1 Samuel 16:4-10 – God qualifies our call

Samuel came to Bethlehem as instructed by the Lord. He showed himself to be the opposite of Saul. He obeyed as instructed. It must have been a while since he left for Ramah, so it was natural for the elders to be taken by surprise by his appearance. So their question did not come unexpectedly. They asked  him forthrightly, “Do you come in peace?” He assured them that he came in peace and was there to offer a sacrifice. He consecrated them and invited them to the sacrifice and did the same for Jesse and his sons.  

When he saw Eliab, the eldest of Jesse’s son, he thought to himself at once, “Surely the Lord’s  anointed is before Him.” From his point of view, he considered Eliab the kind of man that God would make a king. He was probably good looking. But didn’t that happen once before? Saul was prospective then, but it turned out quite the opposite. Here he was making an error in judgment. In spiritual matters, we cannot rely on what we see on the surface. Simply put, it’s because spiritual things are best spiritually discerned. Even in the English proverbs, we are told that “not everything that glitters is gold”, and that “we should never judge a book by its cover.”  

In verse 7 we learn an important principle about perspective. We must never conclude just from outward peripheral appearance. We need to examine the core and get to the crux. This is best applied to evaluating character. We must not assume from physical appearance, status or size. Looks can be deceitful. Many people are long in presentation but short in substance. What we see is often not what thing truly is. So don’t just conclude from outward appearances. When God wants to use a person, He examines the heart. That’s where the source of life flows. No wonder we are told to guard our heart diligently because this is where the fountain of life flows.

Verses 8 and 9 tell us that Jesse’s other sons, Abinadab and Shammah and the others came before Samuel, one after the other. None of them qualified the test of the Lord. The oft-repeated words were: “The Lord has not chosen this one either.” This process underscores the doctrines of divine election. God's choice of people is not dependent on a person’s capability. God’s choice of us is never about our cleverness or intellect. It is always about His graciousness, His purpose, and will. No one can do anything to merit God’s acceptance. It has and will always rest entirely on His will and good pleasure. We are all called into the Kingdom to fulfill God’s purpose and pleasure. That’s also why the 24 elders in heaven proclaimed and most likely have not stopped  proclaiming, “Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created.” So must we who are called, chosen and set apart for God!