This week I’ve been blogging about the story of Israel asking for a king. God is their king, but they want a human king. Amazing God grants their wish, and in the last post we met the king. He’s a man name Saul.
As the story in 1st Samuel chapter unfolds, Saul searches for his father’s lost donkeys, who have wandered off. Saul and his assistants eventually come to the town where Samuel the prophet was staying. In chapter 9, verse 16, we read that God, the day before, had told Samuel about Saul. Samuel sees Saul, and we read in verse 17 that God confirms, “This is the man…he will govern my people.”
In verses 18-27, the two men have an encounter. Samuel doesn’t just launch right into the big news from God that Saul is to become king. Samuel takes it slowly. In verse 20 he says to says to Saul that Israel’s desire has turned to Saul, hinting at something bigger.
Saul is immediately hesitant. In verse 21, he basically says, “I’m a nobody from a nobody clan and tribe, what are you talking about?” Saul is from the tribe of Benjamin, and that is notable because it was the tribe of Benjamin that committed horrible atrocities which are detailed in the final chapters of the book of Judges. Those atrocities would have very much been in the memories of the people. Some people who had lived through those dark days were likely still alive in Saul’s day. In other words, the tribe of Benjamin had a bad reputation. Maybe Saul is ashamed.
But Samuel plows forward, undeterred by Saul’s hesitation. Samuel seats Saul at the head of a table at a party with 30 people and gives Saul a choice cut of meat in front of them. This seems like the moment to make the big announcement!
Still Samuel does not mention about Saul becoming king, though. Maybe Samuel is just wisely warming Saul up to the idea. The next morning before Saul heads home (because Samuel assured Saul the donkeys had been found), Samuel pulls Saul aside and says “I have a message for you from God.”
In chapter 10, finally, Samuel gives Saul the message from God that Saul is God’s choice to be king over Israel, and then Samuel anoints Saul as king. It’s a private ceremony. No one knows about this. Samuel then gives Saul very strange instructions for a newly anointed king. Saul will meet prophets who are prophesying, Samuel says. Then Samuel says this to Saul in chapter 10, verses 6 and 7,
“The Spirit of the Lord will come powerfully upon you, and you will prophesy with them; and you will be changed into a different person. Once these signs are fulfilled, do whatever your hand finds to do, for God is with you.”
Sure enough, the Spirit empowers him, and Saul returns to Gibeah, his hometown. Saul starts prophesying just like the prophets. When the Scripture uses the word “prophesying” here, it does not mean “predicting the future.” It is more likely describing ecstatic speech, almost like speaking in tongues. The prophets and Saul, in other words, are worshiping and glorifying God. They are joyfully filled with the Spirit.
Eventually, Saul stops prophesying, and his uncle asks him what Samuel said to Saul. I would be very curious too! Saul met the famous judge of Israel, the prophet Samuel, and as a result, Saul starts prophesying! That’s not normal. Clearly something happened when Saul met Samuel. Of course Saul’s uncle wants to know what’s up? But Saul says nothing about being made king over all Israel! Surprising? Maybe. Maybe not. Maybe Saul has a shy streak. Maybe he feels awkward.
There are plenty of times when we are with people who have big news, but they don’t tell it. Then when you’re with someone else who tells you about the first person’s big news, you think, “What? I was just with them, and they didn’t say anything about it.” Some people hate drawing attention to themselves. And they will not share things even with their closest friends, which can come across hurtful because even if you are shy, you should share life with your closest friends.
But the news eventually gets out. You can’t keep it quiet forever. In Saul’s case, Samuel gathers all the people of Israel to Mizpah, which was a traditional gathering place for meetings of great national importance. There he gives the people this message from God in verses 18-19,
“This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘I brought Israel up out of Egypt, and I delivered you from the power of Egypt and all the kingdoms that oppressed you.’ But you have now rejected your God, who saves you out of all your disasters and calamities. And you have said, ‘No, appoint a king over us.’ So now present yourselves before the Lord by your tribes and clans.”
Samuel has reviewed the belligerent attitude of the people that brought them to this point. Now it was time to make the choice of king public to the nation, but in verses 20-22, when Saul is chosen, he is nowhere to be found. It takes God to reveal where Saul is hiding! How about that? More unkingly behavior from the king.
In verses 23-24, some people find Saul, bring him out, and they notice that he is unusually tall. In front of all the people, Samuel confirms that God has chosen him, and the people shout, “Long live the king!”
What have we learned this week about Israel getting its first king? Check back to the next post, as we conclude this week’s blog series with some suggestions for how we might apply 1st Samuel 8-10 to our lives.
Photo by Christian GAFENESCH on Unsplash
Engaging Scripture 