Saul Chosen to Be King
9:1 There was a man of Benjamin whose name was Kish, the son of Abiel, son of Zeror, son of Becorath, son of Aphiah, a Benjaminite, a man of wealth. 2 And he had a son whose name was Saul, a handsome young man. There was not a man among the people of Israel more handsome than he. From his shoulders upward he was taller than any of the people.
3 Now the donkeys of Kish, Saul’s father, were lost. So Kish said to Saul his son, “Take one of the young men with you, and arise, go and look for the donkeys.” 4 And he passed through the hill country of Ephraim and passed through the land of Shalishah, but they did not find them. And they passed through the land of Shaalim, but they were not there. Then they passed through the land of Benjamin, but did not find them.
5 When they came to the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant who was with him, “Come, let us go back, lest my father cease to care about the donkeys and become anxious about us.” 6 But he said to him, “Behold, there is a man of God in this city, and he is a man who is held in honor; all that he says comes true. So now let us go there. Perhaps he can tell us the way we should go.” 7 Then Saul said to his servant, “But if we go, what can we bring the man? For the bread in our sacks is gone, and there is no present to bring to the man of God. What do we have?” 8 The servant answered Saul again, “Here, I have with me a quarter of a shekel of silver, and I will give it to the man of God to tell us our way.” 9 (Formerly in Israel, when a man went to inquire of God, he said, “Come, let us go to the seer,” for today’s “prophet” was formerly called a seer.) 10 And Saul said to his servant, “Well said; come, let us go.” So they went to the city where the man of God was.
11 As they went up the hill to the city, they met young women coming out to draw water and said to them, “Is the seer here?” 12 They answered, “He is; behold, he is just ahead of you. Hurry. He has come just now to the city, because the people have a sacrifice today on the high place. 13 As soon as you enter the city you will find him, before he goes up to the high place to eat. For the people will not eat till he comes, since he must bless the sacrifice; afterward those who are invited will eat. Now go up, for you will meet him immediately.” 14 So they went up to the city. As they were entering the city, they saw Samuel coming out toward them on his way up to the high place.
15 Now the day before Saul came, the Lord had revealed to Samuel: 16 “Tomorrow about this time I will send to you a man from the land of Benjamin, and you shall anoint him to be prince over my people Israel. He shall save my people from the hand of the Philistines. For I have seen my people, because their cry has come to me.” 17 When Samuel saw Saul, the Lord told him, “Here is the man of whom I spoke to you! He it is who shall restrain my people.” 18 Then Saul approached Samuel in the gate and said, “Tell me where is the house of the seer?” 19 Samuel answered Saul, “I am the seer. Go up before me to the high place, for today you shall eat with me, and in the morning I will let you go and will tell you all that is on your mind. 20 As for your donkeys that were lost three days ago, do not set your mind on them, for they have been found. And for whom is all that is desirable in Israel? Is it not for you and for all your father’s house?” 21 Saul answered, “Am I not a Benjaminite, from the least of the tribes of Israel? And is not my clan the humblest of all the clans of the tribe of Benjamin? Why then have you spoken to me in this way?”
22 Then Samuel took Saul and his young man and brought them into the hall and gave them a place at the head of those who had been invited, who were about thirty persons. 23 And Samuel said to the cook, “Bring the portion I gave you, of which I said to you, ‘Put it aside.’” 24 So the cook took up the leg and what was on it and set them before Saul. And Samuel said, “See, what was kept is set before you. Eat, because it was kept for you until the hour appointed, that you might eat with the guests.”
So Saul ate with Samuel that day. 25 And when they came down from the high place into the city, a bed was spread for Saul on the roof, and he lay down to sleep. 26 Then at the break of dawn Samuel called to Saul on the roof, “Up, that I may send you on your way.” So Saul arose, and both he and Samuel went out into the street.
27 As they were going down to the outskirts of the city, Samuel said to Saul, “Tell the servant to pass on before us, and when he has passed on, stop here yourself for a while, that I may make known to you the word of God.” (ESV)
ELLO… I read
I like the end of verse 27,”stop here yourself for a while, that I may make known to you the word of God.”
I like this verse because it talks about letting what GOD is doing be known. We need to share GOD’s WORD and know whats going on. We just have to stop what we are doing and just listen to GOD and find out whats going on. GOD’s word is what needs to be heard and I need to make it a priority to keep in it and to make sure I keep reading it so I can understand it better.
CYA
this is a good story i love the obedience shown on both saul’s part and samuel’s he is such a servant of God, slave to God, just as we should be. it is pretty evident to me that back in Bible times people had a lot more respect for the their authority.i think that as Christians this is aother big thing we need to put into practice. thats all for today!
I am stoked to see this on your heart, Shannon! In I Peter, we are going to be learning VERY SOON what God has to tell us about the authority in our lives…GREAT INSIGHT, and it blesses me to see this is something on your heart
shannon tweed what are you doing up so early. not good hun. and second, that was an awesome comment! i def need prayer on that too<333333
Good Morning!!!!
Verse 18
‘When Samuel saw Saul, the Lord told him, “Here is the man of whom I spoke to you! He it is who shall restrain my people.”’
I chose this verse today because I just love how GOD has such supreme and magnificent powers. HE can predict anything in the future exactly as it will happen down to the last little detail. I just have to say Wow! GOD, YOU are so great!!!
1 Sam 9:3 Now the donkeys of Kish, Saul’s father, were lost. So Kish said to Saul his son, “Take one of the young men with you, and arise, go and look for the donkeys.”
Here’s a story within a story that foreshadows the reign of Saul: his dad has Saul find the lost donkeys but he fails at the mission – just as he will fail in shepherding the people of Israel for the King of Kings. What work does God have for us? And will we be guided to success by the Spirit or fail trying in our own strength as Saul does? Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness!
Ready and eagerly awaiting Your return Lord!
15 Now the day before Saul came, the Lord had revealed to Samuel: 16 “Tomorrow about this time I will send to you a man from the land of Benjamin, and you shall anoint him to be prince over my people Israel. He shall save my people from the hand of the Philistines. For I have seen my people, because their cry has come to me.
After the last chapter, dealing with Israel wanting a king, we know that a king is coming. We find this man named Saul roaming around looking for his family’s donkeys. And just before he had reached the town where Samuel was, the Lord revealed to Samuel about Saul’s upcoming arrival. And he told Samuel of how he was to anoint him as prince over the people of Israel. The next day, everything starts working out exactly the way that God had said that it would! Saul walks in and finds Samuel, and he gets invited to eat dinner with him. And none of this that happened was surprising, because God has already said that it would. God is fully in control of everything that happens. He knows the exact thing I will be doing in 5 years, while I can’t even tell what it will be like for me in the next 5 minutes. God reigns Sovereign over all the world. Nothing can stand against his power; he rules over all. And as He knew what would happen to Saul and Samuel, so he knows everything that will happen to me, He has plans for my future, and with the free will I have been given, I need to choose every day whether I wil abuse it and live for myself in the world, or whether I will live all-out for him! I need to be fully trusting in all that God and his word says, for he is always faithful to fulfill his promises, even though it may not be the way that I had expected. I need to seek God’s will and plans for my life over mine, for his are perfect and and have already been made for the rest of my life!
I was reading Mr. Hosford’s comment and it reminded me of something else!
So cool how God works, but ya. Kish sent his son out to find donkeys…how weird would that be if you were that person and then you were getting all of this awesome stuff..by Samuel! :O WOAH! I would be like “ummm this is awesome and yet weird at the same time..do they have the right guy?”. God chose Saul to be the prince for the Israelites. Him going out to find his donkeys was all apart of God’s perfect plan. What does God have instore for me? 
I don’t know but God is so good to me! Even if it was to be something “bad”, I will still praise Him for all that He does. There are a trillion more reasons to praise Him, than there is to complain to Him. I need to recognize that more often! He is the God of the universe and HE has a plan for me? Sounds too good to be true but it is. MARANATHA!
Wow its so awesome and encouraging to see how God works! First Saul’s family lost the donkeys, but God was really using that to accomplish His will. God is so powerful and does everything to give glory to God. I need to think more along these lines like what could God be doing through me in the long run or if something seems hard, that it might in fact be God doing something extraordinary in my life! I need to think about the plan God has for me, and focus on that completely because nothing else really matters!
RAD, JOSH! I AM SO GLAD YOU SEE THIS! We are so myopic sometimes (usually because we get so wrapped up in ourselves and our own worlds, so we become totally self-absorbed). God uses ALL of it for His Master, awesome, victorious plan. RADICAL!
6… he is a man who is held in honor
here samuel is described as a man who is held in honor. this verse reminds of 1 Peter 2:11-12, and the awesome sermon Pastor Bobby preached this past weekend. as Christians we need to be living lives above reproach, so that people cannot slander us, but can only glorify God by observing us. samuel is an excellent model for us. even though saul and his servant had never met samuel, the servant knew of samuel’s godliness. even though people in the land may have not believed what samuel preached, he was still known for worshipping and faithfully following His Lord. i pray that God would transform me into a man like samuel, who is living above reproach and is shining the Lord’s life in his life. i need to follow samuel as he seeks after God! i need to be waging war on sin and fighting to live holy, so that God may be glorified!
6 But he said to him, “Behold, there is a man of God in this city, and he is a man who is held in honor; all that he says comes true. So now let us go there. Perhaps he can tell us the way we should go.”
This was true Street Cred.
Samuel’s name had been spread to even cities that were far away. This was his reputation before them: ‘a man of God who is held in honor’.
I’m praying that I could have this reputation for Jesus Christ. That I could be known as a Christian who speaks the truth, who actually lives to the glory of God, and has a servants attitude. Therefore, I need to strike against sin and serve the Lord at all times.
AWESOME, Spence!
Samuel and Saul are truly servants for the Lord. They went out to go find a person that they had never heard of and with God’s help found him, feasted with him, and told him all they knew of God. Now thats some serious evangelizing!
10 And Saul said to his servant, “Well said; come, let us go.” So they went to the city where the man of God was.
A couple of things really struck me this morning. Probably the most powerful point, though, is how Saul was with his servant. That triggered me to think about service, and how WE as Christians are GOD’S servants…
THIS servant HERE? HE, in his humble service, had such an impact on his lord, that he was successful in actually LEADING his leader, Saul, to his divine appointment with Samuel. WE as servants of God have the powerful ability and RESPONSability to connect others with the Lord by leading them humbly to divine appointments. Since we are servants of God, and He calls us to serve one another, we are HIS servants to EVERYONE in our lives. And I see this account as being a direct charge and encouragement from the Lord to open doors for others to meet with the Lord. ALSO very powerful is that this servant offers his OWN resources up for his master. WE are called to do the SAME. ATAPAT. We must be willing to give the Lord our EVERYTHING: our time, our resources, our allowance perhaps…but above all, our HEARTS. When we give Him our hearts, there is nothing else we WON’T give Him.
The OTHER thing about this scene with Saul and his servant got me to thinking about how who we surround ourselves with has a very direct influence on our decisions. This servant wasn’t Saul’s older brother, or his best friend, or his uncle, or his pastor. THIS guy was his SERVANT. That said, he had Saul’s ear. We need to be very intentional regarding who WE choose to have OUR ear. Who are WE listening to and who is influencing US…?
Scripture is always packed with a punch. Always so much to consider and reflect on in our own hearts and lives when we seek God in His Word, and strive to grow closer to Him, and be purged of the sin we are so inclined to. Praise the Lord for always availing Himself to purify us and draw us closer to Him when we choose to yield to and obey Him…
This is an awesome chapter. I dont think i have ever read it. God is so sovereign over his people. Last chapter, the people were complaining and begging for a King, even though they already had God as a “King.” So God decides to give them this King that they so desperately want. And God will use him to “…save [his] people from the hand of the Philistines.”(v 16) Also, the way God introduces Saul to Samuel is so awesome. He completely ordained the losing of the donkeys and Saul’s searching for them in the area that Samuel was at the time. It is really cool to see how God works.
15 Now the day before Saul came, the Lord had revealed to Samuel: 16 “Tomorrow about this time I will send to you a man from the land of Benjamin, and you shall anoint him to be prince over my people Israel. He shall save my people from the hand of the Philistines. For I have seen my people, because their cry has come to me.”
These two verses stood out to me because they show how compassionate God is. The Israelites have grumbled against Him time and again since they were released from slavery on Egypt, the final blow coming in the last chapter where they rejected God as their King. But God, in His incredible love and kindness, gave the Israelites what they wanted….a human king. I am reminded of how God continues to bless me with so many things I desire despite the fact that I sin against Him. The lyrics from “Cannons” come to mind, “I’m so unworthy, but still You love me. Forever my heart will sing of how great You are!” I want my life to be full of thankfulness to God for all the good gifts He gives me that I do not deserve!
I loved this chapter.
16 “Tomorrow about this time I will send to you a man from the land of Benjamin, and you shall anoint him to be prince over my people Israel. He shall save my people from the hand of the Philistines. For I have seen my people, because their cry has come to me.”
Totally agree with Beth! It’s amazing how God is responding to the cry of Israel- the very same people who pretty much abandoned God in the last chapter by asking for a human king. God’s grace is being put on display in this verse. I need to realize how gracious God is to me every single day, even though I sinned against Him the day before.
21 Saul answered, “Am I not a Benjaminite, from the least of the tribes of Israel? And is not my clan the humblest of all the clans of the tribe of Benjamin? Why then have you spoken to me in this way?”
Saul was so humble! He didn’t jump up and say, “why thank you very much, now what other praise can you shower upon me?” No! He was humble and amazed that this man thought so highly of the him, Saul, the son sent out to look for the family donkeys. This made me think of how humble am I in my servitude to God and other Christians? God loves me so much, He made me, blesses me, and continually provides me with what I need and want! How much do I give back?? Like Beth said, the lyrics from “Cannons” truly apply here. “I’m so unworthy and still you love me, forever my heart will sing of how great You are!” I pray that I will always put God first and live for His glory not my own, and put my focus, praise, heart and soul on HIM! MARANATHA!
Saul gives us a great example in this chapter of relying on God. He lost his donkeys, didnt have any more food, hardly any money, yet he relied on God and followed His guiding to Samuel! When he finally meets Samuel, he is so humble and continues to follow God’s plan for his life. When we follow Gods plan, and rely on Him, we are going to thrive!
awesome way to look at that! love ittt(:
21 Saul answered, “Am I not a Benjaminite, from the least of the tribes of Israel? And is not my clan the humblest of all the clans of the tribe of Benjamin? Why then have you spoken to me in this way?”
Similarly to how Saul wondered at Samuel’s treatment of him, I often wonder why it was that God chose to save me. i was His enemy, living in sin and slandering the name of Christians by pretending to be one. Yet God loved me so much that He killed His Son for me, so that i might have life! Love this amazing demands a response. If Saul had shown disrespect to Samuel after this great display of honor, it would have been totally out of place. In the same way, my every action and thought needs to stem from a heart that is overflowing with gratitude to the Lord for His great love.
2 And he had a son whose name was Saul, a handsome young man. There was not a man among the people of Israel more handsome than he. From his shoulders upward he was taller than any of the people.
Kings back in the day were tall and they were good looking according to the study bible…so I can relate a little bit to the kings…ya anyways Saul was being obedient in this chapter! Saul wasn’t a bad man until he wasn’t obeying God. Saul also wanted a lot of power. Anyways ya, so Saul shows us a good example of faith in this chapter by relying on God.
27 As they were going down to the outskirts of the city, Samuel said to Saul, “Tell the servant to pass on before us, and when he has passed on, stop here yourself for a while, that I may make known to you the word of God.”
I am so thankful that God sent prophets and used them to write the pages of Scripture. How else would I know anything about God, how to act, and what he wants me to do with my life? Because God wrote the Bible throught the prophets, and not the other way around, the Bible is filled with predictive prophecy. From large scale end times stuff, to trivial things like whether some donkeys have been found and are o.k (verse 20), God calls it! Whether the donkeys are o.k. could easily be verified but other people. Why should anyone listen to Samuel if he was wrong about something like that? Or to invert that, we can trust what the prophet says because he has been repeatedly right about things that everyone could verify or not. As Pastor Mike explained, most of the prophecy in the Bible is this kind of stuff that happened in the life time of the people who heard it. That ment a false prophet could easily be exposed if they were wrong (and killed-Deuteronomy 18:20). Because the Biblical prophets have batted .1000 so far on the things that have happened, it makes me trust what they say about the things that haven’t happened yet.
Wow, what lengths Saul had to go to meet Samuel. It is awesome to see God’s master plan unfolding, especiallyt in the lifes of such important people.
1 Samuel 9:16 “Tomorrow about this time I will send to you a man from the land of Benjamin, and you shall anoint him to be prince over my people Israel. He shall save my people from the hand of the Philistines. For I have seen my people, because their cry has come to me.”
How awesome is it that God spoke directly to Samuel!? He revealed His good and perfect will to an unperfect man, what an honor. The will of God is so precise, everything that heppens is for good. The donkeys had to be lost and Saul had to go find them, in order for him to go to Samuel to find where they were. Without this happening, Saul wouldn’t have found out God’s plan for him.
To me, this is a lesson in patence, to see God’s will unfold and to be content even when things are not going as well as maybe planned. I need to keep in mind that God’s will is perfect and He uses the bad things that happen in my life for good. Saul’s father must have been very sad to have lost the donkeys inorder to send his son to go look for them. When I loose something imprtant to me or have a really bad day, I can find comfort in knowing that God even uses the worst of situations for good and the advancement of His kingdom.
As I was thinking about this chapter I noticed a lot about reputations. For example:
- Saul: “a handsome young man. There was not a man among the people of Israel more handsome than he. From his shoulders upward he was taller than any of the people.”
- Samuel: “a man of God in this city, and he is a man who is held in honor; all that he says comes true.”
- Benjamin: “the least of the tribes of Israel”
- Saul’s clan: “the humblest of all the clans of the tribe of Benjamin”
These were the things that the speakers thought were most distinctive about those they were describing. They gave summaries that they thought accurately conveyed the relevant information about the subject. In other words, they were saying, “If there’s one thing you need to know about ____ it’s ____.”
I wonder: what’s that one sentence that people use to sum me up most often? To tie it into our current series: what kind of street cred do I have? While “handsomest dude ever” doesn’t sound too bad, I’m shooting for “a man of God, a man who is held in honor.”
6 But he said to him, “Behold, there is a man of God in this city, and he is a man who is held in honor; all that he says comes true. So now let us go there. Perhaps he can tell us the way we should go.”
Even the people who are like God are known. How awesome would it be to be walking down the street and hear “there’s a man/women/girl/boy of God.” We should live our lives such that it is no secret in peoples mind that we are the children of God.
27 As they were going down to the outskirts of the city, Samuel said to Saul, “Tell the servant to pass on before us, and when he has passed on, stop here yourself for a while, that I may make known to you the word of God.”
This is a good example of evangelism, which is something I need to be doing better. It is important to learn from the people in Samuel.
…stop here yourself for a while, that I may make known to you the word of God.”
Samuel made sure that saul knew the word of God. This to me makes me think that I need to be doing better in evangilism, we need to share God’s word and make sure that all may know the gospel.
WOW God gave them a king to SAVE them from the Philistines…WHY would he be so loving?? I have no idea. It reminds me of the King of Kings Jesus Christ coming down to save us from ourselves!! Once again, why would He be so loving to us?! GOD IS LOVE!!
I also love to see how His plan worked out perfectly (as usual)!! Like the AWANA kids are learning this year, GOD IS IN CONTROL or GIIC!!
To know God is the most wanderful thing for anyone to know and we should love him with our hole heart.
6 But he said to him, “Behold, there is a man of God in this city, and he is a man who is held in honor; all that he says comes true. So now let us go there. Perhaps he can tell us the way we should go.”
Back then people wanted to see and meet Jesus. Either people believed him or they didnt and they thought he was foolish. These people were lost and didnt know where or what to do next. When the people submitted to him and followed him, he gave them what they asked for. I need to submit to God and give him all the praise he deserves. Also trust that he will guide me through my life and if I do he will help me through everything.
6 But he said to him, “Behold, there is a man of God in this city, and he is a man who is held in honor; all that he says comes true. So now let us go there. Perhaps he can tell us the way we should go.”
I loved this verse because of the part where it says the every thing Jesus did, and said, came true! Its such a great verse to share with non-believers because its another true fact about Jesus! He was perfect!!! He was such a great example to us! Therefore we must always look up to Him. And instead of comparing ourselves to others; we must compare ourselves to Him. And as we do we must set good examples of Him, because we may be the only “bible” someone may read.
27 As they were going down to the outskirts of the city, Samuel said to Saul, “Tell the servant to pass on before us, and when he has passed on, stop here yourself for a while, that I may make known to you the word of God.”
Wow! They did that just so they could share the word of God! They were doing fine on their journey, they could have kept walking, but instead, they didn’t and they stopped ther just so they could share the word of God! That is amazing! I need to go out of my way so I can do what is right to God!
15 Now the day before Saul came, the Lord had revealed to Samuel: 16 “Tomorrow about this time I will send to you a man from the land of Benjamin, and you shall anoint him to be prince over my people Israel. He shall save my people from the hand of the Philistines. For I have seen my people, because their cry has come to me.
How cool that the Lord spoke to Samuel, along with many other people directly! Could you imagine? Getting commands from the Lord directly? Well if you think about it, we do! The bible! The God breathed word of God!! Every time we have a question, we can run to his word which will ALWAYS provide an answer. It’s the book we need to live our lives by, in obedience to God! He wants us to look to him for everything. He wants to BE our everything. Today I want to focus on prioritizing God first, seeking out what he has in store for me and ways I can praise and glorify and please him! That, is what this life is all about <3
I read…
Verse 21… “‘Saul answered, “Am I not a Benjaminite, from the least of the tribes of Israel? And is not my clan the humblest of all the clans of the tribe of Benjamin? Why then have you spoken to me in this way?’”
In this verse, Saul was surprised that Samuel would even bring up offering the kingdom of Israel to a Benjaminite because Benjamin was the youngest son of Jacob, and therefore, was considered the weakest tribe. Throughout the Bible, God glorifies those who are weak, yet humble. I pray that I would be a man of humility, and that I would not exhalt myself above others.
6 But he said to him, “Behold, there is a man of God in this city, and he is a man who is held in honor; all that he says comes true. So now let us go there. Perhaps he can tell us the way we should go.”
thinking about this verse made me wonder!!! Am I known as someone honorable? Do I have street cred like this guy? My prayer is that I can represent God through the way I act!!!!!! And people would notice!!!!
Maranatha
6 But he said to him, “Behold, there is a man of God in this city, and he is a man who is held in honor; all that he says comes true. So now let us go there. Perhaps he can tell us the way we should go.”
That is so cool that Saul and his servant knew that there was a man of God there. Samuel was known for his godliness. Because of this, they wanted to ask him what way they should go knowing that he was an honorable true man of God. It reminds me of a quote by Jerry Bridges that says “There is no higher compliment that can be paid to a Christian than to call him a godly person.” I want to train myself to be godly by fighting sin every day by praying and staying in the Word as often as I can.
awesome comment jasmine(:
i love the practice of godliness reference, thats such a great quote
amennn
I still can’t believe God gave them a ruler. Why can’t people listen to God for once, and not procrastinate like Jonah, but do it right away? Right now I sound like I am being hypocritical to myself and I am, but seriously Why couldn’t God just not grant them the King and just said that they only need Him. UGH!!! God is the only ruler and leader I need to follow.
God is willing to suffer so much for the sake of reconciling us to Himself. And even if that costs pain, but ultimately breaks our hearts so that we can be pieced back together by Him, He DOES it. Because He LOVES His children. He DID tell them they only need Him, but they wouldn’t have it. Just like He tells US the same thing, but WE won’t have it. Until we’re purified and sanctified, and made more like Jesus by obeying Him and yielding to His Word. He’s amazing.
I still can’t believe God gave them a ruler. Why can’t people listen to God for once, and not procrastinate like Jonah, but do it right away? Right now I sound like I am being hypocritical to myself and I am, but seriously Why couldn’t God just not grant them the King and just said that they only need Him. UGH!!! God is the only ruler and leader I need to follow.
Verse 29 jumped out at me the most…it talked about how Saul was from the smallest tribe and of low importance to it…so why would Samuel talk to him as if he was talking to a king? This just goes to show as us as Christians…God will use the lowest of people to do his work. If you don’t fit in at school or you are not athletic, you just need to remember that God has a plan for you, and you need to be ready for Him.
21 Saul answered, “Am I not a Benjaminite, from the least of the tribes of Israel? And is not my clan the humblest of all the clans of the tribe of Benjamin? Why then have you spoken to me in this way?”
Saul didn’t know what God had planned for him, and was surprised that Samuel chose him. It’s funny how things pop up in our lives that we don’t see coming. God has a plan for me and I need to trust him. I also love how Saul is not wealthy or from the greatest of families, yet God has chosen him. This reminds me of how the Bible says the humbled will be exalted and the exalted will be humbled. I want to be a humble servant of God chosen to do great things in his name. The examples of humility in this chapter are encouraging and I need to always be serving God, living for Him and not myself:D
2 And he had a son whose name was Saul, a handsome young man. There was not a man among the people of Israel more handsome than he. From his shoulders upward he was taller than any of the people.
Saul looked like a great man. On the outside, he looked like a king. But on the inside, as we will read later, he was really messed up. He would later go crazy and then try to kill David for several years. So what I got from this verse is that we as Christians need to be looking at the inside of people, not the outside. This way we can weed out the hypocrites and get us some legit street cred!!!
27 As they were going down to the outskirts of the city, Samuel said to Saul, “Tell the servant to pass on before us, and when he has passed on, stop here yourself for a while, that I may make known to you the word of God.”
Samuel wants to tell Saul about God and how he is so amazing. This is a good example for all of us because we should all want to tell our friends about God too. We should always be looking for a good opportunity to spread the word of God at school and other places like that.
6 But he said to him, “Behold, there is a man of God in this city, and he is a man who is held in honor; all that he says comes true. So now let us go there. Perhaps he can tell us the way we should go.”
Two pretty nice moments for Saul in this chapter. The first is the one above, where Saul turns to God in a time of need. I need to always do the same, rather than turn to myself (which is actually what ends up leading to Saul’s failure). The second nice moment comes in verse 21: “Saul answered, “Am I not a Benjaminite, from the least of the tribes of Israel? And is not my clan the humblest of all the clans of the tribe of Benjamin? Why then have you spoken to me in this way?” Saul responds to Samuel’s words with humility. Through the grace of God I might meet with success in some of my endeavors in life, but I need to always remember who the glory, honor, and praise belong to.
16 “Tomorrow about this time I will send to you a man from the land of Benjamin, and you shall anoint him to be prince over my people Israel. He shall save my people from the hand of the Philistines. For I have seen my people, because their cry has come to me.
I just liked this quote because it reminds us that God is listening to our “cries” and prayers
6 But he said to him, “Behold, there is a man of God in this city, and he is a man who is held in honor; all that he says comes true. So now let us go there. Perhaps he can tell us the way we should go.”
Obviously, since Samuel is the “man of God” in that city, he is known for the good deeds and the help that he had brought to people by telling that what they are to do. His name has been spread as a follower of God and he is the man to go to in times of seeking advice. Great chapter! He is kind of like everyone accountability since they can all depend on him.
27 As they were going down to the outskirts of the city, Samuel said to Saul, “Tell the servant to pass on before us, and when he has passed on, stop here yourself for a while, that I may make known to you the word of God.”
I think that people held the word of God with much more respect than they do nowadays. I know when I read the Bible I sometimes forget what exactly I’m reading. The Bible isn’t just some book, its God’s word! Lord, let me remember what I’m reading and let me always thank you for ketting us have your word. Amen.
“Behold, there is a man of God in this city, and he is a man who is held in honor; all that he says comes true. So now let us go there. Perhaps he can tell us the way we should go.”
Samuel was known througout the land as a man of God and everyone knew who he was. I need to make sure I am not hiding God’s word but spreading it proudly and living for God
21 Saul answered, “Am I not a Benjaminite, from the least of the tribes of Israel? And is not my clan the humblest of all the clans of the tribe of Benjamin? Why then have you spoken to me in this way?”
I don’t remember this part of how Saul was from the clan least of all the Benjaminites, which was the least tribe in Israel. This is just another instance in which God shows His mighty power through the weak, powerless, or insignificant. This just reminds me how even though I am powerless, God has chosen to use me to demonstrate how great and powerful He is. I pray that I would always be looking to do His work so that He can be praised and always thanking Him that the would save someone as insignificant as me.
27 As they were going down to the outskirts of the city, Samuel said to Saul, “Tell the servant to pass on before us, and when he has passed on, stop here yourself for a while, that I may make known to you the word of God.
Samuel is about to tell Saul that he will be King of Israel, just like God asked him too. Samuel didn’t question it, didn’t look further into what Saul was like, etc. He just DID the will of the Lord. I want to be like Samuel. No questions asked, just obeying the Lord, doing his will and staying away from sin! Samuel is God’s representative on Earth, and as I Christian, so am I. I need to show that to everyone I come in contact with and show how awesome God is by my actions!
MARANATHA!!!!!
6 But he said to him, “Behold, there is a man of God in this city, and he is a man who is held in honor; all that he says comes true.
Talk about a guy who had street cred! Samuel was known all over as a man of the Lord. How awesome! I want to be like Samuel and have people know me as a follower of Jesus Christ, NOT a hypocrite! I want to be representing Christ so that in everything I do, people would see Him working through me. I’m praying that, as 1 Peter 2:12 says, I would be living out Christ’s commands so that other people would see my good deeds and glorify God because of them!
I really like some of the comments you all have made today. Two main things struck me about this passage and both were touched on by people already. First, the love of God to provide a king for His people because they were crying out to Him for one…even though a previous passage made it clear that God felt rejected by His people because they wanted a king. I also noticed the fact that God used a donkey search to accomplish His plan for Saul to meet Samuel. God works good into His people’s lives in so many ways, even through seemingly bad circumstances.
21 Saul answered, “Am I not a Benjaminite, from the least of the tribes of Israel? And is not my clan the humblest of all the clans of the tribe of Benjamin? Why then have you spoken to me in this way?”
The fact that the Lord chose Saul completely shocked Saul. Saul was from the weakest and most humble of tribes. This just goes to show us that the Lord picks out people that are humble and lowly. God is not out looking for a man from the strongest tribe who is full of arrogance as a leader.
6 But he said to him, “Behold, there is a man of God in this city, and he is a man who is held in honor; all that he says comes true. So now let us go there. Perhaps he can tell us the way we should go.”
I totally agree with what Spencer said. Being known as a man of God, and one who is held in honor is serious street cred. That is something we all should have at our schools, and everywhere we go. We should live lives that reflect the gospel, and what Jesus Christ did for us. Something that Pastor Bobby said last week really stood out to me, and that was that we may be the only bible some people ever read. If we are their only glimpse of the gospel, we need to make sure they are seeing the truth and no hypocrisy at all. our lives should be completely consistent with everything that the bible says.
24 So the cook took up the leg and what was on it and set them before Saul. And Samuel said, “See, what was kept is set before you. Eat, because it was kept for you until the hour appointed, that you might eat with the guests.”
This is an example that God provides because he planned for the food kept to be eaten by Saul. Even when it seems that there’s not enough resources, God always provides. If he takes care of the birds and the animals, surely he’ll take care of his children, right? I should always trust that God will provide, and trust that he has a plan for me. Even when I think I run out of time, or when I am lacking in something, he provides for me and resolves any problems I feared. Right now I am trusting in him that he will provide a good plan for me in the next year concerning college…because there are many factors I could worry about, yet I’m trying to have faith and not get caught up in over my head.
I love reading this book because I’m not that educated on a lot of the Old Testament books. I know the “important” things, but really it’s *all* important! This chapter is important because again, what happens is exactly what God tells Samuel is going to happen. I am encouraged to keep reading every day!
21 Saul answered, “Am I not a Benjaminite, from the least of the tribes of Israel? And is not my clan the humblest of all the clans of the tribe of Benjamin? Why then have you spoken to me in this way?”
I love this verse. GOD chooses the humblest of people to do his great work. No matter what our backgrounds he can make us pure and holy in him. He is such a great GOD, and even though we are gentiles, he still shows mercy.
6 But he said to him, “Behold, there is a man of God in this city, and he is a man who is held in honor; all that he says comes true. So now let us go there. Perhaps he can tell us the way we should go.”
Samuel definitely was not a hypocrite! He was a true representation of Christ who was strong in His faith. All the people knew of Samuel and knew who was he was by his actions. I pray that i will be more like Samuel and proclaim Gods amazing grace and unfailing love. I want to be known as a Christian. I dont want to be known as a hypocrite or just another person in the world. I want to be different. And i pray that i will be like Samuel and represent Christ all day, everyday!
27,”stop here yourself for a while, that I may make known to you the word of God.”
I also need to be making the Word of God known! I need to be fervent in spirit and spread the Word. I need to make others aware that the day is near and it is closer than people may think!
We really need to trust in the Lord for everything because he has ordained our days and put us in the exact situations we get in. That means t˙at we have nothing to complain about because nothing is an accident and we just need to learn.
6 But he said to him, “Behold, there is a man of God in this city, and he is a man who is held in honor; all that he says comes true. So now let us go there. Perhaps he can tell us the way we should go.”
This guy was known to be a man of God because of how he could see the future in a correct way, but there are ways we can get that reputation too. Obvi I would want to be a WOMAN of God though. But seriously, there is a cespool of wickedness around all of us every day, and we can be the light. Bobby once said that all the non Christians that you are around the most should know you are a christian and know the gospel. That convicted me so much. Like my whole team knows I’m a christian, and believe me I get teased for it. But the gospel part convicted me, that I spend so much time with them and hadn’t shared! I definitely stepped it up. I want that reputation and STREET CRED as a woman of God who isn’t afraid to preach it!
27 As they were going down to the outskirts of the city, Samuel said to Saul, “Tell the servant to pass on before us, and when he has passed on, stop here yourself for a while, that I may make known to you the word of God.
As a prophet Samuel understand the importance of knowing God’s word. It was so important that Samuel was willing to take the time to teach Saul the Scriptures. ( not to sure that Saul took full advantage of this offer) Not much has changed since the time of Samuel. God word is still important and the more we know his word the less we sin. The less we sin, the more street cred we gain in the hood. So if u want to represent like a true disciple. You best get your nose in the Word and your mind on the things above.
Praying for Revival
6 But he said to him, “Behold, there is a man of God in this city, and he is a man who is held in honor; all that he says comes true. So now let us go there. Perhaps he can tell us the way we should go.”
Samuel had true street cred!!!! His name was spread throughout all the lands!!! People everywhere knew his name and knew what he had done!!! All the people wanted to go and meet Samuel!!! They went to him for guidance because they believed that he was from God!!!!
MARANATHA!!!!!!!!!!!!
It seems to be a recurring theme throughout the bible that God has a good plan but he also has a plan that actually comes to reality. Like at creation were we were perfect in a perfect world, then he allowed us to face the evil and allowed the world to go awry. This is interesting and i wonder why when God has a perfect plan why he doesnt make that perfect plan happen.
I think God picked a handsom and standout kind of guy to show the people how you can have all these characteristics and strongpoints but if you dont listen and if you dont obey then you will fail. SO man times God has told me you can be great and a success if you obey but if you disobey youll end up like Saul: the guy who had all the potential in the world but strayed from Gods path. I dont want to be the Guy who strays from Gods path–i want to be more like David and hope you all see that Obedience is the way to Success–as The Angel of the Lord told joshua, a few books earlier.
16 “Tomorrow about this time I will send to you a man from the land of Benjamin, and you shall anoint him to be prince over my people Israel. He shall save my people from the hand of the Philistines. For I have seen my people, because their cry has come to me.
The Lord always hears his people, but he does not always answer how we want him to, but in this case, he gave the isrealites what they wanted
c u all tommorow
I think it is so awesome how God worked everything out. He gave the Israelites a king like they asked even though they were rejecting him as king. He also had Saul picked out to be king and worked it all out so he would be in the same city as Samuel was. His donkeys were lost and Saul was sent on a trip to find them and ended up coming to Samuel. I think it is so cool how God worked all those events out so what he said would be true. God is so awesome and powerful and I think it is so awesome to know that God is the same now as he was back in the days of Samuel and Saul!!! He is the same all-powerful, loving, just, forgiving, holy, all-knowing, majestic, awesome God who hates sin, yet loves me!!!
16 “Tomorrow about this time I will send to you a man from the land of Benjamin, and you shall anoint him to be prince over my people Israel. He shall save my people from the hand of the Philistines. For I have seen my people, because their cry has come to me.”
This verse totally stood out to me in how God is listening to the cry of his people, he is taking care of them orchestrating all of these events to where they would have a king who would save them from their enemy. God works all events out perfectly in his plan for his glory! What an awesome God we serve! I want to be crying out to him continuously as a result of this reminder that God listens and he is the one who acts! So glad that my life is in his hands and not up to my own man made plans!
Great post, I said almost the same thing
15 Now the day before Saul came, the Lord had revealed to Samuel: 16 “Tomorrow about this time I will send to you a man from the land of Benjamin.
I totally see Gods sovereign hand through out this chapter. The donkeys had to get lost so that Saul would have to go look for them and would eventually end up seeking out Samuel. Samuel had to be in that area at the specific time so that Saul and him would meet up. It is true that God is working all things for his good pleasure. Every moment in our life is orchestrated by him and you see this so clearly in this chapter.
What great comfort and encouragement it brings to know that God has every little thing in his hand and in his control/
“Tomorrow about this time I will send to you a man from the land of Benjamin, and you shall anoint him to be prince over my people Israel. He shall save my people from the hand of the Philistines. For I have seen my people, because their cry has come to me.”
When reading through this chapter it was so cool to think about how powerful God is and how He controls every aspect of everything! Even though Saul didnt know it, he was on his way to be anointed with oils as the prince of Isreal. This huge event all started from some random farm animals getting loose at escaping. That makes me excited to think about if God used somethingas small as some animals escaping for such a huge thing, what could happen in my life tomorrow that could be used for Him in a big way.
15 Now the day before Saul came, the Lord had revealed to Samuel: 16 “Tomorrow about this time I will send to you a man from the land of Benjamin, and you shall anoint him to be prince over my people Israel. He shall save my people from the hand of the Philistines. For I have seen my people, because their cry has come to me.”
A lot of you have commented on this verse and it stood out to me as well, especially in light of yesterday’s chapter. Even though the people rejected God by asking for a king, he still shows them love. It is so amazing how God is gracious and faithful even when we fail. This is a truth that I take personally; I owe everything to him. He saved me. He is sanctifying me. He will lead me to heaven! Praise God for his amazing grace!
See you guys at True North this weekend!
16 “Tomorrow about this time I will send to you a man from the land of Benjamin, and you shall anoint him to be prince over my people Israel. He shall save my people from the hand of the Philistines. For I have seen my people, because their cry has come to me.”
It is so cool that we have a God that will listen to out cries. God is so good and I need to remember to strive to know him better each day.
21 Saul answered, “Am I not a Benjaminite, from the least of the tribes of Israel? And is not my clan the humblest of all the clans of the tribe of Benjamin? Why then have you spoken to me in this way?”
This verse i think is perfect for our recent sermon on “Street Cred Christianity” because here Saul is able to defend himself based upon the eneral assumptions of hus people. I think it would be so great because if we could defend ourselves because we have only done righteous acts and we would not be able ti be badmouthed.
How cool would it be to be able to hear God speaking to you? Very cool, and reassuring, I would imagine.
BUT–
We have a love that none of these O.T. people ever had the chance to experience!
“Blessed are the eyes that see what you see! For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.” Luke 10:23
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Great Point Jeremy!
The sovereignty of God is so evident in this chapter–revealing himself to Samuel really stuck out to me. God is constantly revealing himself to us today. It is not something He did in the Old Testament and has stopped. God is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and has revealed himself through Christ, His Word, and through creation. I am in awe of Him and thankful that He is working out and orchestrating my life.
I am also feeling the Street Cred theme that many of you have mentioned. Samuel definitely had it. People knew he was a man of God who could speak the Word of God. I want to have this kind of street cred and I know Ben does too.
Please pray for Ben as he preaches at True North this weekend.
And please pray for me as I get ready to preach at Revival: Winter Edition next weekend.
16 “Tomorrow about this time I will send to you a man from the land of Benjamin, and you shall anoint him to be prince over my people Israel. He shall save my people from the hand of the Philistines. For I have seen my people, because their cry has come to me.”
Thank the Lord for always hearing my prayers. I love that at any time, any day, God can and will listen to my cry out to him.
It is interesting to see Saul’s humble beginnings knowing the rest of the story. He knows he is a nobody from the tribe of Benjamin but it was him who God chose to be the king that the people asked for. Later on he becomes proud and jealous of David, who God choses to take over the kingdom from him. I want to make sure that I always remain humble and don’t become proud like Saul did.
Now the day before Saul came, the Lord had revealed to Samuel: 16 “Tomorrow about this time I will send to you a man from the land of Benjamin, and you shall anoint him to be prince over my people Israel. He shall save my people from the hand of the Philistines. For I have seen my people, because their cry has come to me.” 17 When Samuel saw Saul, the Lord told him, “Here is the man of whom I spoke to you! He it is who shall restrain my people.”
These verses are awesome! It’s amazing how God can see the future and what will happen. He tells Samuel about Saul so Samuel knows who he is before he even meets him. God tells samuel to anoint Saul the prince over all of Israel and tells him what Saul is destined to do.
6 But he said to him, “Behold, there is a man of God in this city, and he is a man who is held in honor; all that he says comes true.
What an awesome verse showing us the AMAZING example Samuel is to us!! He is totally living out his faith and glorifying God in EVERYTHING he does!!! What an encouragement to see this and showing us that we can do this too! This is my prayer! That I can represent Christ in the best possible manner possible! My prayer is that people would look at me and say, “Look, that is the girl that LOVES Jesus Christ!’
1 Samuel 9
What a true lesson in God’s unconditional love. God was just rejected by the people of Israel as their king and He continues to care for His people Israel. The Lord upheld His covenant with the people of Israel and would continue to bless those who were obedient. Our God is faithful and just and never fails to be the same today and tomorrow. I am amazed how God even protects this wicked generation from the Philistines. Lord thank you for not forsaking us when we turn our backs to you in pride.
1 Samuel 12:14-15 14 If you will fear the LORD and serve him and obey his voice and not rebel against the commandment of the LORD, and if both you and the king who reigns over you will follow the LORD your God, it will be well. 15 But if you will not obey the voice of the LORD, but rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then the hand of the LORD will be against you and your king.
Psyched for REVIVAL WINTER EDITION
21 Saul answered, “Am I not a Benjaminite, from the least of the tribes of Israel? And is not my clan the humblest of all the clans of the tribe of Benjamin? Why then have you spoken to me in this way?”
Despite the way things turned out, Saul’s attitude at first was right and good. Even though he was a strong, handsome young man, he was not prideful, but obeyed his father and had a humble heart. When Samuel told him what he was to become, it seems that he could hardly even believe it. He realized that he was a lowly man. Although the latter part of his life was not so great, his humility here is truly exemplary. God, I pray that you would also give me a humble servant’s heart!
27 As they were going down to the outskirts of the city, Samuel said to Saul, “Tell the servant to pass on before us, and when he has passed on, stop here yourself for a while, that I may make known to you the word of God.”
How cool is that? God chose Saul to be one of His followers by having one of His high prophets tell him of Him.
That’s like first class to God’s kingdom!
It’s also really cool that Samuel, the guy everyone knew and loved and respected, hung out with a Benjaminite.
Poor, humble, not much goin for them.
It’s one of the most Christ-like thing to do though.
Hang out with people no one else would hang out with and share the Word of God with them.
Because He did just that.
He spent alot of His time with the beggars, tax collectors, the sick and “unclean”, the prostitutes, the ones people would be caught dead hanging around, and He did just that.
God is just so amazing and I pray that He would mold my heart so I can reach out to people like that.
Not my will Lord, but Yours be done!
15 Now the day before Saul came, the Lord had revealed to Samuel: 16 “Tomorrow about this time I will send to you a man from the land of Benjamin, and you shall anoint him to be prince over my people Israel. He shall save my people from the hand of the Philistines. For I have seen my people, because their cry has come to me.
Even though we cry and don’t think God is listening HE always s and always is there for us. This was a major test of faith for Samuel because this guy that the Lord is sending Him will become prince and free the poeple from the Philistines. God is always there and looking out for us no matter what He has a will and we need to follow it.
I love getting in the word and God is so good to me
11 Then Samuel said to Jesse, “Are all your sons here?” And he said, “There remains yet the youngest, but behold, he is keeping the sheep.” And Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and get him, for we will not sit down till he comes here.” 12 And he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy and had beautiful eyes and was handsome. And the Lord said, “Arise, anoint him, for this is he.” 13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers. And the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon David from that day forward. And Samuel rose up and went to Ramah.
I love this how God Choose the small son the one his family just ignored and left him in the fields thinking how Could God want our pathetic Little brother or little son. Even though David was a man of God who is Braver than all of them.
3 Then Jonathan made a covenant with David, because he loved him as his own soul.
Think of this. You study for a test all day and night and then get an F on it while the kid next to you, who didn’t study, gets an A. Would you be happy for him or very angry? Well something much, much worse happened to Jonathan while he is happy with David and he loves David. Lord, let me be like Jonathan and truely love other people. Amen.