Scripture Reading
All right, you can turn in your Bibles to 1 Samuel chapter 9. 1 Samuel chapter 9. There's a big chunk tonight, so we'll do our best to carve it up into some bite-sized pieces. It's kind of an interesting passage. Not kind of, it is.
In chapter 8, the people of Israel demand a king, and in chapter 9, Kish, a Benjamite, looks for or wants his donkeys. We see how God works providentially through the normal events and through things that otherwise don't appear very glamorous. But in this search for donkeys, Israel does, in fact, identify her king. So I'll just begin reading in 1 Samuel 9, verse 1.
There was a man of Benjamin whose name was Kish, the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Bekorath, the son of Aphia, a Benjamite, a mighty man of power. And he had a choice and handsome son whose name was Saul. There was not a more handsome person than he among the children of Israel. From his shoulders upward, he was taller than any of the people.
Now the donkeys of Kish, Saul's father, were lost. And Kish said to his son Saul, please take one of the servants with you and arise. Go and look for the donkeys. So he passed through the mountains of Ephraim and through the land of Shalisha, but they did not find them.
Then they passed through the land of Shalim, and they were not there. Then he passed through the land of the Benjamites, but they did not find them. When they had come to the land of Zuf, Saul said to his servant who was with him, come, let us return, lest my father cease caring about the donkeys and become worried about us. And he said to him, look now, there is in this city a man of God, and he is an honorable man.
All that he says surely comes to pass. So let us go there. Perhaps he can show us the way that we should go. Then Saul said to his servant, but look, if we go, what shall we bring the man?
For the bread in our vessels is all gone, and there is no present to bring to the man of God. What do we have? And the servant answered Saul again and said, look, I have here at hand one fourth of a shekel of silver. I will give that to the man of God to tell us our way.
Formerly in Israel, when a man went to inquire of God, he spoke thus. Come, let us go to the seer. For he who is now called a prophet was formerly called a seer. Then Saul said to his servant, well said, come, let us go.
So they went to the city where the man of God was. As they went up the hill to the city, they met some young women going out to draw water and said to them, is the seer here? And they answered them and said, yes, there he is just ahead of you. Hurry now, for today he came to this city, because there is a sacrifice of the people today on the high place.
As soon as you come into the city, you will surely find him before he goes up to the high place to eat. For the people will not eat until he comes, because he must bless the sacrifice. Afterward, those who are invited will eat. Now therefore, go up.
For about this time, you will find him. So they went up to the city. As they were coming into the city, there was Samuel coming out toward them on his way up to the high place. Now the Lord had told Samuel in his ear that day, the day before Saul came saying, tomorrow about this time, I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin and you shall anoint him commander over my people, Israel, that he may save my people from the hand of the Philistines.
For I have looked upon my people because their cry has come to me. So when Samuel saw Saul, the Lord said to him, there he is, the man of whom I spoke to you. This one shall reign over my people. Then Saul drew near to Samuel in the gate and said, please tell me, where is the seer's house?
Samuel answered Saul and said, I am the seer. Go up before me to the high place for you shall eat with me today. And tomorrow I will let you go and will tell you all that is in your heart. But as for your donkeys that were lost three days ago, do not be anxious about them, for they have been found.
And on whom is all the desire of Israel? Is it not on you and on all your father's house? And Saul answered and said, am I not a Benjamite of the smallest of the tribes of Israel, and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? Why then do you speak like this to me?
Now Samuel took Saul and his servant and brought them into the hall and had them sit in the place of honor among those who were invited. There were about 30 persons. And Samuel said to the cook, bring the portion which I gave you, of which I said to you, set it apart. So the cook took up the thigh with its upper part and set it before Saul.
And Samuel said, here it is, what was kept back. It was set apart for you. eat for until this time it has been kept for you. Since I said, since I said, I invited the people. So Saul ate with Samuel that day.
When they had come down from the high place into the city, Samuel spoke with Saul on the top of the house. They arose early and it was about the dawning of the day that Samuel called to Saul on the top of the house saying, get up that I may send you on your way. And Saul arose and both of them went outside, he and Samuel. As they were going down to the outskirts of the city, Samuel said to Saul, tell the servant to go on ahead of us.
And he went on, but you stand here a while that I may announce to you the word of God. And Samuel took a flask of oil and poured it on his head and kissed him and said, is it not because the Lord has anointed you commander over his inheritance? When you have departed from me today, you will find two men by Rachel's tomb in the territory of Benjamin at Zalzah. And they will say to you, the donkeys which you went to look for have been found.
And now your father has ceased caring about the donkeys and is worrying about you, saying, what shall I do about my son? Then you shall go on forward from there and come to the terebinth tree of Tabor. There three men going up to God at Bethel will meet you, one carrying three young goats, another carrying three loaves of bread, and another carrying a skin of wine. And they will greet you and give you two loaves of bread, which you shall receive from their hands.
After that, you shall come to the hill of God, where the Philistine garrison is. And it will happen, when you have come there to the city, that you will meet a group of prophets coming down from the high place with a stringed instrument, a tambourine, a flute, and a harp before them, and they will be prophesying. Then the Spirit of the Lord will come upon you, and you will prophesy with them and be turned into another man. And let it be when these signs come to you that you do as the occasion demands, for God is with you.
You shall go down before me to Gilgal, and surely I will come down to you, come down to you to offer burnt offerings and make sacrifices of peace offerings. Seven days you shall wait till I come to you and show you what you should do. So it was when he had turned his back to go from Samuel that God gave him another heart. And all those signs came to pass that day.
When they came there to meet to the hill, there was a group of prophets to meet him. Then the spirit of God came upon him and he prophesied among them. And it happened. when all who knew him formerly saw that he indeed prophesied among the prophets, that the people said to one another, what is this that has come upon the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?
Then a man from there answered and said, but who is their father? Therefore, it became a proverb, is Saul also among the prophets? And when he had finished prophesying, he went to the high place. Then Saul's uncle said to him and his servant, where did you go?
So he said, to look for the donkeys. When he saw, or when we saw that they were nowhere to be found, we went to Samuel. And Saul's uncle said, tell me, please, what Samuel said to you. So Saul said to his uncle, he told us plainly that the donkeys had been found.
But about the matter of the kingdom, he did not tell him what Samuel had said. Amen.
Introduction
Well, as I said, it's a lengthy portion of scripture, but it certainly all goes together. As I mentioned in chapter 8, Israel, as we recall, demanded a king. They rejected God in favor of an earthly king so that they would be like the nations around that. Remember, we considered that the king of Israel was not to be like the kings around that.
He was to be a man who ultimately feared God and served God. After the people of Israel were warned what manner of king they would have, they nevertheless cried out that they would get a human king, an earthly king. And the end of chapter 8 tells us in verse 22, so the Lord said to Samuel, heed their voice and make them a king. So it's somewhat anticlimactic when we get to this search. for donkeys.
It's typical of God in many ways to do great things through, as I said earlier, ordinary and normal means. We wouldn't imagine that the king of Israel would be selected or would be highlighted in this search for donkeys, but that is precisely how God works. He orders providence so that Samuel anoints Saul as the king Israel wanted. What starts out as a journey to find lost donkeys ends up in the anointing of the king of Israel.
It really is an amazing situation. And I think as we move through the passage, you will see the hand of God throughout this because every detail, all of the little bits certainly add up to make the whole.
Three Movements of the Narrative
So I want to carve up this section in three parts. First, the lost donkeys in chapter 9, verses 1 to 14. Probably didn't think tonight you were going to hear a message with a point called the lost donkeys. But God certainly keeps things interesting.
If we only read the very basic things in the Bible, we'd probably lose interest, but God gives us donkeys, He gives us Sauls, He gives us all manner of things to keep us excited about the truth of His Word. So we've got the lost donkeys, secondly, the meeting with Samuel in chapter 9, verses 15 to 27, and then thirdly, the anointing of Saul in chapter 10, verses 1 to 16. If we had to summarize these three sections with one key word, the first section deals with providence, the second deals with interpretation, and the third deals with fulfillment. That's the movement in the narrative.
Providence: The Lost Donkeys
But let's look first at these donkeys, or let's help Saul find these particular donkeys. He's introduced in chapter 9 at verses 1 and 2, certainly the place where Saul of Tarsus no doubt received his name. Saul of Tarsus was a Benjamite as well. And certainly, he's named after this particular Saul.
So he is from the tribe of Benjamin and indicates that his father is Kish and that his father was a mighty man of power. Probably, as the margin reads, this means he was a wealthy man. It then indicates something about Saul. He had a choice and handsome son whose name was Saul.
There was not a more handsome person than he among the children of Israel. From his shoulders upward, he was taller than any of the people. It indicates that probably if there was a popularity contest in Benjamin, if there was the most handsome man of the year contest, Saul would be your man. If it was the case that physical appearance evidenced legitimacy to the kingship, then Saul was the man.
One commentator says if a king is to be distinguished by his physical appearance, then Saul is every inch a king. We notice then that there are these donkeys that are lost. Again, God comes to us in the normal things of life, the routine. Saul wakes up that morning and as he's eating and rubbing the muck out of his eyes, his father Kish tells him to go find lost donkeys.
That may, in and of itself, seem an interesting exercise for us. We don't depend on donkeys. This would probably be akin to a farmer today losing a tractor or losing some other bit that is vital to his livelihood. You don't just write off donkeys in this society.
You have to find them. And so Saul is rubbing his eyes. He's thinking through his day. And his dad says, I want you to go take one of the servants with you and go look for these donkeys.
And as they go, they search, the text indicates what areas they traverse. We get to verse 5 and we see there is a concern that Saul has. When they had come to the land of Zuth, interestingly enough, precisely where Samuel is. You've got to think, all of these details converge to serve the overarching plan of God in his providence to bring Saul and Samuel together, right down to the fact that when Saul meets up with these young women and asks where the seer is, isn't it interesting that Samuel had just arrived that particular day?
If Saul had arrived a day previous, now again, we're speaking as a man here, because God is absolutely sovereign. But if Saul had arrived the day previous, he would not have met with Samuel. Every detail is taken care of by our God when it comes to bringing this gift for the seer or the prophet. Probably just a sign of respect, a sign of Eastern courtesy, and those sorts of things, Saul rightly recognizes that we no longer have any bread.
The servant actually happens to have a shekel of silver in his pocket. You see, each and every one of these details serves the larger plan of God Almighty to bring Saul to Samuel so that Israel will get the king that they are crying out for. In their rejection of Yahweh and their demand for an earthly king, God Most High nevertheless continues to show pity and mercy and kindness and love to these people. It truly is an amazing account as I hope you'll see as we move along.
But notice the concern of Saul in verse 5. He said to his servant who was with him, come let us return lest my father sees caring about the donkeys and become worried about us. Saul's a bright fellow. He's not only handsome, he's not only tall, but he uses his melon.
He realizes that Kish will be more concerned about his son dying than about his donkeys dying. And I think any of us, I hope, would agree with that, that this is a legitimate concern on Saul's part. That brings us to consider Saul and his servant with reference to this journey to Samuel. Notice the servant recommends that they seek out Samuel.
Verse 6, Look now, there is in this city a man of God, and he is an honorable man. All that he says surely comes to pass. So let us go there. Perhaps he can show us the way that we should go.
They talk again about this whole idea of bringing a gift. Saul identifies that we don't have anything. And the man roots around in his pocket and says, I have a shekel of silver. This will be sufficient to bring to the man of God.
There is a parenthetical explanation concerning the prophetic office in Israel at this particular time. Notice in verse 9, formerly in Israel, when a man went to inquire of God, he spoke thus, come, let us go to the seer, for he who is now called a prophet was formerly called a seer. So they decide and determined to go, and as I've already mentioned, they meet these young ladies on the way, and the young ladies describe in detail what they are looking for. Again, look at verse 12, they answered them and said, yes, there he is just ahead of you.
Hurry now, for today he came to this city. Now remember that Samuel didn't just sit around. Samuel moved throughout the tribe. Samuel was a circuit judge.
Samuel went from place to place. I mean, really, to find him in one particular location when he was on that circuit is nothing short of amazing, and in somewhat of what appears to be a haphazard way. Who would have ever thought these men wandering around looking for donkeys, that one of them was going to be the future king of Israel. You need to appreciate how God is working through all of these particulars.
The young women describe what is going on in terms of the situation facing Samuel, the question is posed, the response is given, the directions are then offered, and then the meeting takes place in verse 14. So they went up to the city. As they were coming into the city, there was Samuel coming out toward them on his way up to the high place. I mean, again, this just doesn't fall into place.
I think at times we often miss providence. At times, we can become somewhat thick-skulled. And at times, we don't always see how God is operating. God moves in a mysterious way, his wonders to perform.
Donkeys lost provide the foil for a king found. And this is the means by which God executes His decree in history.
Interpretation: The Meeting with Samuel
That brings us secondly to the meeting with Samuel in verses 15-27.
God's Word to Samuel Before the Meeting
Before we look at 15-27, notice 15-17. Dale Ralph Davis calls this an intrusion. And what he means by that is that if you read the passage from 14 to 18, you wouldn't lose a stat. If you did not read 15 to 17, you would not miss the flow of the narrative.
In verse 14, it says, as they were coming into the city, there was Samuel coming out toward them on his way up to the high place. We drop down to 18, we see then Saul drew near to Samuel in the gate and said, Please tell me, where is the seer's house? So 15 to 17 is an intrusion upon the otherwise smooth narrative. But it is a very specific intrusion.
It is theological interpretation. This is the heart and the core of the entirety of the section, because it is the word of God explaining to Samuel the significance of his choice of Saul. Notice specifically verse 15. Now the Lord had told Samuel in his ear the day before Saul came saying.
So Samuel is already alerted to the reality that something is going to happen. Samuel already knows, as we see from this feast later, he's already got it pre set up or the prepared, that's not the word I'm looking for, the cook had the food prepared at the beckoning of Samuel because Samuel knew there was going to be this feast. These 30 guests were probably 30 nobles in the region that no doubt would be necessary in the support of the new king of Israel. You see, Samuel's already got things going because the Lord had given him this information. the Lord had instructed him that he would make known to him the particular man that would be king.
I did skip a very good quote concerning providence. Alexander McLaren said this with reference to this providence. He says, think of the chain of ordinary events which brought Saul to the little city. the wandering of a drove of asses, the failure to get on their tracks, the accident of being in the land of Zuff when he got tired of the search, the suggestion of the servant, and behind all these, and working through them, the will and hand of God, thrusting his man, all unconscious, along a path which he knew not. That is glorious.
And I think as we consider the rest of the Bible, we see those very sorts of things. The Bible isn't just haphazardly thrown together. It's not a collection of men who got lucky and ended up in the right place at the right time for the right particular task. It is the work of a sovereign God.
He governs all his creatures and all their actions. He purposes whatsoever comes to pass. He not only has determined the end, but he has decreed all of the means by which that end will be realized. And means include donkeys and servants and shackles and cities and Samuels and all those particulars.
God is working out his plan in a normal situation to bring about something extraordinary for Israel. Now notice, as I already mentioned, the disclosure the day before. Verse 15, the Lord had told Samuel in his ear the day before Saul came, saying, notice secondly in this little bit, the sovereignty of God. Verse 16, tomorrow about this time, I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin.
Make no mistake about this. Saul was God's man. Saul was God's choice. Was Saul the best king Israel ever had?
No, he most certainly wasn't. Remember that part of their request, or part of the giving of their request for a king, was an act of chastisement. The people rejected Yahweh for an earthly king. And so God says, heed their voice.
Remember we saw, be careful what you ask for, because you just might get it. You might get somebody that's not as consistent, someone that's not as upright, someone that is not as godly. We need to focus upon that. I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin.
There is not a situation that God is not over. There is not an issue in our life that God does not control. There is not an event or a detail that takes place that God has not foreordained. When we get later in redemptive history, we see Nebuchadnezzar.
Interestingly, a pagan king is referred to by God. the God of heaven and earth as my servant. Do you realize that Cyrus, the king of Persia, takes the title, or is given the title by God of Messiah, the Anointed One? If we were speaking Greek at the time of Cyrus, we would have called him Christ. That's what God calls him.
It is a title concerning the fact that he is the Anointed One of Yahweh. He was raised up for a specific purpose. Cyrus specifically was to put down the Babylonians so that the children of Judah could be freed from the captivity and return to their home country. God is sovereign.
Notice as well his purpose in all of this. In 16b, and you shall anoint him commander or prince or king over my people Israel, that he may save my people from the hand of the Philistines." Isn't that beautiful? The Lord God is rejected by these people, but the Lord God does not reject these people. That is grace.
We'll see even more of that in just a moment. But he's got a divine purpose with Saul. Now Saul wasn't the bestest king ever, but Saul certainly knew how to kill Philistines. Saul certainly did do some damage to the Ammonites.
Saul did bring a measure of relief and of help and of deliverance to the children of Israel. And that is precisely why God raised him up for this eventuality. Notice the pity or the mercy that is displayed at the end of verse 16. For I have looked upon my people because their cry has come to me.
Brethren, he was just rejected in verse or chapter 8. He was just voted out of office, if that could be the case. He was just told by the people, no, we don't want Yahweh, we want the king that's going to exploit our families, that's going to enslave us through taxation, and that's going to bring us to the point of crying out. And yet Yahweh nevertheless says, I have looked upon my people because their cry has come to me.
He is relentless in his mercy. He is relentless in his grace. He is relentless in his loving kindness and in his goodness.
Yahweh's Relentless Mercy
Davis says Israel's rejection does not paralyze Yahweh's providence. Although Yahweh sees Israel's idolatry in her cry for a king, he also hears her distress in her cry for relief. Israel's stupidity cannot wither Yahweh's compassion. Isn't that great?
I find encouragement in that. Because I oftentimes, like Israel, do stupid things. I oftentimes, like Israel, sin against God. And I am thankful that He is most loving.
I am thankful that He's most merciful. I'm thankful that He's most gracious. And I trust that you are as well. These are the very things that are the glories of our God, the perfections of our God.
He is unchanged and unchanging in His covenant love toward His people. Once He covenants to save us, once He enters into that blessed union, He will not let us go. Paul is able to say, I am confident that He who began this good work in you will complete it until the day of Christ. What does Paul say in the latter part of Romans chapter 8?
I am persuaded there is nothing that can come between us and the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. What do the scriptures testify concerning our God? Does He enter into salvation with us on Monday and we irritate Him on Wednesday so Thursday He sends us packing? Is that what God does?
Is that the picture that is conveyed in the scripture? Or is it, I have loved you with an everlasting love. I have set my affections upon you before the foundation of the world. I have provided blood atonement through the son of my love.
I was pleased to deliver up my son. How shall I not with him also freely give you all things? Learn in this search for donkeys that God Most High evidences great pity and great mercy and great kindness and great love. If I were God and chapter 8 had happened, I would say, forget it.
I'm going to go find another nation that wants me to rule over them. If you cast me away, watch what I'll do. I'll cast you away. Not so with our God, for I have looked upon my people because their cry has come to me.
I guess old habits die hard, don't they? Isn't this the continual refrain in the book of Judges? Isn't this continually what happens? The people sin.
God brings in an oppressor. The people cry out, not in repentance, not because they want to honor the Lord, not because they want to get right with God, but they cry out because it hurts. They cry out because of the distress. They cry out because of the pain.
And nevertheless, what does God do? He delivers them. Brethren, our God is infinitely good. Our God is infinitely kind.
Our God is infinitely merciful. And our God has revealed this of Himself, not just in the New Testament via the cross, but in the Old Testament via a search for donkeys and a connection or a meeting between Saul and Samuel. And then notice the identification of God's choice in verse 17. So when Samuel saw Saul, The Lord said to him, there he is, the man of whom I spoke to you.
This one shall reign over my people. And thus begins the monarchy after he is anointed. with the oil. What happens is that this sets in order that monarchical system that takes place in Israel for many, many, many years. It is a single kingdom until the division of the kingdom, and it is through the line of Judah, the line of David specifically, that the Messiah Christ would come.
And so this is the inception of that monarchy.
The Meeting Itself
Now notice, as we consider the meeting with Samuel, we see the Lord's word to Samuel, verses 15 to 17. Now note specifically the meeting in verses 18 to 27. It's interesting that Saul doesn't even know who Samuel is. I find that somewhat intriguing.
Kish was a man of means. Kish was a man of might. Kish was a man of money. And yet Saul didn't know who Samuel was.
He says, please tell me, where is the seer's house? Verse 19, Samuel answered Saul and said, I am the seer. Go up before me to the high place. And I know the word high place suggests something bad.
High places in Israel aren't typically good places. High places in Israel are oftentimes suggestive of idolatry. But the text does not make that commendation or make that affirmation in this particular section. The high place could have just been a place.
Now that Shiloh was not the central sanctuary, this could have been the place where Samuel did his business and where they had their feasts and that sort of thing. But anyways, he tells Saul to go to the high place. You shall eat with me today and tomorrow I will let you go and will tell you all that is in your heart. But as for your donkeys that were lost three days ago, do not be anxious about them, for they have been found." Isn't that kind?
Even that. This little act of providence. What about the donkeys? Someone's kids might ask that, right?
You're reading this story to your children. Guess what the kids are going to say? Did he ever find his donkeys? Yes, he found his donkeys.
Why was that? Because God is good. God uses the donkeys to bring Saul to Israel as the king, and then he returns the donkeys back to Kish so they can do what donkeys do, and they can live happily ever after. You see, everything is under the plan and purpose and detail of a gracious and good God.
Ask for your donkeys, do not be anxious, for they have been found as well your father, or I'm sorry, and then he says, and on whom is all the desire of Israel, is it not on you and on all your father's house? So he tips his hand there, he tells Samuel, or Saul rather, that there is something bigger in store for Saul than just the recovery of donkeys. You're going to do a bit more than just find donkeys, Saul. Not that there's anything wrong with just finding donkeys.
If Saul had continued as a donkey pursuer for the rest of his life, there is no shame in that. Whether you're the king of Israel or you're pursuing donkeys in the mountains of Benjamin, that's okay. They're lawful callings, either or. There's a doctrine of vocation.
God doesn't make every man president. God doesn't make every man prime minister. God doesn't make every man a doctor. There is a division of labor.
Not everybody in society can be the chief. There has to be others that actually get things done. So we need to understand, whether Saul is king in Israel or Saul is working on the farm, these are positions of dignity under our good God. As long as you are not breaking the law, whatever your calling is, do it with your might, as Solomon bids us in the book of Ecclesiastes.
There is honor. in all labor. There is this idea and this teaching that if you only do this, God's really pleased. No, if you're pursuing donkeys around the mountains of Benjamin, God is as good to you as if you were the king of Israel. I think if you went to Saul later in his life and said, what would you rather be doing?
He might just say, chasing those donkeys around the mountains of Benjamin. That's probably the preferable job than being the king in Israel, but that's for another day. Notice, Saul answers and says, Am I not a Benjamite of the smallest of the tribes of Israel, and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? Why then do you speak like this to me?
He is in good company. Perhaps he overdoes it a little bit. I don't think Kish is as insignificant as he intimates here. But this is how Moses responds when God calls him to service.
This is how Gideon responds when God calls him to service. And I think this is a good sign. The scriptures indicate in the book of Proverbs, a man's gift makes room for him. The man doesn't make room for his gift.
Beware the man that comes and thrusts himself into a position of authority without first having been vetted, without first having been known, without first having gotten the consciences of brethren. A man who shows up at a church, for instance, and says, I'm here, and you should use me to teach the Bible. Well, yeah, maybe we should, but we want to get to know you first. We want to make sure that you're legit.
We want to make sure that you have the gifts and the qualifications necessary. Humility is a good trait. If somebody wants to exalt you, it's not always the righteous path to run up there as soon as possible. We need to make sure that we understand we are lowly.
We are insignificant. And I think that what Saul does here evidences this to some degree. Now notice, the feast, he has a place of honor among the 30 guests, the meal of honor among the 30 guests. The 30 guests I've already mentioned, most likely nobles from the region that represented the people.
Saul would need their support. He's going to be anointed in a private ceremony and then taken to Mizpah. We didn't read that, but from 17 on to the end of the chapter, God willing, we'll look at that next week. That is the public ceremony, the public election.
But what we have specifically in chapter 10 at verse 1 is a private ceremony with Samuel alone anointing Saul to the kingship. So they eat the feast, they engage in these blessings, and then we move to the return to the city. Notice in verse 27, as they were going down to the outskirts of the city, Samuel said to Saul, tell the servant to go on ahead of us. And he went on, but you stand here a while that I may announce to you the word of God.
Samuel the prophet is the man who's going to announce the word of God. Not generically, here's what God says about this, or here's what God says about this, but very specifically, Saul, you are going to be the king in Israel.
Fulfillment: The Anointing of Saul
And that brings us thirdly to the anointing of Saul. Notice in 10.1, Samuel took a flask of oil and poured it on his head and kissed him and said, is it not because the Lord has anointed you commander over his inheritance? Saul is king. But notice, it's God's inheritance.
You see, the king in Israel was not to function like the kings of the nations around them. What were the kings of the nations around them to their people? They were gods. They were divine.
They were deity. When Nebuchadnezzar set up that image out in the plains of Dura, what do you think it was an image of? It was most likely an image of him. You see, God owns Israel.
God possesses his inheritance. So even the King of Israel, the King of Israel, finds himself in a servant role. This makes sense when we consider Jesus Christ. He is the King of kings and the Lord of lords, but the chief servant, isn't he?
I mean, the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give his life a ransom for many. The kings of Israel were to function typologically for that very purpose. Yes, you're a king, but you're ultimately a servant of Yahweh and a servant of his people. The king isn't just supposed to sit there and have people fan him and rub his feet and feed him grapes and say what a great king you are and how wonderful you are and you're an awesome king and you're like a god to us.
No, the king is to legislate and administrate and orchestrate and run the kingdom in such a way as to bring glory and honor to God most high. So we mustn't ever forget this. Is it not because the Lord has anointed you commander over his inheritance? If you're using the New King James, you'll notice an extended marginal note from what's called the LXX.
The LXX is what's called, or it's an abbreviation for the Satuagen. The reason it's the LXX is because that's the Roman numeral for 70. And traditionally, 70 persons work on this Septuagint. And what it is, is a Greek translation of the Old Testament.
Jesus and his apostles were familiar with the Septuagint. There are instances and times in New Testament quotations where it would appear that the Septuagint is being quoted. Well, here specifically, it does provide a helpful link to the next section in verses 2 to 6. The Septuagint reading says, And you shall rule the people of the Lord, and you shall deliver his people from the hands of their enemies all around them.
And this shall be a sign to you that God has anointed you to be a prince. That sets us up well for two to six because that is precisely what happens. These are the signs that God the Lord is in fact confirming or affirming you to the kingship. Now imagine if you're Saul for a moment.
You've rubbed the eyes. You've searched for the donkeys. You've given up in futility. Your servant has said, let's go visit Samuel the seer.
You meet with Samuel the seer, a man you had never known before. Samuel the seer takes you to this particular meal. He sets you in a place of honor. He gives you the best cut of meat.
And then he pours oil on your head and says, welcome to the kingship. Now, if I were Saul, I'd probably think, this is not typical. This is not what happened to me yesterday. How do I know, Samuel, that you, because of your age, aren't starting to say things that evidence is perhaps you're not with it with us anymore, right?
I mean, think about it, brethren. He goes from looking for donkeys to a choice meal as the guest of honor, and then he gets oil poured on his head, and Samuel says, welcome, you are now the king, to deliver Israel from their oppressors. That would probably be a little difficult for one of us to get our minds wrapped around.
Three Confirming Signs
Hence, verses 2 to 6, Samuel's prediction. When you have departed from me today, three things are going to happen to you. And when these three things happen to you, you will know of a truth that God has in fact confirmed this activity of me pouring oil on your head. Perhaps Samuel had to stand on something because Saul was head and shoulders taller than all the other men of Israel.
So it probably took a little bit for Samuel to get up there with that oil and pour it on his head. So notice, these three things are going to happen to indicate or evidence to Saul that this was, in fact, God's will for him. He says, when you depart from me today, you will find two men by Rachel's tomb in the territory of Benjamin at Zelza. And they will say to you, the donkeys which you went to look for have been found.
And now your father has ceased caring about the donkeys and is worrying about you, saying, what shall I do about my son? Now that's interesting because these young men didn't know anything about Saul and about his donkeys and about this whole situation. In 920 Samuel had already announced to him that the donkeys had in fact been recovered. So this is sign number one.
When you bump into these guys and they want to talk donkey, this will be evidence that this is in fact of God. Notice secondly, then you shall go forward from there and come to the terebinth tree of Tabor. Their three men going up to God at Bethel will meet you, one carrying three young goats, another carrying three loaves of bread, and another carrying a skin of wine. And they will greet you and give you two loaves of bread, which you shall receive from their hands.
Sign number two. You're wandering down the street, you happen to see a few guys, and they hand you two loaves of bread. Again, things like this don't typically happen every day, do they? The oil, the goats, the donkeys, and then the loaves of bread.
There's a third sign. After that, you shall come to the hill of God where the Philistine garrison is. And it will happen when you have come there to the city that you will meet a group of prophets coming down from the high place with a stringed instrument, a tambourine, a flute, and a harp before them, and they will be prophesying. Then the Spirit of the Lord will come upon you, and you will prophesy with them and be turned into another man.
And the rest of the passage then highlights that third sign. So you see these three things signified the reality of what Samuel did in pouring the oil on Saul's head. This is of God. You are the king of Israel.
You have ascended from a pursuer of donkeys to the king over a people. Now, when he says you will become a new man or turned into another man, it'll also say he's been given another heart. We need to understand that this is probably not spiritual in terms of the ordo salutis that we are used to. The idea probably is not regeneration onto everlasting life.
What it probably evidences is that a call and equipping for public service. Because that's what we find that this is about in Saul's life. John Gill says, for the Spirit of God would not only operate on him in that way as to fit him for composing and singing psalms and hymns, but inspire him with wisdom and prudence and greatness of mind and with every qualification necessary for a king. so that he would appear quite another man than he was before, in his outward behavior, as well as in the endowments of his mind, and from a rustic husbandman, a farmer's son, would appear with the air of a prince and in the majesty of a king." There's a change going on. When you go into the kingdom, when you become the monarch, you're probably not going to go out and looking for donkeys anymore.
So the contact with the Spirit of the Lord will cause you to prophesy and be turned into another man. And then notice, so we've got that prediction or those three signs that would affirm.
The Word and the Spirit United
Now Samuel gives Saul two specific orders. Notice in verse 7. And let it be when these signs come to you that you do as the occasion demands, for God is with you. You shall go down before me to Gilgal, and surely I will come down to you to offer burnt offerings and make sacrifices of peace offerings.
Seven days you shall wait till I come to you and show you what you should do." Now notice, what we find here is that the King of Israel is certainly subject to the God of Israel, as well he is subject to the prophet of God. The king does not operate as a renegade or as a maverick. Remember we saw in Deuteronomy 17, when the king assumed his throne, he was to write out the law for himself, and that was to be his personal marching orders. Well, along with the monarchs, you had the prophets.
And the prophets weren't there simply to encourage, they weren't there simply to coddle, but rather they were there to set forth the Word of God before the King of Israel. Davis makes a very interesting observation here, and I'm going to quote him at length. Notice we have contact with the Spirit in verse 6. to affirm or confirm that these signs were in fact of God. But in verse 8, what we essentially have is Samuel saying, you need to do what I tell you.
So we have this convergence of the spirit and the Word. We have this interrelatedness of the Spirit and the Word. Davis says we should properly balance this note of assurance, talking about the Spirit, in verse 6. Saul is to receive both the power of the Spirit and the direction of the Word through Samuel.
You see, it's never an either or in our Christian life. Wow, I'm so full of the Spirit, I don't need to read my Bible. I know my Bible so well, I don't need the Holy Spirit. You see, the Spirit and the Word are not enemies.
The Spirit and the Word are friends. The Spirit and the Word work together for the good of King Saul. Of course, the Spirit and the Word work together for the good of our own hearts and our own souls. We have some churches out there that only emphasize the Spirit.
Let's just find the Spirit. We have other churches that emphasize sound doctrine. Let's just have doctrine. The Bible envisions both.
We have the word and we have the spirit. It's not like you want the soup or the salad. I'd like the soup and the salad. Thank you very much, because God is not miserly.
When he comes to serve at his table, he gives to us abundantly. So again, Davis says, a good deal of debate rages around verse 8. And I'm going to tell you, throughout Samuel, there are these verses along the way that have a lot of debate concerning that. I'm not skilled enough or probably have the ability to work through all of the technical details on some of these things.
But suffice it to say, he says, a good deal of debate rages around verse 8. It may form part of a plan for striking a decisive blow against the Philistines, but this much is clear. Saul, the king who has promised Yahweh's power, is to submit to Samuel, the prophet, who brings Yahweh's word. I shall make known to you what you are to do.
Yahweh's spirit gives power, but that power is to be exercised in obedience to God's word. The spirit and the word must never be separated. What right have we to think we can enjoy the Lord's power and presence when we deny His Lordship by trampling on His Word? One cannot help but think this union of Word and Spirit is a word and season for the contemporary Church.
Many crave dramatic signs of the Spirit's power, but have little enthusiasm for common obedience to the Lord's Word. I think that is a very accurate description of what is true in the church today and what we do see balanced out very clearly in this particular section. The Spirit of the Lord comes upon him, he in turn prophesies, but Samuel says, you need to listen to me, the Spirit and the Word in that blessed interplay under God Almighty to bring good to his people.
Saul's Return Home
And then the narrative ends with Saul's return back to his home. Verse 9, so it was when he had turned his back to go from Samuel that God gave him another heart and all those signs came to pass that day. Again, Gill, I think, summarizes it well. Not in a moral or spiritual sense, not a new heart and a new spirit as in conversion, but in a civil sense, a right heart, a heart fit for government, filled with wisdom and prudence to rule a people, with courage and magnanimity to protect and defend them against their enemies and fight for them.
A heart not taken up with the affairs of husbandry, with care for his father's asses, and looking after his herds, but filled with concern for the civil welfare of Israel, and with schemes and contrivances for their good, and with warm resolutions to deliver them out of the hands of their enemies." And then in verse 10, the Spirit of God came upon him and he prophesied among them. And this is an intriguing passage. It's Saul among the prophets. This blew them away.
They were not expecting this particular thing. But it is the case. The Spirit comes upon him, and thus he prophesies. This, under God, is converging to indicate to him that he is, in fact, the king for Israel.
So the people marvel, the people question, and then notice this particular question concerning his father. It says in verse 12, then a man from there answered and said, but who is their father? It's an interesting question. At least a couple of interpretations have been given.
Sometimes a prophet or a head of the prophets is called father. Remember, Elisha calls Elijah my father. It could be God the father, however. Father of Heaven, or the Father in Heaven, has given these gifts to this school of prophets and Saul himself has participated in it.
And then it says, therefore it became a proverb. Is Saul also among the prophets? We might say something like Well, stranger things have happened, or wonders never cease. It was odd to them, and so it became idiomatic or proverbial in this particular time.
So if somebody ever says to you, is Saul among the prophets? That's just an expression of surprise about a current situation. That's how proverbial it became, and this is what the author tells us. And so then he returns home and he interacts with his uncle.
He tells him about the donkeys, but he's silent about the kingdom. Notice in verse 16, he told us plainly that the donkeys had been found. But about the matter of the kingdom, he did not tell him what Samuel had said. There might be many reasons why probably the most evident is that he knew or he suspected that there was a public ceremony that was going to come.
And he didn't want to tip his hand at this particular point.
Application
Well, brethren, in this passage, we certainly see the providence of God. I hope you do see that. What do donkeys have to do with kingdom? God makes it work.
Secondly, we ought never to forget the lesson at the end of verse 16 in chapter 9. For I have looked upon my people, because their cry has come to me. of people who in the chapter previously reject him and rebel against him and nevertheless find mercy? How much more the blood-bought children of God? Doesn't Jesus make such an implication when he tells the story of the importunate widow?
She goes to the judge to render a verdict in her particular case. The judge did not fear God, neither did he regard man. But the woman didn't stop. She kept coming to him.
She kept supplicating him. She kept saying, please render for my particular verdict. Finally, the judge, who even realized that he didn't fear God nor regard men, said, I am going to give her what she wants lest she weary me with this constant, constant petition. What is Christ's implication?
Shall not God avenge his own elect who cry to him day and night? Brethren, if in chapter 8 the people reject Yahweh as King, and in chapter 9 He says, I can't stand to see them in misery. I have pity and mercy upon them. Shall He not see us in that way?
Shall He not hear the prayers and the petitions that we offer up as those who are washed in the blood? As those who have the righteousness of Christ? We ought to get great encouragement in our God to go to prayer, to go to Him, to cast our burdens upon Him, to cast our aches and our pains and our longings and our troubles on Him. He may not alleviate everything with the snap of a finger.
He might not make everything right overnight, but He bears our burdens. He knows that we're but dust. He pities us the way that a father pities his children, and He knows and He is committed to doing that, which is ultimately for our good. We need to believe that.
Romans 8.28 needs to get off of our magnets on our refrigerator and into our hearts. You know, I've read several times in several, well, I don't know if several, at least twice, I think, I've read where when somebody is suffering, sometimes it can be a bit trite and a bit somewhat minimal to say to somebody, well, you need to buck up and remember Romans 8.28. Now, brethren, I realize we don't ever want to be trite or we want to be minimal, but for a blood-bought child of God who owns the Holy Spirit and is owned by the Holy Spirit, what better remedy is there than Romans 8, 28? If all manner of evil falls on us and somebody comes to me and says, you need to remember that God causes all things to work for good.
My desire isn't going to be to want to punch you in the nose. It's going to be to hug you and thank you for reminding me of a truth that will steady my soul in the midst of the trial and calamity and the difficulty that comes. You see, it's not trite, and it's not trivial, and it's no small thing to offer Scripture as a means of comfort for the people of God. If we don't derive comfort from the Scriptures, brethren, we need to repent.
This is our life. This is our hope. This is our encouragement. Paul tells us specifically in Romans 15, the Scriptures are given to us for this very reason. for hope, for encouragement, for our consolation.
It's not trivial to encourage the people of God with the word of God. And may I suggest adding 1 Samuel 9.16b to your arsenal when you go about the task of encouraging people. And then finally, we see or we saw this emphasis on spirit, and Word, and certainly we want to maintain that as well. We don't want to be over here saying, we only need the Spirit, we don't need the Scriptures.
But on the same token, we don't want to be over here with some, we just have this cerebral attachment to study. No, we want spirit-filled study of God's holy word and sound doctrine that will provide the stuff that we desperately need to traverse this earth in pursuit of our heavenly kingdom.
Closing Prayer
Well, let us pray. Our Father, we thank you for your word and we thank you for this passage that goes from a search for donkeys to the identification of a king. Certainly you are glorious and wondrous and almighty and we ask almighty God that you'd help us to recall these lessons. If we can't articulate all the particulars in chapters 9 and 10 of 1 Samuel, may we take away from this the reality that our God is good and our God is kind and merciful. that our God is gracious to us.
And as well, our Father, help us to see that in every detail and in every event in our lives, you are sovereign over these things and you are working out your purpose and your plan. And if you have called us by grace, then your purpose and plan certainly includes good for your people. We ask now that you would go with us, that you would watch over us in the remainder of this week. Bring us together on the Lord's Day, that we may worship you in spirit and in truth.
And we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.