Naples Men's Bible Study. Davik anointed in Bethlehem.

1 Sam. 16:1-16 The Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and be on your way; I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem. I have chosen one of his sons to be king.”
2 But Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hears about it, he will kill me.”
The Lord said, “Take a heifer with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.’ 3 Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what to do. You are to anoint for me the one I indicate.”
4 Samuel did what the Lord said. When he arrived at Bethlehem, the elders of the town trembled when they met him. They asked, “Do you come in peace?”
5 Samuel replied, “Yes, in peace; I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. Consecrate yourselves and come to the sacrifice with me.” Then he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.
6 When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and thought, “Surely the Lord’s anointed stands here before the Lord.”
7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lordlooks at the heart.”
8 Then Jesse called Abinadab and had him pass in front of Samuel. But Samuel said, “The Lord has not chosen this one either.” 9 Jesse then had Shammah pass by, but Samuel said, “Nor has the Lord chosen this one.”10 Jesse had seven of his sons pass before Samuel, but Samuel said to him, “The Lord has not chosen these.” 11 So he asked Jesse, “Are these all the sons you have?”
“There is still the youngest,” Jesse answered. “He is tending the sheep.”
Samuel said, “Send for him; we will not sit down until he arrives.”
12 So he sent for him and had him brought in. He was glowing with health and had a fine appearance and handsome features.
Then the Lord said, “Rise and anoint him; this is the one.”
13 So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon David. Samuel then went to Ramah.

Lesson outline

1. In our previous lesson, we studied how God rejected Saul as king. Now, The prophet Samuel will travel to Bethlehem in obedience to the command of the Lord. There is a lesson for us here. The work that God had intended for Saul is now ended. God's work would go on as it always does.
2. God's rejection of Saul and His choice of David was decisive. Yet it took about 15 years to fully unfold. God moves on in His determinations, but often not as fast as we expect.
3. The Lord specifically instructed Samuel to go to Bethlehem to anoint a new king. It appears that Samuel had bemoaned the fact that God had bypassed Saul. "How long will you mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel?" Notwithstanding Samuel's personal issues on this matter, the Lord instructed him to go to the house of Jesse in Bethlehem to pick the new king.
4. Upon hearing this, the prophet immediately objected. "If Saul hears of this he will kill me." This is another lesson for us. Even those who have great spiritual gifts and perception still are subject to human failings. God answered this issue, telling him to take a heifer and indicate that you have come to sacrifice to the Lord. Once in Bethlehem, he was to invite Jesse to the sacrifice, whereupon God would further instruct him. 1 Sam. 16:1-3.
5. The elders of the town trembled when Samuel arrived in Bethlehem. They assumed that if a prophet was visiting them, it had to be to address their many failures. Once in Bethlehem, Samuel obeyed the directive and invited Jesse and his sons to the sacrifice.
6. In verses 6-11, we see the distinction between the way that man sees and the way the God sees. Upon seeing the sons of Jesse, Samuel looked at the eldest named Eliab, and determined that this must be the son who will be king. Yet,the Lord did not choose Eliab or any of the other sons that would impress with their physical stature. The Lord indicated to Samuel that He did not choose as man would, because He could see the heart. One son did not attend the original sacrifice with the other sons. David was busy attending to the sheep. Samuel instructed that David be brought forward. This statement by God as to how he judges man is critical. God looks at our heart. He sees that innermost aspect of man that no one else can see. People measure the outward aspect that they can see, which is why we often make critical errors. God does not evaluate people with accusations. God defines people by the intentions of their heart, as He see our motives and inner qualities. 1Cor. 4-4. Ps. 29:2. In this case, God chose an uneducated farm boy as His anointed. The lesson here for us is that we should not choose people that have great gifts but lack a servant's heart.
7. In v.11-13, the Spirit of the Lord came upon David as it had once rested on Saul. 10:6, 10. As David was invested by the Spirit, that same Spirit left Saul. This is evidence of the fact that the presence of the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament says nothing about salvation, but only that His power worked in those whom God selected for service. Judges 3:10, 6:34. With the departure of the Spirit of God, Saul became tormented by an evil spirit, which God permitted to come (1Sam. 16:14). God did not directly send upon Saul and evil spirit, but rather allowed it to happen in view of Saul's propensity for disobedience. Saul left himself wide open to satanic influence- just as Judas did.
8. Another lesson here is that God knows where we are, and His timing is never late, God needs no help in locating His chosen. We should also not confuse offering our service to the Lord with insisting on recognition. We need to be diligent without insisting on receiving recognition or honor.
9. It is interesting to see how God works. As a result of the Spirit of God departing from Saul, he became increasingly distressed. His servants suggested that a skillful harp player could help his mood. So Saul directed they find a gifted musician and have him come to the palace. As a result, David was invited to the palace. God allowed all of this to come to pass so that David did not even have to push the door open to the palace. After a time soothing the spirit of Saul, the king requested him to stay permanently. After a time, David became one of Saul's armor bearers. See 1Sam. 16:21-23.
10. Here we see the workings of God's hand. The king's heart is in the Lord's hand, and he turns it according to His will (Prov. 21:1). David wrote of this truth when he said to the people to " commit their way to the Lord" and rest in the Lord, patiently trusting Him. Psalm 37:5-7.