Bible Talks

From: Messages of God's Love: 1954

1 Samuel 9:1-10:8¹Now 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. ³And the asses of Kish Saul's father were lost. And Kish said to Saul his son, Take now one of the servants with thee, and arise, go seek the asses. ⁴And he passed through mount Ephraim, and passed through the land of Shalisha, but they found them not: then they passed through the land of Shalim, and there they were not: and he passed through the land of the Benjamites, but they found them not. ⁵And when they were come to the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant that was with him, Come, and let us return; lest my father leave caring for the asses, and take thought for us. ⁶And he said unto him, Behold now, there is in this city a man of God, and he is an honorable man; all that he saith cometh surely to pass: now let us go thither; peradventure he can show 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? ⁸And the servant answered Saul again, and said, Behold, I have here at hand the fourth part of a shekel of silver: that will I give to the man of God, to tell us our way. ⁹(Beforetime in Israel, when a man went to inquire of God, thus he spake, Come, and let us go to the seer: for he that is now called a Prophet was beforetime called a Seer.) ¹⁰Then said Saul to his servant, Well said; come, let us go. So they went unto the city where the man of God was. ¹¹And as they went up the hill to the city, they found young maidens going out to draw water, and said unto them, Is the seer here? ¹²And they answered them, and said, He is; behold, he is before you: make haste now, for he came to day to the city; for there is a sacrifice of the people to day in the high place: ¹³As soon as ye be come into the city, ye shall straightway find him, before he go up to the high place to eat: for the people will not eat until he come, because he doth bless the sacrifice; and afterwards they eat that be bidden. Now therefore get you up; for about this time ye shall find him. ¹⁴And they went up into the city: and when they were come into the city, behold, Samuel came out against them, for to go up to the high place. 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. ¹⁸Then Saul drew near to Samuel in the gate, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, where the seer's house is. ¹⁹And Samuel answered Saul, and said, I am the seer: go up before me unto the high place; for ye shall eat with me to day, and to morrow I will let thee go, and will tell thee all that is in thine heart. ²⁰And 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? ²¹And 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? ²²And Samuel took Saul and his servant, and brought them into the parlor, and made them sit in the chiefest place among them that were bidden, which were about thirty persons. ²³And Samuel said unto the cook, Bring the portion which I gave thee, of which I said unto thee, Set it by thee. ²⁴And the cook took up the shoulder, and that which was upon it, and set it before Saul. And Samuel said, Behold that which is left! set it before thee, and eat: for unto this time hath it been kept for thee since I said, I have invited the people. So Saul did eat with Samuel that day. ²⁵And when they were come down from the high place into the city, Samuel communed with Saul upon the top of the house. ²⁶And they arose early: and it came to pass about the spring of the day, that Samuel called Saul to the top of the house, saying, Up, that I may send thee away. And Saul arose, and they went out both of them, he and Samuel, abroad. 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 show thee the word of God. ¹Then Samuel took a vial of oil, and poured it upon his head, and kissed him, and said, Is it not because the Lord hath anointed thee to be captain over his inheritance? ²When thou art departed from me to day, then thou shalt find two men by Rachel's sepulchre in the border of Benjamin at Zelzah; and they will say unto thee, The asses which thou wentest to seek are found: and, lo, thy father hath left the care of the asses, and sorroweth for you, saying, What shall I do for my son? ³Then shalt thou go on forward from thence, and thou shalt come to the plain of Tabor, and there shall meet thee three men going up to God to Beth-el, one carrying three kids, and another carrying three loaves of bread, and another carrying a bottle of wine: ⁴And they will salute thee, and give thee two loaves of bread; which thou shalt receive of their hands. ⁵After that thou shalt come to the hill of God, where is the garrison of the Philistines: and it shall come to pass, when thou art come thither to the city, that thou shalt meet a company of prophets coming down from the high place with a psaltery, and a tabret, and a pipe, and a harp, before them; and they shall prophesy: ⁶And the Spirit of the Lord will come upon thee, and thou shalt prophesy with them, and shalt be turned into another man. ⁷And let it be, when these signs are come unto thee, that thou do as occasion serve thee; for God is with thee. ⁸And thou shalt go down before me to Gilgal; and, behold, I will come down unto thee, to offer burnt offerings, and to sacrifice sacrifices of peace offerings: seven days shalt thou tarry, till I come to thee, and show thee what thou shalt do. (1 Samuel 9:1‑10:8)

The Lord knew what kind of king the people wanted, so He chose one for them whom He knew they would like. Saul was a fine-looking man, head and shoulders above the rest of the people, and he was to be their king.

Saul’s father had lost his asses just at this time, and Saul went to look for them. After hunting for them for some time he began to realize that if he did not return home soon, his father would be looking for him, no longer caring about the asses. However, when he came to the place where Samuel was, he and his servant decided to go and ask him where the asses were. He felt Samuel would know because he was a man of God. Now the Lord had shown Samuel that the one who was to be the king over Israel would come to him that day. So when Saul came, Samuel knew he was to be king. Samuel told him that he was to eat with him that day, and the next day he would let him go. He told him also that the asses he was looking for had been founds and that he need not be concerned about them any longer. Instead of that, he said that the eyes of all the people were upon him. Saul could not understand this, for he was of the tribe of Benjamin, the smallest tribe in Israel.

Samuel brought Saul into his parlor where thirty people were gathered together, and he gave him the chief seat. He also told the cook to give Saul the best portion of food, and so they ate together. The next morning Samuel and Saul arose very early, and Samuel went with Saul to the end of the city. Here he told Saul to bid his servant pass on, while he showed him the Word of God.

Samuel then took a vial of oil and poured it upon Saul’s head, anointing him in this way to be the king of Israel. He also gave him certain signs by, which he would know that God had chosen him. He said that he would meet two men by Rachel’s sepulcher who would tell him that his father’s asses had been found, and that his father was now anxious about him. After this he would meet three men going up to Bethel. Samuel even told Saul what each one would be carrying. They would give him two loaves of bread which he was to take from them. After this he would come to the hill of God where was the garrison of the Philistines. Then when he came to the city, he would meet a company of prophets who would prophesy. Samuel told him that the Spirit of the Lord would come upon him; he would also prophesy with them and be turned into another man. By this he would know that God was with him.

Surely these signs ought to have spoken to Saul. How they show that God knows everything beforehand. He understands our thoughts afar off. (Psalm 139:2²Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. (Psalm 139:2).) He sees in the dark as well as in the light. He orders all things. May we never forget that we have to do with the living God.

But poor Saul was soon to show that he was unable to enter into the meang of these things. Signs never change what man is by nature. There must be new birth.

Samuel further told Saul that after he had seen all these signs, he was to go down to Gilgal and wait there seven days until he came to meet him, and then he would tell him what to do. Here the test was to come. It is one thing to listen to the Word of God, but the Lord Jesus said, “Blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.” Luke 11:28²⁸But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it. (Luke 11:28).

ML 06/13/1954

Click here to show subject links in the text for more information.