1 Samuel 10
Samuel Anoints Saul
10:1 Then Samuel took a small container of olive oil and poured it on Saul’s head. Samuel kissed him and said, “The Lord has chosen you to lead his people Israel! You will rule over the Lord’s people and you will deliver them from the power of the enemies who surround them. This will be your sign that the Lord has chosen you as leader over his inheritance.
Throughout the Old Testament, God’s coronation process for kings was as follows: God chose the kings of Israel. He gave Israel the kind of kings that they deserved. He sent prophets to announce the kings publicly to the people. The prophets then anointed the kings with olive oil. According to Exodus 30:23-33, anointing with oil symbolized the setting apart of a person or an object for divine service. This anointing was also accompanied by the presence and power of the Holy Spirit.
Saul was the first king to be anointed by God’s prophet. If a king was not announced and anointed by God’s prophet, then he usually was assassinated. He did not live very long.
10:2 When you leave me today, you will find two men near Rachel’s tomb at Zelzah on Benjamin’s border. They will say to you, ‘The donkeys you have gone looking for have been found. Your father is no longer concerned about the donkeys but has become anxious about you two! He is asking, “What should I do about my son?”’
To prove that Samuel was a true prophet of God and that he was given the authority to anoint kings, Samuel gave Saul three short-term prophecies which would be fulfilled very quickly. First, two men would meet Saul near Rachel’s tomb in Zelzah and inform Saul that his donkeys had been found and that his father was worried about Saul. Notice that Saul’s prophecy was very specific and it was short-term. This is very different from the vague and long-distance prophecies which the charismatics like to utter.
10:3 “As you continue on from there, you will come to the tall tree of Tabor. At that point three men who are going up to God at Bethel will meet you. One of them will be carrying three young goats, one of them will be carrying three round loaves of bread, and one of them will be carrying a container of wine.
Second, Saul would meet three men who would be traveling to Bethel. One would be carrying three goats. One would carry three loaves of bread. One would carry a container of wine. Again, this is a detailed short-term prophecy in a local area.
10:4 They will ask you how you’re doing and will give you two loaves of bread. You will accept them.
The three men would greet Saul and give him two loaves of bread.
10:5 Afterward you will go to Gibeah of God, where there are Philistine officials. When you enter the town, you will meet a company of prophets coming down from the high place. They will have harps, tambourines, flutes, and lyres, and they will be prophesying.
Third, Saul would travel to Gibeah and meet some Philistine officials. Gibeah was the former location of the Benjaminite sodomy rape gang. Prophets would meet Saul in this city, accompanied with a musical band.
10:6 Then the spirit of the Lord will rush upon you and you will prophesy with them. You will be changed into a different person.
The Spirit of God would rush upon Saul and he would receive a new personality from God. Samuel would also receive and communicate divine information from God Himself.
Many theologians claim that Saul was converted at this time. Many disagree. Notice that the Spirit came upon Saul and made him a “different man," but he was not a “new man." The Spirit of God came upon Balaam, but there was no internal evidence that he was converted. Christ sent out the twelve disciples to perform miracles, but there was no internal evidence that Judas was converted.
Basically, the Spirit designated Saul publicly as the true successor to the judges. The Holy Spirit made the inexperienced Saul able to assume kingly responsibilities in much the same way that the judges before him were blessed by their office
This spirit energizing Saul was also God’s testimony to Saul that he had been called to be the King of Israel. This calling was accompanied by the gift of prophecy as evidence to the people that Saul was God’s chosen king. This was not a permanent endowment of the Spirit, or a baptism into the Spirit for salvation, but an assurance that God had chosen Saul to become the first King of Israel.
It is important to note that most of Israel were professing believers. They received the kind of king that they deserved. The Book of Daniel would later explain that God gives men the basest or lowest character of men for their leaders. This is especially true for democratic nations who are given the privilege of electing their own officials. The majority of voters are Biblically ignorant, so they will choose the basest or lowest character of men to represent them.
10:7 “When these signs have taken place, do whatever your hand finds to do, for God will be with you.
After the Spirit energized Saul, then Saul was free to begin his royal responsibilities.
10:8 You will go down to Gilgal before me. I am going to join you there to offer burnt offerings and to make peace offerings. You should wait for seven days, until I arrive and tell you what to do.”
Saul was to meet Samuel seven days later at Gilgal.
Saul Becomes King
10:9 As Saul turned to leave Samuel, God changed his inmost person. All these signs happened on that very day.
God gave Saul the leadership qualities necessary to become king of Israel.
10:10 When Saul and his servant arrived at Gibeah, a company of prophets was coming out to meet him. Then the spirit of God rushed upon Saul and he prophesied among them.
Samuel’s prophecy was fulfilled.
10:11 When everyone who had known him previously saw him prophesying with the prophets, the people all asked one another, “What on earth has happened to the son of Kish? Does even Saul belong with the prophets?”
Saul’s one-time prophetic gift was given as a sign gift to authenticate that God had chosen Saul to become the first King of Israel.
10:12 A man who was from there replied, “And who is their father?” Therefore this became a proverb: “Is even Saul among the prophets?”
Saul’s friends were surprised at Saul’s change in personality. Saul was from a high-class family, yet he was acting like one of the ecstatic prophets who were of dubious parentage. This change was so drastic that it became a famous proverb throughout all of Israel.
10:13 When Saul had finished prophesying, he went to the high place.
Saul went to the high place.
10:14 Saul’s uncle asked him and his servant, “Where did you go?” Saul replied, “To look for the donkeys. But when we realized they were lost, we went to Samuel.”
Saul’s uncle asked him about the trip. Saul mentioned that he met Samuel, who was the Judge of Israel at this time.
10:15 Saul’s uncle said, “Tell me what Samuel said to you.”
Of course, Saul’s uncle would want to know what God’s Judge said to Saul. Samuel was most likely the number one celebrity of Israel at this time.
10:16 Saul said to his uncle, “He assured us that the donkeys had been found.” But Saul did not tell him what Samuel had said about the matter of kingship.
Saul told him about the donkeys, but not about being made the King of all of Israel. It seems that Saul would want his family to be the first to know this good news. Either Saul was too humble at this time, or he was too scared of family ridicule.
10:17 Then Samuel called the people together before the Lord at Mizpah.
Samuel called the leaders of Israel to meet at Mizpah. After Shiloh was destroyed by the Philistines, Mizpah became one of the favorite places for important meetings.
10:18 He said to the Israelites, “This is what the Lord God of Israel says, ‘I brought Israel up from Egypt and I delivered you from the power of the Egyptians and from the power of all the kingdoms that oppressed you.
Samuel reminded the leaders that his words were coming directly from God. God brought Israel out of Egypt and protected Israel from other hostile nations. This protection came from supernatural judges.
10:19 But today you have rejected your God who saves you from all your trouble and distress. You have said, “No! Appoint a king over us.” Now take your positions before the Lord by your tribes and by your clans.’”
Israel rejected God as their king, even though God had raised them up and saved them from their enemies many times. Now, God will give them the human king which they deserved.
10:20 Then Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel near, and the tribe of Benjamin was chosen by lot.
According to Genesis 49, the kings of Israel were supposed to come from the line of Judah. Once the Benjaminite lot was chosen, Israel should have known that this was not God’s first choice of king. God gave Israel a king from a Benjaminite culture which was almost exterminated as a tribe because of their protection of a sodomite rape gang.
10:21 Then he brought the tribe of Benjamin near by its families, and the family of Matri was chosen by lot. At last Saul son of Kish was chosen by lot. But when they looked for him, he was nowhere to be found.
Saul was a coward. He was hiding from his responsibilities as king. This was the man whom Israel deserved to be their king. Israel was a bunch of Biblically-ignorant cowards, so they received a Biblically-ignorant coward as king.
10:22 So they inquired again of the Lord, “Has the man arrived here yet?” The Lord said, “He has hidden himself among the equipment.”
Jehovah revealed to these Jewish leaders that Saul was hiding from them. This should have been a great alarm to the Jewish leaders that they had made a great mistake in asking God for a king. God’s timing and person were not yet ready.
10:23 So they ran and brought him from there. When he took his position among the people, he stood head and shoulders above them all.
Saul was tall, dark, and handsome. These are the same kinds of leaders that Satan places in government positions, school board positions, educational institutions, big business positions, pastor positions, and elder boards. The enemy desires for men to look at the outward appearance. God wants men to look at the inward appearance.
10:24 Then Samuel said to all the people, “Do you see the one whom the Lord has chosen? Indeed, there is no one like him among all the people!” All the people shouted out, “Long live the king!”
Most people choose their leaders by looking at the outward appearance instead of the heart. Samuel was a Judge and a Prophet of God, but he was still human and could make mistakes. He was excited about the outward appearance of Saul, but he could not see the inward heart.
10:25 Then Samuel talked to the people about how the kingship would work. He wrote it all down on a scroll and set it before the Lord. Then Samuel sent all the people away to their homes.
God always planned for Israel to have a king, but the king was to come through the line of Judah. David was God’s first choice as king. Therefore, Israel should have been patient and waited upon God’s timing. Deuteronomy 17:14–20 gave the responsibilities of a king. Samuel reviewed these responsibilities with the people and then dismissed them.
10:26 Even Saul went to his home in Gibeah. With him went some brave men whose hearts God had touched.
Saul’s home was now disclosed as Gibeah. Saul was brought up in the city that attempted sodomite gang rape on a Levitical priest. The people asked God for a king, so He gave them the kind of king that they deserved.
10:27 But some wicked men said, “How can this man save us?” They despised him and did not even bring him a gift. But Saul said nothing about it.
Many of the Israelites were disgusted that the king came from Gibeah, which was a city as wicked as Sodom and Gomorrah. They despised Saul and refused to bring him a coronation gift. Saul ignored this rebellious act, showing that he was not yet strong enough to discipline his enemies.