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1 Samuel 16:1-13. Samuel anoints David as King
- Context
- Samuel is growing old, but his sons have strayed away from God. Israel has asked for a king, but Saul’s kingship has been rejected by the Lord. The time has now come for God to choose another, wiser king for his people.
- Faith
- Samuel is told by God where to go, but not who is to be made king. He must rely on God to protect him on the journey and to reveal more when he gets there.
- Bethlehem
- This was not a large or particularly significant place. Even so, God chose it to play a part not only in this story of David, Israel’s greatest king, but also in that of his descendant, 28 generations and over 1000 years later, Jesus, whose birth was announced in the town of David.
- Youngest
- David was the youngest of eight brothers. Samuel assumed that God would choose the first son, Eliab, as he was the first born, and therefore most important son. He was also tall and probably powerfully built, but God does not look at outward appearances, but what is in people’s hearts. As the youngest son, David was carrying on the work of shepherd, and was not even at the gathering.
- Anointed
- David is God’s chosen one, and is anointed with oil, the ancient symbol of consecration. From that moment the Holy Spirit comes upon him. A parallel may be drawn with Jesus’ baptism, when the Spirit also came upon him.
- To consider
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- God rarely discloses large amounts of his plan for us. As with Samuel here, he reveals his plans for us little by little.
- Bethlehem was a small place, and David, the youngest son, was doing the menial work of shepherding. God often chooses what the world sees as the unimportant and ordinary to carry out his work.
- Even though David was the greatest of all Israel’s kings, he could do nothing on his own and still needed God’s help and strength through the Holy Spirit.
- Prayer
- Lord Jesus, thank you that you use ordinary people to carry out your extraordinary works. Please anoint me with your Holy Spirit to equip and strengthen me for doing your work.
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