Study 22: 1 Samuel 16: 1-13 : Trent Evans

This sermon unpacks 1 Samuel 16, where God directs Samuel to anoint David as Israel’s next king. The message highlights God’s sovereignty in closing one season and opening another, reminding us that mourning must eventually give way to obedience and trust in His purposes. Samuel learns that God’s choice is not based on outward appearance but on the heart, a principle that exposes human tendency to judge superficially. David, overlooked by his family, is chosen and anointed, yet he must wait years before taking the throne, during which the Spirit of the Lord rests powerfully on him. The sermon emphasizes God’s pattern of using ordinary, imperfect people to fulfill extraordinary callings, shaping them through waiting, trials, and faithfulness in hidden places. Listeners are encouraged to trust God’s timing, embrace His refining work, and live daily with the Spirit’s power wherever they are placed

Sermon Outline

1. Transition from Saul to David (00:40–03:18)

• Main Point: God shifts focus from Saul’s disobedience to David’s calling.

• Key Text: 1 Samuel 15 (Saul’s disobedience), 1 Samuel 16:1.

• Note: Saul’s kingdom is rejected; God has chosen “one better.”

  
  

2. The Weight of Mourning (05:52–12:44)

• Main Point: Samuel grieves Saul’s failure, but God reminds him that seasons of mourning must end to fulfill His purposes.

• Key Text: 1 Samuel 15:35, Ecclesiastes 3.

• Note: Grief unchecked can paralyze believers with guilt and shame.

  
  

3. God’s Command to Move Forward (13:42–15:26)

• Main Point: “Fill your horn with oil and be on your way.” Obedience requires release of past failures.

• Key Text: 1 Samuel 16:1.

• Note: God, not Samuel, ended Saul’s reign; Samuel’s hands were clean.

  
  

4. God’s Methods and Mission (17:15–20:49)

• Main Point: Samuel fears Saul, but God provides instructions—take a heifer, call Jesse, and trust Him.

• Key Text: 1 Samuel 16:2–3.

• Note: God calls Samuel to obedience while promising to reveal His chosen king.

  
  

5. Consecration and Preparation (20:49–23:20)

• Main Point: Samuel consecrates Jesse’s family before the sacrifice.

• Key Term: Hebrew kadash = set apart.

• Key Text: 1 Samuel 16:5.

• Note: True worship requires sanctification and readiness before God.

  
  

6. God Looks at the Heart (24:03–28:51)

• Main Point: Eliab impresses Samuel, but God rejects outward appearances.

• Key Text: 1 Samuel 16:6–7.

• Truths:

  • God does not look at what man looks at.

  • Man looks at outward appearance.

  • God looks at the heart.

    
    

7. Jesse’s Sons Passed Over (29:39–33:54)

• Main Point: One by one, Jesse’s sons are rejected. David is not even invited at first.

• Key Text: 1 Samuel 16:10–11.

• Note: God often chooses the overlooked and underestimated.

  
  

8. David’s Rejection and Identity (34:57–39:16)

• Main Point: David experienced rejection even from family but found acceptance in God.

• Key Text: Psalm 27:10.

• Illustration: Personal story of being called “Trash” → reminder that God gives a new name and identity in Christ.

  
  

9. David Anointed by Samuel (40:45–46:26)

• Main Point: Samuel anoints David with oil; the Spirit of the Lord comes powerfully upon him.

• Key Text: 1 Samuel 16:12–13.

• Note: David returns to tending sheep—anointed, but not yet enthroned. God’s Spirit prepares him during the waiting years.

  
  

10. Trusting God in the Waiting (47:38–59:46)

• Main Point: Like David’s long wait, God uses seasons of waiting to shape us.

• Application: Trust God’s refining, molding, and timing in your own calling.

• Closing Prayer: God strengthens us to remain faithful in the “shepherd’s field.”

Scripture References

1. 1 Samuel 15 (00:40–02:42)

• Context: Saul disobeys God by sparing Agag and the Amalekites.

• Use in Sermon: Shows Saul’s repeated disobedience and Samuel’s declaration that Saul’s kingdom will end. Sets up the transition to David.

  
  

2. 1 Samuel 15:35 (07:52–08:55)

• Context: Samuel mourned for Saul, and the Lord regretted making Saul king.

• Use in Sermon: Used to explain Samuel’s grief and how prolonged mourning can keep believers stuck in guilt and paralysis.

  
  

3. Ecclesiastes 3 (11:56–12:44)

• Context: “There is a time to mourn and a time to dance.”

• Use in Sermon: Reminds listeners that grief has its place but must not prevent obedience to God’s new directions.

  
  

4. 1 Samuel 16:1 (13:42–15:22)

• Context: God tells Samuel to fill his horn with oil and anoint a new king.

• Use in Sermon: Emphasizes obedience—letting go of Saul’s rejection and moving forward with God’s plan.

  
  

5. 1 Samuel 16:2–3 (17:15–20:05)

• Context: God instructs Samuel to take a heifer for sacrifice and promises to reveal His chosen king.

• Use in Sermon: Highlights God’s method, power, and mission—He directs Samuel step by step, removing the weight of decision from him.

  
  

6. 1 Samuel 16:5 – Hebrew Kadash (22:32–23:20)

• Context: Samuel consecrates Jesse and his sons.

• Use in Sermon: Hebrew word study (kadash, “set apart”) shows the necessity of preparing hearts and lives for God’s presence.

  
  

7. 1 Samuel 16:6–7 (24:03–28:49)

• Context: God rejects Eliab, reminding Samuel that He looks at the heart, not outward appearance.

• Use in Sermon: Contrasts human judgment (appearance, status) with God’s evaluation (heart). Provides three truths:

  1. The Lord does not look at what people look at.

  2. People look at the outward appearance.

  3. The Lord looks at the heart.

     
     

8. 1 Samuel 16:10–11 (31:52–33:54)

• Context: All seven of Jesse’s older sons are rejected; David is left out in the fields.

• Use in Sermon: Shows God’s pattern of choosing the overlooked; points out family dynamics and Jesse’s likely dismissal of David’s potential.

  
  

9. Psalm 27:10 (34:57–35:41)

• Context: “Though my father and mother forsake me, the Lord will receive me.”

• Use in Sermon: Applied to David’s rejection and family tension, highlighting God’s acceptance when human relationships fail.

  
  

10. 1 Samuel 16:12–13 (40:45–46:26)

• Context: David is anointed; the Spirit of the Lord comes powerfully upon him.

• Use in Sermon: Marks David’s calling and the beginning of his Spirit-filled journey, even though he returns to the fields instead of a throne.

  
  

11. 2 Samuel 5:4 (46:26–47:38)

• Context: David becomes king at age 30.

• Use in Sermon: Stresses the long waiting period (15–20 years) between anointing and enthronement, showing God’s shaping work during the in-between years.

  
  

12. John 1:12 (implied) (37:21–39:16)

• Context: Believers are given the right to be called children of God.

• Use in Sermon: Applied during the illustration about being nicknamed “Trash”—reminding listeners that God gives them a new identity as sons and daughters of the King.behavior—true change comes from heart transformation, not willpower.

Word Study

1. Mourn

• Language: Hebrew (OT)

• Original Word: נָחַם (nacham), Strong’s H5162, pronounced naw-kham’

• Definition:

  • Simple: To be sorry, to grieve, to console oneself.

  • Extended: To express sorrow, lament, or change one’s mind; conveys deep grief or repentance.

• Synonyms/Antonyms:

  • Synonym: saphad (H5594, “to wail, lament”)

  • Antonym: sameach (H8056, “joy, gladness”)

• Other Passages:

  • Genesis 6:6 – “The Lord regretted (nacham) that he had made man…”

  • Jonah 3:10 – God “relented” (nacham) concerning Nineveh.

  • 1 Samuel 15:35 – The Lord grieved (nacham) over Saul as king.

• Reflection: In the sermon, Samuel’s prolonged mourning over Saul (1 Sam. 16:1) represents a natural grief that God redirects into renewed obedience. This word reminds us that grief must have its season but should not prevent God’s forward work in our lives.

  
  

2. Consecrate

• Language: Hebrew (OT)

• Original Word: קָדַשׁ (qadash), Strong’s H6942, pronounced kaw-dash’

• Definition:

  • Simple: To set apart, sanctify, dedicate.

  • Extended: To make holy, to prepare for sacred use, to separate from common use and dedicate to God.

• Synonyms/Antonyms:

  • Synonym: hallow (qadosh, holy).

  • Antonym: chalal (H2490, “to profane, defile”).

• Other Passages:

  • Exodus 19:10 – “Consecrate (qadash) the people today and tomorrow.”

  • Leviticus 20:7 – “Consecrate yourselves and be holy…”

  • Joshua 3:5 – “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you.”

• Reflection: Samuel’s call to Jesse’s family to consecrate themselves (1 Sam. 16:5) highlights the need for purity and preparation before God’s presence. In the sermon, this word emphasizes that God’s work begins with hearts made ready, not outward appearance.

  
  

3. Anoint

• Language: Hebrew (OT)

• Original Word: מָשַׁח (mashach), Strong’s H4886, pronounced maw-shakh’

• Definition:

  • Simple: To smear, pour oil on, consecrate.

  • Extended: To ceremonially set apart a person for office or sacred duty by anointing with oil; symbolic of divine choice and empowerment.

• Synonyms/Antonyms:

  • Synonym: chrio (Greek NT, G5548, “to anoint, consecrate,” used of Christ).

  • Antonym: There is no exact antonym, but rejection (ma’as, H3988, “to reject, refuse”) is its opposite in calling.

• Other Passages:

  • Exodus 28:41 – Priests are anointed to serve.

  • Psalm 23:5 – “You anoint my head with oil.”

  • Isaiah 61:1 – “The Spirit of the Lord… has anointed me.”

  • Luke 4:18 – Jesus applies Isaiah’s prophecy to Himself (“anointed me to proclaim good news”).

• Reflection: David’s anointing in 1 Samuel 16:13 marks the beginning of his Spirit-filled journey, though his kingship is delayed. The sermon emphasized that anointing is not immediate enthronement, but God’s Spirit resting upon His chosen servant. For believers, anointing symbolizes being set apart for God’s purposes, even in hidden or waiting seasons.

Questions for Deeper Study

1. Mourning and Moving Forward

• In 1 Samuel 16:1, God asks Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul?”

  • What seasons of loss or disappointment might you still be holding onto?

  • How can releasing them help you step into God’s next purpose for your life?

2. God Looks at the Heart

• In 1 Samuel 16:7, God reminds Samuel that He does not look at outward appearance but at the heart.

  • In what ways are you tempted to judge by appearance, status, or ability?

  • How can you cultivate a heart that aligns more closely with God’s values?

3. Anointing and Waiting

• David was anointed as king (1 Sam. 16:13) but had to wait years before sitting on the throne.

  • Where in your life might God be shaping you in a “waiting season”?

  • How can you invite the Spirit’s presence and power into your ordinary, daily responsibilities?