Introduction
In life and in the Bible, there are events that take place that seem so inconsequential and yet they are life changing, some even history changing. The events of chapter 16 seem so insignificant. A shepherd-boy gets some oil poured on his head and then he goes back to tending the sheep. He will eventually become king of Israel, a fairly insignificant nation in the world scheme.
A very insignificant event that had been put in motion shortly after the creation of the world when God himself said that the seed of the woman was going to crush the serpent's head. An insignificant event that became more focused when God promised to Abraham that through his seed all the nations would be blessed. God brought even more focus to this insignificant event through Jacob who told Judah that the royal scepter would never depart from his house.
Without this insignificant event in chapter 16, another insignificant event that took place roughly a thousand years later and roughly at the same place would not have happened: the birth of Jesus the Christ.
David's life was significant because it pointed to the life of Christ. Your life is significant because it points to Christ.
Gal. 2:20 – I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
Last Lord's Day, we saw four things from this text: the hope in the Lord's choice, the wisdom in the Lord's choice, the surprise in the Lord's choice, and the costliness of the Lord's choice. This morning we will consider one more thing from this chapter: the irony in the Lord's choice.
I. The Contrast of the Work of the Spirit in David and Saul, 13-14.
A. The Spirit was with David from the moment of his anointing on, but the Spirit departed from Saul never to return.
1. It is important that we don't confuse the coming and going of the Spirit in passages like this one with being saved and losing that salvation.
"In the Old Testament, the Spirit came upon people to equip them for specific tasks: to rule, to prophesy or to build. It was task-oriented. In the case of a king, the Spirit provided them with both the authority and the ability to rule. Saul remained God's anointed king (as David will repeatedly, and at great cost, acknowledge). But without the Spirit, his authority and ability to rule begin to fade." Tim Chester
2. The coming and going of the Spirit has to do with equipping, not saving.
a. We see the same concept in Eph. 5:18 where we are commanded to be filled with the Spirit in order to accomplish what God has called us to accomplish in our several relationships in a household.
b. In Ps. 51:10-12, David, as sinner, considers himself as redeemed and asks that the joy of being redeemed would come back to him.
c. He also asks that the Lord wouldn't remove his Spirit from him, showing that this coming and going of the Spirit is independent from salvation.
d. One example that may be helpful is Balaam, who is held throughout the Scriptures as an enemy of God and of God's people, and yet is described as having the Spirit come upon him.
Num. 24:1-2 – Now when Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel, he did not go as at other times, to seek to use sorcery, but he set his face toward the wilderness. And Balaam raised his eyes, and saw Israel encamped according to their tribes; and the Spirit of God came upon him.
II. If not the Holy Spirit, Then a Different Spirit, 14-16.
A. Once the Holy Spirit departs Saul, the Lord sends a distressing spirit.
1. An evil spirit in the sense of misery or calamity.
2. Saul's servants/advisors describe this spirit as one who "troubles" Saul.
a. Trouble = terrify or terrorize.
b. This spirit producing something equivalent to paranoia.
Paranoia – a mental condition characterized by delusions of persecution, unwarranted jealousy, or exaggerated self-importance, typically elaborated into an organized system.
c. Not all things that are now labeled "mental disorders" may have a spiritual origin, but every time something like this manifest itself we should ask whether there is a spiritual component to it.
B. The solution for getting rid of the distressing spirit? Music therapy! 16.
1. The therapy worked! At least for a little while, 23.
2. As an extended side note: notice the power of music!
a. I am not talking about lyrics, but tunes.
b. Music can be a strong mood modifier.
1) For those of you who like movies and sports, think of Rocky IV and the theme song when Rocky starts beating up Drago, or the theme song of Chariots of Fire.
2) Suspenseful and scary scenes are often suspenseful and scary because of the music – think of Jaws!
3) For those of you who are more cultured, you can think of The Ride of the Valkyries by Wagner and all kinds of emotions come up.
c. There is also music that is sensual; tunes that encourage rage, etc.
d. We need to be aware of this as we strive to glorify and God in everything we do, which includes our consumption of media.
e. This also applies to what we sing in worship.
1) Tune and lyrics need to work together to convey the right message and establish the right mood.
2) One of the best examples of this done well is Handel's Messiah.
III. Then the Irony, 18-23.
A. The rejected king unknowingly seeks to obtain relief from the newly anointed king!
B. David is not only the Lord's choice, but also Saul's choice.
1. Saul is greatly taken with David, so much so that he makes him part of his court, 21-22.
2. We get a sense that Saul is adopting David as a son (which he calls him that later on).
3. The newly chosen king is not a threat but a means of grace to Saul.
C. David sooths Saul and by doing that he points to the greater David who comforts those who mourn.
Is. 61:1-3 (quoted in Lk. 4 and applied to Jesus) – The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, because the Lord has anointed Me to preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn, to console those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.
D. We as followers of Christ, as little christs, also have a ministry of consolation.
Is. 40:1-2 – "Comfort, yes, comfort My people!" says your God. "Speak comfort to Jerusalem, and cry out to her, that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned; for she has received from the Lord's hand double for all her sins."
2 Cor. 1:3-7 – Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ. Now if we are afflicted, it isfor your consolation and salvation, which is effective for enduring the same sufferings which we also suffer. Or if we are comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation. And our hope for you is steadfast, because we know that as you are partakers of the sufferings, so also you will partakeof the consolation.
Conclusion
Tim Chester says, "The true king is not the one with a court, but the one with the Lord." Our king didn't have a court. He had a cross for a throne and thorns for a crown. Yet, he was anointed with power from on high to accomplish our salvation. And he is coming again. Not on a cross, but as the resurrected, reigning sovereign. He will "wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away." Such is our King!
http://olympiabp.blogspot.com/2015/12/the-irony-in-lords-choice-1-sam-1613-23.html
Put the internet to work for you.
