The Lot at Mizpeh

 •  1 min. read  •  grade level: 9
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The place where Israel gathered with contrition and fasting, which resulted in an overwhelming victory over their most dangerous foe (1 Sam. 7), was again the gathering point for the people that they might have introduced to them the king whom they had demanded (1 Sam. 10:17-2717And Samuel called the people together unto the Lord to Mizpeh; 18And said unto the children of Israel, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, I brought up Israel out of Egypt, and delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all kingdoms, and of them that oppressed you: 19And ye have this day rejected your God, who himself saved you out of all your adversities and your tribulations; and ye have said unto him, Nay, but set a king over us. Now therefore present yourselves before the Lord by your tribes, and by your thousands. 20And when Samuel had caused all the tribes of Israel to come near, the tribe of Benjamin was taken. 21When he had caused the tribe of Benjamin to come near by their families, the family of Matri was taken, and Saul the son of Kish was taken: and when they sought him, he could not be found. 22Therefore they inquired of the Lord further, if the man should yet come thither. And the Lord answered, Behold, he hath hid himself among the stuff. 23And 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. 24And 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. 25Then Samuel told the people the manner of the kingdom, and wrote it in a book, and laid it up before the Lord. And Samuel sent all the people away, every man to his house. 26And Saul also went home to Gibeah; and there went with him a band of men, whose hearts God had touched. 27But the children of Belial said, How shall this man save us? And they despised him, and brought him no presents. But he held his peace. (1 Samuel 10:17‑27)). Samuel put the position very faithfully before them. They had by their demand rejected the Lord their God who had brought them out from the land of Egypt and had saved them continuously out of all their adversities and tribulations. Thus it was not merely the setting aside of faithful Samuel, it was the setting aside of their God. The theocracy was at an end until the coming in power of the Lord Jesus. Israel henceforth was to be “like all the [other] nations.” Low ground indeed for the elect people of the Lord. But it is always sadly true that the people of God prefer to walk on lower ground than that which God has marked out for them. Where are we with regard to this?