The tale of 2 saul's: king saul

Scripture: 1 Samuel 10:1-9

The tale of 2 Saul’s is really about cooperating with the Spirit of God in our lives. One is a tragedy, the other a victory—but we can learn some important lessons from both of them.

The life of Saul of Kish—the man who was anointed King of Israel. His story is found in 1 Samuel and is one of victory and sadness. Saul’s journey begins with the children of Israel demanding a king like other nations. God is not pleased with this as it rejects Him as King over them—yet Samuel the prophet warned them that when the day comes (1 Sam 8:18) when the people feel overwhelmed as “servants to the king”, and when they cry out because of the king they have chosen—the Lord will not answer them on that day.

Yet—the people demanded a king and God relented and told Samuel to appoint a king for them.

This is where Saul comes in—according to Scripture, Saul was an impressive young man and stood a head taller than everyone else. One day Saul’s father sent him out to look for lost donkeys. When they couldn’t find them, Saul said to those with him that they should just turn back. But one of the servants with him mentioned a prophet (Samuel) that should be able to tell them where to look for the donkeys.

I want you to hear this clearly what God’s Word said, “Now the day before Saul’s arrival, the Lord informed Samuel…”

The Spirit of God spoke to Samuel about Saul and that he was the one to be anointed as king of Israel. Samuel speaks amazing words to Saul and Saul’s response is the idea of his clan, the Benjamite people, are the least among God’s people—so why would God chose him?

The story continues and Saul is attending a banquet put on by Samuel and is given the hunk of meat that was “put on reserve” for Saul. I want you to think about this today—over and over we see the direction of the Lord in this entire situation. Samuel is listening to the Lord and leading Saul to this place of God’s choosing him. My curiosity is always alert when I read the Word of the Lord and a certain verse just stood out: “So Saul ate with Samuel that day. Afterward, they went down from the high place to the city, and Samuel spoke to Saul on the roof.”

It doesn’t tell us what Samuel said but wouldn’t you like to have been a mouse in the corner to hear that conversation. I would guess that Samuel is instructing Saul and informing him of all the Lord had spoken and what would be required of him.

This brings us now to our portion of Scripture in First Samuel 10. Saul is anointed king and given very specific instructions in where to go and what to do. Along the way, something very powerful happens to Saul—“The Spirit of the Lord will come powerfully upon you, you will prophesy with them, and you will be transformed…when Saul turned to leave Samuel, God changed his heart and all the signs came about that day.”

All this happens to Saul but when asked what Samuel said to him, he didn’t say a word about being anointed as king. When Samuel is ready to declare Saul as King of Israel, chosen by God, where is Saul—hiding behind the supplies!! As we read forward in Samuel, it tells us that the Spirit of the Lord came upon Saul multiple times to strengthen him and give him the wisdom needed to lead and defeat Israel’s enemies.

Fast forward—Samuel is giving a final speech to Israel. He recites to them all that God had done to deliver them. They had rebelled yet God helped. Now they wanted and had a king—but crucial to his message—he warned them that they needed to walk in obedience to God and to worship Him only. If they did not—God’s hand would be against them. Yet, there was also the assurance that even if they rebelled again the Lord, He would not abandon His people because of His great name and His determination for Israel to be His people.

Saul is hearing all of this. He is instructed along with the people of Israel to both worship and obey the Lord in all things. To not be led astray and serve other gods. This has been the message to God’s people since the beginning of time. Yet, over and over again the Children of Israel would disobey, God would bring judgment and mercy all at the same time. This was not a new message but one that stood the test of time with the Children of Israel and Saul knew full well this message too!

Saul was 30 years old when he was anointed King. He served in that capacity for 42 years—but oh the water under the bridge in his life.

At one time Samuel had instructed Saul to wait for him 7 days at Gilgal. But in Saul’s impatience, when Samuel had not arrived at the time Saul thought he should have, and Saul saw the troops starting to desert him, Saul took steps not allowed by him and offered burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. Then Samuel arrives! Saul, what have you done? And the excuses begin to flow—you didn’t come yet, the army was deserting me, I thought the Philistines would come and I haven’t sought the Lord’s favor so “I forced myself to offer the burnt offerings.”

Samuel’s rebuke is strong and Saul is informed that he will be rejected as king because of his gross disobedience.

Saul had become dependent on his own strength and wisdom without seeking the Lords help, wisdom, or direction. End result—the kingship would go to someone else.

If you continue to study Saul’s life—things go downhill from here. He starts making rash decisions. He threatens to kill his own son, Jonathan, but the people wouldn’t let him. God does not hear his pleas and does not answer his prayers because of his rebellious and stubborn heart. His lack of following the Lord’s instructions have cost him dearly.

Saul went to far as to erect a statue or monument to himself yet proclaimed that he had done all that the Lord instructed. Add liar to his resume!

Saul became very paranoid in this life and was not walking with the Lord at all.

Saul said that God has turned away from me, he doesn’t answer me anymore. His final act was suicide—falling on his own sword.

I have shared all of this for us to ask ourselves—what important things can we take away today from the story of Saul the King that we can learn from his life?

In 2 Timothy 3:16-17 we are reminded that “All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

Also in Romans 15:4 it says, “For whatever was written in the past was written for our instruction, so that we may have hope through endurance and through the encouragement from the Scriptures.”

1.     Saul was chosen by God for a specific purpose and instructed on how to walk out that purpose.

2.     He was chosen—but before he even started to walk out God’s plan, the Spirit of God came upon him, changed him and transformed him. God did a work to change his heart.

3.     God provided spiritual counsel and mentorship.

4.     Saul started out with a humble heart—yet what happened?

5.     His lack of discipline in not only seeking the Lord and listening to Him, but also his blatant choice to go against God’s instructions—to do things his way.

6.     He made rash decisions based in anger and lack of self-control.

7.     Jealousy raged within him to the point of almost taking his own son’s life!

8.     Until in the finality of his life—he committed suicide.

What does this say to us today:

1.     We too have been chosen by God—1 Peter says that we “are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of his own possession, so that you may proclaim the praises of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.”

a.      Each of us have been chosen by God to worship Him, to serve Him faithfully, to bring others who do not know Him into the knowledge of the love and grace of Jesus.

2.     We have all received an anointing from the Spirit of God. The Spirit of the Lord dwells in each of us and is there to instruct us, to teach us, and to guide us forward. He is with us to strengthen us to walk the walk of obedience and worship before the Lord. As we yield to the Spirit and the Word of the Lord we too are transformed and changed more and more to be like Jesus and to shine His glory and character to those we encounter.

3.     It reminds us that we need to humble ourselves before the Lord. To not think so highly of ourselves that we miss the blessing of God on our lives by setting ourselves with pride that destroys.

4.     What happened to Saul reminds us of instructions in Ephesians that tells us to be angry but to not sin in that anger. In other words—don’t let your anger cause you to do rash things—to make dumb decisions that you might possibly regret at a later time. To say things that you regret because the words can never be brought back once they go out of your mouth.

5.     We are also reminded on how destructive the green monster of jealousy is. It poisons everything and everyone it encounters.

6.     We also learn that God’s timing is perfect in all things and that we need not be impatient in our waiting on the Lord to move on our behalf. Often there are people and other variables that need to take place in order for what the Lord has for us is to happen.

7.     Finally, if we fall, if we sin, we don’t make excuses but we admit it, confess it, and get our hearts right with God and get back on the right track again. Obedience to the Lord is key to everything in our lives. It opens our hearts to worship with clean hearts. It helps us to grow and to mature in our walk with the Lord. It brings about the blessing and presence of the Lord so that He hears and answers our prayers.