God Does Not See as Man Sees

 

1 Samuel 16:7

 But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.

 Speak to the spirit of a man, Life, and he will rise to his place of kingship and priesthood. See a man after the flesh (natural man), and you become an accomplice to his downfall and destruction.

Samuel was a prophet who was called and anointed by God to speak for Him. Prophets in that day and time were called seers, meaning they knew things about the future that most people did not know. The prophets that were lead of God knew what they knew because God would reveal it to them. They were not demon influenced like the soothsayers, clairvoyants, fortune-tellers, and psychic.

 God had sent Samuel on an assignment for Him to anoint the next king of Israel, who was to be David, one of the sons of Jesse. Now, Samuel went forth and began doing what the Lord instructed him to do. He was in the right place, at the right moment and all was in line with God’s command. Now for whatever reason Samuel decided to second guess God, as if he knew God’s thoughts better than he really did. Samuel veered from the path of being led by God with one single sense lead thought. He judged God’s instruction after the flesh. He allowed his natural eyesight and human prejudices to influence his judgment. He was probably basing his decision on cultural influences and traditions, which would have probably been permissible if this were not kingdom business? God’s kingdom does not operate like natural earthly kingdoms; God’s kingdom is God ruled no if’s ands or buts’ about it. God makes all the decisions, rules, standards, and choices in His kingdom, that settles it.

We must never assume we know what God is going to say next, we must learn to wait on the Lord and lean not to our own understanding. Samuel could have made a tragic error in the history of a nation by choosing the wrong king. This could have been catastrophic and resulted in years of sorrow and needless pain for Israel had God not intervened and spoke to the prophet. It is a good thing that Samuel was an obedience prophet, one who feared God and sought to hear and do His will. Even when we error if our heart is tender toward God to do the right thing God will always help us get back in His perfect will.

 God interrupted Samuel’s erroneous thought process by revealing to Him that He did not see the way man … thank you Jesus! I am so glad God is God, and we are not. God said to Samuel, “for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.”

Isn’t that the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth! People many times, unlike the nature and character of God, judge others by what they see on the outside. These judgments are most oftentimes influenced by past experiences, traditions, culture etc. Some people’s lives are totally destroyed just because of human judgment. People have lived and died and missed their entire destinies just because they listened to the wrong opinion concerning their future. Words can produce life or death, blessing or cursing, choose them wisely.

 God taught the prophet Samuel and us, a very valuable lesson that day. If God started the journey, you are on, let Him finish it, allow Him to reveal to you each step along the way and every word to say. Don’t jump ahead or lag to far behind, keep up and stay in step with God’s mind. He will be sure to guide us and help us finish our course and every assignment on time.