Introduction: I Samuel 13:14 tells us, “But now thy kingdom shall not continue: the LORD hath sought him a man after his own heart, and the LORD hath commanded him to be captain over his people, because thou hast not kept that which the LORD commanded thee.”
Samuel admonishes Saul, and reads his doom. He tells the king that, “the Lord hath sought him a man after his own heart” (I Samuel 14). God wants David to be king, and He calls David “a man after his own heart.”
Acts 13:22 says, “And when he had removed him, he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will.”
God was pleased with David, for Psalm 89:20 says, “I have found David my servant; with my holy oil have I anointed him.”
With each lesson in this study, we will delve more deeply into David’s life, “a man after mine own heart,” and learn how we can apply these lessons to our life.
Part One
Don’t Judge By Appearances
“and to Obed was born Jesse, and to Jesse, David. “
(Ruth 4:22 )
I. Ruth, David’s grandmother
A. Ruth, David’s grandmother, married Boaz (Ruth 4:13), a virtuous woman. The greatest honor was that Ruth was the ancestor of David and Christ.
II. A Shepherd Boy Anointed
A. After God rejected Saul, Samuel mourned him. God admonished him, “And the LORD said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel?” (I Samuel 16:1).
Then God told him to, “fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons” (I Samuel 16:1).
Samuel allowed fear to set in. He was afraid for his life, of what Saul would do to him. “And Samuel said, How can I go? if Saul hear it, he will kill me.”
When God sends us, He has already prepared the way. We walked through one of the roughest projects in Atlanta witnessing and spreading the Word of God. We knew we were protected because God sent us. It was amazing how many people received, and joined our ministry. Through Christ, we were able to see a change in those who, probably would not have been saved if we had allowed fear to stop us from doing what the Lord sent us to do.
Let’s delve a little further into the Scriptures and see what happened. “And the LORD said, Take an heifer with thee, and say, I am come to sacrifice to the LORD. And call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will shew thee what thou shalt do: and thou shalt anoint unto me him whom I name unto thee” (I Samuel 16:2,3)
Was Samuel obedient to God? I believe so. Let’s peek over his shoulders to see what happened next. “ And Samuel did that which the LORD spake, and came to Bethlehem. And the elders of the town trembled at his coming, and said, Comest thou peaceably? (I Samuel 16:4).
The elders were afraid that God was not pleased with them, and Samuel’s coming was to place a judgment against them. Often guilt is the root of fear. They asked Samuel, “Comest thou peaceably?” Are you running from Saul? What about us? Are you bringing peace?
They were afraid, then Samuel put them at ease, for in verse 5, he assures them, “…Peaceably: I am come to sacrifice unto the LORD: sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice. And he sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice.”
Jesse and his sons had to be sanctified in order to come before God in worship or for a sacrificial offering. In order to understand this passage, let’s go to Genesis 35:2.
It reads: “Then Jacob said unto his household, and to all that were with him, Put away the strange gods that are among you, and be clean, and change your garments.”
Exodus 19:10: “And the Lord said unto Moses, Go unto the people, and sanctify them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their clothes.”
After prayer and instruction, I Samuel 16:6 says, “And it came to pass, when they were come, that he looked on Eliab, and said, Surely the Lord’s anointed is before him.”
According to Samuel, Eliab, the oldest was the most likely choice. So, “he looked on Eliab, and said, Surely the Lord’s anointed is before him.”
Often, our choices are not necessarily the correct ones. We must seek God for all our needs, then be obedient to Him. From outward appearances, Eliab was the likely candidate. But he wasn’t God’s choice. God looks at the heart.
I Samuel 16:7: “But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.”
I’m wondering if, perhaps, Samuel chose Eliab because he resembled Saul. Saul was a tall man and very handsome. We choose friends and relationships because of outward appearances, don’t we?
My friend says, “There was a man in my church who indicated that he was interested in me. I overlooked him and turned him down. I continued searching for the right man, the correct relationship, the soul mate for me. After a couple of years, you know what happened? Suddenly, it seemed, I saw the little man with the bald head, and pot belly…who had been there all along. We have been married for eleven years, and I couldn’t be happier.”
We, like Samuel, often look at outward appearances instead of praying and seeking God for direction. Fortunately, the Bible tells us that, “…Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart” (I Samuel 16:7).
Aren’t you glad that God doesn’t see us for how we look, but for the content of our heart? What does your heart look like? What is in your heart?
Matthew 12:34 tell us that, “O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.”
We cannot hide behind a façade of smiles, for whatever is in your heart will surely come out. Sometimes, an evil person will say good things, but if you are around him long enough, the evil will come out. He will say something that will betray him.
Do you need heart surgery? Not by a cardiologist, but by Jesus? The Bible tells us:
“Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation. Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls” (Acts 2:37-41)
Part Two: A Man After God’s Own Heart” will be continued in our next lesson.
All Scripture is from the King James Version of the Bible.
