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Post by michelle on Dec 17, 2007 22:37:08 GMT -8
Post your questions/ comments/ discussion starters on 1 Samuel chapters 16-17 as replies to this post.Does anyone else see anything weird about these 2 verses about David? verse 7: But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." verse 12: So he sent and had him brought in. He was ruddy, with a fine appearance and handsome features. I thought it slightly odd that 5 verses after talking about not looking at outwardly appearances, we hear about how handsome David is.
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Post by christopher on Dec 18, 2007 20:57:40 GMT -8
Hi Michelle, I does seem odd at first glance, doesn't it? But I think we're to understand the "outward appearance" here to mean "stature" or something more like a "kingly" appearance. Kings were usually also warriors in those days. Remember, Saul was said to be tall and mighty looking (1Sam 9) and had the appearance that the people would see as good leadership material (funny, not much has changed in that respect has it?). Likewise, David's oldest brother Eliab probably had a warrior-like look about him that even impressed Samuel. Contrast that with David, who was a mere youth at the time (not even old enough for battle apparently), and you can see why it would seem odd to annoint him the King. But as the passage says, God looks upon the heart. That David also happened to be a dashing young chap apparently...well, I guess we can't hold that against him.
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Post by Josh on Mar 24, 2011 7:42:03 GMT -8
My commentary points out that although modern readers often like to use David's choice of weapon as an example of "absurd faith", actually, the sling was a very strategic choice of weapon for David.
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Post by christopher on Mar 24, 2011 17:11:04 GMT -8
I remember hearing Steve making a great typological parallel from this passage in his Spiritual Warfare series. Something to the effect of Christ defeating Satan on the cross (thus winning the war against the champion), and the rest of his people having to pursue the remaining enemies and "mop up" so to speak (the church age). I thought it was a very interesting analogy.
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Post by Josh on Mar 27, 2011 14:03:05 GMT -8
Brian- nice to have you teaching again! I've been missing the pop culture references and having someone else tackle the theological conundrums ;D
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Post by Josh on Mar 30, 2011 15:28:57 GMT -8
8 Goliath stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, “Why do you come out and line up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not the servants of Saul?
It's interesting that Goliath describes the Israelites as "servants of Saul" whereas David says they are the "armies of the living God". Just another note of contrast between Saul's leadership and David's.
It's also great how in turning down Saul's armor, David is on another spiritual level, turning down Saul's way of being king.
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Post by Josh on Mar 30, 2011 15:32:32 GMT -8
14 Now the Spirit of the LORD had departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD tormented him.
Regarding this potentially troubling verse, Murphy has this to say:
"From here on, Saul's days are numbered. This story is the first of several episodes in which disaster is averted from Saul by the hand of David. The withholding of punishment from Saul is an expression of God's mercy, and it is effected by David. In other words, whereas modern [readers] consider it problematic that a just God would torment Saul with an evil spirit and stress the theodicial aspect of the story, and older Christian tradition of [interpretation] thinks it merciful of God to delay Saul's death and stresses the providential aspects of the story."
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Post by Josh on Mar 30, 2011 15:35:28 GMT -8
Another sentiment I like from Murphy:
"We don't need God because without a God public and political morality would decline.... We need God because only God can enable us to rise above mere human political orders. God in 1 Samuel is not interested in political order but in individuals, whose hearts he can see. he is not the last link in the chain of the earthly political establishment. Rather, he is sovreignly free to upset it"
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