1 Samuel 10
-Samuel anoints Saul as the ruler over God’s inheritance
with oil poured over his head (1 Samuel 10:1). This was a symbolic coronation
that this was much more than just a political act of establishment. This king
of Israel would be God’s representative to the His people. A priest or prophet
always did the anointing, which ties into Jesus’ future completion of the
office of Prophet, Priest, and King (John 12:48-49, Hebrews 2:14-18, Revelation
19:16). The oil was an expensive mixture of olive oil, myrrh, and other spices
in a beautifully fragrant offering. It represented the Holy Spirit’s power and
presence in the person who was being anointed denoting great responsibility to
lead God’s people by the LORD’s wisdom and not his own.
-Samuel then gave some instructions to this newly anointed
king. He told him that when he went from him that day that he would find two
men close to Rachel’s tomb in the territory of Benjamin at Zelzah. These would
let him know that the donkeys had been found and that indeed the father, Kish,
was anxious about his son’s well-being. Saul was told to go on from there to
the oak tree of Tabor where he would find three men going up to God at Bethel
(the House of God). They would be carrying three young goats, three loaves of
bread, and a jug of wine. Saul was informed that he would be offered two loaves
of bread, which he should accept from their hand. They would then proceed to
the hill of God, where the Philistine garrison was, and meet up with a group of
prophets in the city who would be coming down from the high place with harp,
tambourine, flute, and lyre before them. They would also be speaking the word
of God in prophesy as they came. Samuel told Saul, “Then the Spirit of the LORD
will come upon you mightily, and you shall prophesy with them and be changed
into another man. It shall be when these signs come to you, do for yourself
what the occasion requires, for God is with you (1 Samuel 10:2-7).” Then Samuel
told him to go down to Gilgal afterwards and wait for seven days until Samuel
could come offer burnt offering, sacrifice peace offerings, and show him what
he should do (1 Samuel 10:8).
-But, it happened when Saul turned his back to leave Samuel
that God changed his heart and all those signs prophesied by Samuel came upon
him that day. When they came to the hill, a group of prophets met him, and the
Spirit of the LORD came upon him mightily right away so that he prophesied
among them. All who knew Saul previously were astonished. They asked, “What has
happened to the son of Kish? Is Saul among the prophets?” It would be like...so
and so has got religion now. A hard to believe occurrence and work of the LORD.
It became known as a proverb, a general truth, that Saul was one of those among
the prophets of the LORD. After he finished prophesying, he came to the high
place. At that time, Saul’s uncle came to him and his servant asking where he
had gone? Saul told him the sequence of events as they went looking for his
father’s donkeys and how they came upon Samuel to gain understanding about the
donkeys’ safety. The uncle really wanted to know what the prophet Samuel had
told him, but Saul only kept it surface. He did not reveal to his uncle the
matter of the kingdom’s anointing, which Samuel had placed on him (1 Samuel
10:9-16).
-Thereafter, Samuel gathered all the people at Mizpah and
declared the word of God. He explained again how the LORD had brought His
people up from Egypt and delivered them from all of their oppressors. He then
reiterated that they were now rejecting their Covenant God who had delivered
them for an earthly king to be over them. He then had them present themselves
before the LORD by tribes and clans. Benjamin was taken by lot in this
ceremony. The tribe of Benjamin then went near by their families, and the
Matrite family was taken. Saul, the son of Kish, was selected, but he could not
be found even though they looked diligently for him. After finally inquiring of
the LORD as to if he had come there yet, God revealed to them that Saul was
hiding in the baggage (kĕliy- instruments, vessels, articles, implements, utensils).
This was the first indication of Saul’s double-mindedness in the Scriptures. He
had hesitation and ran from the call of the LORD. He had fear instead of faith
at this point, even though the LORD had come upon him mightily and he had
experienced change. He drifted some. Ironically, the people still persisted in
their quest for an earthly king against God’s wishes as they “ran” and “took”
Saul from his place of hiding. He was brought out a magnificent specimen of a
man with stature far exceeding those around him, even though he had shown some qualities
of a coward. Samuel extolled him as the man whom the LORD had chosen. There was
no one like him among the people. Outward appearances seemed to prove the
position. So all the people agreed and shouted out, “Long live the king!” Samuel
then told the people the lawful ordinances of the kingdom as directed by God.
He wrote them in a book and placed them before the LORD ceremoniously. Then he
sent all the people away to each his own house. Saul went back to his home in
Gibeah, and the valiant men whose hearts were touched by God went with him in
support. However, there were some worthless men who wondered if he could truly
have the power to deliver them. They despised him and would not bring him any
present. In fear probably rather than humility, Saul kept silent and did not
oppose these skeptics (1 Samuel 10:17-27). This is further beginning evidence
that Saul would be an inferior king.
-*Application* Be strong in the LORD by the power of His
might. Don’t drift from your call or be afraid. God is never pleased with that.
God was with Saul, but he never fully appropriated that in faith. He shrunk
back. We cannot afford to do that with our lives (Hebrews 10:38-39). So stand
up and be courageous in Christ.
Verse to Memorize:
1 Samuel 10:6
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