The Best Success is Being God's Chosen. A Submitted Heart to the Lord Brings Success
God's consideration
In proceeding verses in I Samuel 16
We see a father who has discounted his son, David, as a possible consideration as the future king of Israel. When Samuel, the prophet whom was sent by God himself, arrived to Jesse’s house, Jesse submitted seven of his eight sons before Samuel. As Samuel went to pour the oil on the other seven brothers, no oil would flow yet the oil flowed when David was called from the pasture shepherding the sheep. Initially, Samuel, was convinced that Eliab was God’s selected an anointed.
I Samuel 16:6 When they came, he looked on Eliab and thought, “Surely the Lord’s anointed is before him. “ But the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.”
Jesse called his sons (Abinadab and Shammah) to come before Samuel and neither were the LORD’s chosen.
In I Samuel 17th Chapter, Jesse tells David to take food items he had prepared for his brothers and the camp to the campsite. Jesse wanted David to move quickly concerning the task. I Samuel 17:7
David arrived with the food and heard the uncircumcised Philistine, Goliath, taunting Saul, the military camp of men, and moreover God. Goliath had done this boastful taunting for days. I Samuel 17: 26 And David said to the men who stood by him, “What shall be done for the man who kills this Philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?”
Elihab overheard David asking questions and immediately questioned David’s ability, motive, heart, and his faith.
(I Samuel 17: 28) 28 Now Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spoke to the men. And Eliab’s anger was kindled against David, and he said:
MOTIVE: “Why have you come down? ABILITY: And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? HEART: I know your presumption and the evil of your heart, FAITH: for you have come down to see the battle.”29 And David said, “What have I done now? Was it not but a word?” 30 And he turned away from him toward another, and spoke in the same way, and the people answered him again as before.
God had already established that David was a man after his own heart yet hear is his brother, Elihab, whom berated and assonated his character and assaulted his faith stood as unfair and unjust judge regarding David.
Sometimes in our lives, even those who are close to us, grew up with us, known us all of our lives misjudge us.
Initially, David questioned his brother for the outrage he displayed. Determined and focused he would not allow his brother’s insults and interrogation of him deter his confidence in God. The primary focus was to win against the uncircumcised Philistine who taunted the armies of the Lord. David turned away and remained focused on the primary goal, to silence the tormenter.
Knowing our primary focus is key. Elihab was a distracter. Here we witness the exposure of Elihab’s heart. He was enraged and had pride laced with petty insults.
When Elihab said: And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? He questioned David’s ability in effort to minimize his capacity as a leader and man of war. The implications: You are just some shepherd boy. We are “real men “in battle.
Some familiar references to insults we have all witnessed from time to time is when people say she is just a stay-at-home mom or the stay at home mother herself has been so minimized she states she is just a stay-at-home mom. Another one she/he is just a caregiver to an ailing parent. Certainly there are more outlandish statements yet the point is to minimize the ability of a person or lessen their value or importance.
Surely Elihab had witnessed David anointed as king and knew the Lord’s hand was on him. The intent of his heart was to minimize David’s value. Scripture tells us that Elihab’s anger was kindled. Perhaps there was a long-standing heart issue against David. Maybe it was jealousy that the baby son received God’s favor for kingship versus the eldest.