Introduction: It is perhaps a story from history with which you are familiar. It’s the story of David being anointed king. It’s found in 1 Samuel 16. But we dare not allow familiarity blind us to profound truths here, namely, that it was God who provided the king, and that it was the circumcised heart of a man (David) that God used to shepherd His people in distinction from the uncircumcised heart of a false shepherd (Saul) that wrought destruction upon the people.

Text from 1 Samuel:  

16 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,^[a] 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.

Teaching: In the very first verse, we read this—that God provided for Himself a king. In other words, God was doing what man fails to do—be 100% faithful. Was David going to be 100% faithful? No, of course not. He would sin grievously against Uriah, with Bathsheba, in his failure to deal with Absalom, and on and on. But the point is that God was pointing the way to the pattern of how short we sinners fall. We fail. We demand Sauls. We get what we deserve in our choice of leaders. Therefore, God, being rich in mercy, provides for Himself the King. In the temporary and immediate sense here, that king was David. In the infinitely greater sense, that King is Jesus, the Christ.

Second, will you notice the command to discern? It comes in v. 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.” I don’t know how that could be any clearer. Discern. Learn to discern. Learn to think deeply and not fall for salesmanship and empty suits. Why? Because what’s down in the well comes up in the bucket.

Encouragement: We fall short. Therefore, God satisfies what He demands—perfect obedience. David was a type and shadow of the greater David who was to come, the Lord Jesus. Second, we still must learn to discern. It is a commandment of God. It serves both our own good and God’s glory, two patterns that are inextricable.