1 Sam 16:1-1-13 A Man after God’s own Heart

Intro: Today we are beginning a series of studies on one of the most Important & Intriguing Characters in the Bible – DAVID

A)Interesting that when looking at the time the Bible gives to certain people & Characters – David Clearly stands out :

B) Would it surprise you to know that there is more written about David that just about any other Biblical character – Consider

1) 14 Chapters are Dedicated to Abraham the Father of Faith / Friend of God / 11 Chapter Jacob./ 14 Joseph / 10 Elijah / 66 David

C) David’s name is mentioned 881 times in the OT & 54 times in the NT

1) So the Bible mentions him 935 times/ only one mentioned more is the Lord/ clearly an important Character

D) Today we want to Consider – David’s election to be King in Israel

1) Turn to 1 Sam.

Before we get into our Text today I want to first identify some of the important people – at this point in the Story & sort of set the Scene

A)The time is around – 1126 BC – some 340 yrs after Israel’s deliverance from Egypt & 300 yrs after their being established in Promised Land

B) They have come thru 240 yr period Where Judges reigned in Israel -

Samson / Gideon / Deborah / Abimelech / Jepthah – to name a few –

C) But the Book of Judges ends on this sad note - ²⁵In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.

It was at that time the Lord Choose to raise up a New Judge a Prophet by the name of Samuel –

A)Samuel’s story is an interesting one He was the miracle baby of a woman named Hannah who made a deal w/ God

B) Hannah was barren /Said God if you give me a Son I will dedicate him to you – Samuel was Born – She gave him to the Priest / after weaned

1) Samuel grew up in the House of Eli the Priest & God’s hand was upon him – even as a Boy we are told of Sam. That He ministered to the Lord

C) As time goes by Samuel is raised up as THE PROPHET in Israel & He becomes Israel’s Final Judge –

D)But as Samuel grows older the People come to Samuel in Ch.8:4 & declare – Samuel you are getting older / Your sons don’t walk w/ God

1) We want to be like the other nations – So Make us a King !!!!!

It is always a dangerous sign when God’s people want to copy the world

From the very beginning it has always been God’s plan & purpose that His people would stand in stark Contrast to the world

A)Jesus said : In the world but not of it / 2 Cor.6 –Come out from among them & be ye- separate says the Lord

B) SAINTS – separated ones – Set apart to God & for God

1) It has always been God’s heart that when THE WORLD would look at His people/ His Church there would be a stark Contrast –

C) It is SAD that in many ways that CONTRAST – doesn’t exist anymore

1) Many in the Church are too busy trying to see how like the world they can be !!!!

D)When Samuel heard these words – He was grieved – But the Lord said to Him –v.7 Know this Samuel not rejecting you they are rejecting me

1)Because during the whole period of Samuel’s ministry – although they didn’t have a Human king like other nations – God was their King

So in reality –It was Jehovah God they were rejecting in their desire to be like the other nations –

A)But God in His grace – granted their request – giving them a man by the name of Saul – Description in Ch.9:1,2

B) Saul was everything the People were looking for – He was the biggest the most Beautiful - / Tall / Dark & Handsome - / lady’s swoon – Oh Saul

1) Saul did have this going for him – he started out as a humble man – but as it has been said – Power corrupts / absolute power …… absolutely

C) It was not long before Saul’s Power went to His head – and after a series of events where Saul was rebellious to the Lord – God rejects Him as King

1) Ch.13:14 God declares to Saul thru Samuel v. 14

But now your kingdom shall not continue. The LORD has sought for Himself a man after His own heart, and the LORD has commanded him to be commander over His people, because you have not kept what the LORD commanded you.”

D) God had given the people their man – but now He was going to Choose His man – unique Description – a man after His own heart

Now before we consider the Choosing of David – Briefly mention one other important Character – that is Saul’s Son Jonathan

A)Jonathan was a man of God / Lover of God & a man of Faith – neat story about him in Ch.14 – He & His armor Bearer

B) Jonathan would have been a good successor to his Father Saul – but God had other plans for him ( David’s best friend – Top supporter )

1)Good thing when a man knows his role - #2 / Helper / Hold up another’s hands / Strengthen that man’s hands in the Lord – Jonathan’s place

C) Jonathan as we shall see was a man who was so in tune w/ the spirit of God that He thought nothing about lowering himself so that David could be EXALTED - He was truly a Great Friend & Supporter

So w/ that as our Back drop we come now to Ch.16 the Choosing of God’s man David : v. 1

¹Now the LORD said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go; I am sending you to Jesse the Bethlehemite. For I have provided Myself a king among his sons.”

A)Now this is interesting to me – tells us there is a time for mourning over leaders – who have fallen –

1) Good mark of a man or woman of God – is that they are burdened by the sins of those around them- not so calloused – Gary Condit

B) Another Perverted Politician – but that there is an aching in the heart –

1) Grieving over Sin – ( We must never lose that sensitivity toward sin & the wickedness in our world -) But we are to do more than just grieve

C) So God says to Samuel – You have grieved enough – IT is time to get on w/ My Program – my man

1) God was ready to do a New thing / but Samuel was still grieving over the Old thing /

D)God said time to move on – time go forward, I am sending you to the house of Jesse - ( Notice Samuel’s response – v.2

²And Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hears it, he will kill me.”

Does that Sound familiar – God says Go! & we say wait – How / but God

A)Samuel’s eyes were fixed on Saul / instead of on the Lord who was calling Him & sending Him

B) Now I don’t know about you but this encourages me to see a great & godly man like Samuel reacting this way – because too often I react the same

1) But here is what separates a great & godly man like Samuel from so many of us – note v.3,4

But the LORD said, “Take a heifer with you, and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the LORD.’ ³Then invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do; you shall anoint for Me the one I name to you.” ⁴So Samuel did what the LORD said, and went to Bethlehem

C) What Separates great men of God from the rest of the crowd is when God says – Go they Go!

1) They might question at first/ they might lack faith at first – but eventually they respond / eventually they take that step of faith

D) Peter was told to cast out his net – He questioned already fished all night the wrong time of the day – but nevertheless at your word. ……nets

1) That is always the response of the man or woman of faith !!!!!

E) Lord this doesn’t make sense to me – Submit – Nevertheless ….word

1) Lord I don’t understand this move – Nevertheless …../ TITHE …

You want me to spank my child- nevertheless / FORGIVE HIM …..

WHAT IS GOD BEEN SAYING TO YOU – RELUCTANT TO RESPOND – No this only hindering God’s perfect plan from being carried out in your life !!!!!!

So Samuel did what the Lord said & went to Bethlehem

A)Now I want to comment here on Samuel’s Commission – It was VAGUE – Go to Jesses house – anoint one of his sons

B) God didn’t tell Samuel the sons name / didn’t tell him it was going to be the youngest – God told him one thing & w/held the others things

1) So often that is God’s way – he only gives us part of the picture – rarely spells it all out – why does He do that

C) 1^st He wants us to walk by faith – trust Him that He will supply the rest of the needed information & resources at the appropriate time

1) 2^nd – He wants consistent & Constant COMMUNICATION - If He told

us too much our tendency would be to get way ahead of Him

D) 3^rd He wants us to be CONTINUALLY dependent upon Him / so He keeps us in the dark a little bit – so we stay close

1)Amanda – wants to be so independent – if she thinks she knows where we are going – she wants to run up ahead – ( Not looking for cars / bad people)

E) We can be that same way – Run recklessly up ahead – get in the way – No sensitivity to God’s timing & Purpose –

1) Everything that He is doing to prepare the scene before we even get there

⁴So Samuel did what the LORD said, and went to Bethlehem. And the elders of the town trembled at his coming, and said, “Do you come peaceably?”

Now the Elders reaction was indicative of the Spiritual climate at that time –

A)Samuel the Prophet shows up they immediately think we are in trouble – because as a whole the nation wasn’t walking w/ God – Come peaceably?

⁵And he said, “Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to the LORD. Sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice.” Then he consecrated Jesse and his sons, and invited them to the sacrifice.

B) PREPARATION BEFORE WORSHIP !!!!!! RD V.6,7

C) Now here we get some Keen insight into the Kind of man that God chooses when He is Looking for a Leader – Note several things

First thing that this tells us is that the Basis of God’s Choice is Contrary to Human reasoning

A)Now when Samuel sees Eliab – right away he is thinking Good Choice

1)Eliab was a carbon copy of Saul – Big strong / handsome – man’s man - John Wayne / Clint Eastwood / Chuck Connors

B) Problem was Samuel only saw the OUTWARD MAN – but God saw the Character of His heart – Man looks at the outward …… I look ….

C) In our society we base so much on Qualifications, credentials & first impressions – How you sell yourself – WANT ADS

1) A lot of times those first impressions can be a FAÇADE – it is not the real thing – like Disneyland – fake buildings

D) A lot of times you find that what is beneath the surface isn’t very real /isn’t very deep –

When God is looking for a Person – He isn’t interested so much in all the ability, talent or what person has to offer on the outside

A)He is more concerned w/ Who that person is on the INSIDE – the fiber of their heart – Their Integrity – Eliab didn’t pass the test /

B) Redpath – “God Chooses to build a man of God – He looks for different timber” - Rd. v.8-10

C)So Jesse has seven of his sons pass before Samuel – Seven is the number of Completion or perfection

1) Redpath – Samuel’s seven sons represented the perfection of the Flesh/ outwardly they fit the criteria – but God is not interested in refining the flesh

D) Read 2 Cor 4:7-12

Back to 1 Sam . 16:11- 13

E) Now the term Youngest in that culture – referred to the least – So Jesse was not holding back any secret of his estimation of David

1) He was his insignificant son his unimportant son – the least – He didn’t even consider calling him to this meeting –

2^nd thing we want to note about the person that God chooses – often times it is the one that we would least expect – Why does He do that ?

A)1Cor 1:26-29 Paul answers that Question – turn

B)God says I am going to Choose the Least so that I will get the Glory

1) Look on in amazement & Know – that was a work of God

C) There are certain campus ministries – that have based a large part of their – strategy on attracting the Brightest & the Best

1) QB on the Football team /the Cheerleaders / the ASB President & the Homecoming King & Queen

D) Their thinking is If we can attract those people – We can win the school / so that happens we are successful because of our great strategy –

1) Sometimes what is going on is more of a social thing – Positive peer

pressure

God says I have a different plan – I am going to take the least expected / the least likely – the rejects – do such a awesome work – you know –God

A)When God wanted to reach the Hippies in the 1960’s– Who did He Pick to minister to them – Hip guy w/ long hair / musician

B) A humble balding Bible teacher who liked to surf – Chuck smith

C) When God was looking for a Voice – to Preach Gospel in the early part of the 19^th century – who pick – Brightest in Seminary - / Most Educated ?

1) Humble uneducated Shoe salesman – DL MOODY

D) When He was looking for another Evangelist for the mid to late 1900’s who did he pick – A tall lanky, firey farm boy from NC – Billy Graham

1) When He was looking for a New voice to reach the masses in this generation who pick – Ex Drug dealer – Greg Laurie /

E) Ex Musician & guy whose job was to entertain Rock Stars in Motown

1) Bob Coy – Largest Church in America CC Flt Lauderdale

See God picks people like that – so that when the world looks at their Backgrounds the response – is it is a Miracle – it makes no sense

A)The only way that we can explain it is it is a work of God – that’s the only Kind of work I want to be a part of

B)Church growth experts look at CC – think – makes no sense, because we don’t follow their formula’s we don’t get into the demographic studies

1) Add campaigns – We just teach the Bible – look to the Spirit - & God does a work

C) HERE – one pastor didn’t graduate from HS / another who didn’t Grad from College - / 1^st came 2 services instead we grew

1) School – from 220 to 350 - no money in the bank / no money to buy new property – Why – God is in it

D) So Jesse had seven of his sons pass before Samuel – Seven # of perfection / but the 8^th was Chosen – 8 # of New Beginnings

1) God was going to do a New work in Israel/ a work that needed a New man – David was that man – What Kind of man was He note 3 things

1^st David was a Spiritual man – He is twice referred to as a Man after God’s own heart – what does that mean

A)First I think it means that – He was after God’s heart – David was a man who longed for God

Psa.42 As the deer pants for the water brooks, So pants my soul for You, O God.

²My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. ( Longed for God – Meyer )

B) David thirsted for God – who longed to be near God – Psa 27 One thing I have desired of the Lord that I will seek ……

1) Psa 57:7 My heart is fixed on you oh God & I will be satisfied when I awake in thy likeness

C) David might not have been much to behold on the outside but He was something special on the inside – God took Notice – Unique title

1) Man after my own heart –

2ndly I think it means – That David was Like hearted

A)It speaks of a person whose heart is in harmony w/ the Lord – that the things that God loves – He loves / God hates / he hates / grieve over sin

B)The things that burden God are the things that burden that person / the things that are important to God are important to that person

1) That is the kind of person that God is looking for – fits that Criteria Man or woman after God’s own heart

C) David was unique but He is not to be looked at as the Exception but as the example – we should all desire hearts like that

1) 2 Chron 16:9 ⁹For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him.

D)NASB – Who’s heart is completely His – God is looking for men & women who’s hearts are completely His –

1) No locked closets – nothing swept under the rug / nothing hidden

David was such a man – He was spiritual man / 2^nd thing we want to note about David is He was a Humble man : Psa 78:70

A)He also chose David His servant,- And took him from the sheepfolds;

B) Sheep tending was one of the lowest of the servants Jobs – but David was humble enough to do it – even after being anointed King

1) Faithful in the little things – exalted w/ much – That is what God saw in His Humble servant David –

C) David wasn’t seeking the lime light – but He was faithfully tending His father’s sheep – God saw His Humility – Rewarded Him

1) Promotion comes not from the East or from the west but from the Lord

3^rd thing about David – why God’s man David was a man of Integrity Psa. 78:72 ⁷² So he shepherded them according to the integrity of his heart,

And guided them by the skillfulness of his hands.

A)The word INTEGRITY is interesting word in the Hebrew – Word Thamam = complete,wholesome, innocent, sound, having simplicity of life

1) It speaks of one who is real - Integrity is what you are when no one else is looking

B) There was a simplicity to David’s life – He was real – wasn’t pretending – wasn’t concerned about what others thought of him

1) But He was concerned about what God thought of Him

C) Motivated by the FEAR OF GOD & not the FEAR OF MAN

Begins w/ a Spiritual rebirth -