Friday, February 13, 2004
Usual Abstinence Today
Simeon the Myrrh-Streaming
Kellia: 1 Kings 16:1-13 Epistle: 2 John 1:1-13 Gospel: St. Mark 15:22-15, 33-41
1 Kings 16:1-13 LXX (1 Sam. 16:1-13), especially
vs. 1, "Fill your horn with oil, and go; I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have
provided for Myself a king among his sons." At the portentous meeting between King Saul and
the Prophet Samuel at Gilgal, the Prophet pronounced the doom that would befall the king if he
should persist in his dark self-will and man-pleasing. Later, as Holy Scripture tells us, "Samuel
did not see Saul again until the day of his death, but Samuel grieved over Saul" (1 Kngs. 15:35).
Today's reading places the same image before us: Samuel the Prophet continuing to grieve "over
Saul" (1 Kngs. 16:1). What a powerful icon! The old man of God weeping for the tall young
prince "whom the Lord [had] chosen...like [none] among all the people" (1 Kngs. 10:24).
Samuel remembered the promise of the man as a warrior (1 Kngs.11), and the remorseful Prophet
considered the King's repeated displays of spiritual failure (1 Kngs. 13-15). Still, God had spoken
through Samuel from the start that Divine rejection was possible (1 Kngs. 12:24, 25). See how
God lifted up His Prophet from his grief over what might have been and over what had become
evident. In today's passage the Lord directs Samuel to anoint a new king. In reading, compare
the anointing of King Saul (1 Kngs. 8, 9 LXX) and of the future king, David. There are
important distinctions between these two royal anointings by Samuel - as there would be marked
differences between the two kings and their reigns.
Foremost among the differences between the anointing of Saul and the anointing of David was
the absence of any human insistence or demand. See how many ways Holy Scripture emphasizes
that the anointing of David was wholly at Divine initiative. No group of elders came asking for a
king. There was only a grieving Prophet whom God had to lift up from dismay and send to
Bethlehem. The Prophet even resisted the direction of God (1 Kngs. 16:2), but God brushed past
his objections: "I will show you what you shall do; and [whom you] shall anoint for Me" (vs. 3).
The Prophet, "in his own flesh" was quite ready to anoint the wrong son of Jesse (vs. 6). In fact,
seven times and the Lord had to stay his hand from obvious and available choices (vs. 10).
Finally, when God had confronted Samuel with the shepherd boy, David, only then did He
release and order His Prophet, "Arise, anoint him; for this is he" (vs. 12).
In David's case are we told explicitly that God revealed the basis for His choice, that He looked
"on the heart" (vs 7), that He "sought out a man after His own heart; and...appointed him to be
prince over His People" (1 Kngs. 13:14). Without a doubt, the Lord knew perfectly well the heart
of the first king, Saul. As the Apostle Peter later confessed, "Lord, You know all things" (Jn.
21:17). And, Beloved, let us acknowledge that the Lord knew that Saul did not love Him as
David did; for, like the Apostle, David loved the Lord his strength...foundation...refuge,
and...deliverer (Ps. 17:1, 2 LXX).
In both anointings, the Lord revealed His choice to His appointed servant, guiding the Prophet in
the selection process. After anointing Saul, Samuel had remained active in the affairs of the
nation, teaching, cautioning, and correcting. But notice that after he anointed David, the Prophet
simply "rose up, and went to Ramah" (vs. 13), leaving David's personal development, his
training, and his affirmation by the People solely in God's hands. Years and many events lay
before the newly anointed king, but the Prophet could go in peace knowing that God had given
the kingdom of Israel to a better man than Saul (1 Kngs. 15:28).
O God, Who in pity and compassion hast visited our lowliness; Who hast set us, Thy humble and
sinful and unworthy servants, before Thee, send Thy Spirit upon us mightily.
