Some years ago a remarkable picture was exhibited in London. As you looked at it from a distance, you seemed to see a monk engaged in prayer, his hands clasped, his head bowed. As you came nearer, however, and examined the painting more closely, you saw that in reality he was squeezing a lemon into a punch bowl!
What a picture that is of the human heart! Superficially examined, it is thought to be the seat of all that is good and noble and pleasing in a man; whereas in reality, until regenerated by the Holy Ghost, it is the seat of all corruption. Moody’s Anecdotes, p. 69.
A rather pompous-looking Sunday School teacher was endeavoring to impress upon a class of boys the importance of living the Christian life. "Why do people call me a Christian?" the man asked. After a moment’s pause, one youngster said, "Maybe it’s because they don’t know you."
No man, for any considerable period, can wear one face to himself, and another to the multitude, without finally getting bewildered as to which may be the true.
Nathaniel Hawthorne
What matters more, your image or your integrity?
Today, I want to look at the beginning and the end of the careers of two kings. One was anointed because of his image. The other was anointed because of his integrity. One ended in suicide. The other established a great Kingdom, a dynasty, a lineage, and an empire before he died peacefully.
In the latter days in the life of Samuel the prophet, his sons were appointed to leadership. While Samuel waned in strength, his sons walked in sin. So all the elders of the people of Israel gathered and said to Samuel, “You are old and your sons do not walk in your ways; now appoint a king to lead us such as all the nations have” (1 Samuel 8:4)
From the very beginning of their search it was apparent that the children of Israel were concerned about their appearance. They were different than the other nations. The Israelites were
• Disgruntled
• Disappointed
• Disillusioned
• All because they were Different
They did not like their image. When foreign traders would come to the marketplace in Jerusalem, they would ask the merchants selling their wares, “Where is your King? Who is your leader? What does he look like?” The Israelites were sick of saying ,
“Our king is no-other than the One True God.”
“Where is he?”
“He invisible.”
“Where is his statue?”
“We are forbidden from making an image of Him.”
Tired of the relentless queries, the Israelites wanted to change their image. They wanted someone they could brag about. They wanted a face they could imprint upon their currency. They wanted statues to be carved in his image. And God gave them someone who would fit their profile.
1 Samuel 9:1-3 says, 9:1 There was a man of Benjamin whose name was Kish, the son of Abiel, son of Zeror, son of Becorath, son of Aphiah, a Benjaminite, a man of wealth. 2 And he had a son whose name was Saul, a handsome young man. There was not a man among the people of Israel more handsome than he. From his shoulders upward he was taller than any of the people.
The people wanted a particular image to be fulfilled, and God granted them their wish.
But look what happens when it came time to anoint the new king (1 Samuel 10:
17 Now Samuel called the people together to the LORD at Mizpah. 18 And he said to the people of Israel, “Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, ‘I brought up Israel out of Egypt, and I delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the hand of all the kingdoms that were oppressing you.’ 19 But today you have rejected your God, who saves you from all your calamities and your distresses, and you have said to him, ‘Set a king over us.’ Now therefore present yourselves before the LORD by your tribes and by your thousands.”
20 Then Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel near, and the tribe of Benjamin was taken by lot. 21 He brought the tribe of Benjamin near by its clans, and the clan of the Matrites was taken by lot; [4] and Saul the son of Kish was taken by lot. But when they sought him, he could not be found. 22 So they inquired again of the LORD, “Is there a man still to come?” and the LORD said, “Behold, he has hidden himself among the baggage.” 23 Then they ran and took him from there. And when he stood among the people, he was taller than any of the people from his shoulders upward. 24 And Samuel said to all the people, “Do you see him whom the LORD has chosen? There is none like him among all the people.” And all the people shouted, “Long live the king!”
Notice the fascination with the people on the physical image of Saul. Weren’t they concerned for a minute that he was hiding behind the suitcases? Everything may have been together on the outside, but there was something wrong on the inside.
Sometime later in Saul’s reign, Samuel had instructed Saul to go to Gilgal where Samuel the prophet would offer sacrifices confirming Saul as King of Israel. But after seven days of waiting, Saul became impatient because the people were scattering. The man who was chosen because of his image, now is overly-concerned with his image, and therefore he presided over the sacrifice though he was clearly commanded not to. Just as Saul finished offering the sacrifice, Samuel arrives on the scene.
Listen to the words of Samuel in 1 Samuel 13:11
11 Samuel said, “What have you done?” And Saul said, “When I saw that the people were scattering from me, and that you did not come within the days appointed, and that the Philistines had mustered at Michmash, 12 I said, ‘Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the favor of the LORD.’ So I forced myself, and offered the burnt offering.” 13 And Samuel said to Saul, “You have done foolishly. You have not kept the command of the LORD your God, with which he commanded you. For then the LORD would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. 14 But now your kingdom shall not continue. The LORD has sought out a man after his own heart, and the LORD has commanded him to be prince over his people, because you have not kept what the LORD commanded you.”
Later, Saul disobeyed a direct command of God to completely and totally annihilate the Amalekites. Saul disobeyed God, and the scriptures show us that God rejected Saul as King.
From the very start of Saul’s reign, God makes it evidently clear that integrity matters more than image. Saul failed to keep the commands of God and his actions clearly demonstrated the inward condition of his heart.
And from that moment, God began the establishment of a new kingdom. And so, God commissioned Samuel to go and anoint a new king, which would one day rule where Saul was seated.
I Samuel 16:1 The LORD said to Samuel, “How long will you grieve over Saul, since I have rejected him from being king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go. I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided for myself a king among his sons.” 2 And Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hears it, he will kill me.” And the LORD said, “Take a heifer with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the LORD.’ 3 And invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do. And you shall anoint for me him whom I declare to you.” 4 Samuel did what the LORD commanded and came to Bethlehem. The elders of the city came to meet him trembling and said, “Do you come peaceably?” 5 And he said, “Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to the LORD. Consecrate yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice.” And he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.
6 When they came, he looked on Eliab and thought, “Surely the LORD’s anointed is before him.” 7 But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.” 8 Then Jesse called Abinadab and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, “Neither has the LORD chosen this one.” 9 Then Jesse made Shammah pass by. And he said, “Neither has the LORD chosen this one.” 10 And Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel. And Samuel said to Jesse, “The LORD has not chosen these.” 11 Then Samuel said to Jesse, “Are all your sons here?” And he said, “There remains yet the youngest, [1] but behold, he is keeping the sheep.” And Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and get him, for we will not sit down till he comes here.” 12 And he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy and had beautiful eyes and was handsome. And the LORD said, “Arise, anoint him, for this is he.” 13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers. And the Spirit of the LORD rushed upon David from that day forward. And Samuel rose up and went to Ramah.
Now, even the prophet himself has fallen into the appearance trap! He looked at Eliab and thought, “Mr. Tall Dark and Handsome. Surely this is Saul’s replacement.” But in that moment, God rebukes Samuel’s heart with the admonition: “Man looks on the outward appearance, but God looks on the heart!” Man considers image; God considers integrity.
David is described in gentle, glowing terms. It is almost as if the author is going at lengths to describe David as a “pretty-boy.” He was not tall dark and handsome. He was not a warrior. He was the little runt in the family. But God saw beyond the surface. He looked down into the heart! He saw there an integrity that was greater than his image, and David was anointed the next king of Israel.
Saul became King because of his image. David became King because of his integrity. Now let’s look at the conclusion of their Kingdom’s.
I Chronicles 10:1 Now the Philistines fought against Israel, and the men of Israel fled before the Philistines and fell slain on Mount Gilboa. 2 And the Philistines overtook Saul and his sons, and the Philistines struck down Jonathan and Abinadab and Malchi-shua, the sons of Saul. 3 The battle pressed hard against Saul, and the archers found him, and he was wounded by the archers. 4 Then Saul said to his armor-bearer, “Draw your sword and thrust me through with it, lest these uncircumcised come and mistreat me.” But his armor-bearer would not, for he feared greatly. Therefore Saul took his own sword and fell upon it. 5 And when his armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell upon his sword and died. 6 Thus Saul died; he and his three sons and all his house died together. 7 And when all the men of Israel who were in the valley saw that the army [1] had fled and that Saul and his sons were dead, they abandoned their cities and fled, and the Philistines came and lived in them.
Imagine the carnage that was the battleground. Though the sun still hangs as a bright red burning orb just above the horizon, it illuminates a horrific scene. The once green hillside of Mount Gilboa now trampled to dust by the feet of man. Even worse, the brown dust is stained by the horrific flow of the blood of fallen soldiers. Brightly colored flags wave in the gentle breeze in sharp contrast to the grim scene.
One on part of the hill there are still groans from the few wounded who are gasping for their last breaths. One another, there are loud guttural shouts from battle-hardened soldiers who now that victory is in sight.
Now just off in the distance two men stand. Here, just removed from the fray stands the once powerful frame of a mighty soldier, now covered in blood. His body is pierced with arrows. This is no mere foot-soldier, nor flag-bearer. This is the once mighty Saul, the King of Israel.
This has been a horrible day for Saul. Not only has his army been routed, three of his sons have been slaughtered. The war-mongering Philistines continue their blood-lust by vigorously pursuing Saul. He knows it is just a matter of time before the capture, torture, and destroy him. On top of it all, he is severely wounded. “The Latin Vulgate reads, ‘He was wounded in the abdomen. It was a mortal wound’” (Chuck Swindoll, David, p. 121).
And so in 1 Chronicles 10:4 the battle-beleaguered soldier pathetically commands his armor bearer to “Draw his sword and run him through before the uncircumcised Philistines over come and abuse him.
Now, let us consider the end of David’s life.
26 Thus David the son of Jesse reigned over all Israel. 27 The time that he reigned over Israel was forty years. He reigned seven years in Hebron and thirty-three years in Jerusalem. 28 Then he died at a good age, full of days, riches, and honor. And Solomon his son reigned in his place.
1. When your image matters more than your integrity, you settle for hypocrisy
a. Saul appeared to be strong on the outside, but inwardly he was week.
b. Saul died because he was unfaithful to God. 1 Chronicles 10:13-14 makes it abundantly clear that Saul,
i. Forsook the Word of God
ii. Failed to obey the Wisdom of God
c. What is the cost of failing in his integrity?
i. Death of a dream
ii. Death of a destiny
iii. Death of a dynasty (his sons died a horrible death because of his immorality)
2. When your integrity matters more than your image, you leave behind a legacy
a. Followed the Word of God
b. Followed the Wisdom of God
3. Image alone may allow you to start well, but only integrity will allow you to finish well
