Samuel appointed Saull the first king of Israel by anointing him with oil. The oil symbolized God's Holy Spirit, which empowered Saul to carry out the Lord's will. The Spirit "changed" Saul "into a different person," so that he could prophesy, defeat Israel's enemies, and win the nation's respect (see 1 Sam 10-11, NIV -- particularly 10:1, 6, 9-10; 11:6, 12-15).

In the long run, however, Saul proved unwilling to follow the Spirit's lead. He repeatedly disobeyed God's commands (see 1 Sam 13:1-14; 15:1-35), so that Samuel declared: "You have rejected the word of the LORD, and the LORD has rejected you as king over Israel!" (15:26)

"The Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul" (1 Sam 16:14), and God chose David to replace him:

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 Sam 16:13)

David immediately took the Spirit's gifts and put them to use in ways that blessed both God and the nation (compare 1 Cor 12:7). For example, he composed beautiful psalms that comforted Saul and enhance our worship to this day (see 1 Sam 16:14-23). He trained hard and became mighty in battle, so that women sang, "Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands" (1 Sam 18:7; 21:11; 29:5).

David poured his full strength into everything he did so as to honor the Lord. Although the king grew jealous of David, he could not deny his accomplishments:

Whatever Saul sent him to do, David did it so successfully that Saul gave him a high rank in the army...[and] gave him his daughter Michal in marriage. (1 Sam 18:5)

Later, Saul's jealousy forced David to flee to Achish, a king of the Philistines (see 1 Sam 21:10-15; 27:1-12). David served Achish so well that he soon earned his enemy's trust. When the Philistine commanders questioned David's loyalty, Achish defended him:

Is this not David, who was an officer of Saul king of Israel? He has already been with me for over a year, and from the day he left Saul until now, I have found no fault in him.  (1 Sam 29:3b; compare v. 6)

"In everything he did [David] had great success, because the LORD was with him" (1 Sam 18:14).

Even when David sinned, he immediately returned to the Lord, asking God to renew His Spirit within him. David prayed:

Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit to sustain me. (Ps 51:11-12)

Saul rejected God's empowering presence. Through ongoing disobedience he resisted the Spirit, grieved the Spirit, and quenched the Spirit's fire (compare Acts 7:51; Eph 4:3; 1 Thes 5:19).

In contrast, David embraced the Spirit by allowing God to guide him, shape him, and use him. This openness to the Lord's Holy Spirit made David "a man after God's own heart."

Reflect...

1. Achish repeatedly said of David, "I have found no fault in him." Who else in Scripture was repeatedly described in this way? (See Luke 23:4, 14, 22.) In what other ways does this person resemble David?
   
   
2. Paul writes: "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving" (Col 3:23-24; compare 3:17). How does David's life illustrate this biblical principle?
   
   
3. Jesus says, "Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things" (Matt 25:21a // Luke 19:17). How does David's life illustrate this principle?

Christopher A. Davis, Ph.D.
Professor of New Testament
Hope International University
Fullerton, California

Bare Roots is a regular publication, free of charge, intended for small group discussion or
personal enrichment. To subscribe or unsubscribe, e-mail cadavis@hiu.edu.
This e-list is not used for marketing nor shared with others.

For back issues of Bare Roots, see http://www.hiu.edu/bareroots.