1Sa 16:1 | KingComments | STEP | Here the history of David begins, a man who, with his sword and his pen, served the honor of God and the interests of Israel. It is the man who has been previously described as “a man after God’s heart” ( ; ) and who as Saul’s neighbor is “better than” he ( ). David means ‘loved’, ‘beloved’. He is not so for his brothers; but he is of the LORD. The LORD, that is the Lord Jesus, is the root of David ( ). David is rooted in Him and comes forth from Him. David came forth from the heart of God. There are a few statements that show God’s choice of David in a special way. Thus he is “a man” who is “sought out” by the LORD for Himself ( ). He is “found” by the LORD as “My servant” ( ), he is “selected” by the LORD as “king” ( ) and “the LORD has appointed him as ruler over His people” ( ). David is in many ways a wonderful type of the Lord Jesus. Time and again we will be reminded of Him in his history. David is the third protagonist of this Bible book. Of the two other main characters, Samuel and Saul, a lot has already become known to us. Samuel and Saul are both prayed of the LORD, they are asked for. For Samuel is asked of the LORD by a God-fearing mother ( ). Saul has also been asked for and this by a whole people, although a people who deviated from God ( ). The name Saul means ‘asked’ or ‘coveted’. Saul is the man after the heart of the people. By giving him God has given the people what they have asked for. The desire to have a king was not wrong, for God had it in His heart to give them a king. However, they do not ask about God’s time and motives, nor about God’s man. They want a king because they want to be like the nations. However, God uses their question to show the contrast between their taste and His taste. He first meets their desires and then shows them who meets His desires. Here we see the principle: “The spiritual is not first, but the natural; then the spiritual” ( ). David forms a great contrast with both Samuel and Saul. No one asked for David. He is even forgotten. Nobody thinks of him (cf. ). Only God thinks of him ( ). He is therefore God’s sovereign gift according to the wishes of His heart. The LORD says that He has selected David ( ), David is His choice. This contrasts with the way in which Saul became king. He is the choice of the people. Saul responds to their seeking of their own honor. David will answer to the honor of God. Samuel has a hard time saying goodbye to Saul. He knows God’s thoughts about Saul. However, this does not make him happy, but sad. His grief is not superficial. God’s rejection of Saul makes a deep impression on him and he grieves over it. He is aware of how much Saul has deviated. And what about the people? God sees his grieve. He does not tell him not to grieve but reprimands him for having grieved long enough. God tells Samuel why he can stop grieving. It is the decision of God. All his prayers and tears cannot incite God to revoke it (cf. ). The fact that God had to reject Saul has to do with His dealings with him because of his behavior. God could not go on with him. He had to reject him and could not maintain him as king over His people. Now God wants David to be anointed as the substitute for Saul. This must be done in secret and must also be kept secret. It is not God’s purpose to make David an insurgent who, after his anointing, forcibly drives out Saul and takes his place. God shares His thoughts so that we may see things as He sees them and feel them as He feels them. If grief prevails, God cannot continue. When He says it is enough, He offers a new perspective at the same time. Samuel is ordered to fill his horn with oil. He must go to anoint someone. The horn speaks of strength (cf. ). For what Samuel must do, spiritual strength is needed. The horn comes from a sacrificial animal. It reminds us that the kingship of David is based on the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus, to which every sacrifice in the Old Testament refers. The whole basis of David’s anointing is hugely different from that of Saul. Saul is anointed from a flask ( ), which represents fragility. For the anointing Samuel must go to Bethlehem. He must go to Jesse, because one of his sons has been chosen by God to be king. The name of David is not mentioned by God. “Jesse” means “Yahweh exists”. In Bethlehem, the foundation of the generation is laid. Boaz dwelt there ( ). Jesse is the son of Obed and Obed is the son of Boaz and Ruth ( ). David is the great-grandson of Boaz and Ruth. Bethlehem is located in the area of the tribe of Judah. According to the prophecy of Jacob, the Messiah comes forth from this tribe ( ; ). Bethlehem means ‘bread house’. It is the place where blessing comes from. The Lord Jesus is “the living bread” ( ). The house of the Father is the true ‘bread house’. The Lord Jesus came to earth to open its storerooms and to respond to the spiritual hunger on earth with the Father’s abundance.

‏ 1 Samuel 16:1

Introduction

Here the history of David begins, a man who, with his sword and his pen, served the honor of God and the interests of Israel. It is the man who has been previously described as “a man after God’s heart” (1Sam 13:14; Acts 13:22) and who as Saul’s neighbor is “better than” he (1Sam 15:28). David means ‘loved’, ‘beloved’. He is not so for his brothers; but he is of the LORD. The LORD, that is the Lord Jesus, is the root of David (Rev 22:16 ; Rev 5:5). David is rooted in Him and comes forth from Him. David came forth from the heart of God.

There are a few statements that show God’s choice of David in a special way. Thus he is “a man” who is “sought out” by the LORD for Himself (1Sam 13:14a). He is “found” by the LORD as “My servant” (Psa 89:20), he is “selected” by the LORD as “king” (1Sam 16:1) and “the LORD has appointed him as ruler over His people” (1Sam 13:14b). David is in many ways a wonderful type of the Lord Jesus. Time and again we will be reminded of Him in his history.

David is the third protagonist of this Bible book. Of the two other main characters, Samuel and Saul, a lot has already become known to us. Samuel and Saul are both prayed of the LORD, they are asked for. For Samuel is asked of the LORD by a God-fearing mother (1Sam 1:11 ; 20). Saul has also been asked for and this by a whole people, although a people who deviated from God (1Sam 8:5). The name Saul means ‘asked’ or ‘coveted’.

Saul is the man after the heart of the people. By giving him God has given the people what they have asked for. The desire to have a king was not wrong, for God had it in His heart to give them a king. However, they do not ask about God’s time and motives, nor about God’s man. They want a king because they want to be like the nations. However, God uses their question to show the contrast between their taste and His taste. He first meets their desires and then shows them who meets His desires. Here we see the principle: “The spiritual is not first, but the natural; then the spiritual” (1Cor 15:46).

David forms a great contrast with both Samuel and Saul. No one asked for David. He is even forgotten. Nobody thinks of him (cf. Ecc 9:14-15). Only God thinks of him (1Sam 13:14). He is therefore God’s sovereign gift according to the wishes of His heart. The LORD says that He has selected David (1Sam 16:1), David is His choice. This contrasts with the way in which Saul became king. He is the choice of the people. Saul responds to their seeking of their own honor. David will answer to the honor of God.

Samuel Must Go to Anoint David

Samuel has a hard time saying goodbye to Saul. He knows God’s thoughts about Saul. However, this does not make him happy, but sad. His grief is not superficial. God’s rejection of Saul makes a deep impression on him and he grieves over it. He is aware of how much Saul has deviated. And what about the people? God sees his grieve. He does not tell him not to grieve but reprimands him for having grieved long enough.

God tells Samuel why he can stop grieving. It is the decision of God. All his prayers and tears cannot incite God to revoke it (cf. 2Sam 12:22-23). The fact that God had to reject Saul has to do with His dealings with him because of his behavior. God could not go on with him. He had to reject him and could not maintain him as king over His people. Now God wants David to be anointed as the substitute for Saul. This must be done in secret and must also be kept secret. It is not God’s purpose to make David an insurgent who, after his anointing, forcibly drives out Saul and takes his place.

God shares His thoughts so that we may see things as He sees them and feel them as He feels them. If grief prevails, God cannot continue. When He says it is enough, He offers a new perspective at the same time. Samuel is ordered to fill his horn with oil. He must go to anoint someone.

The horn speaks of strength (cf. Lk 1:69). For what Samuel must do, spiritual strength is needed. The horn comes from a sacrificial animal. It reminds us that the kingship of David is based on the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus, to which every sacrifice in the Old Testament refers. The whole basis of David’s anointing is hugely different from that of Saul. Saul is anointed from a flask (1Sam 10:1), which represents fragility.

For the anointing Samuel must go to Bethlehem. He must go to Jesse, because one of his sons has been chosen by God to be king. The name of David is not mentioned by God. “Jesse” means “Yahweh exists”. In Bethlehem, the foundation of the generation is laid. Boaz dwelt there (Rth 2:4). Jesse is the son of Obed and Obed is the son of Boaz and Ruth (Rth 4:21-22). David is the great-grandson of Boaz and Ruth.

Bethlehem is located in the area of the tribe of Judah. According to the prophecy of Jacob, the Messiah comes forth from this tribe (Gen 49:10; Mic 5:2a). Bethlehem means ‘bread house’. It is the place where blessing comes from. The Lord Jesus is “the living bread” (Jn 6:51). The house of the Father is the true ‘bread house’. The Lord Jesus came to earth to open its storerooms and to respond to the spiritual hunger on earth with the Father’s abundance.