1 Samuel 16-20

For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.

-- 1 Samuel 16:7

• God often likes to let us know his intentions, but he does not make it crystal clear the intricate details. Often we do not see a clear direction on what we should do, but we should be like Samuel and be assured that he is with us so that his will is done. (16:1-13)
• the Lord's Spirit leaves Saul, and he gets attacked by the evil spirit (14-23), David, with the Lord's spirit, soothes.

• Description of Goliath was so mighty that everyone thought he was the clear winner (17:4-7)
• Eliab cares only about the sheep (v28), but David thinks for the nation of God (v26-27), and has courage and strength through the faith in God that God will deliver him (v34-37), unlike others who remain helpless.
• The fact that he does not rely on the armour, is it a sign showing he completely relies on the Lord and not by our own wisdom in protecting ourselves with equipment that thinks we are safer? (v38-40)

You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down and cut off your head.

-- 1 Samuel 17:45-46

• The Lord has delivered (v50) and Goliath is killed.
• Saul approves David to fight for Israel in v37, and now he wins, he wants to find out his background (v55-58)

• Saul wants to pin David to the wall (18:6-16), but still lets his elder daughter marry Merab? (v17)
• He reveals his plan to have him killed before the daughter gets to marry him. David is poor so the only gift the King wanted was a hundred foreskins of the Philistines so he may be killed by the Philistines. He ended up doubling that number, and ended up getting Michal rather than Merab instead. (v18-30)

• Saul is warned by his son Jonathan not to kill the innocent (19:4-5), and Saul listened to Jonathan (v6) but the evil spirit let him astray (v9). Sad Saul, why couldn't he repent?