Around 1025 BC, the Lord rejected King Saul from being king over Israel, and He sent the Prophet Samuel to Bethlehem to anoint one of Jesse’s sons as king (1 Sam. 16). Initially, Samuel thought that Eliab (Jesse’s oldest son) was the Lord’s anointed, “But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God does not see as man sees, since man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.’” (1 Sam. 16:7).
So Jesse had seven of his sons pass before Samuel. But Samuel said to Jesse, “The Lord has not chosen these.” Then Samuel said to Jesse, “Are these all the boys?” And he [Jesse] said, “The youngest is still left, but behold, he is tending the sheep.” So Samuel said to Jesse, “Send word and bring him; for we will not take our places at the table until he comes here.”
1 Sam. 16:10-11
(Take note that in a similar way, we will not sit at the marriage banquet until the Son of God returns.)
So he [Jesse] sent word and brought him [David] in. Now he [David] was reddish, with beautiful eyes and a handsome appearance. And the Lord said, “Arise, anoint him, for this is he.” So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him [David] in the midst of his brothers; and the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon David from that day forward.
1 Sam 16:15
(Please especially note that the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon David from that day forward.)
At Micah 5:2, we read: “But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Too little to be among the clans of Judah, From you One will come forth for Me to be ruler in Israel. His times of coming forth are from long ago, From the days of eternity.” Bethlehem was a small, humble village, where King David and Jesus Christ were both born. Bethlehem means “house of bread,”[1] which is symbolic for God’s source of true living for humanity. “Ephrathah” [‘ep̄rāṯ] (another name for Bethlehem) is defined as “fruitful or abundance.”[2] At John 6:35, we read, “Jesus said to them, ‘I am the bread of life; the one who comes to Me will not be hungry, and the one who believes in Me will never be thirsty.’”
Jesus, the source of true living, comes from eternity, meaning He is God, and He will be our King, ruling from Jerusalem during the Millennium and for all eternity. So, let’s explore how the key ideas of humility and anointing fit together. God values humility of the heart in His King, and in us, His people. Samuel explained this idea when he said to King Saul, “But now your kingdom shall not endure. The Lord has sought for Himself a man after His own heart, and the Lord has appointed him ruler over His people, because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you” (1 Sam. 13:14).
God exalts the humble. Another example of one with a humble heart is Mary, who was favored and anointed to become the mother of Jesus. Mary had an exceptionally humble heart, which we see in her interaction with Gabriel that is described in the Gospel of Luke, Chapter 1:
And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and give birth to a son, and you shall name Him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give him the throne of His father David; and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end.”
Luke 1:30-33
The angel [Gabriel] further told Mary, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; for that reason also the holy Child will be called the son of God” (Luke 1:35). In response, Mary said, “Behold, the Lord’s bond-servant; may it be done to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38). What a beautiful example of a heart humbled before God. As a reward for her humility and obedience, Mary has been exalted as the Mother of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, for which we call her blessed (Luke 1:48).
Since Pentecost (at or around AD 30), now every believer has been indwelt by God, the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1-13). God’s Spirit and Word give us the power to live in a way that is pleasing to God. We believers are commanded to walk by God’s Spirit (Gal. 5:26) and by God’s Word (1 Kings 6:12). At Micah 4:2, we read,
Many nations will come and say, “Come and let’s go up to the mountain of the Lord And to the house of the God of Jacob, So that He may teach us about His ways, And that we may walk in His paths. For from Zion will go forth the law, And the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.”
To practice Christianity, we must have humility. At Micah 6:8, we read: “He has told you, mortal one, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you But to do justice, to love kindness, And to walk humbly with your God?”
[1] “H1035 – bêṯ leḥem – Strong’s Hebrew Lexicon (nasb20).” Blue Letter Bible. Web. 17 Nov, 2025. <https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h1035/nasb20/wlc/0-1/>.
[2] “H672 – ‘ep̄rāṯ – Strong’s Hebrew Lexicon (nasb20).” Blue Letter Bible. Web. 17 Nov, 2025. <https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h672/nasb20/wlc/0-1/>.
