable access to this 15-part series, so you can continue studying wherever you go. And we'll also send you a Renewing Your Mind journal for your notes. Just go to renewingyourmind.org today to give your gift. and we'll send you these resources.
You can also donate by calling us at 800-435-4343. Tomorrow, on Renewing Your Mind, R. C. shows us what we can learn from a young boy willing to risk it all in order to defend God's honor. Here's a preview.
Here you see this giant of giants. who is named The champion Of the Philistine. Army And he stood and cried out to the armies of Israel and said to them. why have you come but to line up for battle? Am I not a Philistine?
And you the servants of Saul? Choose then a man for yourselves, and let him come down to me. And 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. The challenge is clear. Very plain. Let's duel it out. Join us Wednesday here on Renewing Your Mind.
