From Humble Beginnings

1 Samuel 16

            David was the eighth son.  While 1 Samuel doesn’t make any big deal about that fact, there is the general biblical convention that 7 is the perfect number.  David is one son too many.  Even his father doesn’t count him when the prophet calls for the boys.  In fact, all the seven older brothers looked like good candidates—tall and handsome.  Of course, we know how well those criteria worked out with Saul!

            But ‘the Lord sees not as man sees:  man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.’  What a gift that would be!  To see things as they really are instead of seeing them by the light of the fallen world!

            We see things by the world’s measures:  is the company profitable?  How profitable?  Is the girl pretty?  How pretty?  The world is always surprised when its measurements fail, too.  Remember old Bernie Madoff?  There was a success story—on the outside, at least.  But when reality struck and we discovered it was all a house of cards and a scam, we asked, “Why didn’t anyone see this coming?”  We don’t see it coming because we measure the wrong things.  What the Lord values are faithfulness, integrity, humility (the list could go on).

            So here’s David, of so little consequence that his dad doesn’t even bother to bring him in from the fields.  But his heart is ‘like the Lord’s.’  When he faces Goliath, he doesn’t rely on the usual trappings of power—armor and swords, he relies on name of the Lord.  And the Lord blesses the work of his hands.

            In this David becomes a type, a foreshadowing of Jesus.  Isaiah prophesies regarding the coming Messiah, “He will delight in the fear of the LORD. He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears; but with righteousness he will judge the needy, with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth; with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked” (NIV Isaiah 11:3-4).  In the most unexpected way—as a crucified criminal—Jesus looks like he is of no account; but in becoming of no account, he does exactly the thing that the Father wanted.

A Little Note about Samuel and Saul
            For a guy who supposedly retired in chapter 12, Samuel is sure getting around--haranguing on Saul, anointing new kings . . .
            Notice that Samuel's appearance is not welcomed with open arms, though.  "Do you come in peace?" Jesse asked.  Apparently even at this early date, Saul is getting a reputation as a ruthless man.  Samuel fears he will be killed if he's caught; Jesse is not sure what Samuel's appearance means for his little village.  By the time of the Goliath incident, Saul is losing his nerve and devolving into dangerous mental instability.  We're already starting to suspect that this man will be gripped by madness and paranoia.  In Saul we have a cautionary, tragic tale.  No wonder Jesus says, "Apart from me you can do nothing" (John 15:5).