I SAMUEL 16:1-13 Lesson # 16
THE CALL OF DAVID
I. Introduction:
Many of us have several facets to our lives and David is much like us. He begins as a shepherd and does faithfully shepherd Israel as her king, but he was also a great warrior and a great musician for he was responsible for much of Israel’s temple music. Israel’s greatest warrior king also influenced much of the Psalter. So he has this triple aspect: shepherd/warrior/singer. This will be our first introduction to David. It will start with his anointing and selection by God from the sheep holds (16:1-13), then it will be followed by his being introduced as a singer/musician (16:14-23) and then as a warrior (17:1-58).
Let us first look at the selection of David….
II. Samuel Struggles/Hesitates to Obey. I Samuel 16:1-3.
>>>> Have someone read I Samuel 16:1-3.
Q Why does Samuel hesitate to anoint one of Jesse’s sons?
An = He fears Saul’s reaction. Samuel may be the key religious figure in Israel, but Saul is now out of the will of God and thus a bit of a loose cannon. Samuel’s fears are justified, as we shall see in chapter 22.
Q Is it OK to be afraid of doing something God asks or wants?
An = Yes, notice God does not criticize or chastise Samuel for speaking the truth. Instead of condemning Samuel’s fears God shows him a way to deal with a difficult situation. He gives Samuel a cover for his operation of anointing.
Q What is God’s answer to Samuel’s perceived threat from Saul?
An = Go to the town under the guise of wanting to offer a sacrifice (16:2).
Note: God has already made His choice. David does not come from the insightful choices of men but purely from God’s sovereign will. Fretheim says it well when he calls David’s selection “not a human accident but a divine intention” (Fretheim, p. 120).
Q Does God give Samuel the specific information needed to make his exact selection of one of Jesse’s sons?
An = No. God gives direction, but often not a complete way.
Q Why does God give partial instructions?
Q Have you ever experienced this: the need to constantly go to Him? Why does God do this?
An = This often frustrates me, but real growth in our faith comes when we walk in our faith. Walking is movement, but usually sustained, more long-term movement. We are to walk with God, and this implies movement, purposeful movement, but steady movement with God.
It is easier to walk, talk, and get to know each other than by hearing and running. Jesus says we are to pray: “Give us our daily bread”. Not give us bread by the truck load for the whole year.
I was once asked by my former pastor: “Well, son, what are you going to do with your life?” I answered: “I do not know”. He answered: “Good, because you cannot do it until you get there.”
Note: Notice though the end of 16:3. We are to do what we are told and then further instructions will come. The key is to obey what we know, then the “more” will open up.
Note: There is some tremendous irony here. Saul is into religion (sacrifice) instead of into God and it is under the guise of religion or sacrifice that the beginning of his reign’s end takes its start. The sacrifice covers the anointing of his replacement.
III. Samuel Obeys/Listens at Bethlehem. I Samuel 16:4-13.
A. Samuel obeys. I Samuel 16:4-5.
>>>> Have someone read I Samuel 16:4-5.
Note: Samuel physically obeyed. He made his way to Bethlehem despite his fears or misgivings. It does not matter how great you are. You cannot be used of God unless you will listen and obey.
B. The Review of Jesse’s First Seven Sons: The Need to Listen. I Samuel 16:6-10.
>>>> Have someone read I Samuel 16:6-10.
Note: Even a great prophet can be fooled. We need to listen to His voice if we are going to serve Him as He desires.
Q What does the Lord look for in a great leader?
An = He looks at the heart.
Q What does it mean to look at the heart?
An = The word “heart” comes from the Hebrew word lev meaning our hidden thoughts or consciousness. Something that is central, hidden and has to do with the mind or our thoughts. God knows what a man really is. He looks for a man who at his hidden core thinks like Yahweh. >> Have two different people look up John 7:24 and II Corinthians 5:16. Have them read these verses to the group.
Note: Samuel does not panic, even though he sees son after son that the Lord’s rejects. Samuel will wait where Saul never would.
C. The Selection of David: Picking the Dark Horse. I Samuel 16:11-13.
>>>> Have someone read I Samuel 16:11-13.
Q Where was David when he was sent for?
An = He was at work, menial work, but work. He was tending sheep. Taking care of sheep is not a very prestigious job. Even today in Montana sheep herders are not considered to be very reputable people. It is more of a “no-brainer” job. But notice God selected a man who was at work and someone who took his work seriously.
>>> Have everyone turn to I Samuel 17:34-35 and have someone read it.
Q What kind of worker is David?
An = He takes seriously every task, no matter how menial. Most young men would have run at the sight of a ferocious animal, but David holds in there. He does not run away from tough tasks. See 17:36, it is faithfulness in dealing with the sheep that has taught him that God will be faithful in one of the key moments of his life and Israel’s life. Little private actions prepare us for the big public actions.
Q Which Israelites were given the announcement of the birth of the Messiah?
An = In Luke 2:8-20 we learn that it was shepherds, the poor, the low-end of the blue collar working scale that is chosen to hear the angels sing. It was not the great Rabbis or the members of Herod’s court. Jesus and David came from humble circumstances.
Note: The fact that David is the eighth son is significant. He is outside the hallowed number seven, he is the runt of the litter, the least son. He was not even invited to the sacrificial feast. He participates in a long line of “Dark Horse Motif” selections of Israelite leaders. In racing terms a “dark horse” is one no one expects to win. The great judges of the book of Judges are for the most part “long shots”, people you would not expect to be selected. In Judges, you have Gideon, the coward, Jephthah, the bandit, Ehud, the left handed one (when almost everyone else is right handed), and Deborah, who was a woman, which was very unusual in those days.
Q What happens to David when he is anointed with oil?
An = The Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon David from that day forward.
Q What does that mean?
An = We are not told, where in Saul’s case we are given a lot of details with a lot of little miracles and finally the great military victory against the Ammonites. Here nothing is said except that the Spirit has fallen. It is interesting to note that both Saul and David were genuinely anointed by the Spirit. Saul was given all the tools to succeed as David was given. The key difference is “listening”.
Q Does God still select men today?
Q What type of men will He be looking for?
Q What should young men and women be about before their selection?
An = They should be working and learning to be faithful. Also, the selection of David is good news for those who are “little”, without prestige. God can select anyone.
>>>> Have someone read Luke 16:10