You Asked For it

1 Samuel 9 (CSB)

1 There was a prominent man of Benjamin named Kish son of Abiel, son of Zeror, son of Becorath, son of Aphiah, son of a Benjaminite. 2 He had a son named Saul, an impressive young man. There was no one more impressive among the Israelites than he. He stood a head taller than anyone else. 3 One day the donkeys of Saul’s father Kish wandered off. Kish said to his son Saul, “Take one of the servants with you and go look for the donkeys.” 4 Saul and his servant went through the hill country of Ephraim and then through the region of Shalishah, but they didn’t find them. They went through the region of Shaalim—nothing. Then they went through the Benjaminite region but still didn’t find them. 5 When they came to the land of Zuph, Saul said to the servant who was with him, “Come on, let’s go back, or my father will stop worrying about the donkeys and start worrying about us.” 6 “Look,” the servant said, “there’s a man of God in this city who is highly respected; everything he says is sure to come true. Let’s go there now. Maybe he’ll tell us which way we should go.” 7 “Suppose we do go,” Saul said to his servant, “what do we take the man? The food from our packs is gone, and there’s no gift to take to the man of God. What do we have?” 8 The servant answered Saul, “Here, I have a little silver. I’ll give it to the man of God, and he will tell us which way we should go.” 9 Formerly in Israel, a man who was going to inquire of God would say, “Come, let’s go to the seer,” for the prophet of today was formerly called the seer. 10 “Good,” Saul replied to his servant. “Come on, let’s go.” So they went to the city where the man of God was. 11 As they were climbing the hill to the city, they found some young women coming out to draw water and asked, “Is the seer here?” 12 The women answered, “Yes, he is ahead of you. Hurry, he just now entered the city, because there’s a sacrifice for the people at the high place today. 13 As soon as you enter the city, you will find him before he goes to the high place to eat. The people won’t eat until he comes because he must bless the sacrifice; after that, the guests can eat. Go up immediately—you can find him now.” 14 So they went up toward the city. Saul and his servant were entering the city when they saw Samuel coming toward them on his way to the high place. 15 Now the day before Saul’s arrival, the Lord had informed Samuel, 16 “At this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin. Anoint him ruler over my people Israel. He will save them from the Philistines because I have seen the affliction of my people, for their cry has come to me.” 17 When Samuel saw Saul, the Lord told him, “Here is the man I told you about; he will govern my people.” 18 Saul approached Samuel in the city gate and asked, “Would you please tell me where the seer’s house is?” 19 “I am the seer,” Samuel answered. “Go up ahead of me to the high place and eat with me today. When I send you off in the morning, I’ll tell you everything that’s in your heart. 20 As for the donkeys that wandered away from you three days ago, don’t worry about them because they’ve been found. And who does all Israel desire but you and all your father’s family?” 21 Saul responded, “Am I not a Benjaminite from the smallest of Israel’s tribes and isn’t my clan the least important of all the clans of the Benjaminite tribe? So why have you said something like this to me?”

Much like Samuel was introduced, we are introduced to Kish, Saul’s father, first and they both share a 4 generation genealogy.

Kish was a man of standing in the community.

Not only was Saul blessed to come from a good family but he himself was impressive

Saul is the only Israelite specifically noted in the Bible as being tall - the other mentions regarding height were Israel’s enemies.

Be careful what you ask for - Israel asked for a king like all the other nations and God was giving them what they asked for even down to the physical details.

The story that is told about Saul and his servant illustrated Saul’s inability to lead. Most of Israel’s patriarchs were referred to or actually were shepherds - Jesus is the Good Shepherd.

Saul couldn’t even keep up with some large animals who wandered away from his father’s house and eventually returned home on their own.

Saul’s servant came up with the idea to find someone to help - Samuel. Saul did not want to but the servant offered to pay. So they headed to Ramah.

Three things to note about the interchange between Saul and his servant - 1. Saul’s profound ignorance of Samuel who according to 1 Samuel 3:20

1 Samuel 3:20 CSB

20 All Israel from Dan to Beer-sheba knew that Samuel was a confirmed prophet of the Lord.

2. Saul’s failure to consider seeking divine help. It was his slave who made the suggestion not Saul. 3. Saul’s assumption that spiritual favors had to be bought.

The women going to draw water indicates they arrived at the city early evening. Usually men and women wouldn’t have had much interaction but because the men asked, the women could answer.

Saul was about to have a divine encounter - God let Samuel know the day before He was bringing someone by and when Samuel saw the two men God let him know that Saul was the one He told him about.

Sometimes we have to go on a journey to find and answer and sometimes God gives us the answers to questions we didn’t even know to ask.

Saul’s main concern after hearing the word from Samuel was - his heritage as a Benjaminite - It can be hard to look past who we are and see what God sees in us or what others see.

22 Samuel took Saul and his servant, brought them to the banquet hall, and gave them a place at the head of the thirty or so men who had been invited. 23 Then Samuel said to the cook, “Get the portion of meat that I gave you and told you to set aside.” 24 The cook picked up the thigh and what was attached to it and set it before Saul. Then Samuel said, “Notice that the reserved piece is set before you. Eat it because it was saved for you for this solemn event at the time I said, ‘I’ve invited the people.’ ” So Saul ate with Samuel that day. 25 Afterward, they went down from the high place to the city, and Samuel spoke with Saul on the roof.

There is not record that Samuel answered Saul’s questions, at least not at this time.

Saul did jump in and take on the roll of gracious host - there is a lot about how we are to treat guests in scripture…

One thing a good host would do is provide food for their guests.

Samuel also gave Saul the seat of honor.

The Lord told Samuel about his coming guests so her was prepared for them by setting aside the best of the meat for them to eat.

After dinner they went down and hung out on the roof talking - Saul and his servant would have slept on the roof because there was no air conditioning the roof would have been great because of the evening breezes - I remember as a kid going to a relative’s house in Frost Proof Florida and they had a sleeping porch so we would sleep out there in the summer.

26 They got up early, and just before dawn, Samuel called to Saul on the roof, “Get up, and I’ll send you on your way!” Saul got up, and both he and Samuel went outside. 27 As they were going down to the edge of the city, Samuel said to Saul, “Tell the servant to go on ahead of us, but you stay for a while, and I’ll reveal the word of God to you.” So the servant went on.

1 Samuel 10 (CSB)

1 Samuel took the flask of oil, poured it out on Saul’s head, kissed him, and said, “Hasn’t the Lord anointed you ruler over his inheritance? 2 Today when you leave me, you’ll find two men at Rachel’s Grave at Zelzah in the territory of Benjamin. They will say to you, ‘The donkeys you went looking for have been found, and now your father has stopped being concerned about the donkeys and is worried about you, asking: What should I do about my son?’ 3 “You will proceed from there until you come to the oak of Tabor. Three men going up to God at Bethel will meet you there, one bringing three goats, one bringing three loaves of bread, and one bringing a clay jar of wine. 4 They will ask how you are and give you two loaves of bread, which you will accept from them. 5 “After that you will come to Gibeah of God where there are Philistine garrisons. When you arrive at the city, you will meet a group of prophets coming down from the high place prophesying. They will be preceded by harps, tambourines, flutes, and lyres. 6 The Spirit of the Lord will come powerfully on you, you will prophesy with them, and you will be transformed. 7 When these signs have happened to you, do whatever your circumstances require because God is with you. 8 Afterward, go ahead of me to Gilgal. I will come to you to offer burnt offerings and to sacrifice fellowship offerings. Wait seven days until I come to you and show you what to do.”

Samuel called Saul down from the roof in the morning in order to send him on his way.

As a good host Samuel escorted the two men to the edge of town.

The word from God was for Saul so they sent his servant ahead while Samuel told him what was about to happen.

The first thing was an anointing - this set apart the anointed for God.

Then Samuel gives a speech and in the speech are 3 things - 1. It reveals that Saul was god’s choice to be Israel’s first king - 2. It laid out for Saul a series of confirmatory signs - It suggested to Saul the proper relationship that was to exist between king and prophet.

The first sign would take care of the issue that first brought Saul to Samuel - the donkeys went home and were ok but his father was getting worried about him.

The second sign would confirm Samuel’s anointing - the food presented to him were originally intended for an anointed Aaronic priest - by accepting it Saul would be accepting the legitimacy of his own anointing.

The third sign would confirm that it was God who had called and anointed Saul by giving Saul the ability to prophesy.

Samuel told Saul to wait for him - the indication was that any royal authority was derived and secondary; the king was always to be under the Lord’s authority.

Royal power would have divinely set limits, and the Lord’s prophets would define those limits.

Samuel’s words to Saul were thus the opening volley in an enduring struggle between human political will and divinely inspired religious conscience.

9 When Saul turned to leave Samuel, God changed his heart, and all the signs came about that day. 10 When Saul and his servant arrived at Gibeah, a group of prophets met him. Then the Spirit of God came powerfully on him, and he prophesied along with them. 11 Everyone who knew him previously and saw him prophesy with the prophets asked each other, “What has happened to the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?” 12 Then a man who was from there asked, “And who is their father?” As a result, “Is Saul also among the prophets?” became a popular saying. 13 Then Saul finished prophesying and went to the high place.

After being apart of all the signs Saul’s heart was changed by God and he accepted his new reality.

The people who knew him before has a hard time accepting the “new” Saul - The same is true for so many when they come Jesus. It is those who knew us when that have a hard time accepting the changed us.

One guy basically insulted Saul by asking “And who is their father?” - he knew Kish was not a prophet thus either Saul and , by extension, his prophetic brotherhood are not really prophets or Saul is only apparently the son of Kish but was actually conceived in an adulterous relationship between his mother and the head of the prophetic band.

14 Saul’s uncle asked him and his servant, “Where did you go?” “To look for the donkeys,” Saul answered. “When we saw they weren’t there, we went to Samuel.” 15 “Tell me,” Saul’s uncle asked, “what did Samuel say to you?” 16 Saul told him, “He assured us the donkeys had been found.” However, Saul did not tell him what Samuel had said about the matter of kingship.

Saul’s uncle inquired about where Saul had been.

Saul did not outright lie but he did lie through omission.

17 Samuel summoned the people to the Lord at Mizpah 18 and said to the Israelites, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘I brought Israel out of Egypt, and I rescued you from the power of the Egyptians and all the kingdoms that were oppressing you.’ 19 But today you have rejected your God, who saves you from all your troubles and afflictions. You said to him, ‘You must set a king over us.’ Now therefore present yourselves before the Lord by your tribes and clans.” 20 Samuel had all the tribes of Israel come forward, and the tribe of Benjamin was selected. 21 Then he had the tribe of Benjamin come forward by its clans, and the Matrite clan was selected. Finally, Saul son of Kish was selected. But when they searched for him, they could not find him. 22 They again inquired of the Lord, “Has the man come here yet?” The Lord replied, “There he is, hidden among the supplies.” 23 They ran and got him from there. When he stood among the people, he stood a head taller than anyone else. 24 Samuel said to all the people, “Do you see the one the Lord has chosen? There is no one like him among the entire population.” And all the people shouted, “Long live the king!” 25 Samuel proclaimed to the people the rights of kingship. He wrote them on a scroll, which he placed in the presence of the Lord. Then Samuel sent all the people home. 26 Saul also went to his home in Gibeah, and brave men whose hearts God had touched went with him. 27 But some wicked men said, “How can this guy save us?” They despised him and did not bring him a gift, but Saul said nothing.

Its inauguration day for Saul.

Samuel reminds the people of all that God has done for them and that they still rejected God and demanded a king… in other words, you asked for it.

The method Samuel used was to illustrate that God truly was in charge of selecting Saul.

For some unexplained reason Saul did not show up but was hiding - this foreshadows a reign that would vacate responsibilities associated with the exercise of godly rule and perhaps suggests the lack of wisdom of those who preferred such a king to Yahweh.

Once Saul was brought out it was obvious that he was taller than all the people illustrating that he was different from all the others.

Samuel told the people what the rights of the king are and wrote it down to memorialize it.

The people were dismissed and Saul went home accompanied by a group of brave men - this is the beginning of a standing military force.

Most of the people were excited about Saul as king but not everyone - there were some men that refused to support Saul as king.

Saul’s first act as king was one of grace by keeping silent.