DAVID IS ANOINTED AS THE NEW KING

I Samuel 16:1-13

Victor M. Eskew

 

1.      Outline:

 

i.                    A NEW KING TO BE ANOINTED (I Sam. 16:1-3)

ii.                  AN OLD PROPHET CAUSES ANXIETY (I Sam. 16:4-5)

iii.                SEVERAL SONS ARE ABSOLVED (I Sam. 16:6-10)

iv.                A SHEPHERD BOY IS ANOINTED (I Sam. 16:11-13)

 

2.      “And the Lord said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel?” (I Sam. 16:1)

 

A.    Samuel is extremely upset that Saul has been rejected.  Why?

1.      Perhaps it was because he had developed a friendship with Saul.

2.      It could have been that he feared for the nation of Israel.

 

B.      Some time had passed at this point.  The Lord begins with the words:  “How long with thou mourn?

 

C.     It doesn’t seem as though Samuel has sought the Lord’s will up to this point.  As a prophet he could have consulted with God on this matter.  It appears that his grief left him paralyzed.

 

D.    LESSONS: 

1.      Grief is natural, but prolonged grief is a very serious matter.  It can be dangerous. 

2.      To move beyond grief should be the goal of all who have suffered loss.  This involves connecting to life here again.

 

3.      What was Samuel instructed to fill with oil? (I Sam. 16:1)

 

…fill thine horn with oil…

 

A.    His horn

 

B.      Definition:

1.      Strong (7161):  a horn, a flask

2.      BDB:  horn, flask

 

 

4.      To whom was Samuel instructed to go? (I Sam. 16:1)

 

…and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite…

 

A.    He was told to go to the home of Jesse of Bethlehem.

 

 

B.      Facts about Bethlehem

1.      The name means “house of bread.”

2.      It is about 6.2 miles south of Jerusalem.

3.      It is referred to at times as “the city of David.”

 

C.     Jesse

1.      He as the son of Obed, the grandson of Ruth and Boaz.

2.      He had eight sons and two daughters.

3.      His name will become important in prophecy.  It will be spoken in Messianic prophecies (Isa. 11:1-3, 10).

 

5.      Why was he to go to Jesse? (I Sam. 16:1)

 

…for I have provided me a king among his sons.

 

A.    He would go to anoint a king from among the sons of Jesse

 

6.      Why was Samuel scared? (I Sam. 16:2)

 

And Samuel said, How can I go?  If Saul hear it, he will kill me…

 

A.    He was afraid of Saul’s reaction if he found out Saul’s intent.  He believed Saul would kill him.

 

B.      This was a real possibility.  Saul had moved from being humble to being full of pride.  He was not always willing to follow the will of God.  Therefore, he could have killed Saul if he knew he was anointing a king from another family.

 

 

 

7.      What cover did the Lord provide for Samuel? (I Sam. 16:2-3)

 

…And the Lord said, Take a heifer with thee, and say, I am come to sacrifice to the Lord.  And call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show thee what thou shalt do:  and thou shalt anoint unto me him whom I name unto thee.

 

A.    He could tell Saul that he had come to the city of sacrifice.

 

B.      Comments

1.      Barnes:  “It was not the purpose of God that Samuel should stir up a civil war, by setting up David as Saul’s rival. Secrecy, therefore, was a necessary part of the transaction. But secrecy and concealment are not the same as duplicity and falsehood. Concealment of a good purpose, for a good purpose, is clearly justifiable” (e-sword).

2.      Clarke:  “and though no man, in any circumstances, should ever tell a lie, yet in all circumstances he is not obliged to tell the whole truth, though in every circumstance he must tell nothing but the truth, and in every case so tell the truth that the hearer shall not believe a lie by it” (e-sword).

 

8.      T – F    Samuel was so scared that he refused to obey God. (I Sam. 16:4)

 

And Samuel did that which the Lord spake, and came to Bethlehem…

 

A.    False

 

9.      Who trembled when they saw Samuel? (I Sam. 16:4)

 

…And the elders of the town trembled at his coming…

 

A.    The elders

1.      These were the leaders of the city.

2.      The word “elders” indicates that they were older, experienced men.

3.      They usually sat at the gate of the city and heard the cases of the people.

 

B.      The text does not indicate “why” they trembled.

1.      His coming was not expected.  Thus, it indicated something negative to them.

2.      Perhaps he had gone to other cities to rebuke, judge, or punish in the past.

 

10.  What question did they pose to Samuel? (I Sam. 16:4)

 

…and said, Comest thou peaceably?

 

A.    Comest thou peaceably?

 

B.      See I Corinthians 4:21

 

What will ye?  Shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love, and in the spirit of meekness?

 

11.  T – F    Samuel came to punish the people for their disobedience to God. (I Sam. 16:5)

 

And he said, Peaceably…

 

A.    False

B.     LESSONS:

1.      The work of a prophet did not always involve pleasant things.  Sometimes, he was called upon to enter into a city as an adversary.

2.      Here, Saul had come peaceably, but the work he was required to do was one done with some fear if Saul found out that he would anoint David as king.

 

12.  Who were sanctified to come to the sacrifice? (I Sam. 16:5)

 

…I am come to sacrifice unto the Lord:  sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice.  And he sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice.

 

A.    The elders

 

B.      Jesse

 

C.     Jesse’s sons

 

D.    Clarke:  “Change your clothes, and wash your bodies in pure water, and prepare your minds by meditation, reflection, and prayer; that, being in the spirit of sacrifice, ye may offer acceptably to the Lord” (e-sword).

 

13.  When Samuel saw Eliab, what did he say? (I Sam. 16:6)

 

And it came to pass, when they were come, that he looked on Eliab, and said, Surely the Lord’s anointed is before me.

 

A.    Surely the Lord’s anointed is before me.

 

B.      Eliab presented himself well from a physical standpoint (See I Sam. 16:7)

1.      He may have been tall like Saul.

2.      He may have been a very handsome young man.

 

C.     NOTE:  Man is limited as he looks for a leader.  He can only see the physical components of a man.  The heart is hidden from his view.  The inner man can be quite different from the physical man.

 

14.  What did the Lord tell Samuel not to look upon in the king’s selection? (I Sam. 16:7)

 

But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature:  because I have refused him…

 

A.    Do not look on his countenance

 

B.      Do not look on the height of his stature

 

15.  T – F    The Lord seeth not as man seeth (I Sam. 16:7)

 

…for the Lord seeth not as man seeth…

 

A.    True

 

B.      LESSON:  This is a point that all men and women need to remember about God.  He does not see as we see.  He does not think the way we think.  He does not behave the way we behave (See Isa. 55:8-9).

 

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.  For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. 

 

16.  “…for man looketh on the  outward  appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart” (I Sam. 16:7).

 

A.    The heart is the true measure of a man (Prov. 4:23; 23:7).  The outward manifestations can be just a façade. 

1.      One’s body can be strong, but he can have the heart of a coward.

2.      One can hide among the stuff and have a heart of pride.

3.      One can be beautiful on the outside and ugly on the inside.

4.      One can be clean on the outside and filthy on the inside.

 

17.  What was the name of the second son who was refused by God? (I Sam. 16:8)

 

Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, Neither hath the Lord chosen him.

 

A.    Abinadab

 

18.  What as the name of the third son who was refused by God (I Sam. 16:9)

 

Then Jesse made Shammah to pass by.  And he said, Neither hath the Lord chosen him.

 

A.    Shammah

 

19.  How many of the sons of Jesse did God reject? (I Sam. 16:10)

 

Again, Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel.  And Samuel said unto Jesse, The Lord hath not chosen these.

 

A.    Seven

 

B.     LESSON:  The process of finding the right man for a job can be a long and tedious one.  One may have to examine numerous candidates before finding the right person for the job.

 

20.  Where was the youngest son? (I Sam. 16:11)

 

And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all thy children?  And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep..

 

A.    The youngest was keeping sheep

 

B.      It is interesting that he was doing the very work physically that he was being called of God to do spiritually (Jer. 23:4)

 

And I will set up shepherds over them which shall feed them…

21.  T – F    Saul wanted him brought before him. (I Sam. 16:11)

 

…And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him:  for we will not sit down till he come hither.

 

A.    True

 

22.  What three descriptions does the Bible give of David? (I Sam. 16:12)

 

And he sent, and brought him in.  Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to. 

 

A.    Ruddy

1.      Strong (132):  reddish, of the hair or complexion

2.      BDB:  red

 

B.      Of a beautiful countenance

 

C.     Goodly to look to

1.      Strong (2896):  good beautiful

2.      BDB:  good, pleasant, agreeable, becoming, glad happy

 

23.  “And the Lord said, Arise, anoint him:  for this is he” (I Sam. 16:12).

 

24.  T – F    Samuel refused to anoint David (I Sam. 16:13)

 

Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren…

 

A.    False

 

B.      It would be interesting to have known what David’s brothers thought about this matter.  All of them had been rejected.  Now the youngest is selected by the prophet of God.

 

25.  What came upon David after he was anointed? (I Sam. 16:13)

 

…and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that time forward.

 

A.    The Spirit of the Lord

 

B.       NOTE:  We are not told exactly what the Spirit of the Lord did in the life of David at the time.

 

26.  Where did Samuel go after he finished anointing David as king? (I Sam. 16:13)

 

So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.

 

A.    He went to Ramah.

 

B.      We are not told what he told to Jesse, his sons, and David.

1.      Did he give them some indication that David would be the next king?

2.      Did he leave David’s future in the hands of God without revealing anything?

 

 

MUSICIAN AND ARMORBEARER

I Samuel 16:14-23

Homework

Victor M. Eskew

 

1.      Outline:

 

i.                    I Samuel 16:14

ii.                  I Samuel 16:15-17

iii.                I Samuel 16:18

iv.                I Samuel 16:19-23

 

2.      “But the ________________ of the ______________ departed from Saul…” (I Sam. 16:14).

 

3.      What kind of spirit troubled Saul? (I Sam. 16:14)

 

4.      Define:  troubled (I Sam. 16:14)

 

5.      Who suggested a solution to the king? (I Sam. 16:15)

 

 

6.      What solution did they propose? (I Sam. 16:15)

 

7.      Define:  cunning (I Sam. 16:15)

 

 

8.      “Provide me now a man that can play _________________.” (I Sam. 16:17)

 

 

9.      What seven descriptions are given of David in I Samuel 16:18?

 

A.

 

B.

 

C.

 

D.

 

E.

 

F.

 

G.

 

10.  Define:  mighty valiant (I Sam. 16:18)

 

 

11.  Define:  prudent (I Sam. 16:18)

 

 

12.  Define:  comely (I Sam. 16:18)

13.  Of all the traits that used to describe David in I Samuel 16:17, which one do you believe is the most valuable?  Why?

 

 

 

 

14.  Where was David when the messengers of the king sent word to Jesse? (I Sam. 16:19)

 

 

15.  What three things did Jesse send with David on his trip to see the king? (I Sam. 16:20)

 

A.

 

B.

 

C.

 

 

16.  What do the words, “stood before him” mean? (I Sam. 16:21)

 

 

17.  How did Saul respond to David? (I Sam. 16:21)

 

 

18.  What other position did David assume? (I Sam. 16:22)

 

 

19.  “Let David, _______________  before me:  for he hath found _____________ in my sight” (I Sam. 16:22).

 

20.  What instrument did David play when the evil spirit came upon Saul? (I Sam. 16:23)

 

 

21.  What is the three-fold description of Saul’s response to David’s playing? (I Sam. 16:23)

 

A.

 

B.

 

C.

 

22.  Define:  refreshed (I Sam. 16:23)