“Do not consider his appearance or his height . . . 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

The Israelites wanted a king just as the nations around them had their kings. God had been their invisible king and Samuel the Prophet guided and judged them according to the direction of the LORD. But the Israelites wanted a human king and a royal family who would live in a palace! To please the people, God chose Saul to be the first king of Israel.

Saul was tall, strong, handsome, and, at first, humble. In the beginning he led the people in the right way. But after a few years, he became careless about obeying God’s commandments.

God directed Saul to attack the Amalekites and completely destroy them and all their goods. Instead, Saul and his men captured their king and kept the best of the sheep and oxen and anything else that appealed to them. When Samuel asked him why he did this, Saul said he wanted the animals to give to God in sacrifice. But Samuel told him God would much rather have obedience than sacrifice (1 Samuel 15:22). Eventually, God took the kingdom away from Saul.

God told Samuel he had chosen one of Jesse’s sons to be the next king of Israel, and Samuel was to anoint him. Seven of Jesse’s sons passed before Samuel; they were tall and handsome young men, but God rejected them all. Samuel was surprised, and asked Jesse if these were all his sons. Jesse answered that the youngest, David, was outside taking care of the sheep. When David came before Samuel, God said, “Rise and anoint him; he is the one.” Samuel poured the olive oil upon David’s head and the spirit of Jehovah God came upon David. 1 Samuel 16:12, 13

We are especially interested in the story of David because his name means beloved, and also because he was a picture of The Christ—Jesus and his faithful brethren, the church.

David was anointed many years before he became king. Just as the years of trials and testings David experienced were to prepare him for his office as king, so Jesus and the church also have a period of trials and testings in preparation for their roles as kings and priests in the next age.

David was anointed many years before he actually became king.