I Samuel 16:7 What God Sees

Read I Samuel 16:7, note “The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but God looks at the heart.

Background: The Israelites had demanded a king. God consented and Samuel, under God’s direction and at the request of the people, anointed the young Saul. We are never told Saul was God’s choice, only that the people wanted him because of his size and some of the things he had done. Saul seemed to have so much potential. Things, however, went from good to bad. Finally, God said it was enough. 

This story is introduced in I Samuel 16:1 with the words, “The Lord.”  Nothing that happened in this chapter or in the life of David can be understood apart from the fact that God is in it. The story began with the initiative of God and not of either Samuel or David. David received his legitimacy not on the basis of anything he did but by the authority of God. 

God rejected Saul as king.  In I Samuel 10:19 Samuel said to Saul, “You have rejected your God.” In I Samuel 15:26 we read, “You have rejected the word of the LORD, and the LORD has rejected you as king over Israel!” It was over for Saul, and it was Saul’s own fault.

According to I Samuel 16:1, God sent Samuel to anoint a son of Jesse as the new king. Samuel was told to take some oil, the symbol of spiritual anointing, and invite Jesse to the sacrifice. 

Normally in the Old Testament genealogies were given. There is none for Jesse. It is likely it was omitted as a way of showing that David came from a very ordinary background with no genealogical pedigree that made him special. Only the call of God made a difference. 

God said, “I have chosen.”  The Hebrew clearly shows that the choice was God’s. Literally the Hebrew reads, “I have chosen or seen for myself a king.” God always chooses us both for redemption and for ministry, regardless of what that ministry is. 

Verse 2 gives the human dimension of what Samuel was being asked to do and God’s way of ensuring that Samuel would not fail. Samuel said, “Saul will find out and will kill me.” Samuel’s eyes were on Saul, not on God. Leave God out of the equation and he was absolutely right to be afraid. This was a legitimate fear. Saul has turned his back on God and, therefore, on God’s servant. Saul was desperate to save his kingship and somehow reverse the decision of God. He was capable of just about anything. Saul could not get at God but could get at His servant. In addition, Samuel had to travel through Saul’s hometown to get to Bethlehem. It was not an easy assignment.

So, in 16:2 we read that God said, “take a heifer and offer a sacrifice.” This provided Samuel with a legitimate reason to go. God is realistic. He will go with us and will enable us to accomplish all He wants us to do. 

Verses 3 and 4 describe Samuel’s arrival in Bethlehem. The people legitimately wanted to know why Samuel had come to them. It was not normal for Samuel to visit Bethlehem. He had a regular circuit he used for leading in sacrifices and Bethlehem was not on that circuit. When Samuel’s approach to Bethlehem was made known there had to have been at least curiosity if not concern. Samuel was God’s spokesman and often came to a community with a message of judgment but certainly not always. Samuel assured them he had come in peace. 

Verses 5-10 tell us that the sons of Jesse passed before Samuel one by one. We can only imagine what Jesse knew or felt at this point. Scripture does not say but certainly to have the Billy Graham of his day visit his home was an honor. At this point Samuel did not know what he was looking for. Samuel viewed the process as we might. He saw the first born, who culturally would be selected, and noted how good he looked, a great specimen of a man, and decided this is the one. Verse 6 says, “Samuel saw.” God had already indicated that He has seen the one who would be king, but Samuel did not see the way God does. 

Read I Samuel 16:7 Verse 7. 

God looks at the heart. It is interesting to see what commentators do with this passage in relationship to David. There is a temptation to immediately jump to a study of what that heart might have looked like. We are not told. David was still a boy with a lot of spiritual growth still needed. I suspect God saw what is recorded in Acts 13:22 where we read that David was a man after God’s heart. He desired God even if at his age the full impact of that could not be known to him.

One of the key lessons of this story is that God is always gracious in choosing whom He will and then equipping them for His ministry, be that ministry one of being a king like David or witnessing to a friend. Read I Corinthians 1:27-29 

To give an idea of how lowly David was when God chose him to be a king, look at verse 11.  David’s father said in essence, “Well, there is another, but he doesn’t count for much. He’s really just a shepherd.” Note how David fit into the family. He was the servant/slave. All the menial or lousy jobs fell on him. He was not even considered a man by his father. It could not have been the happiest situation of this young man who seems to have been rejected or at least ignored by everyone. The neat thing is that God is always with us and He is not swayed by the opinions of others. It is always better to be acknowledged by God and ignored by the world than the other way around.

Samuel was open to God doing things differently from the way the world does so Samuel says in verse 11, “We will not sit down until he arrives.” In other words, we will not make a decision until he arrives.When David arrived from the field, he was anything but ceremonially clean for participating in the sacrifice and feast but, as always, God was far more interested in the heart than in ceremony and David was His choice for king. We learn in verses 12, 13 that Samuel knew this was the one and anointed him immediately, although we are not told how he knew. 

Verse 13 records that the Spirit of the Lord came upon him. The Hebrew and Greek words for “spirit” are the words “breath” and “wind” presenting us with the picture of that invisible force that moves things. God’s “invisible” presence in us is the power to move things. In the New Testament it is a description of the coming of the Holy Spirit upon the church. We must not miss the combination of verses 12 and 13. In verse 12 God called and in verse 13 God equipped via His Spirit. The two always go hand in hand. God never calls but what he does not give all the tools necessary to accomplish the task.

What does this incident in Jewish historysay to us? 

1. It should remind us that we must never assume we are a “no one.” We may be a no one until God calls us to follow Him and serve Him and then we are His someone.

2. We must avoid the tendency to view individuals externally. The heart is what God looks at. We tend to evaluate by position, wealth, or education but God looks at the heart.

3. We must remember that we can do nothing by ourselves so we must learn to rest in and make use of the Holy Spirit who dwells in us. He can use us the way He has equipped us. 

It would be 15-18 years from David’s anointing until he became king. God is never in a hurry when it comes to developing our inner character. It takes time. Alan Redpath wrote, “The conversion of a soul is a miracle of a moment, the manufacture of a saint is the task of a lifetime. It is the matchless marvel of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ to take a life from the dunghill and set it among princes, to replace bias of degeneration with the bias of regeneration, and to cause a man who has sunk to the depths to cry to God, “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.” (P.5 The Makin g of a Man of God.)

Gideon Judges 6-8

There is a pattern in the book of Judges. It began with Israel forgetting God. They then did their own thing and worshiped false gods. God judged them for their sins by allowing some foreign power to dominate them. The people repented and God raised up a judge who led them back to God and to independence. This was the setting of Gideon’s story. Israel sinned and God allowed, among others, the Midianites to dominate them. 

Read Judges 6:1-6: The Midianites and others would wait until the harvest was ready and then swoop down and steal it all, thus leaving the Israelites with no food. Judges 6:11 tells us that Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress to keep it from the Midianites. One did not normally thresh in a winepress but Gideon was hoping to escape detection and hold onto some of his harvest. This makes the greeting of the angel a little humorous as he calls Gideon a “mighty warrior.”

Read Judges 6:13, 14: Question 1: “If God is with us why is this happening?” Gideon had many of the same reactions that all of us have, especially in times of difficulty. He knew the theology and he knew the accounts of how God had worked in the past but he found it difficult to see where God was today in the midst of so much suffering. How many times did we hear people ask “Where was God on 9/11?” When things are not going the way we think they should we often ask, “Where is God now when I need Him?” 

God said, “I am still here and it is time to move and I am going to move through you.” Verse 14 is a powerful verse if we stop to think of it. The writer has told us how powerful the enemies are but God said to Gideon that He would use him to set His people free. Read verse 14. That tells us two very important things about doing the work that God has set before us, whether it is  teaching Sunday school, witnessing to a neighbor, raising children etc. 1. Gideon was to go in the strength he had. We must never minimize the gifts and abilities that God has given us nor can we ever be satisfied with the way we develop and perfect those gifts. 2. And God said, “Am I not sending you?” Our gifts, talents, abilities, strengths etc are of little value if He is not in it. When He is in it we don’t need anything more.

Read Joshua 6: 15-24 Question 2: “What makes you think I can do what you are asking? I am a nobody in a small tribe and insignificant even as far as my family is concerned.”

And to this the Lord again reminded him (v. 16), “I will be with you.” I am not sure how seriously most of us take the promise of Jesus that He will never leave or forsake us. In the Old Testament it was the exception but in the New Testament it is the rule. Every believer has God with him 24/7/365 because of the presence of the Holy Spirit 

Those doubts were followed by a literal “prove it” as far as Gideon was concerned. He said (v. 17), “If now I have found favor in your eyes, give me a sign that it is really you talking to me.” God said OK. God never puts us off for honest doubts and questions. He is more than able and willing to prove himself. At every step God met Gideon where he was and helped him move forward in his faith. God is always willing to do that if we are honest and really want to move forward.

Gideon got a sacrifice (v. 19), placed it on the rock and the angel of the Lord touches it and it is consumed. Gideon believed but had a new problem (v. 22, 23). One cannot see God and live so he fears for his life. God said “You will live.”

Gideon’s first assignment was to destroy an altar set up to Baal. Read Judges 6:25-32: God asked Gideon to destroy this altar and in its place put up an altar to the true God. Gideon did that at night with the help of 10 servants. The next morning the people of the town discovered what had happened and soon learned who did it. They wanted to kill Gideon for this act of vandalism against the god they were worshipping and depending on so asked that he be brought to them for judgment.  Gideon’s father asked why they needed to judge him. “Was not that the job of Baal whom Gideon supposedly offended?” In the end they saw that a false God couldn’t defend himself and, by way of implication, couldn’t defend those who follow him. Satan and the world promise so much but in the end they cannot produce what they say they can. There is a hopelessness about false gods that ultimately shows up in their inability to produce.

Read Judges 6:34: Literally God “clothed himself in Gideon” 

Gideon was still in doubt and asked God for 2 more signs or proof that He would do what He said. (v. 36-40). Gideon placed a fleece on the ground. The first night he asked God to make it wet when all else around it is dry. The next night he reversed it. “Putting out the fleece” is fine on some occasions but needs to be used carefully. God does not generally work this way but on occasion it seems to be acceptable to lay out a test to confirm what otherwise seems right. No fleece can ever confirm what is wrong morally nor can we use a fleece if we are not willing to follow His leading should He give us a sign.

Read Judges 7:2: God told Gideon that if he went to battle with that many some would think they accomplished it themselves and would fail to give Him the glory. Remember, God will share anything with His children except His glory. That is His and His alone. 

Read Judges 7:3-6: First God released all who were afraid. Only those who truly believed God could do it were permitted to go. Then God selected the men who lapped the water, not because it was the right way to do it but because the number was so small that any victory would have to have come from God. And Gideon goes into battle with 300 men. 

Read Judges 7:15: Gideon first of all worshiped God, something we too seldom take the time to do, and then went back and told his men to get ready and they move out. He stationed the men on the hilltop and at a signal the 300 sounded trumpets and broke jars and shouted, “For the Lord and for Gideon.” 

Read Judges 7:19-21. The Israelites did those things that left the impression there were many more of them than there actually were but at the same time they did nothing that would legitimately cause the Midianites to panic. The only explanation for that is God. The Midianites killed each other.

Read Judges 7:22-25: God gave Gideon and his small army complete victory over the Midianites.

Judges 8 is largely a discussion of the victories that they won because God was with them.

Read Judges 8:22-28. The Israelites ask Gideon to rule over them. Gideon refused but instead made for himself a replica of the garment worn by the priests. Soon they forgot that only God should be worshiped and only as He instructs us to worship Him. Read Judges 8:33, 34. The people returned to their old ways.

Lessons: God understands and accepts our honest doubts and questions and if we are willing to seek answers He will give us all of the answers we need. He may not tell us all we want to know but will give us all we need to know to trust Him more fully.

Little is much when God is in it. If He asks us to do anything He provides for it as He equips us to serve.

Faith needs encouragement. Gideon needed to be encouraged several times but God was more than patient and more than willing to assist him. God encourages us through one another, asking us to be His instruments of that encouragement.

Selling a birthright: Genesis 25:19-34

We often hear of dumb things thieves do that result in their being caught. One really dumb act is recorded in Genesis 25.

Genesis 25 gives Abraham’s descendents through Isaac which is the line God ordained to be the one of blessing and promise. Isaac married Rebekah but for 20 years they are without children. In verse 21 we read that Isaac took his problem to God and God answered his prayer. Rebekah became pregnant. Remember Isaac was the product of a prayer by his father Abraham and was born at a time his mother was well beyond the age of giving birth. God wanted it fully understood that this was the family through which He would bless the whole world.

Verse 22 records that Rebekah senses something unusual was taking place in her body and she inquired of God as to what the meaning was. Here we have a couple who had problems but knew where to go for answers. They had questions in the home but knew the God of all wisdom and went to Him in prayer. One wonders why so few Christians come boldly to the throne or so seldom seek God’s help or His answer to problems.

Verse 23 records that the Lord told her she was not going to have one child but two sons. In addition, she was told each would be the head of a great nation. One would be stronger than the other and, very strangely, the younger would rule over the older.

In our western culture each child is free to become whatever he can. In the Eastern world, however, age rules. The eldest is automatically above his brothers and sisters and assumes both the privilege and responsibility of heading the family upon the death of the father. Never would a younger brother be put in a position of ruling over the older, even if he were more capable or better able. But the Lord speaking to Rebekah declared that she would give birth to two sons and the elder will be ruled by the younger.

Verses 24-26 record the birth. The first was named Esau and the second, Jacob. Then in verses 27-34 we have the account of how it came to be that Esau submitted to his younger brother after selling his birthright. Prophecy was fulfilled.  

In verse 27 we have the setting. Jacob was home after his day of work and had a bowl of pottage that Rebekah had made for him. Pottage was something like cornmeal. It is a boiled dish made with grains and was the staple food of many desert people.

Esau returned home. He was a hunter. I suspect his life was more exciting, roaming about the countryside looking for some animal to kill for fresh meat. On that occasion he was returning very tired, hungry and empty handed. Esau found his brother enjoying a bowl of pottage and said, “Give me something to eat.”

Jacob said, according to verse 31, “Sell me your birthright.” What was the birthright?

1) It was authority over the family upon the death of the father. His mother and any unmarried sisters were a special concern, but it carried the overall leadership of the family.

2) It provided a double portion of all property as an inheritance so that he could properly support his mother and sisters.

3) Until the time of Moses and Aaron the eldest was also the priest of the family.

So, Jacob said to Esau, “Tell you what I’ll do. I’ll sell you a bowl of pottage for your birthright.” Archaeology shows that such sales were valid and binding.

Esau thought for a moment, probably a very short moment, and said, “I’m at the point of death and frankly a birthright is no good if you are dead. If I don’t get some food, I’ll die.” How easy it is to justify stupidity. If Esau was right, it would be understandable, but nothing was further from the truth. 

Esau would never have been permitted to starve to death in his own home. Besides, all he was going to get was one bowl of pottage. That would not have been adequate to meet his needs if he really was as hungry as he claimed to be. But Esau had just one thought on his mind, the lust of his flesh. He was hungry and wanted food. Esau wanted to have his appetite satisfied and he wanted it immediately. It really did not matter what it cost him to get it. So, in verse 33 we read he swore unto Jacob and sold his birthright to him.

Of course, Esau was not the only one in history to give up a precious gift for a moment of pleasure. He was not the only one to give up a valuable gift to get that which could not last or satisfy.

Moses gave up the right to enter the land of promise because of a moment of doubt when he struck a rock instead of speaking to it as God had directed.

Achan, in Joshua 7, sold his life and that of his family for a few pieces of gold taken from the city of Jericho.

Samson, for the love of a woman, sold his place among God’s servants. 

In the New Testament Jesus spoke of the rich young ruler who loved his wealth and chose it rather than following Jesus. Judas for 30 pieces of silver sold his Lord and lost his reason to live. Ananias and Sapphira withheld on a promise to God and pretended to be what they were not and thereby sold themselves unto death. The Apostle Paul wrote of others who sold themselves to the devil, to lusts and desires, to false prophets.

Esau made a grave mistake, a foolish trade, giving away his spiritual and material future for a bowl of pottage just to satisfy a momentary desire. Many others have sold equally great and sometimes even greater treasures for even less. Daily Satan tempts us to sell what is really valuable for little or nothing. The missionary Jim Elliott said, “He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.” Unfortunately, too many give what they should not lose for that which they cannot in the end keep.

Non-Christians sell their opportunity to eternal life by rejecting God’s love and offer of salvation for the pleasures of this world, the satisfaction of the moment, the pride of life.

Christians often give up so much for so little. Too many Christians are giving up family by being so busy with other things, all of which they argue are important, that they are not home when their children need them. 

Too many Christian parents are giving up the spiritual growth of their children because life is just too busy for devotions and study. They give up what they should never lose for what they cannot hold onto anyway.

How many Christians give up the blessings of being in God’s house with God’s people because they want a little extra sleep or think that Sunday is the only day they can do other things? 

Too many Christians are giving up spiritual growth because they have chosen TV over Bible study or the internet over prayer.

Were Esau alive today his case would probably make the Internet of foolish exchanges or ridiculous decisions. I wonder if God keeps a record of the foolish trades we make, of the things we give up that are important for those things that are unimportant in the long haul. The account of Esau’s foolish trade should challenge each of us to evaluate our lives to be sure we are not giving up what is truly important for things that, while they may be good, are not the best.