In a somewhat private ceremony Saul was appointed and anointed to be captain and king over Israel (10:1). Who would enter into leadership of God’s people without God’s approval?
Samuel announces several signs which were to confirm God’s will to Saul (10:2-8). Saul doesn’t ask for a sign; but confirming signs are given anyhow. Does God always confirm His will to you?
The Spirit of God came upon Saul (10:6, 10), as He had other leaders in Israel before. By this Saul could be sure that God was with him (10:7). Has God ever given you another heart (10:9)?
Saul didn’t tell everything that he knew (10:16). And neither should we.
On the day that Samuel would announce publicly that Saul was to be king, Saul his himself “among the stuff” (10:22). Was this fear, humility, or something else? Have you ever run away from the task God called you to?
Saul surrounded himself with a group of men “whose hearts God had touched” (10:26). The leader will be surrounded by advisors. Better advisors make for better leaders.
Not everyone liked Saul (10:27). Not everyone liked the Lord Jesus either.
When the Philistines threatened Jabeshgilead, the Spirit of God came upon Saul and he was stirred to come to the defense of his brethren (11:6). When Paul observed the idolatry of Athens (Acts 17), his spirit was stirred and he came to the defense of the Lord Jesus.
After the victory, when some would kill the men who refused Saul’s leadership (see: 10:27), Saul refused to allow the slaughter (11:13).
Public inauguration took place in Gilgal (11:14-15).
With so many voices preaching that one can never know that he’s saved or suggesting that one can lose his salvation, we should rejoice that God is absolute in His declaration that His people shall be saved, without a doubt.
Scripture references:
John 3:16; Philippians 2:13; Philippians 1:6; John 6:29; Romans 8:29-30; Romans 8:35-39; John 10:28-29; Hebrews 6:17-19; Jude 1:24; 1 Peter 1:3-5; Matthew 13:18-23; Matthew 7:24-25; Hebrews 13:5; Genesis 28:15; Deuteronomy 31:6,8; Joshua 1:5; 1 Samuel 12:22; 1 Chronicles 28:20; Psalm 37:25,28; Isaiah 41:17.
Remember: God will never withdraw His presence or His help from His people. Believe it!
John 3:16
16For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Philippians 2:13
13For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
Philippians 1:6
6Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:
John 6:29
29Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.
Romans 8:29-30
29For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
30Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
Romans 8:35-39
35Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
36As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
37Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
38For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
39Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
John 10:28-29
28And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
29My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.
Hebrews 6:17-19
17Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath:
18That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:
19Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;
Jude 1:24
24Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,
1 Peter 1:3-5
3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
4To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,
5Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
Matthew 13:18-23
18Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower.
19When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.
20But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it;
21Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.
22He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.
23But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.
Matthew 7:24-25
24Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
25And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
Hebrews 13:5
5Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
Genesis 28:15
15And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of.
Deuteronomy 31:6,8
6Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.
8And the LORD, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.
Joshua 1:5
5There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.
1 Samuel 12:22
22For the LORD will not forsake his people for his great name's sake: because it hath pleased the LORD to make you his people.
1 Chronicles 28:20
20And David said to Solomon his son, Be strong and of good courage, and do it: fear not, nor be dismayed: for the LORD God, even my God, will be with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee, until thou hast finished all the work for the service of the house of the LORD.
Psalm 37:25,28
25I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.
28For the LORD loveth judgment, and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved for ever: but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off.
Isaiah 41:17
17When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirst, I the LORD will hear them, I the God of Israel will not forsake them.
Like Hophni and Phineas, the rebellious and wicked sons of Eli the priest, Joel and Abiah, sons of Samuel, were in position to take over the office of judge after the death of their father Samuel. But, in both cases, God had other plans (1 Samuel 8:2-5).
Samuel was displeased when the people demanded a king (6); but God assured him that it was not against Samuel but against the Lord that the people rebelled (7). Before you protest that the people had a legitimate complaint because Samuel’s sons were wicked, remember that they didn’t ask God to regenerate the boys or even to replace them with men after God’s own heart. Instead they demanded a king of their own approval. Isn’t that like today’s voters?
God agrees to give them a king; but first they must be told that an earthly king will conscript their children and their employees and their animals, and tax their wealth at a rate of 10%. Still the people demanded a king. Earthly men will give anything to have leadership that they approve. Societies haven’t changed, even though tax rates have risen to 40% and more.
A Benjamite named Saul will be the first king of Israel (1 Samuel 9:1-2). Note his qualifications. Did you see anything about his relationship to God?
When Saul was ready to go home, his servant suggested consulting a man of God about the lost animals. Saul protested that they hadn’t a gift for the prophet and therefore could not expect an answer (1 Samuel 9:6-7). It is sad that people won’t consult the proper help because they believe that they must pay for God’s services. Isn’t it more sad when people actually MUST pay before preachers and priests will “serve” them in God’s name?
The day before Saul’s arrival, God had told Samuel that he who would be king was to arrive. When Saul arrived, God voiced His approval of Saul to Samuel (1 Samuel 9:15-17).
Saul received a royal welcome feast with 30 honored guests (9:22); later he remained behind with Samuel to learn the word of God (1 Samuel 9:27).
16For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Philippians 2:13
13For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
Philippians 1:6
6Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:
John 6:29
29Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.
Romans 8:29-30
29For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
30Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
Romans 8:35-39
35Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
36As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
37Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
38For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
39Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
John 10:28-29
28And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
29My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.
Hebrews 6:17-19
17Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath:
18That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:
19Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;
Jude 1:24
24Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,
1 Peter 1:3-5
3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
4To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,
5Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
Matthew 13:18-23
18Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower.
19When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.
20But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it;
21Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.
22He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.
23But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.
Matthew 7:24-25
24Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
25And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
Hebrews 13:5
5Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
Genesis 28:15
15And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of.
Deuteronomy 31:6,8
6Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.
8And the LORD, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.
Joshua 1:5
5There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.
1 Samuel 12:22
22For the LORD will not forsake his people for his great name's sake: because it hath pleased the LORD to make you his people.
1 Chronicles 28:20
20And David said to Solomon his son, Be strong and of good courage, and do it: fear not, nor be dismayed: for the LORD God, even my God, will be with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee, until thou hast finished all the work for the service of the house of the LORD.
Psalm 37:25,28
25I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.
28For the LORD loveth judgment, and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved for ever: but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off.
Isaiah 41:17
17When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirst, I the LORD will hear them, I the God of Israel will not forsake them.
1 Samuel 8:2-5
2Now the name of his firstborn was Joel; and the name of his second, Abiah: they were judges in Beersheba.
3And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment.
4Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah,
5And 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.
1 Samuel 9:1-2
1Now 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.
2And 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.
1 Samuel 9:6-7
6And he said unto him, Behold now, there is in this city a man of God, and he is an honourable man; all that he saith cometh surely to pass: now let us go thither; peradventure he can shew us our way that we should go.
7Then said Saul to his servant, But, behold, if we go, what shall we bring the man? for the bread is spent in our vessels, and there is not a present to bring to the man of God: what have we?
1 Samuel 9:15-17
15Now the LORD had told Samuel in his ear a day before Saul came, saying,
16To morrow about this time I will send thee a man out of the land of Benjamin, and thou shalt anoint him to be captain over my people Israel, that he may save my people out of the hand of the Philistines: for I have looked upon my people, because their cry is come unto me.
17And when Samuel saw Saul, the LORD said unto him, Behold the man whom I spake to thee of! this same shall reign over my people.
1 Samuel 9:27
27And as they were going down to the end of the city, Samuel said to Saul, Bid the servant pass on before us, (and he passed on), but stand thou still a while, that I may shew thee the word of God.
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