By Olubunmi Adebayo
*Yesterday we discussed the judgement of Prophet Samuel, based on face value factors, in choosing Eliab as the next king of Israel – a possibility God distanced Himself from.*
*Today, we shall be looking at critical factors that Prophet Samuel couldn’t see from face value impressions, but which were crucial in God’s judgement.*
*A) The Character Consideration :*
*When God said to Samuel :*
*1 Samuel 16: [7]…Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.*
*God was telling us not to look at the face, but that He God, looks at the heart. God is here referring to the rightness of our human actions, behavior and character.*
*Please note that there was nothing on the face of Eliab that could tell anyone meeting him for the very first time about what his true characters were.*
*In reality, Eliab later showed a proud and temperamental side of him towards David at the battlefield when Goliath came up against the army of Israel.*
*Eliab snapped at David : “I know your presumption and the evil thoughts of your heart” (Sam 17:28). This incident showed Eliab as a judgmental person. He misjudged his own brother at such a critical moment of David assessing the threats of Goliath and his desire to rise up and fight for the glory of his nation.*
*B) The God Factor :*
*While Samuel was busy looking at the physical appearance of Eliab in making his judgement, there was no reference or deference to what the position of God would be in the matter until God Himself spoke out to Samuel.*
*In this case, God was not looking for another “Tall Saul”, but rather a man with a heart that is “turned towards Him”. God wanted a different man entirely from the perspective of Saul :*
*Acts 13: [22]… “and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will”.*
*C) A Confirmation of the mystery of God.*
*Beyond every reasonable doubt, God wanted to use this selection process to establish his sovereignty through another channel again. He said:*
*Isaiah 55:[8] “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD”.*
*[9] “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts”.*
*In fact, the one who didn’t look like a king” was the one eventually selected by God. Confirming … :*
*1 Corinthians 1:[27] “But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty”.*
*Conversely, David was not prima facie impressive :*
*1 Sam 16: [12]….”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”.*
*But God saw a heart of humility, dependence on God, courage, worship, and a fully surrendered heart.*
*D) Critical lesson to everyone on prima facie judgement :*
*Through this story, we are taught a critical lesson in human judgement against divine selection by God.*
*Samuel, the prophet, got it wrong at first glance. He got carried away, forgetting that physical appearance can be deceptive.*
*God used the case of Eliab and David to let us know that the Almighty prepares His own vessels in hidden places.*
*David was raised in the wild while living with different animals – Lions, Bears, snakes, sheep, goats, etc, thereby becoming a better person and leader through this.*
*Conclusively, Eliab was perhaps the Bible’s clearest example of _prima facie_ being wrong, and that God chooses the one with the right heart over and above the one with the right look.*
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©️ Olubunmi S Adebayo.
