1 Samuel 16:12
And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to. And the LORD said, Arise, anoint him: for this is he. And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to. And the LORD said, Arise, anoint him: for this is he.
The lad brought in from the sheepfold was Jesse's youngest son, a ruddy and handsome shepherd boy of beautiful face but not lofty stature, whom the Lord pointed out to be anointed from among his brothers with the horn of oil, after which the Spirit came upon him for rule in Saul's place. His good looks and form did not make him worthy, for human judgment looks on outward appearance while the Lord looks on the heart. Samuel at first favored the fine stature and dignified appearance of the elder sons, but God refused them all, since Eliab's heart was not right and he would have made a proud and exacting ruler. God chose David because in the humble office of shepherd he had proved faithful, humble, courageous, reverent and receptive to the Holy Spirit, with sincerity, simplicity and capacity to be trained that fitted him to save Israel and rule as a wise and beloved monarch after God's own heart. The anointing gave him the promise of the throne while Saul still reigned and sought to hold power, and by trusting that word though helpless in himself he withstood Saul, proving that faith in God's word overcomes the power of the whole world.
Anointing at Bethlehem
David was Jesse's youngest son, a youthful shepherd left alone keeping the sheep and his father's sheepfold while his brothers attended Samuel's service at Bethlehem. He was called from the field and brought before Samuel, for Samuel would not sit down or proceed without him until he came. Startled by the messenger's unexpected call and wondering why the prophet and judge of Israel wanted him, he obeyed without delay.
He was ruddy and handsome in face and form, a manly yet modest shepherd boy of beautiful countenance, but not of lofty stature. Samuel beheld him with pleasure as he stood before him. His beautiful countenance expressed humility, honesty and true courage.
The Lord identified him as the one to be anointed, commanding Samuel to arise and anoint him, for God had chosen him to be captain and ruler of His people in Saul's place. Samuel then anointed him with the horn of oil from among his brethren. From that day forward the Spirit of the Lord came upon David, and God gave him a prudent and understanding heart for exchanging his shepherd's work for the sceptre.
God Looks on Heart
David's good looks, beautiful countenance and stature did not make him worthy or fit to be anointed, for human judgment looks on the outward appearance while the Lord looks on the heart. Though he was Jesse's youngest son and only a youth called from the field, he was the one God chose and commanded Samuel to anoint. By outward appearance no one can tell in advance which young person will prove most promising and render the best service to God.
Samuel at first judged by outward appearance, thinking the handsome countenance and fine stature of Jesse's elder sons marked the Lord's anointed. He was guided by God not to judge by high stature and dignified appearance, and God refused all the noble-looking older sons. Eliab's heart was not right with God, and he would have made a proud, exacting ruler.
God chose David because he had proved brave and faithful in the humble office of shepherd. God saw in him humility, honesty, courage, faithfulness and fear of the Lord, and simplicity, sincerity, receptiveness to the Holy Spirit and capacity to be trained that his brothers lacked. His beautiful countenance expressed that inward character rather than lofty stature.
His religious character was sincere and fervent, strict in observance, bold with unwavering trust in God, and marked by fidelity, reverence, firmness, humility, love of justice and decision of character. Those traits qualified him to carry out God's high purposes, to instruct Israel in devotion, and to rule them as a generous and wise monarch. While he was thus true to God, God calls him a man after His own heart, greatly beloved and honored by his people, and chose him as a righteous deliverer to save Israel from its enemies.
Promise Faith and Training
The anointing appointed David to rule Israel and gave him the promise of the throne, even though he had not yet taken the throne. Saul was still reigning as the established monarch and was determined to hold fast to his power and keep it. David was only a shepherd lad when he was brought before Samuel and identified by God as the one to anoint.
Though utterly helpless in himself, David by trusting that word withstood Saul. His stand proves that faith in God's word overcomes the power of the whole world. God had left Saul to his own guilty course, yet Saul still ruled Israel and dared to attempt murder by trying to slay God's chosen deliverer. By those cruel acts Israel was given living evidence of the extremes of guilt and crime reached by a king who rebels against God and is governed by his own passions. The Lord had chosen David as a righteous person to save Israel out of the hand of their enemies.
Human judgment cannot tell in advance which young person will prove most promising and render the best service to God, nor which one of a family will prove efficient and effective in the work of God. David was the youngest son, a mere youth called from the field and from humble work as a shepherd, yet he was the one God chose and commanded Samuel to anoint. His youth and humble work did not bar God's choice, and his good looks, countenance and stature did not determine his worthiness or suitability. Selecting only a few promising youth is therefore not enough.
For that reason all children and youth and all members of the family must receive thorough general education and training with opportunities for service. That training is to inspire them to become laborers together with God, fitted for usefulness and qualified for places of responsibility in private and public life. All young people should have access to education and its opportunities for service because no one can determine beforehand who will become most effective in God's service.
God in His providence trained and prepared David for His service and purposes after calling him from his father's sheepfold and choosing him to be anointed king of Israel. God saw in him someone receptive to the Holy Spirit, and Christ was the master-builder of his character. His early training began in his family home at Bethlehem through reverent teaching about God and His works.