was he whom God had chosen to be king. Samuel took a horn full of oil and poured it upon David’s head to show that he was to rule God’s people, Israel. Soon David was asked to play his harp for King Saul. Saul loved David and asked him to be his armour- bearer. David might have refused to play for the king and to help him, but David loved God and wanted to obey His will and to help others for His sake. As God looked at David’s heart, He knew that here was the best one to rule over Israel.
instance showed his possibilities for becoming a great ruler. He refused to avenge himself upon his enemies. When this attitude is contrasted with his attempt to destroy David later on, we see how far a servant of the Lord may fall when he gets into sin. “ Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice” (1 Sam. 15:22). This state ment does not minimize the impor tance of forms and ceremonies. They are commanded by God, and in their right place they serve a helpful pur pose. But obedience must come first; God will never accept a substitute for it. “The Lord hath rejected thee from being king over Israel” (1 Sam. 15:26). Before the time mentioned here, Saul had rejected the Word of the Lord. If God’s Word is rejected, there is nothing that God can do for any man; His favors come through His Word. Let our nation remember this as well as all of us as individ uals. For the Children D avid of B ethlehem 1 S amuel 16:4-13 M emory V erse : "Man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart” (1 Sam. 16:7). One day David, the shepherd boy, received word to leave his sheep and come home at once. Was someone ill? Had company arrived? Why had David’s father , Jesse, called him from his sheep? When David reached home, he saw his father and his brothers talking with Samuel, the prophet of God. The Jewish people were in the land which God had promised to give them. The king who was ruling over them did not obey God, so another ruler had to be chosen. God had sent Samuel, the religious leader of the Jews, to David’s town to offer a sacrifice on the altar. Samuel had invited David’s father and brothers to the service. One by one, the sons of Jesse came before Samuel to see which one God had chosen to be king. As Samuel looked at the first young man, he felt that surely he would be God’s choice. But God told the people not to look at his height or his handsome face, “for man looketh on the outward ap pearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.” Seven of Jesse’s sons marched by Samuel, but of each one God said that he was not to be the king. Samuel asked Jesse if he had any other sons, and was told that there was a younger boy who was a shepherd. Samuel asked that he be brought to him at once. David, the shepherd boy, was a healthy, handsome, unselfish lad. It MARCH, 1947
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