There is a very famous portrait of George Washington that served as the basis of the image on the one-dollar bill. Painted in 1796, three years before Washington’s death, the painting is most distinctive as being unfinished. The painter, Gilbert Stuart decided to keep the portrait for himself, not completing it, but using it as a model for future paintings. In the painting, Washington’s head and shoulders are finished, but what is noticeably lacking is the background. Stuart painted Washington’s face on a partial brown background, making the painting look incredibly incomplete (search for the “Athenaeum Portrait” to see the picture).
The lack of background can be very jarring—the main subject might be distinguishable, but the fullness of the picture is glaringly absent.
We are about to pick up our study of 1 Samuel, in particular, the story of King David. Like Washington’s portrait, the general outlines of the biblical picture of David as a broken leader, a repentant sinner, and a struggling follower of God is fairly evident. However, without the background, the biblical storyline losses some of its effectiveness. So… here’s a reminder of the background of David’s rise to kingship in Israel.
After 400 years of slavery in Egypt, God uses Moses and Joshua to lead them out and to conquer Canaan land. Once there, however, they functioned more like twelve tribal peoples rather than a unified people of God. A long period of chaos and spiritual darkness ensued, where God’s work in and thru the nation was opposed by the idolatry and disobedience of the people. Yet the Lord did not abandon His plan to save, but appointed temporary rulers, judges, to guide the population in sanctification. Unfortunately, the grip of idol worship, spiritual adultery, and a neglect of God’s law led to political instability and an uncertainty that poisoned the Israelite’s culture. Without a tangible leader, the people quickly abandoned their Redeemer God for images and idols which fit their fancy.
And so, somewhere during the eleventh-century BC, God called upon the prophet Samuel to anoint Saul as king over the unified tribes. For a while, it appears that Saul would effectively lead the people; a head taller than all the rest, mighty in battle, brave, and able to recruit others to his side. By all accounts Saul made a perfect king. But, as so often before, Saul acted in unbelief, trusting in dead spirits, in his own reasoning and power than in the Sovereign Lord. Rather than establishing his throne, God rejects Saul as His representative. He sends the prophet Samuel on a journey to find the one God Himself will select—David, the son of Jesse.
This is where we pick up the story this Sunday as we read 1 Samuel chapter 16. I encourage you to read the text in order to prepare well for worship on Sunday, and I’ll see you then!
- Why does God seem to be annoyed with Samuel’s grief over King Saul (verse 1)? What might Samuel be doing in the midst of his grief that expresses unbelief in God?
- In verse 2, why would Samuel fear that Saul would kill him? What is the Lord’s solution to that?
- The Lord is intent on teaching Samuel something about the choice of David— “Do not look on outward appearances, but on the heart.” What does a “heart” that God would approve of look like?
- What can you speculate that Jesse feels toward David from the way he is presented in chapter 16? From what you know of David’s life, how might that have influenced his decisions later in life?
- Following his anointing, we are told that the Holy Spirit “rushed upon him” (verse 13). What might that look like? How did the rushing of the Spirit show itself?
By Henry Knapp