Fearlessly Courageous
Desk of Dennis Piller
9/20/2021
Even God’s Prophets have walked by sight and missed God!
Even God’s Prophets have walked by sight and missed God!
God sent the Prophet Samuel to Jesse’s house to select one of his sons to anoint as the new king. This story, 1 Samuel 16 1-13, as with so much of the Old Testament, affirms that God’s “providence” operates beyond the spectrum in which our sight operates. Note also that God’s eye here is on the flock and not just the individual sparrow.
When the eldest son Eliab, who was tall and fair, passed before Samuel, the prophet thought, “Surely the Lord’s anointed is now before the Lord.” God’s response has echoed down through the ages: “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for the Lord does not see as mortals see: they look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart” (v. 7). All of the other brothers received the same pass from God.
Ancient audiences would have been touched by the irony that the one who was thought too insignificant to be considered for the role of king was actually already fulfilling his future vocation: shepherding the flock. When David was brought forth, the Lord said, “Rise and anoint him; for this is the one.”
This entire story plays upon the contrast between seeing and hearing. The chapter’s keyword “see” (h)r) is again in play, especially in v. 7, where it occurs five times. The problem is that Samuel is relying on his human sense of vision, which will not do for the work of God. Back in 1 Sam 9:19, Samuel had even referred to himself as a “seer,” literally a “see-er” (h)ero). But as 1 Sam 16:3 emphasizes, Samuel’s job was not so much to see as to listen:
“you shall anoint for me the one whom I name to you.”
How have you been in this area of seeing versus listening? How quickly are we moved by first impressions in what we see and imagine? How would you rate yourself or what evidence could you bring that you put forth the effort to listen before you speak or move?
When dealing with matters of God’s actions and will, human sight is an inadequate tool. The human sense of hearing–if we are listening to God– should be our first fall back not our last.
This dimension of the text rings out loudly in our cultural context. We rely for almost everything on our sight, but it often proves untrustworthy. Advertisers know that the quickest way to get their fingers into our wallets is through our eyes–by bombarding us with images of sexuality and excess. Do we really think that wearing the same watch as Heidi Klum or Tiger Woods will make us more attractive and successful?
For the last century or more, the taller of the two final presidential candidates have almost always won. And lest we in the church think we have risen above this shallow horizon, take a look at the leaders of the church– pastors, elders, bishops, college, and seminary presidents–and ask yourself, “Are we really any different?”
What a powerful, countercultural, evangelical message that this text has to offer us and our times! Thus says the Lord: “The Lord does not see as mortals see: they look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”
If Jesus were to come today, what would he see in your heart? When will you see and know the truth of God’s holy word as your only true source of nourishment? When will we stop and wait… until we hear from God regarding the direction of our family, job, relationship, or any other decision we make in life?
Riley Clemmons – Fighting For Me
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=in1uxSpvsw0&list=PL3oW2tjiIxvTstLS9GlgaT_mqONT0WVDw&index=13
Excerpts are taken from Rolf Jacobson’s commentary on 1 Samuel 16:1-13 And
Bruce Birch, “The First and Second Books of Samuel: Introduction, Commentary, and Reflections,”
