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DAVID ANOINTED KING
--APRIL 11.--1 SAMUEL 16:4-13.--
A MAN AFTER GOD'S OWN HEART -- ANOTHER PHASE OF SAMUEL'S CHARACTER -- SAMUEL SENT TO BETHLEHEM--ANOINTING THE SUCCESSORS OF PRESENT INSTITUTIONS -- DAVID A TYPE OF THE CHURCH IN THE FLESH -- DIVINE METHOD OF SELECTION OF THE ELECT.
"Man looketh on the outward appearance, but Jehovah looketh on the Heart."--1 Samuel 16:7.
KING SAUL'S rejection by the Lord because of
disobedience meant not only his own ultimate
removal from the throne, but that his sons
should not succeed him in it. Furthermore,
it meant also the Lord's selection of another
man, another family, for the office of ruler in
Israel and representative of the Lord upon
the throne. The Lord's choice was David,
to whom the Prophet Samuel had indirectly
referred, saying, "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 [King
Saul] hast not kept that which the Lord commanded
thee."--1 Samuel 13:14.
At the time of the events of today's Study, David
was about twenty years old; consequently the Prophet's
words must have been uttered about the time of David's
birth. Thus we have another illustration of God's foreknowledge
and design in respect to those whom He especially
uses in His service. Similarly God's choice of
Jacob was declared before he was born; and similarly the
Apostle Paul was chosen from before his birth. We are
to separate from this declaration any false thought respecting
the Divine choice, and note that none of these
was chosen to eternal life, but each of them, all of them,
chosen and fitted for special service.
This gives us a suggestion of the possibility of paternal
and maternal influence affecting the natural disposition
of a human being from before his birth. He still
has a will, however; and even though favorably endowed,
it remains with himself to determine, to will, whether or
not he will walk in the Lord's ways and to what extent he
will be obedient. There is no coercion of the will; for
the Lord seeks such as worship Him in spirit--willingly,
heartily--and in truth.
David's great-grandmother was the gentle Ruth, who
gleaned grain probably in the very field with which David
was familiar. His great-grandfather's name was Boaz,
a page of whose history is recorded in the Book of Ruth.
Like Boaz, David's father Jesse was doubtless one of the
Elders of the city of Bethlehem, respected and honored
as a noble man. Of his mother we know little, except that
David twice mentioned her as a handmaid of God.
SAMUEL'S FAITH TESTED
The Prophet Samuel mourned and prayed for King
Saul, and apparently was disappointed that this man, of
whom he had expected such great things and under whose
guidance he had anticipated great prosperity for Israel,
should be rejected. Quite probably fearful forebodings
of a civil war to result from the installation of a new
king perturbed the Prophet's mind. He knew that Saul
would not quietly submit to laying down the scepter which
he had taken up with so great modesty, in obedience to
the Divine arrangement. The Prophet's mental eye could
see the probability of civil strife, which might rupture the
nation and cause great trouble. He should have had
greater trust in the Wisdom and the Power of the Almighty,
but his trouble was more or less like that which
assails all of the Lord's people even today.
The lesson to our hearts should be that we will implicitly
trust the Lord to manage His own affairs; that we
will trust Him where we cannot trace Him and will be
obedient to His directions; and that so far from mourning
at the execution of His plans we will rejoice, knowing
that all things are working together for good to them
that love God--that all things will ultimately work blessings
for those who are in accord with the Lord--blessings
for the future life, if not for the present.
When sent to anoint David, the Prophet Samuel exhibited
a fear not elsewhere noticeable in his character.
He did not hesitate to perform the Lord's bidding, but
intimated that he clearly understood that it meant the
risk of his own life--that King Saul would kill him as a
traitor if he should anoint a successor to the kingdom.
The Lord made it clear to him that it was not the intention
to make the matter known at once, and directed him
to go to Bethlehem and make a sacrifice there and, incidentally,
to improve the opportunity of finding and anointing
the one who in due time would be made known and
exalted to the throne. At the time, he was merely to
perform the initial work, which David's father and
brethren would not understand, thinking perhaps that
the anointing meant a special blessing or a commission
from the Lord to engage as a member of the school of
the prophets or something else of this kind. Quite probably,
however, the Prophet informed David privately of
the meaning of the anointing, just as he had privately
informed Saul when he secretly anointed the latter to
the office of king of Israel.
GOD'S CHOICE OF KING
Our Study begins at the point when the Prophet
Samuel had arrived at Bethlehem. The Elders were in
fear, thinking that his presence signified some sin on their
part, or on the part of some of their fellow-citizens, which
God had sent him to reprove and to punish. Hence they
inquired whether or not he came peaceably--whether or
not his presence meant a blessing or the infliction of a
penalty. Their fears were allayed when they heard that
his mission was a peaceable one--to offer a sacrifice
unto the Lord.
Some time before this, the Ark of the Covenant had
been captured by the Philistines. The Tabernacle services,
thus discontinued, had not yet been reestablished,
and for this reason this sacrificing was performed by the
Lord's especially appointed servant. The command to
the people of Bethlehem to sanctify themselves if they
would be participators in the blessings of the sacrifice
signified that they should wash their persons, put on
clean clothes and draw nigh to the Lord with their hearts.
Thus they typically represented that justification and
sanctification which the Church of this Age has enjoyed.
The Prophet seems to have taken supervision of the
family of Jesse to the intent that he might without public
display find the man whom the Lord had chosen, and
might anoint him to the office and give him the Divine
blessing in preparation of it. Jesse properly introduced
his sons to the Prophet according to the order of their
birth--his eldest, Eliab, first. As he was of fine appearance
the Prophet naturally assumed that he was the Lord's
choice; but as he looked to the Lord for direction in the
matter he got the response--in what manner we know
not--which constitutes the Golden Text of this Study.
Judged from the human standpoint of appearance, age,
ability, etc., Eliab was the most suitable person in Jesse's
family to be the king over the nation, but not so in the
[R5656 : page 89] Lord's sight. The Lord was looking at the heart, and
had already selected David as a man after his own heart,
although, at this time being under age, his father had
not thought worth while to send for him to be present at
the feast. As one after another of Jesse's sons appeared,
the Prophet found not him whom the Lord's Spirit indicated
as the one to be anointed. Then he inquired, "Are
all thy children here?" Jesse suddenly remembered that
he had another boy, his youngest, who was in the field
with his sheep, and sent for him.
THE ANTITYPICAL LORD'S ANOINTED
Our Golden Text appeals to all Christians in connection
with the High Calling of the Gospel Age, and year
by year experience shows us its general applicability. We,
too, as the Lord's messengers, are seeking for those to
be anointed with the oil of gladness, the Holy Spirit,
that they may be kings and priests unto God in the Kingdom
which He is about to establish and which will supersede
present kingdoms. We too, like the Prophet Samuel,
might feel afraid to proceed with this work of anointing
the successors of present institutions, did we not realize
that the work of sealing the Elect of the Lord, which is
now in progress, is a secret work, which the world cannot
understand. Indeed, none understand this matter of
the sealing, the anointing of the Holy Spirit, except those
who have received it; and they are all of the David class.
The name David signifies Beloved; and as it applied
especially to our Lord and Master, of whom it was said
by Jehovah, "This is My beloved Son," so also it applies
to all the members of His Body, each of whom must be
beloved, else he cannot be acceptable as a member. Of
such the Head says, "The Father Himself loveth you";
and again, He says that we should love one another as
He has loved us. It is not too much to say that all who
receive this anointing of the Lord must ultimately be of
this David, or beloved, character. The spirit of love must
be in them--love for the Lord and love one for the other;
else they are none of His.
In seeking the Lord's anointed, who shall by and by
reign in Millennial glory for the blessing of the world,
as antitypes of David, we notice that as he was counted
by his brethren as too insignificant to be considered in this
connection, so also are those whom the Lord is choosing
and anointing for His Heavenly Kingdom. Our Lord
Jesus was disesteemed of His brethren, and when the
suggestion was made that He should be the Lord's
Anointed, His people hid, as it were, their faces from
Him--disdained Him, despised Him, and considered Him
hopeless respecting anything great or glorious--"a root
out of a dry ground." The same has been true respecting
the members of His Body, the elect Church. They also
have been despised and rejected of men; and of them the
Apostle declares, "We are made as the filth of the world,
and are the offscouring of all things"--for Christ's sake,
for the Truth's sake.--1 Corinthians 4:13.
WHO CAN READ THE HEART?
Again he declares, "Ye see your calling, brethren, how
that not many wise men after the flesh, not many
mighty, not many noble, are called." St. James asks,
"Hath not God chosen the poor of this world, rich in faith
and heirs of the Kingdom which He hath promised to
them that love Him!" This principle of the Divine
selection of things that are not esteemed amongst men,
to bring to naught the things that are esteemed by men,
is noticeable throughout this Gospel Age. Often have
we, like the Prophet Samuel, looked about amongst men
seemingly eligible to a place in the Kingdom--socially,
intellectually, morally, educationally--and in the esteem
of men, and have expected that surely the Lord would
sanction their anointing with the oil of gladness and grant
them a knowledge of the Truth pertaining to the Kingdom,
only to find ourselves mistaken and to get a fresh
lesson on the fact that God looketh not on the outward
appearance, but on the heart.
We concede that we are unable to read the heart; but
we are fully satisfied to accept the Divine decision in
such matters and to trust that when in due time all the
secrets of this present life shall be disclosed we shall
then be able to understand the meaning of the Lord's
selections more completely than we do now. We shall
then be able to see what a difference there was between
the hearts of those whom the Lord accepted and the
hearts of those, outwardly humble, whom He did not so
highly favor in respect to the Kingdom call. Meantime,
we must simply wait and trust the Lord and accept
His decisions, as expressed by our dear Redeemer when
He said, "I thank Thee, Father, Lord of Heaven and
earth, because Thou hast hidden these things from the
wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes; even
so, Father; for so it seemed good in Thy sight."
Instructed respecting the Divine methods, we are not
to despise the least, the most ignoble or illiterate of those
who give evidence of a purity and honesty of heart toward
God, and to whom He seems to give the anointing of His
Spirit and the "ear to hear." Rather, while making known
the Message to all as we have opportunity, we are to rejoice
especially with those upon whom the Lord's favor
is manifested, regardless of their earthly surroundings,
etc. ("The Lord knoweth them that are His"); and it is
for us to recognize, to honor and to co-operate with all
such, as the ambassadors and representatives of our Lord
and Master.
Often have we thought, as we have looked over a congregation
of the Lord's people and beheld some not prepossessing
in personal appearance, some not well educated
or refined, some ignoble--but nevertheless bearing the
marks of the anointing of the Lord, the light of the Truth
shining in their faces, the confidence and hope of the
Truth inspiring them, and their lives indicating a transformation
from the kingdom of darkness into the Kingdom
of God's dear Son--often have we thought that had
the Lord sent us forth to seek His Bride, we might have
ignorantly passed by some of His choice jewels and have
gathered in some whom He rejects as unworthy--because
we are unable to read the heart. This thought should
make us very humble, gentle and meek toward all, and
very trustful of the Lord and very much inclined to look
for His leading in respect to our labors as His servants--
just as the Prophet Samuel looked to the Lord in connection
with the anointing of David.
A PICTURE OF THE MILLENIUM
Samuel's words, "We will not sit down until he come
hither," referred to the feast of which they were about
to partake. It was the custom that, after the sacrifice had
been offered, the sanctified persons present and those in
spirit sharing in the sacrifice might join in a feast, eating
the flesh and thus celebrating a communion with the Lord.
It was this feast that the Prophet decided should not be
commenced until David's arrival. Indeed, by reason of
being the Lord's anointed, he would be the most important
person present at the gathering.
Perhaps in this also we can see a figure of the Lord's
blessing in the Divine Plan. A feast of fat things has been
designed for the whole world of mankind. But the feast
cannot be participated in until the justifying and sanctifying
sacrifice has been killed. More than this, the feast
[R5656 : page 90] cannot be commenced until first the Anointed One shall
come and shall receive the anointing. The anointing began
with our Lord, the Head of the Church, and throughout
the Gospel Age has been flowing down upon the members
of His Body, the Church. The Sacrifice has been
killed; and we, as members of Christ, have been participating
in the sacrifice. Shortly the whole matter will have
been accomplished; and then, as the Lord's anointed, the
feast of fat things will be spread--the Anointed One,
Head and Body, being the principal in that great antitypical
feast.
The blessing and power of the Lord accompanied
David's anointing in some manner--just how we may not
understand; for the manifestation of the Spirit was not
the same then as it is with the Church, since Pentecost.
(John 7:39.) However, in some manner God's blessing
and power were with David, enabling him to progress in
knowledge, etc., and preparing him for the duties of the
office to which he had been anointed. May we not consider
as an antitype to this, the anointing which comes
upon the Church from the time of her acceptance with
the Lord? Ours is not a physical anointing nor are the
blessings conferred of a temporal character. It is as
New Creatures that we are anointed, that we grow in
grace, knowledge and love; and it is as New Creatures
that by and by we shall be perfected in the First Resurrection
and come to the Throne with our Lord and Master
as our Head.
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