[Chris Anstiss has given me permission to edit and upload his script. He wishes to express his indebtedness to John Woodhouse commentary on 1 Samuel.]
Picture this. You are at the local service station. As you fill up the tank, a police car rolls in. There is a man arrested in the back seat. The police car pulls in, the engine turns off, and you suddenly hear a banging. The man in the back of the police car is kicking at the window. Then an explosion of glass and the man is out of the car! The man in handcuffs tackles the policeman, pins him to the car, and starts to choke him with his handcuffs. What would you do?
This very thing happened in the US earlier this year[1]. And the man who witnessed this happen had a criminal record. This wasn't a man you would expect to come to the aid of the policeman, but that's exactly what Anthony Stinnett did. ‘I didn't really think about it’, Stinnett said. ‘I just saw someone... in serious trouble, and I wanted to help.’ Despite his past, Stinnett saved the policeman’s life, and emerged from the situation an unlikely hero.
In our passage today we see the God of the unexpected work through an unlikely hero to save his people. Our passage teaches us that if we're to trust God, we must be prepared for the unexpected.
Already in 1 Samuel we've seen the God of the unexpected at work. When Israel was oppressed by the Philistines and suffering under the corrupt leadership of Eli's Sons, who would've thought God would find a solution in the distress of a barren woman named Hannah (1 Samuel 1-3)? But the God of the unexpected blesses Hannah with a Son. Samuel is a powerful, godly leader who subdues the Philistine threat for God's people (1 Samuel 7).
But when Samuel gets old, the people wickedly demanded a king to be like the nations. God surprisingly grants their request and gives them Saul. While Saul could rally Israel and win battles with God's help (1 Samuel 11), he disobeyed God (1 Samuel 15) and is unable to completely eliminate the Philistine threat (1 Samuel 14:52; 31). So God's people are again in crisis. Threatened by the Philistines, and worst of all, led by a man who's been rejected by God. In this crisis, God provides an unexpected solution.
It's a strange time for Israel. Saul is still publically the king even though we know God has rejected him.
At the start of chapter 16, Samuel mourns for Saul. Given what we know about Samuel, this isn't too surprising. Samuel cares deeply for God's people and he's always praying for them (1 Samuel 12:23). Samuel himself warned the people that the kingship and their security depended on both people and King obeying God (1 Sam 12:12-15). Samuel is greatly distressed about what Saul's disobedience might mean for the people.
Samuel weeps, but for God the time for mourning is over. Listen to what God says to Samuel in 1 Samuel chapter 16 verse 1:
How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and be on your way; I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem. I have chosen one of his sons to be king. (1 Samuel 16:1 NIV)
It's time for a new King. Already we've been getting little teasers of this King. Samuel has already told Saul that God was giving the kingdom to ‘one better than you’ (1 Samuel 15:28). God had already sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him leader of his people (1 Samuel 13:14). Could this little boy from Bethlehem be the one?
The phrase ‘a man after God's own heart’ has made its way into everyday Christian jargon, but I [Chris] am not sure most of us really understand what it means. In fact, as I was preparing this sermon, I realised that I'd also misunderstood the phrase.
In the past I've used this phrase to describe a godly person, someone with a heart like God's. It could mean this, but there's a better option. I think this phrase actually describes a person who God's set his heart on. In others words, it's more about the place a person has in God's heart; than the place God has in a person's heart.
This difference is important, because it helps us to see God's chosen king more clearly. This king hasn't been chosen because of anything in his heart. This king's been chosen because of the special place he's got in God's heart. So this king will be a different and better King than Saul, simply because this new King has a place in God's heart in a way Saul didn't.[2]
Why has this king found favour where Saul hasn't?
We don’t know. It is a mystery of God's election. But God tells us that this is how He operates. God bestows his favour on whoever he chooses regardless of who they are, or what they've done.
Whenever I'm reminded about this, it humbles me. It's humbling to think God didn't choose me because I was particularly good or have some special quality. This is totally unexpected in a culture driven by personal qualities, performance and results.
But I'm a man after God's own heart for no other reason than God willed it to be so - and it's the same for all of us Christians. I can't fathom why God chose me and not someone else. But I know I need to respond to him in praise with my entire life.
Samuel goes to Bethlehem looking for the next King. When he finds Jesse and his sons, one of them in particular catches Samuel's eye. Have a look at verse 6.
When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and thought, "Surely the LORD's anointed stands here before the LORD." (1 Samuel 16:6 NIV)
Samuel looks at Eliab, and likes what he sees! But Samuel is mistaken. Samuel looks on Eliab and sees a King, but God sees things differently. God says to Samuel in verse 7:
Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart. (1 Samuel 16:7 NIV)
A more literal translation of the end of verse 7 could read ‘man sees according to the eyes, but God sees according to the heart’. Man sees according to the eyes. Samuel looks at Eliab and makes a judgment on what he sees.
But God sees according to the heart. It's a strange image. How does a heart see? I think this means that what God sees is determined by what is in his [ie God’s] heart, and what's in God’s heart is someone other than Eliab. Like Saul, we're not really told why Eliab isn't the one, only that despite all his good looks, he's not the one God has chosen.
Eliab isn't the one that God's set his heart on. In fact, none of Jesse's sons who are there turn out to be the one. This prompts Samuel to ask Jesse if anyone is missing. It turns out that there is. The youngest son is down looking after his dad's sheep. The poor disregarded youngest, who wasn't even invited to the party! You could imagine Jesse saying, ‘I didn't think you want to see him Samuel, he's just a boy!’ But Samuel asks for him and when he arrives we get a description of what he looks like. Have a look at verse 12:
He was ruddy, with a fine appearance and handsome features. (1 Samuel 16:12 NIV)
The youngest is a rosy cheeked, maybe red-headed, attractive boy. Unlike Eliab, there's no mention of his size or stature. David is a small, handsome boy, but he hardly looks like a potential king.
But, as we often discover, the unlikely one in our eyes turns out to be the one God's set his heart on.[3]
When it comes to the choice between David or Eliab, God makes what seems to us, the unexpected choice. Have a look at verse 12:
Then the LORD said, 'Rise and anoint him; he is the one.' 13So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the LORD came upon David in power. (1 Samuel 16:12-13 NIV)
To trust God, we must be prepared for the unexpected. The story of David's anointing speaks into our post modern culture. Our culture says all our opinions are equally valid. You see it your way, I see it my way. Everything is right, nothing is wrong.
Samuel and God had two opinions on who the king would be. But, one was right, the other was wrong. Samuel looked according to his eyes and saw Eliab as the King. But God looked according to his heart and saw David as the King. When it comes to God's king, God's opinion is the only one that matters.[4]
When it comes to David, we must see David as God did. We must see David as the king. But most importantly, we must see Jesus as God sees him.
God sees Jesus as his son, the king, judge and saviour of the entire universe. There are lots of other opinions on who Jesus is. Some people think they’re equally valid. Perhaps some of your family and friends think like this. You see Jesus your way, I see Jesus my way but it doesn't really matter because we're both right and you can't tell me otherwise!
But against our culture, God dares to say that not all opinions are right. The only right opinion is God's, and God says that Jesus is the king, judge and saviour of the entire universe - including you and me.
As I (Chris) was reflecting on this, it struck me how it should affect the way I share Jesus with others. The next time I find myself talking to someone who doesn’t see Jesus the way God sees him, I should try harder to show them that their opinion is wrong, because despite what they think, there's only one right opinion on who Jesus is, and they desperately need to see Jesus the way God sees him, even if it makes me uncomfortable or risks confrontation.
In chapter 16 the God of the unexpected makes a surprising choice of King. In chapter 17, the unexpected king rises as an unlikely hero and an unexpected saviour.
At the start of chapter 17 we're reminded again of the crisis threatening Israel: the Philistines. There are two mountains. The Philistines are on one, and Saul and the Israelites are on the other. Only a valley lies between them. It is a catastrophic situation for Israel, because we know that their leader Saul has been rejected by God. What hope could they have being led by a guy without God's support? In past battles it's been a case of no God, no hope for Israel. And if it's not bleak enough, here comes the hulk of a Philistine, Goliath.
God told Samuel ‘Don't look at appearance or height’ (1 Samuel 16:7); but if we were to run into Goliath, it'd be hard to ignore. The Philistine was a giant: almost 3 meters tall! His armour was made with the most superior technology at that time: a bronze helmet, bronze shin guards and bronze chainmail weighing about 60 kg! If this isn't enough protection, another Philistine came with Goliath, whose only job's the carry Goliath's shield in front of him. Goliath is an indestructible walking fortress.
He not only has the best protection but also the deadliest weapons. On his back is a large curved sword and he has a spear whose iron tip alone weighed about 7 kgs. And this is all before we even hear Goliath speak. Listen to what he shouted to Israel in verses 8 to 10:
“Why do you come out and line up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not the servants of Saul? Choose a man and have him come down to me. If he is able to fight and kill me, we will become your subjects; but if I overcome him and kill him, you will become our subjects and serve us.” ... “This day I defy the ranks of Israel! Give me a man and let us fight each other.” (1 Samuel 17:8-10 NIV)
‘Why have you even bothered?’ mocks Goliath. ‘Choose your best for a winner takes all battle and let's get it over with.’ In the face of this terrifying threat, Israel are dismayed and terrified, even Saul, the one they had ‘asked for’, who was supposed to defeat the Philistines (1 Samuel 17:11). It's hard to really capture just how hopeless it is for Israel. It's at this point that the unexpected king, David, steps back onto the stage.
David isn't a soldier on the battle lines, like his three oldest brothers. David is just a boy running errands between the battle lines and his dad’s farm. On one of his excursions, David is talking with his brothers, and something happens that proves to be a turning point in Israel's crisis, and in fact Israel's entire history. Look at verse 23:
As he (David) was talking with them (his brothers), Goliath, the Philistine champion from Gath, stepped out from his lines and shouted his usual defiance – and David heard it. (1 Samuel 17:23 NIV)
David heard. History was about to be made. The Israelites see Goliath and are terrified. But David, the Spirit-filled king, sees Goliath differently. To David, Goliath is nothing more than a pagan, uncircumcised Philistine who dares to mock not only God's people but the one true and living God Himself (1 Samuel 17:26). In David's eyes, Goliath isn't worth recognition, let alone fear. David talks tough, but no-one would've suspected that David, the handsome boy, had the game to back it up. In fact as the story unfolds, we see three people who write David off as a saviour. His brother Eliab certainly didn't expect David to emerge as a saviour. When Eliab hears David talking tough he get furious and says in verse 28:
Why have you come down here? And with whom did you leave those few sheep in the desert? I know how conceited you are and how wicked your heart is; you came down only to watch the battle. (1 Samuel 17:28 NIV)
Eliab sounds chillingly like Goliath. ‘Why have you bothered to come David?’ He doesn't see a saviour, only an arrogant little agitator who only wants to see a bit of biff. But to trust God, you need to be prepared for the unexpected.
His brothers didn't expect David to emerge as a saviour and neither for that matter, did Saul. Word about David reaches Saul, and Saul sends for David. David lives up to the rumour of talking a big game against Goliath. David's message to Saul is simple: ‘Do not fear, for I will fight’. But look at Saul's response in verse 33:
You are not able to go out against this Philistine and fight him; you are only a boy, and he has been a fighting man from his youth. (1 Samuel 17:33 NIV)
Saul looks at David and comes to the conclusion most of us would have come to. You are no match for Goliath. His brothers write him off, Saul writes him off, but to trust God, you need to be prepared for the unexpected. David doesn't give up. David knows that God's with him and with God on his side, he can't lose (1 Samuel 17:37).
Saul eventually agrees to let David fight. David refuses to take Saul's weapons and armour and instead grabs a sling and five smooth stones (1 Samuel 17:38-40). At last, an Israelite's stepped up to fight Goliath.
The young boy David walks out to face the giant Goliath. As David approaches, Goliath also inches forward, trying to see who has dared to meet his challenge. The big and the small come together. When Goliath finally sees David he is filled with anger and contempt.
It is fair to say that Goliath didn't expect David to be their saviour either! All Goliath sees is weakness, inexperience and vulnerability.
Goliath's mouth bleeds arrogance as he curses David and threatens to feed David's flesh to the animals.
But Goliath has no idea of the trouble he is in. Goliath might have size, experience and weapons on his side, but David comes in the name of the LORD Almighty with the God of the universe on his side (1 Samuel 17:45-46). After a 47 verse long build up in 1 Samuel 17, we hit the short, sharp climax in verses 48 to 50:
As the Philistine moved closer to attack him, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet him. Reaching into his bag and taking out a stone, he slung it and struck the Philistine on the forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell facedown on the ground. So David triumphed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone; without a sword in his hand he struck down the Philistine and killed him. (1 Samuel 17:48-50 NIV)
Disaster wasn't to come to Israel on that day. It was a day of salvation that God brought through the unlikely hero David. David won, NOT because Goliath wasn't as tough as he looked, NOT because Israel didn't deserve to be delivered into Goliath's hand. David won simply because God had set his heart on the unlikely choice of David to be their King and saviour. To trust God, you need to be prepared for the unexpected.
David won a great victory that day and saved the Israelites from Goliath. But his victory only points to the far greater victory that Jesus, the Son of David, won about 1000 years later. Jesus won a massive victory over the much bigger Goliath that is sin and death.
Sin and death are as real as the Philistine who stood before Israel on that day and threatened them with their lives. Sin and death is the Goliath that slays us all and laughs in our face.
But the Gospel of Jesus is a message of victory over sin and death. Jesus gives us the victory because he perfectly obeyed God and died in our place for our sins and defeated the power of death in his resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:54-57).
If your trust is in this King, you can bravely face death with the certain hope that death isn't the end and heaven awaits you. Until that day, we'll face many other Goliaths that are real and intimidating. We might face relationship breakdown, loss of loved ones, financial hardship and job loss, infertility and sickness, and many other disappointments in life. But because of what Jesus has done for us and will do for us, we are completely safe and secure in Him. We have a strength to look our threats in the face and be strong. As Paul writes:
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? ... No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:31-39 NIV)
David's brothers, Saul and Goliath, all wrote David off as the saviour. But to trust God, you have to be prepared for the unexpected.
Who would've thought that Jesus, the teacher, healer, the one killed on the cross, would be God's chosen King to save his people and rule the entire world?
Jesus seemed as unlikely a saviour from Bethlehem as the young boy David did. But if we are to trust God, we have to be prepared for the unexpected.
Has the God of the unexpected taken you by surprise at all this morning?
Father in Heaven we praise you as the God of the unexpected. We thank you that despite all appearances you gave Israel a saviour in David. And we especially thank you for giving us a saviour in Jesus. Thank you that in Jesus we have a real hope of life after death in heaven forever. Father we pray that you will help us to put all our trust and hope in Jesus through the ups and downs of the Christian life. In His name, Amen.
[1] http://www.baynews9.com/content/news/baynews9/news/article.html/content/news/articles/bn9/2013/1/10/good _samaritan_who_s.html; Other examples - Oskar Schindler: http://www.ushmm.org/museum/exhibit/focus/schindler/; Ashton Agar: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-07-12/agar-becomes-australias-unlikely-hero/4815480
[2] Why this new King David has a place in God's heart, yet Saul doesn't, is not explained explicitly. It cannot be obedience because David sinned as well (2 Samuel 11-12). This is an example of the divine mystery of predestination and election whereby God exercises his right to bestow his favour and mercy on who he chooses. Ultimately, this places the success of David's throne on promise, not performance.
[3] If you were given a free ticket for the Indian pacific, would you choose Platinum class? Or economy? God's the one who chooses economy. The one who makes the unexpected choice!
[4] When it comes to anything really...