Religion loves the way someone looks, the kingdom knows who someone is. While reading 1 Samuel 16 this morning, the Lord revealed to me the hearts of the characters in this chapter. I knew the story, but today the Lord was showing me the hearts of the people. Saul is the anointed king of Israel; Samuel is the prophet to the king; David is the youngest of eight children.

The first persons heart God showed me was Samuel’s when verse one says, “The LORD said to Samuel, “How long will you grieve over Saul.” If you know the story of Saul, he is an angry king, who likes to kill people and even Samuel says later on in the chapter, if Saul finds out I am going to Bethlehem, he will kill me. But Samuel loved Saul. Samuel was grieved when Saul was removed from being king, so much so God said, when will you stop grieving as we have a new king to anoint. The Lord showed me Daniel loved a wicked king too. Real prophets who are called to speak to kings, will be lovers of the person, who is king.

David, the youngest of eight sons, does not look the part for king like Saul did, but God says to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.” David didn’t look like a king, but he had the heart of a king.

Three men, three hearts. We have lived under the voices of kings who want to kill us, but there have been real prophets who love kings and speak truth in love to kings. Now the kings who have wanted to kill us are being removed by God and though many do not look the part, the kings God is raising up have been vetted not by their outward appearance, but by their heart. God has approved the new leaders for the new season and they have the heart of a king, even though they may not look the part of a king. It is the day of God revealing hearts and anointing new kings.