The King in the Boy

“The King in the Boy.”

(With thanks to BettaMengistu)

New insights emerging over the past few years as we have been reading Scripture with ‘the child in the midst.’

New insights from 1 Samuel, 16. (Read vv 1-13)

1 Samuel 16:1, 6-13

The LORD said to Samuel, "How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and be on your way; I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem. I have chosen one of his sons to be king." 6 When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and thought, "Surely the LORD's anointed stands here before the LORD."

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."

8 Then Jesse called Abinadab and had him pass in front of Samuel. But Samuel said, "The LORD has not chosen this one either." 9 Jesse then had Shammah pass by, but Samuel said, "Nor has the LORD chosen this one."

10 Jesse had seven of his sons pass before Samuel, but Samuel said to him, "The LORD has not chosen these." 11 So he asked Jesse, "Are these all the sons you have?"

"There is still the youngest," Jesse answered, "but he is tending the sheep."

Samuel said, "Send for him; we will not sit down until he arrives."

12 So he sent and had him brought in. He was ruddy, with a fine appearance and handsome features. Then the LORD said, "Rise and anoint him; he is the one."

13 So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the LORD came upon David in power. Samuel then went to Ramah.

Jesse answered. “There is still the youngest. And Samuel replied, “Send for him, for we will not sit down until he arrives.” A prophetic call to a generation lost in the wilderness of a perverse world, fighting its beasts alone, groping for its identity, with no one to point the way to the King that resides within them.
David was probably between ages of 13 and 15. Why not wait and anoint David, the man, instead of anointing a child who can barely keep his own head straight, let alone, hold a crown on it. The risk was obvious. The potential for error in teenage years is immense. What if he messes up?
This is not just about David. It is actually God’s mode of operation throughout Scripture. The wise men came saying, “Where is the one who has been born King of the Jews?”(Matt 2:2) Notice the wording. It does not say, “Where is the one who will be King…” It says, “Where is the one who has been born king…” They presented gifts, but not the type you would give to a child, but rather the type of gifts you would present to a king. When they saw the child, they did not see a child. They saw a king. The spirit world does not see age like we see it. The spirit world is beyond time. It does recognize the gap in years that stands between who the child is, and what the child will become. The child is the king, and the king is the child.
Don’t make the mistake of thinking that it is stature or age, or anything else which creates capacity for receiving the anointing. – Re-position your horn!
David had already fought a lion and bear. Lions scatter the adults to target the young. “ Satan is a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” His tactics are the same.
Most of us are unaware of the assault this generation is facing. 1 in 4 girls sexually abused before 18. Etc. This generation is struggling and fighting with issues beyond their years.
The significance of the horn of anointing – always means defeat of the enemy:

Is.10:27 “In that day his burden will be taken from your shoulder, … and the yoke will be destroyed because of the anointing oil.”

1Sam.2:1 Hannah says, “My horn is lifted high. My mouth boasts over my enemies, for I delight in your deliverance.”

Ps.18:2-3 “He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I call to the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and I am saved from my enemies.”

David’s anointing broke the fatherless spirit in David. His father Jesse saw nothing in him; his father-in-law Saul was jealous and sought to destroy him. Today’s youth are fatherless. They have thousands of teachers but no fathers. We must not just tell, but model a lifestyle for them. Show them how to fall – and how to get up. Show them how to fear – and how to be courageous in the midst of fear. Show them how you confront the lions in your life.
Samuel did not find David in the church. He found him in the wilderness. He smelled of the wilderness. His appearance and behaviour was wild. Our own generation is wild – it is because the wilderness has shaped their identity.
Far too often, the Church’s voice to the wilderness has been one of criticism. Or we have tried to tame them with Doctrine. But doctrine is not the tamer of wildness – vision is the tamer of their wilderness.
The next generation does need a critical voice, it needs a prophetic voice. A voice that calls them from the wilderness into the palace. We need, like God does, to see the king in the boy.

Two other thoughts. First, Esther too was perhaps just a very young girl when God used her to rescue Israel. So it is not just the king in the boy, but also the queen in the girl! And it is interesting that it is Esther 4:14 where we find the key, thought provoking insight:

Est 4:14 If you keep quiet at a time like this, deliverance and relief for the Jews will arise from some other place, but you and your relatives will die. Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this?"

Second, In the NT, another son came in from the wilderness – the prodigal son. He too smelled of the wilderness. He was filthy and unkempt. But notice that the father didn’t send him in to bathe before he embraced him. The father was waiting patiently for his son. He saw him while he was a long way off.

And he RAN to meet and embrace him. He did not withhold his love because of the wildness in the boy. He did not wait for the boy to apologize. He never stopped watching for the boy.

There is still the youngest. Perhaps we should not sit down until they have come. Perhaps we should be running to meet them – not insisting that they clean up before we embrace them. We need to see the king in the boy, and the queen in the girl.