The Bible has much to say about the snare of outward appearance, especially as it pertains to the tendency it has to affect the processes of decision-making. Beginning with our first parents, Adam and Eve, who succumbed to the deceptive arts of the evil one, because of his dazzling beauty and smooth sounding speeches, the habit of making decisions based on what appeals to our eyes has come down to us through history, causing the ruin of some of the world’s greatest leaders, from Jacob’s firstborn, Rueben, to Samson, to David, and from the ancient Hebrews to the Jewish leaders in Christ’s’ day. And now, as we’re standing upon the brink of eternity, the arch- enemy of God and man is scheduled to redouble his efforts, using the time-proven snare of outward appearance, to which millions have already succumbed, and will continue to fall for, if we do not reset the parameters by which we make our choices.
Our case study for today begins with Samuel and the children of Israel who demanded a king, instead of Jehovah, who had carried them on eagle’s wings from days of old. Having observed the customs and practices of other nations, they finally came to the aged Samuel with the proposal that he make them a king, even though they were keenly aware that it was not the will of God. This rude request greatly troubled the prophet, and he did what should be done whenever we are faced with unforeseen or dire circumstances, he took the matter to The Lord in prayer, asking for guidance in moving forward. To his inquiry God gave the answer that he should then acquiesce with the wishes of the people in making them a king, an ill-fated duty that he immediately set out upon. Let’s read:
1st Samuel 8:4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah,
5 And said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.
6 But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the Lord.
7 And the Lord said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.
9 Now therefore hearken unto their voice: howbeit yet protest solemnly unto them, and shew them the manner of the king that shall reign over them.
Now, it is very important that we understand the dealings of God with us, His earth-born children, for when He tells Samuel to show them the manner of king that would reign over them, The Lord hoped that when it was revealed to them how the new king will grind their faces in oppression, and how he would take advantage of their sons, daughters, and resources, that they would think twice, and reason soberly from cause to effect, and hopefully retract their ill-advised request. But, as is so often the case when we insist on having our own way, in spite of God’s revealed will to the contrary, they stubbornly insisted that the request go through, even though severe suffering and remorse would be their lot. Let’s read:
1st Samuel 8:11 And he said, This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you: He will take your sons, and appoint them for himself, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and some shall run before his chariots.
13 And he will take your daughters to be confectionaries, and to be cooks, and to be bakers.
14 And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your olive yards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants.
15 And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants.
16 And he will take your menservants, and your maidservants, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, and put them to his work.
17 He will take the tenth of your sheep: and ye shall be his servants.
18 And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king which ye shall have chosen you; and the Lord will not hear you in that day.
19 Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, Nay; but we will have a king over us;
20 That we also may be like all the nations; and that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles.
Thus it was, with great sorrow and forebodings of coming evils, that Samuel set out on his errand, to anoint the very first king of Israel. Now it’s critically important for us to understand that it was not any type of king they were looking for, because they had already formed an image in their minds of what their new king should look like. He should be a very tall, and handsome looking person, preferably a big muscular bodybuilder on steroids like Goliath, who would naturally instill fear in his foes, by his very person. His character would not matter that much, and even if they were to see serious flaws from the start, they were willing to overlook these traits in favor of having their own desire.
The same problem is now occurring in the political arena, where deep concerns about character and vitriol exist in the minds of many, as it pertains to certain candidates, but because of financial stature, or social standing, or an unprecedented popularity, many are now willing to overlook serious errors in judgment, in the one who fits in with their external imagery and desires. And the very same situation obtains when a man’s own preconceived idea of beauty, governs his decision- making processes. So that when sees an extremely good looking woman who fits the bill, in many instances, he will be willing to overlook very serious flaws in her character, by allowing her fatal beauty to override good common sense. And it’s only after they have tied the knot that he begins to go nuts, when he realizes too late that he just married an extremely, pretty fool. Let’s read:
Proverbs 11:22 As a jewel of gold in a swine's snout, so is a fair woman which is without discretion.
1st Samuel 9:1 Now there was a man of Benjamin, whose name was Kish, the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Bechorath, the son of Aphiah, a Benjamite, a mighty man of power.
2 And he had a son, whose name was Saul, a choice young man, and a goodly: and there was not among the children of Israel a goodlier person than he: from his shoulders and upward he was higher than any of the people.
1st Samuel 10:20 And when Samuel had caused all the tribes of Israel to come near, the tribe of Benjamin was taken.
21 When he had caused the tribe of Benjamin to come near by their families, the family of Matri was taken, and Saul the son of Kish was taken”…..
23 And they ran and fetched him thence: and when he stood among the people, he was higher than any of the people from his shoulders and upward.
24 And Samuel said to all the people, See ye him whom the Lord hath chosen, that there is none like him among all the people? And all the people shouted, and said, God save the king.
No inquiry as to his credentials or qualifications were made, and no question about his character surfaces, so in the minds of the Hebrews, the deal is signed, sealed, and settled, all because of Saul’s commanding presence and because of his rare external features. As a matter of fact, the Bible teaches us that this was one of the main reasons why most of the Jews rejected Christ as being the Messiah, for He did not fit the bill as far as externals go, and for this reason, the majority of the nation rejected Him, and would have nothing to do with His claim to be the Messiah. Let’s read:
Isaiah 53:1 Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?
2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.
3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
John 7:40 Many of the people therefore, when they heard this saying, said, Of a truth this is the Prophet.
41 Others said, This is the Christ. But some said, Shall Christ come out of Galilee?
42 Hath not the scripture said, That Christ cometh of the seed of David, and out of the town of Bethlehem, where David was?
43 So there was a division among the people because of him.
52 They answered and said unto him, Art thou also of Galilee? Search, and look: for out of Galilee ariseth no prophet.
But apparently, not even the holy prophets were immune to the snare of outward appearance, for after Saul had passed off the stage of action, a new king was in the making, and Samuel was again sent to anoint one of Jesse’s sons to take over from the place where Saul had left off. Jesse’s sons were now called to the sacrifice, or anointing, and in harmony with the snare of outward appearance, Samuel is quick to announce that the first son to pass before him is undoubtedly The Lord’s anointed. Eliab’s presence makes a deep impression on the prophet’s mind and the same two features, his countenance, and stature are mentioned as reasons why Samuel jumps to a hasty conclusion. In this first hasty statement, Samuel utters something that is not at all true, and his words cause a temporary, spiritual embarrassment for him, which probably caused his credibility to come into question, in the minds of those assembled. In this instance he does not even wait for The Lord to make an input, since Eliab’s stunning appearance is made to override rational, deliberate thought. Let’s read:
1st Samuel 16:4 And Samuel did that which the Lord spake, and came to Bethlehem. And the elders of the town trembled at his coming, and said, Comest thou peaceably?
5 And he said, Peaceably: I am come to sacrifice unto the Lord: sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice. And he sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice.
6 And it came to pass, when they were come, that he looked on Eliab, and said, Surely the Lord's anointed is before him.
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.
8 Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, Neither hath the Lord chosen this.
9 Then Jesse made Shammah to pass by. And he said, Neither hath the Lord chosen this.
10 Again, Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. And Samuel said unto Jesse, The Lord hath not chosen these.
The reason why these ten sons were passed before Samuel, beginning with the eldest, is because there is another aspect of “outward appearance” which is often allowed to bear sway over reason, and it has to do with seniority, by which those who are more advanced in years are deemed better suited to hold certain positions of national trust. While this may be true in some situations, we should understand that age is no barrier to service with God, and does not influence His decisions in any way, as far as a person’s suitability for office is concerned. The spiritual factors such as a willingness to serve, being humble and teachable, and a total dependence on omnipotent power and guidance are the credentials God looks for, whilst externals, such as intellectual accomplishments, social standing, and a person’s financial status, have no weight whatsoever in His decision-making processes.
Thus it was, that after Jesse’s ten sons had passed before Samuel, and The Lord had not chosen any of them, that Samuel was in a quandary as to who will be The Lord’s anointed, prompting him to ask Jesse if these were all his sons. It was then, and only then that the father remembered that he had another son, the youngest, who was out in the fields taking care of his sheep. This youngest son did not have the skills in war as the elder brothers had, and he did not have the benefit of association with the nation’s leading men, but he did have The Holy Ghost, which, in the sight of God was the most important credential of all, and it was this singular qualification that sealed the deal in the mind of God. Let’s read:
1st Samuel 16:11 And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all thy children? And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him: for we will not sit down till he come hither.
12 And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to. And the Lord said, Arise, anoint him: for this is he.
A personage is scheduled to visit the United States of America soon, and he carries with him an aura of holiness and some of the same external features, which had caused the ancient Hebrews, and even Samuel to make wrong choices. His spiritual stature is like Saul’s, “From the shoulders up, higher than all the people”, and his countenance is like Eliab’s, of the sort to cause the multitudes to make hasty ill-advised decisions. And like the Hebrews of old, we are in grave danger of repeating the same words then spoken “God save the king”. Hence the reason why the explicit warning from God concerning him is to be found in the very same rebuke which was spoken to Samuel, when he inadvertently stated of Eliab, that The Lord’s anointed was before him. This dire warning coming from the Almighty God must be understood in the context of what will soon take the world by storm. Let’s read:
1st Samuel 16:7 “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.
Some may be questioning in their minds, why such a serious warning about an apparently meek person who has the adoration of millions across the globe, and others may be hard pressed to see through the messages of love, forgiveness, and mercy, someone who is diabolically opposed to the God of heaven. It is therefore important that the following scriptures which explain the reasons why, be understood with clarity in our minds, lest like Samuel, we also reach the conclusion that “The Lord’s anointed is before Him”. Let’s read:
Mark 2:7 Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only?
2nd Thessalonians 2:1 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,
2 That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter”… “as that the day of Christ is at hand.
3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
Not because a person, or a spiritual leader may visit the poor and less fortunate, or visit prisoners in jail, or take in refugees, does it mean to say that he or she has the stamp of God’s approval, for all of these good and charitable deeds can be externals which are used to validate one’s spiritual credibility. To usurp the position and authority of God, and to
speak blasphemies, is to claim the power to forgive sins, something which only the God of heaven can do, and thus any person who makes such a claim is directly undermining the High Priestly ministry of Christ, who alone has both the power and authority to forgive, and to blot out all sins. These truths then leads us to the next verses of scripture God is calling our attention to, and it is His will that we decide and choose according to what is written in His word alone. Let’s read:
Matthew 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Matthew 24:3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?
4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.
5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
23 Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not.
24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.
25 Behold, I have told you before.
26 Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not.
Hebrews 3:1 Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus.
2 Who was faithful to him that appointed him”…
12 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.
13 But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.
14 For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end;
15 While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts”…
1st John 2:1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
3 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
Revelation 22:8 And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things.
9 Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellow-servant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God.
Revelation 13:2 And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.
3 And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.
4 And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? ....
5 And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.
6 And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.
7 And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.
8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
9 If any man have an ear, let him hear.
And now brethren and sisters and people across the nation and across the globe, the time has now come for certain truths to be finally exposed, since they have been hidden under a bushel for way too long. The ancient Hebrews hid the light of truth and duty, contained in the commandments of God, from the world, holding it as a peculiar national treasure, all the while the world sat in moral darkness as to what God requires. A similar situation has now obtained in many churches, by which the dire warnings and loving entreaties of God have similarly been hid under a maze of protectionism, and by so doing, millions in our day are left to follow blindly where satan leads the way. But the time is now, when the inhabitants of the earth must be made aware of what is to transpire in the near future, and the necessary preparations and decisions which will be incident to those eventful days. Let’s read:
(The Great Controversy pp. 623 and 624) Fearful sights of a supernatural character will soon be revealed in the heavens, in token of the power of miracle-working demons. The spirits of devils will go forth to the kings of the earth and to the whole world, to fasten them in deception, and urge them on to unite with Satan in his last struggle against the government of Heaven. By these agencies, rulers and subjects will be alike deceived. Persons will arise pretending to be Christ himself, and claiming the title and worship which belong to the world’s Redeemer. They will perform wonderful miracles of healing, and will profess to have revelations from Heaven contradicting the testimony of the Scriptures. As the crowning act in the great drama of deception, Satan himself will personate Christ.
The church has long professed to look to the Savior’s advent as the consummation of her hopes. Now the great deceiver will make it appear that Christ has come. In different parts of the earth, Satan will manifest himself among men as a majestic being of dazzling brightness, resembling the description of the Son of God given by John in the Revelation. [Revelation 1:13-15.] The glory that surrounds him is unsurpassed by anything that mortal eyes have yet beheld. The shout of triumph rings out upon the air, “Christ has come! Christ has come!” The people prostrate themselves in adoration before him, while he lifts up his hands, and pronounces a blessing upon them, as Christ blessed his disciples when he was upon the earth.
His voice is soft and subdued, yet full of melody. In gentle, compassionate tones he presents some of the same gracious, heavenly truths which the Saviour uttered; he heals the diseases of the people, and then, in his assumed character of Christ, he claims to have changed the Sabbath to Sunday, and commands all to hallow the day which he has blessed. He declares that those who persist in keeping holy the seventh day are blaspheming his name by refusing to listen to his angels sent to them with light and truth. This is the strong, almost overmastering delusion. Like the Samaritans who were deceived by Simon Magus, the multitudes, from the least to the greatest, give heed to these sorceries, saying, This is “the great power of God.”
Now brethren and listeners, in lieu of these things which will certainly come to pass, it behooves every sober, thinking person to beware of the ploy to use the messages of forgiveness and mercy to woo millions of unsuspecting victims, into the web of lies and falsehoods which has been disseminated by Babylon and its agents, for if we make decisions based on popularity and other external outward appearances, we are certain to fall into the snare which will engulf the overwhelming majority of the world. We therefore end with a plea coming from The Most High, that we be not deceived by outward appearances, for God looketh on the heart. Let’s read:
Revelation 18:1 And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory.
2 And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.
3 For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.
4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.
5 For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.
May The Lord add His blessing to the study and practice of His word.
God bless!