1 Samuel - The Coming King Sample

What kind of things do people look for when they’re voting in national leaders? Charisma? Good looks? Dynamism? Good speaking abilities? Human beings can’t help but be impressed by certain outward leadership abilities. The Lord, however, isn’t impressed by surface competence; rather, the Lord looks at the heart (v. 7). 

In this passage we’re introduced, for the first time, to David, the man after God’s own heart (13:14). 1 Samuel began with a corrupt priesthood, led by Eli, then it moved to Samuel, God’s appointed judge. Now something similar happens: Saul, the rejected king, gives way to the Lord’s chosen king, David. Saul declines in power while David is raised up to the throne. David isn’t the natural choice, though – even God’s prophet can’t see why he should be king (vv. 6–12)! We’re reminded that the Lord doesn’t do things according to man’s wisdom (v. 7). Of course, this is pointing us to the true king, Jesus, the man of sorrows rejected by men (Is. 53:3–4). 

Though outwardly Saul is still king and David is still a shepherd, a radical change has happened. They are utterly different men before God. Saul was once a man of the Spirit (10:10), but is now afflicted only by evil spirits (v. 14). David, on the other hand, is the Lord’s anointed, filled with the Spirit (v. 13). Through God’s remarkable sovereign control of events (see 9:1–24), David ends up in Saul’s palace (vv. 15–21). Ironically, the true, unacknowledged, Spirit-filled king is the one who brings comfort to the rejected, tormented, ruling king (v. 23). We see the Lord’s mercy to Saul in this, but, above all, we see the weakness of the visible ruling king versus the spiritual strength of the hidden king. 

We shouldn’t be fooled by appearances. Jesus, though hidden, really is reigning as the risen king. His true power and glory is obscured to the world at the moment, but it doesn’t make it any less real. That should bolster our faith and teach us not to live by appearances in our day-to-day lives.

REFLECTION

1. Why are we so easily led astray by outward appearances? How is that different to God’s way of doing things?

2. How do you see the 'hidden’ power of the Lord Jesus at work in the world today?