SAUL RECEIVES A MESSAGE

Today’s lesson describes how Saul receives a message from Samuel. Let’s catch up on what has happened with Samuel first.

In all of our studies of Samuel, we never hear of him doing anything wrong before God. Now he has grown old. We haven’t heard much about his personal life, of his marriage or his family, but now the story begins to catch us up. Samuel had married. He has sons. His title was still that of a priest, a judge and a prophet.

SAMUEL WAS HUMAN TOO

Never put your faith in a man. Always keep your eyes directed straight toward God. Even the best of men will disappoint you. Samuel was human too.

God had led Samuel and used him for much good in all of these years, but Samuel had used some bad judgement in his personal matters. He had done something that many fathers do. Samuel had appointed his sons to work under him.

Samuel’s sons were not a bit qualified to do the work of judging Israel. Apparently Samuel had taught them nothing about virtue. Their placements should not have happened. You would think that Samuel would have remembered the troubles of Eli and avoided this trap; but he fell right into it.

SAME TRAP AS ELI

Samuel’s sons took bribes. They were not carrying out proper justice in the land. The people were mad. Eventually they confronted Samuel. Again, this sounds just like what had happened with Eli when Samuel was brought to the Temple to be raised up as a lifelong servant of God. Did Samuel not remember Eli’s mistakes? Had he not lived through the wicked days of Eli’s sons?

Nonetheless, Samuel put his own sons under him as judges in Israel. Later we learn that is the reason that the people became upset enough to demand a king like all the other nations. Chapter nine begins the story of the transition of Israel from a nation who was ruled by judges into a nation ruled by a king.

A HANDSOME YOUNG BENJAMITE

Kish was a Benjamite who had a son named Saul. Saul was very handsome. He was also a head taller than anyone else in Israel.

One day Kish’s donkeys were lost. He sent Saul and a young man who was their servant out to find the donkeys. They passed through Ephraim and Shalisha, but found no sign of the donkeys. The two went on through the territory of Benjamin, but they did not find the donkeys there either.

By the time they arrived at Zuph, Saul wanted to return home. He was worried that his father would be worried about them. The servant with Saul mentioned that a man of God was in the town. He was highly respected and everything he said came true. The servant wanted to go to this man and ask him how to find the donkeys.

SAUL DISCOVERS SAMUEL

Saul considered this but noted that they had nothing to pay the man. He had no gold with him and their food sacks were empty. However, the servant had found a quarter of a shekel of silver. He offered to give it to the Man of God for payment.

Here the scriptures mention that in those days a prophet was sometimes called a “seer.”

Saul then agreed that they would go inquire of Samuel.

About that time they met some young women coming to the well to draw water. They asked them where to find the seer. The young women told them that Samuel had just come to their town for one day. It was an appointed time and a feast day. They knew that the prophet was going to bless the sacrifice before the people gathered to eat. So they directed Saul and his servant to the place where the people had gathered for the feast.

We do not hear the scriptures mention this specific fact, but I suspect this “feast day” was The Feast of Trumpets, or Rosh Hashanah. The reason I’m thinking that could be true is that it is known as a coronation day, or a day for the appointment of a king. If you want a review of Rosh Hashanah, or The Feast of Trumpets being a coronation day, you might enjoy reading this link: https://theinseasonlifestyle.com/first-day-of-forever-short-meditations-for-the-feast-of-trumpets-meditation-no-1-seasons/ Israel had been asking for a king. Kings must be coronated. Now Samuel, the man who always heard from God correctly, was in town just for this feast day.

A MESSAGE IS GIVEN

As Saul and the man with him came to the place in the town for the gathering, they met Samuel along the road. They did not know this, but The LORD had given Samuel a message. It can be found in 1 Samuel 9:16:  “About this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin. Anoint him ruler over my people Israel; he will deliver them from the hand of the Philistines. I have looked on my people, for their cry has reached me.”

When Samuel saw Saul the Lord said; “This is the man I spoke to you about; he will govern my people.“

Just as Samuel heard God speaking to him, Saul approached him. He asked Samuel for directions for finding the Seer. “I am the seer,” Samuel replied.

INVITATION TO A FEAST

The next words from Samuel must have surprised Saul; “Go up ahead of me to the high place, for today you are to eat with me, and in the morning I will send you on your way and will tell you all that is in your heart. As for the donkeys you lost three days ago, do not worry about them; they have been found. And to whom is all the desire of Israel turned, if not to you and your whole family line?“

Still shocked by Samuel’s words to him, Saul replied that he was a Benjamite from the smallest tribe of Israel. He added that his clan was the least of all the clans of the tribe of Benjamin. Then he asked the obvious question; “Why do you say such a thing to me?”

Without giving them an answer, Samuel brought Saul and his servant into the great banquet hall. He seated them at the head of a table of about 30 men. Then Samuel directed the cook to bring the piece of meat he had told him to lay aside.

The cook then took a piece of thigh meat and set it in front of Saul.

DINING WITH THE PROPHET

Samuel said, “Here is what has been kept for you. Eat, because it was set aside for you for this occasion from the time I said, ‘I have invited guests.'”

So Saul and his servant dined with Samuel that day. Later Samuel invited them to his house and talked with Saul on the rooftop of his home. They stayed and rose about daybreak. Samuel called to Saul who was up on the roof, “Get ready, and I will send you on your way.”

When Saul was ready to leave, he and Samuel went outside together. As they were walking toward the edge of town together Samuel said to Saul, “Tell the servant to go on ahead of us.”

Saul directed the servant and he went ahead. Saul remained with Samuel for awhile so that he could give him a message from God.

Next week we will see how Saul receives this message.

I want to stop here and point out a few interesting things when we continue our next lesson. However; if you are curious as to how this message of today could apply to our modern lives today; you might enjoy listening to this link: https://youtu.be/v2KLK19zAH0.

Remember how Samuel met Saul and how Saul received this message, because next week I want to discuss some of the parallels to the story in more detail.