I Samuel 16
From Samuel's Journal
Saul continued to make wrong choices. He causes the people to sin by not obeying the Lord's commands. And they followed him! Well, who wouldn't? He was king.
I haven't spoken with him since he captured Agog. God told him to destroy the city. Yeah, well, once again Saul disobeyed. No surprise.
Still, I wondered what would happen to our country. I wept for the people, and yes, I wept for Saul as well. I would have rathered he chose to obey the Lord.
One evening the Lord spoke to me, "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 who lives in Bethlehem. I have provided Myself a king among his sons."
In truth, I didn't want to go because I knew Saul would kill me. He had spies everywhere. I asked God what to do.
The Lord told me bring a heifer to Bethlehem and offer a sacrifice. I did as He asked. When I entered the city gate, the elders eyes were wide as if afraid of me. One elder asked, "Do you come in peace?"
I nodded. "Yes, I come in peace to offer a sacrifice to the Lord. Make yourselves clean and ready then join me." I also invited Jesse and his sons to the sacrifice.
I watched for Jesse to arrive.
After all the elders arrived we sat and talked until Jesse came. He had several sons with him. I took Jesse aside and spoke to him. "Jesse, present your sons to me please. I am looking for one of them and will only know which one when I see him."
He bowed and pushed Eliab, his oldest son toward me. "Surely, he is the one!"
But the Lord said to me, "Don't look at his appearance or his physical stature. He is not the one. You must remember, I do not see as man does. Man looks at the outward appearance, but I look a the heart."
I shrugged and said, "Okay, Lord."
Jesse brought Abinadab, his next son. I waited for the Lord to respond. When He didn't say anything I asked for the third son. Jesse brought Shammah. Again no response. The same happened for the fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh sons.
I must admit, I was confused. The Lord said he'd chosen one of Jesse's sons, yet he did not pick any of the sons brought to me. I thought for a moment then said, "Are all your sons here?"
Jesse turned toward the hills and pointed. "No. The youngest is in the field, taking care of the sheep."
Ahhhhhh now I understood. The Lord chose the youngest one. "Jesse, send someone to get your youngest son. We won't sit down until I have seen him."
One of the older brothers ran to fetch his younger brother. He must have been far away since it took so long.
I watched the hills in the direction the brother ran. After a while, two young men ran towards us. The younger had a ruddy appearance, bright eyes, and was a handsome young man. He walked toward me and bowed. "You asked for me?"
The Lord immediately spoke. "This is the one you should anoint."
I smiled at the young man and took out my horn filled with oil. With his brothers and father standing around him, I poured the oil on his head and prayed. "You, my son, David, have been chosen by God for a special task. You will be the next king of Israel. May the Lord lead you and bless you."
At that moment, the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward.
With my job complete, I offered the sacrifice and prayers and returned to my home in Ramah.
In truth, I didn't want to go because I knew Saul would kill me. He had spies everywhere. I asked God what to do.
The Lord told me bring a heifer to Bethlehem and offer a sacrifice. I did as He asked. When I entered the city gate, the elders eyes were wide as if afraid of me. One elder asked, "Do you come in peace?"
I nodded. "Yes, I come in peace to offer a sacrifice to the Lord. Make yourselves clean and ready then join me." I also invited Jesse and his sons to the sacrifice.
I watched for Jesse to arrive.
After all the elders arrived we sat and talked until Jesse came. He had several sons with him. I took Jesse aside and spoke to him. "Jesse, present your sons to me please. I am looking for one of them and will only know which one when I see him."
He bowed and pushed Eliab, his oldest son toward me. "Surely, he is the one!"
But the Lord said to me, "Don't look at his appearance or his physical stature. He is not the one. You must remember, I do not see as man does. Man looks at the outward appearance, but I look a the heart."
I shrugged and said, "Okay, Lord."
Jesse brought Abinadab, his next son. I waited for the Lord to respond. When He didn't say anything I asked for the third son. Jesse brought Shammah. Again no response. The same happened for the fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh sons.
I must admit, I was confused. The Lord said he'd chosen one of Jesse's sons, yet he did not pick any of the sons brought to me. I thought for a moment then said, "Are all your sons here?"
Jesse turned toward the hills and pointed. "No. The youngest is in the field, taking care of the sheep."
Ahhhhhh now I understood. The Lord chose the youngest one. "Jesse, send someone to get your youngest son. We won't sit down until I have seen him."
One of the older brothers ran to fetch his younger brother. He must have been far away since it took so long.
I watched the hills in the direction the brother ran. After a while, two young men ran towards us. The younger had a ruddy appearance, bright eyes, and was a handsome young man. He walked toward me and bowed. "You asked for me?"
The Lord immediately spoke. "This is the one you should anoint."
I smiled at the young man and took out my horn filled with oil. With his brothers and father standing around him, I poured the oil on his head and prayed. "You, my son, David, have been chosen by God for a special task. You will be the next king of Israel. May the Lord lead you and bless you."
At that moment, the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward.
With my job complete, I offered the sacrifice and prayers and returned to my home in Ramah.
**********************
1. Why did God tell Samuel to stop being sad about Saul?
2. Why didn't Samuel want to go to Bethelehem?
3. God had a plan for Samuel to get safely to Jesse's town. What was the plan?
4. Were the elders of Bethlehem happy to see Samuel?
5. What did Samuel ask Jesse to do?
6. What did Samuel think of Eliab?
7. Who was missing?
8. What did Samuel want to see David?
1. Why did God tell Samuel to stop being sad about Saul?
2. Why didn't Samuel want to go to Bethelehem?
3. God had a plan for Samuel to get safely to Jesse's town. What was the plan?
4. Were the elders of Bethlehem happy to see Samuel?
5. What did Samuel ask Jesse to do?
6. What did Samuel think of Eliab?
7. Who was missing?
8. What did Samuel want to see David?
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