Zelzah, Tabor and Gilgal

 •  2 min. read  •  grade level: 8
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At break of day Samuel took Saul apart to the housetop, and said, “Stand thou still awhile, that I may show thee the Word of God” (1 Sam. 9:2727And 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. (1 Samuel 9:27)). Thus God's own voice inaugurated a new day for Israel, but was it to be a better day? The Lord had said the day before to Samuel, “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.” The tender compassion of the heart of God comes out here. Whatever the waywardness of His people, however badly they may respond to His goodness, He only desires their blessing. Notice that Israel said, “Give us a king to judge us” (1 Sam. 8:66But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the Lord. (1 Samuel 8:6)), the Lord says, “Anoint him...that he may save My people.” Alas for the experiment. Whatever other foes Saul might overthrow, he was helpless in the presence of the particular enemy from which he should have delivered the nation. At the last the Philistines had his head!
Samuel anointed Saul, and gave him the first kiss of allegiance. He forthwith sent him on a journey as instructive in its way as that of Elijah on the day of his translation. He was to meet “signs” (1 Sam. 10:77And let it be, when these signs are come unto thee, that thou do as occasion serve thee; for God is with thee. (1 Samuel 10:7)), but was he able to read them and profit by them? The Lord once said to His disciples, “Blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear.” The mass around them were gross of heart, dull of hearing, and their eyes were closed. The Lord also said, “Who hath ears to hear, let him hear” (Matt. 13:9-169Who hath ears to hear, let him hear. 10And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? 11He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. 12For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. 13Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. 14And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: 15For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. 16But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear. (Matthew 13:9‑16)). Are our eyes and ears spiritually alert in this day? Are we able to enter into the mind of the Lord, and so walk intelligently in a dark world?
Samuel told Saul in advance whom he would meet and what should take place at Zelzah and Tabor-a homely but valuable lesson for the new king. Would that he had learned it. Let us remember that we, too, have to do with a God from whom nothing is hid and with whom there is no yesterday and no tomorrow. The knowledge of this gives rest to the heart, for it assures us that however surprising some of the circumstances of life are to us, they are not surprising to our God.