Lesson 3: The First King - Saul

As we look at Saul there are a lot of interesting things to learn and consider. Perhaps we can dispel misnomers about him. Just looking at the facts that primarily come from the 1 Samuel we see some good things and some bad things about him. We will see some things about him that remind us of what to do and especially what not to do. I know we often quote it, but it is something we need to always heed when we look at the Old Testament especially in its historical context:

Romans 15:4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.

So the wise Believer, the student of the Word will be wise to learn from every king of Israel and even Saul.

I. KING SAUL – AN ENIGMA

Saul was an enigma, he is a person in the Bible that is hard to explain, many debate whether or not he is in heaven, I tend to think he is, but I don’t know, God does.

He was an enigma because he was given many things in order to do the job.

He was called of God.

He was anointed with holy oil

He was given another heart

He was numbered with the prophets

Yet he was a failure.

Why was he chosen then?

Chosen for his height?

Probably the first time I remember studying this passage in church I was told that Saul was the people’s choice.

1 Samuel 9:1–2 AV

Now 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. And 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.

I remember the preacher telling me that Saul was not God’s choice but he was the people’s choice.

Now, I do not believe that he was the people’s choice, for there was no one else involved save Samuel who anointed Saul at the direction of God.

I do, however, think that God gave the people what they wanted.

being the son of a “mighty man of power” and was the tallest man in the nation of Israel, quite a specimen of a man in his own rite.

A. His Background

1. His Tribe, Benjamin

The smallest of the tribes of Israel, the son born to Rachel who died giving him birth. A lot of trouble came to the tribe of Benjamin. One of the reason they were one of the smallest tribes was most of them had been killed over the ordeal with Gibeah that we studied last week which was the city where the Levites’s concubine was abused and then he cut up her body. The Benjamites defended their city, and most of them were killed.

2. His father, Kish – a bow

The Bible calls him, a might man of power. His father, Abiel means El (God) is my father.

It would seem that Saul, was an arrow in his quiver.

3. His name, Saul – ask

Quite a fitting name because this is what the children of Israel asked for.

B. His Rise

1. He was chosen by God

Now we come to the choice of the king, and Saul is chosen by God. We are not sure as to God’s perfect plan in choosing Saul, God knoweth, but here are some good reasons He may have chosen him:

a) Chosen because of his humility

1 Samuel 9:20–21 AV

And as for thine asses that were lost three days ago, set not thy mind on them; for they are found. And on whom is all the desire of Israel? Is it not on thee, and on all thy father’s house? And Saul answered and said, Am not I a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel? and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? wherefore then speakest thou so to me?

1 Samuel 10:15–16 AV

And Saul’s uncle said, Tell me, I pray thee, what Samuel said unto you. And Saul said unto his uncle, He told us plainly that the asses were found. But of the matter of the kingdom, whereof Samuel spake, he told him not.

1 Samuel 10:22–24 AV

Therefore they enquired of the LORD further, if the man should yet come thither. And the LORD answered, Behold, he hath hid himself among the stuff. And they ran and fetched him thence: and when he stood among the people, he was higher than any of the people from his shoulders and upward. And Samuel said to all the people, See ye him whom the LORD hath chosen, that there is none like him among all the people? And all the people shouted, and said, God save the king.

As a battle loomed, and word came to Saul notice where he was:

1 Samuel 11:5 AV

And, behold, Saul came after the herd out of the field; and Saul said, What aileth the people that they weep? And they told him the tidings of the men of Jabesh.

Possibly, Saul was chosen because he indeed was humble.

1 Samuel 15:17 AV

And Samuel said, When thou wast little in thine own sight, wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel, and the LORD anointed thee king over Israel?

b) Chosen because of his tribe

I believe that Saul was chosen for the job that God wanted him to do. He was from a tribe that probably was not an extremely proud tribe at all, for they were small.

As we already mentioned, it was a small tribe because many had been slain generation or two before. This was not about who was the most powerful tribe.

c) Chosen because God could put another spirit in Him

1 Samuel 10:6 AV

And the Spirit of the LORD will come upon thee, and thou shalt prophesy with them, and shalt be turned into another man.

Here is a wonderful thought. God can take anyone and do something wonderful with them, if they will simply humble themselves, put their faith in Him and follow Him. By all accounts, that is what Saul did.

d) Chosen because God could enable him to do it

The reason I know that God could enable him is because God never calls anyone to do anything that they cannot do. Our failures are ours. We own them. If we will walk with God He will enable us to do His bidding.

When Saul was small in his own eyes and God was great, God used him greatly.

This is equally true for us. Let’s stay small small. May we be able to quote John the Baptist:

John 3:30 AV

He must increase, but I must decrease.

e) Chosen because he would appeal to a generally worldly nation

I believe that God, because of the carnality of his chosen people, gave them a king that would appeal to their carnality. While I believe Saul was a humble choice of God for king, I also recognize that He was used of God for his fleshly appeal. It doesn’t make it good and it doesn’t make it right, but it is a truth in life. People do tend to follow the loud, people follow the powerful, people love to follow people with striking characteristics. Just throwing it out there, as 1 Samuel 9:2 tells us:

1 Samuel 9:2 AV

And 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.

f) Chosen because he could wield justice to a rebellious wayward people

God’s justice though he may not have been a saved man.

His pridefulness, his arrogance, his self-righteousness, his self-justifying was a good match of these people.

They would learn under him the difficulties of having a king.

2. His selection

a) He was chosen by God

1 Samuel 9:15-17

b) He was found being faithful in the way

1 Samuel 9:3-10

Genesis 24:27 AV

And he said, Blessed be the LORD God of my master Abraham, who hath not left destitute my master of his mercy and his truth: I being in the way, the LORD led me to the house of my master’s brethren.

(1) He was obedient to his father

(2) He was trusting in God

c) His anointing

(1) Privately in at Ramah

1 Samuel 7:17 AV

And his return was to Ramah; for there was his house; and there he judged Israel; and there he built an altar unto the LORD.

This is where Saul was when he met Samuel, as he was looking for

(2) Publicly in Mizpeh

1 Samuel 9:21; 10:22, 27; 11:12-15

Notice is reluctance, almost self-conscious actions.

3. The confirmation he was a right choice

His leadership is confirmed by rescue of Jabesh-Gilead over Nahash and the Ammonites.

1 Samuel 11:6 AV

And the Spirit of God came upon Saul when he heard those tidings, and his anger was kindled greatly.

After that, he drew together 300,000 men of Israel, divided them into 3 parts and destroyed the Ammonites.

God can use anyone. God can take someone who is backward, doesn’t know what they are doing, small in their own estimation and when dedicated to and used by God, they can do great things.

Friends, get rid of your confidence in yourself. Put you confidence in God alone. Don’t look at your past, your failures, your regrets, look forward to the Lord, who is always leading the way, and you’ll never do better with your life.

Next week we will look at Saul’s Rejection and we will see how quickly things can changed when operate in pride and self-confidence, rather than confidence in God.

Lesson 3: The First King – Saul

The Kings of Israel & Judah

1 Samuel 9-11

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