1Samuel 15:1-7
Five Important Days
I am considering a study on the life of David. I say considering for several
reasons:
1. Such a study would be primarily a historical study. A historical study
is one of the most difficult for me as I like to preach from truths I
see in the text. For a preacher like myself, doctrinal Scriptures are
the easiest from which to preach.
2. There is not much about the life of David that most of you do not already
know. Unfortunately, over familiarity can sometimes breed boredom. I
have learned that you don’t like to be bored; and I don’t like you to
give you a reason to fall asleep or not to come.
Even with those two strikes against the study, I believe there is a lot we can
learn from studying historical sections of the Bible.
1. For example, we can learn a lot about character from these stories.
A. We talk a lot about doctrine. Character is doctrine put into practice.
B. Everyone has some type of character, either good or bad, so most Bible
individuals can teach us something about ourselves and how we are to
act.
C. I have heard two definitions of character that I like.
(1) Character is what you are in the dark, when no one else is
looking.
(a) There is a lot of truth to that statement.
(b) We all put our best foot forward when we are in public.
That makes us all somewhat hypocritical.
(c) However, God sees us not as we want to present ourselves but
as we really are.
(2) Character is what you choose to be.
(a) Contrary to what many are taught, we are not the sum of our
environment, education, and background.
(b) We are what we want to be.
(1) The son of a thief can be the most honest man in all
the world and the son of a preacher can be the most
corrupt man in all the world.
(2) As you look at the people of the Bible, what kind of
character have you chosen to be?
2. We can also learn a lot about what God will bless and what God will judge.
A. Doctrine is direct and powerful when understood and applied to our
lives.
B. The historical sections of the Bible are sections where doctrine is
applied in someone else’s life.
C. These sections give us the opportunity to learn from someone else’s
mistakes.
D. I don’t know about you, but I am glad to learn on somebody else’s
dime every once-in-awhile,
Tonight, we will not get very far into our study of David. We will only look at
the situation that lead to David’s kingship in Israel. In fact, we will be
studying more about Saul and Samuel than David tonight. Let’s look at the rise
of King David by looking at five important days in the life of King Saul.
I. \\#1Sam 15:1-7\\ Day of Reckoning - This is not Saul’s Day of reckoning.
Rather God is using Saul to fulfill someone else’ Day of Reckoning.
A. \\#1Sam 15:3\\ God commands Saul to slay the people of Amalek, all
of them—including the children and women.
B. While that seems like a harsh command, Saul appears to have no problem
with it.
1. \\#1Sam 15:4\\ Saul takes 210,000 soldiers to fight.
2. \\#1Sam 15:7\\ He slew the Amalekites across a wide area of land.
3. Shur is just to the east of Egypt and Havilah is believed to be
due east of Shur, at the northern edge of the Persian Gulf.
http://www.bible.ca/archeology/bible-archeology-exodus-amalekites.htm
4. That is a stretch of land approximately 750 miles across.
C. The question would be, "Why?" The answer is found in Deuteronomy.
Deut 25:17 Remember what Amalek did unto thee by the way, when ye were come forth
out of Egypt;
18 How he met thee by the way, and smote the hindmost of thee, even all that were
feeble behind thee, when thou wast faint and weary; and he feared not God.
19 Therefore it shall be, when the LORD thy God hath given thee rest from all
thine enemies round about, in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an
inheritance to possess it, that thou shalt blot out the remembrance of Amalek from
under heaven; thou shalt not forget it.
D. It turns out that Amalek had attacked the weakest, the most feeble
of Israel when they were in the wilderness for 40 years.
1. That would be the old, the sick, the young, and the women.
2. God sends Saul to slay the very people of Amalek that they slew of
Israel.
3. Friend, that’s called "Payday." It was Amalek’s Day of Reckoning.
a. God has made a solemn pledge to His people, both in the Old
and the New Covenants, to repay those who do His people wrong.
Deuteronomy 32:35 To me belongeth vengeance, and recompence; their foot shall
slide in due time: for the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things that
shall come upon them make haste.
Romans 12:19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto
wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.
b. It had been around 450 years, but God had not forgotten.
c. You can bet that if God did not forget Amalek’s transgression,
He will not forget ours.
(1) If it doesn’t come sooner, for the lost it will come at
the Great White Throne.
(2) And for the saved, it will come at the Bema Seat.
II. \\#1Sam 15:8-9\\ Day of Rebellion
A. Saul is being sent to execute judgment upon those who have sinned;
yet, he sees no problem in doing a little sin himself.
B. Notice,
1. \\#9\\ They killed the "vile and refuse;" that is, the people
and the things that they did not want.
2. "but all that was good… would not utterly destroy" - But the
things they could find a use for, they kept.
3. They were keeping the best for themselves!
4. \\#9\\ "Saul and the people spared…." - Saul will later make
excuses and blame the people for not disobeying God, but God saw
and recorded in His Word that Saul was just as guilty as they.
C. Of course, Saul was the leader of Israel and all of the responsibility
fell upon him.
1. Perhaps if Saul had objected to this sinful practice, the judgment
would have fallen upon the people and not him; but as it was, the
judgment fell upon him and not the people.
2. There are great privileges that come with leadership, but there
are great responsibilities.
D. King Saul had started as a humble individual, but he had become a very
selfish person.
1. \\#1Sam 10:22\\ When first chosen to be king, Saul was so bashful
that he "hid himself among the stuff."
2. Somewhere along the line, he quit being bashful and started being
out-and-out selfish.
3. I wonder how a person becomes selfish.
a. Does it come upon him gradually?
b. Or does he just wake up one morning self-exalting himself?
E. Saul would develop one of the worst cases of selfishness.
1. By keeping the best of the Amalekites, it was obvious that Saul
suffered from greed.
2. \\#1Sam 15:23\\ God called Saul’s actions REBELLION.
3. \\#1Sam 13:9\\ Saul was impatient and offered a burnt offering
when Samuel was late.
4. \\#1Sam 14:24\\ Saul was one who spoke rashly, thinking and
praying over his word very little if at all.
5. \\#1Sam 17:11\\ Saul was fearful, several times. One writer
called him a coward.
6. \\#1Sam 18:8\\ Saul was very jealous.
7. \\#1Sam 18:11\\ Saul was given to a violent and wrathful temper.
8. \\#1Sam 22:18\\ Saul slew the 85 priests for no reason.
9. \\#1Sam 28:7\\ Saul turned to witchcraft.
F. With that much pride and arrogance, you know God is going to do some-
thing!
III. \\#1Sam 15:10-11\\ Day of Rejection
A. Because of what Saul had done, God rejected him as the king of Israel.
1. Saul would retain the throne for several more years. The Bible
does not give us the number of the years.
2. However, God’s Spirit departed from Saul very soon thereafter.
3. A position without the power of God is not a privilege. It is a
punishment.
B. All that night, Samuel wept for Saul. Samuel had good cause to
mourn and weep.
1. Samuel wept that his king, his political leader, had turned away
from God.
2. Samuel wept for his protegee and fellow laborer in the work
because he had failed.
3. Samuel wept as he considered what judgment God might render upon
his friend.
IV. \\#1Sam 15:12-31\\ Day of Rational (Day of Excuses)
A. Samuel wept all that night, but early the next day, he went to meet
Saul.
1. It looks like that was a meeting that neither man was looking
forward to.
a. Samuel had wept all night over Saul’s plight. He certainly
was not looking forward to what he knew would be a rebuke
upon his friend.
b. \\#1Sam 15:13\\ And Saul had a lie already prepared.
(1) His first lie was, "I have obeyed the word of the Lord."
(2) It almost leaped out of his mouth as soon as he saw
Samuel.
(3) I imagine that Saul rehearsed it all the way home.
2. Once greed, selfishness, rebellion, and sin have taken hold, what
is the big deal with telling a lie.
B. \\#1Sam 15;14\\ Samuel’s reply was, "If you killed everything, why
do I hear the sound of sheep?"
1. Dead sheep don’t bleat.
2. Saul knew he was caught, but he kept on spinning the web of lies.
a. \\#1Sam 15:15\\ First, the sheep were for sacrifice.
(1) That sounds spiritual enough, doesn’t it?
(2) Twist your sin to make it sound like you are doing God a
favor!
b. \\#1Sam 15:20-21\\ By this time, it was the people’s fault.
3. Some think they will be able to "talk" their way around God.
a. God is no fool.
b. If Saul couldn’t talk his way around Samuel, what chance is
there of any mortal man talking his way around God?
c. \\#1Sam 15:24\\ Saul finally started to come clean—not
entirely for he was still blaming the people, but at least he
acknowledged he had sinned.
C. But it was too late.
1. If God was going to show Saul any mercy, it’s gone now.
2. What is that saying, "Things may not get any better from here,
but they can always get worse."
3. \\#1Sam 15:26\\ God had rejected Saul just like Saul rejected
God’s word.
a. Here we have another Day of Reckoning.
b. Like with the Amalekites, God gave to Saul just what Saul had
given.
c. God’s degree to render a just punishment is not just for man
alone. God Himself uses it.
Exodus 21:23 … life for life,
24 Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot,
25 Burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.
d. That may sound like a harsh justice system, but compared to
what will happen when life is over, it is very merciful.
e. Besides that, it is just.
f. If is the inverse of the Golden Rule - "Don’t do to others
what you would not have others do unto you."
V. \\#1Sam 16:1-13\\ Day of Replacement
A. We are getting close to meeting David!
1. David doesn’t really do anything in this chapter.
2. However, God sent Samuel to replace Saul with David.
B. God is going to do things differently in selecting and anointing
David.
1. The difference is not because God had made any mistakes in
selecting Saul, but because Israel had.
2. Saul was a king like all the other nations had, as the people had
requested.
1Sam 8:5 …now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.
a. Be careful what you ask for.
b. You just might get it!
C. What is God going to do differently?
1. \\#1Sam 16:1\\ The size of the oil container was different.
a. Whenever God appoints a person, God anoints that person.
b. The anointing with oil is symbolic of anointing with the Holy
Ghost.
c. It is not just the oil being poured upon a person that speaks
of God’s Holy Spirit, but the amount of oil poured on the
person seems to indicate something about the amount of power
that person will have.
(1) Notice what the Bible says about the anointing of the
first High Priest.
Psalm 133:2 It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the
beard, even Aaron’s beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments;
(2) When God sent Samuel to anoint Saul, God sent him with
a VIAL OF OIL.
1Sam 10:1 Then Samuel took a vial of oil, and poured it upon his head, and
kissed him, and said, Is it not because the LORD hath anointed thee to be captain
over his inheritance?
(a) A vial is a flask or small container.
(b) Don’t think God was being too hard on Saul with that
small anointment.
(c) The truth is, since the people are all in rebellion
against God by demanding a king, it is a wonder that
God gave Saul any anointing at all!
1 Samuel 10:9 And it was so, that when he had turned his back to go from
Samuel, God gave him another heart: and all those signs came to pass that day.
(d) Saul’s problem was not that he did not have enough
of the Holy Spirit but that he did not obey what
the Holy Spirit told him!
(3) \\#1Sam 16:1\\ But notice what God told Samuel to take
when He sent him to anoint David.
(a) A big HORN filled with oil!
(b) God gave to David an abundance of the anointing oil.
(c) That is symbolic that God was giving David an
abundance of the Holy Spirit!
2. The criteria of the king was different.
a. What the people had requested of Samuel was a king like all
the other nations.
(1) Pagan kings were not selected by character or walk with
God.
(2) They were selected by external factors, i.e. what they
could do with a bow, their military accomplishments.
(3) So God gave Israel a king they could be impressed with,
and they were!
1Sam 10:23 And they ran and fetched him thence: and when he stood among the
people, he was higher than any of the people from his shoulders and upward.
24 And Samuel said to all the people, See ye him whom the LORD hath chosen, that
there is none like him among all the people? And all the people shouted, and
said, God save the king.
(a) Saul was tall, young, and strong.
(b) He had all the makings of a physical soldier!
(c) Unfortunately, Saul was a bit of a coward on the
inside.
b. Samuel was still looking on the outside when he went to Jesse’s
house.
1Sam 16:6 And it came to pass, when they were come, that he looked on Eliab, and
said, Surely the LORD’S anointed is before him.
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.
c. Now, David was not a horrible looking fellow.
1Sam 16:12 And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of a
beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to. And the LORD said, Arise, anoint
him: for this is he.
(1) RUDDY means RED, whether that is red haired or red in
skin tone, I do not know.
(2) But he also had a BEAUTIFUL COUNTENANCE and was GOOD TO
LOOK AT.
(3) However, David was not selected for his physic. He was
selected for his tender heart before the Lord.
3. The climb to the throne would be different.
a. Saul was selected, anointed, and immediately when to serving
as the king. (1Sam 10-11)
(1) Of course, there was no throne to be had in those days,
and it took a national disaster for a king to even be
needed, but Saul immediately began to serve as king.
(2) This sudden rise to power probably aided in Saul’s pride.
(a) Saul went from being a farmer’s son to being a king
over night.
(b) That and being a young male was a prescription for
pride.
b. God was going to take David the long way to the throne.
2Sam 2:4 David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty
years.
5 In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months: and in Jerusalem
he reigned thirty and three years over all Israel and Judah.
(1) He will first be hunted by Saul for several years.
(a) The Bible does not tell us how old David was when
he was anointed king over Israel.
(b) The Bible does tell us that David is 30 when he
begins to rule.
(c) Some estimate him to be about 25, but I do not know
their reasoning.
(2) Then David will rule over the tribe of Judah for 7 1/2
years while Saul’s son, Ishbosheth, rules over the
other tribes.
(3) And then, when David is 37 years old, he will rule over
the entire kingdom.
c. God would humble and hone David as he came to the throne.
(1) That was a painful process that even discouraged this
tender-hearted servant of the Lord.
(2) But through it all, David would learn to trust in God
to stay faithful.
(3) Important lessons for one who is to assume such a
powerful position before the Lord.
If the Lord allows us the grace to continue this study, we will have to pause
after each sermon to ask ourselves two questions.
1. When you look at David, do you see the character of a person you’d like
to be?
2. Do you see the character of a Christian you are becoming?
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