September 8th, 2025
by Jeremy Erb
by Jeremy Erb
The Power of Choices: Lessons from Ancient Kings and the Ultimate Anointed One
In the annals of history, few stories captivate us quite like those of ancient kings. Their triumphs and failures, their moments of glory and their devastating falls, all serve as powerful lessons for our own lives. Today, we delve into a tale of two kings – Saul and David – and the profound spiritual truths their stories reveal about the power of our choices and the consequences that follow.
The narrative begins with a poignant scene: the prophet Samuel, grieving over King Saul's failures, is instructed by God to arise and anoint a new king. This moment sets the stage for a dramatic shift in Israel's leadership and introduces us to a shepherd boy named David.
As we explore this pivotal chapter in Israel's history, we're confronted with a fundamental truth: our choices matter, and they have consequences. This principle, eloquently summarized in Galatians 6:7-8, reminds us, "Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life."
Saul's story serves as a cautionary tale. Despite a promising start, his reign was marked by disobedience, fear of man rather than fear of God, and a stubborn insistence on his own way. The consequences of these choices were severe: the Spirit of the Lord departed from him, and he was tormented by a harmful spirit. It's a stark reminder that even those in positions of power and privilege are not exempt from the repercussions of their actions.
In contrast, we're introduced to David – the overlooked son, the shepherd with "beautiful eyes." This description isn't just about physical appearance; it speaks to David's perception, his way of seeing the world and, most importantly, how he saw God. It's a powerful reminder of Jesus' words in Matthew 6:22-23: "The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness."
The story of David's anointing is rich with symbolism and divine irony. God's choice defies human expectations, selecting the youngest son who wasn't even present for the initial selection. It echoes a recurring theme throughout Scripture: God's preference for using the unlikely, the overlooked, and the underestimated to accomplish His purposes.
As we reflect on this narrative, we're challenged to examine our own lives. Are we, like Saul, making choices that lead us away from God's path? Or are we, like David, cultivating a heart that seeks after God, even in the midst of our imperfections?
The tale of these two kings points us to an even greater truth – the coming of the ultimate Anointed One, Jesus Christ. In Him, we see the perfect fulfillment of what both Saul and David, in their human frailty, could not achieve. Jesus, the son of David, emerges as the true Messiah, the one chosen by God to bring redemption not just to Israel, but to all of humanity.
In a powerful scene from Luke 4, Jesus declares His anointing and mission: "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." This proclamation echoes the hope embedded in the story of David's anointing and amplifies it to a cosmic scale.
Jesus' ministry embodies the very essence of what it means to be truly anointed by God. As Peter succinctly puts it in Acts 10:38, "God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him." In Jesus, we see the perfect sower, the one who consistently sowed to the Spirit and reaped not just for Himself, but for all who would believe in Him.
This brings us back to the core message of sowing and reaping. Jesus' life, death, and resurrection offer us a profound opportunity. Through faith in Him, we can partake in the harvest of His righteousness. We are invited to align our choices with His, to sow to the Spirit rather than to the flesh.
Yet, this path is not always easy. We may find ourselves growing weary in doing good, feeling unappreciated or unseen. In these moments, we're encouraged to remember that God sees what others don't. He looks at the heart, valuing the small acts of faithfulness that often go unnoticed by the world. As Galatians 6:9 urges us, "Let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up."
The stories of Saul, David, and ultimately Jesus challenge us to examine what we're investing our time and energy into. What are we fixing our eyes upon? Are we, like Saul, allowing ourselves to be driven by fear and self-interest? Or are we, like David, cultivating a heart that seeks after God, even in our imperfections? Most importantly, are we looking to Jesus, "the author and perfecter of our faith" (Hebrews 12:2), as our ultimate example and source of strength?
As we navigate our own journeys, let's be mindful of the power of our choices. Every decision, no matter how small, is a seed planted that will eventually bear fruit. Will we sow to the flesh and reap corruption, or will we sow to the Spirit and reap eternal life?
The choice is ours, but the consequences are determined by a just and loving God who sees beyond appearances and judges the heart. May we, like David, cultivate beautiful eyes – eyes that see as God sees, that perceive His work in the world, and that fix themselves steadfastly on Jesus, our true Anointed One.
In the annals of history, few stories captivate us quite like those of ancient kings. Their triumphs and failures, their moments of glory and their devastating falls, all serve as powerful lessons for our own lives. Today, we delve into a tale of two kings – Saul and David – and the profound spiritual truths their stories reveal about the power of our choices and the consequences that follow.
The narrative begins with a poignant scene: the prophet Samuel, grieving over King Saul's failures, is instructed by God to arise and anoint a new king. This moment sets the stage for a dramatic shift in Israel's leadership and introduces us to a shepherd boy named David.
As we explore this pivotal chapter in Israel's history, we're confronted with a fundamental truth: our choices matter, and they have consequences. This principle, eloquently summarized in Galatians 6:7-8, reminds us, "Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life."
Saul's story serves as a cautionary tale. Despite a promising start, his reign was marked by disobedience, fear of man rather than fear of God, and a stubborn insistence on his own way. The consequences of these choices were severe: the Spirit of the Lord departed from him, and he was tormented by a harmful spirit. It's a stark reminder that even those in positions of power and privilege are not exempt from the repercussions of their actions.
In contrast, we're introduced to David – the overlooked son, the shepherd with "beautiful eyes." This description isn't just about physical appearance; it speaks to David's perception, his way of seeing the world and, most importantly, how he saw God. It's a powerful reminder of Jesus' words in Matthew 6:22-23: "The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness."
The story of David's anointing is rich with symbolism and divine irony. God's choice defies human expectations, selecting the youngest son who wasn't even present for the initial selection. It echoes a recurring theme throughout Scripture: God's preference for using the unlikely, the overlooked, and the underestimated to accomplish His purposes.
As we reflect on this narrative, we're challenged to examine our own lives. Are we, like Saul, making choices that lead us away from God's path? Or are we, like David, cultivating a heart that seeks after God, even in the midst of our imperfections?
The tale of these two kings points us to an even greater truth – the coming of the ultimate Anointed One, Jesus Christ. In Him, we see the perfect fulfillment of what both Saul and David, in their human frailty, could not achieve. Jesus, the son of David, emerges as the true Messiah, the one chosen by God to bring redemption not just to Israel, but to all of humanity.
In a powerful scene from Luke 4, Jesus declares His anointing and mission: "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." This proclamation echoes the hope embedded in the story of David's anointing and amplifies it to a cosmic scale.
Jesus' ministry embodies the very essence of what it means to be truly anointed by God. As Peter succinctly puts it in Acts 10:38, "God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him." In Jesus, we see the perfect sower, the one who consistently sowed to the Spirit and reaped not just for Himself, but for all who would believe in Him.
This brings us back to the core message of sowing and reaping. Jesus' life, death, and resurrection offer us a profound opportunity. Through faith in Him, we can partake in the harvest of His righteousness. We are invited to align our choices with His, to sow to the Spirit rather than to the flesh.
Yet, this path is not always easy. We may find ourselves growing weary in doing good, feeling unappreciated or unseen. In these moments, we're encouraged to remember that God sees what others don't. He looks at the heart, valuing the small acts of faithfulness that often go unnoticed by the world. As Galatians 6:9 urges us, "Let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up."
The stories of Saul, David, and ultimately Jesus challenge us to examine what we're investing our time and energy into. What are we fixing our eyes upon? Are we, like Saul, allowing ourselves to be driven by fear and self-interest? Or are we, like David, cultivating a heart that seeks after God, even in our imperfections? Most importantly, are we looking to Jesus, "the author and perfecter of our faith" (Hebrews 12:2), as our ultimate example and source of strength?
As we navigate our own journeys, let's be mindful of the power of our choices. Every decision, no matter how small, is a seed planted that will eventually bear fruit. Will we sow to the flesh and reap corruption, or will we sow to the Spirit and reap eternal life?
The choice is ours, but the consequences are determined by a just and loving God who sees beyond appearances and judges the heart. May we, like David, cultivate beautiful eyes – eyes that see as God sees, that perceive His work in the world, and that fix themselves steadfastly on Jesus, our true Anointed One.
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