THE LORD ANOINTS SAUL AS KING

THE LORD ANOINTS SAUL AS KING

1 Samuel 8:1-9:27

Key Verse: 9:16

In the previous chapter God brought victory when people repented of their sins and decided to serve God only. Samuel set up a memorial stone called Ebenezer to remember God’s help and remind the next generation. Today, Israel asks for a king and God instructed Samuel to listen to the people. Samuel played the role of a king maker. We see the credentials of Saul as a king in chapter 9. God anointed Saul as their first king. Israel enters into a period of monarchy after the period of the judges. The people of God chose to be ruled by a human king rather than their spiritual King, God himself. Eventually, however, they will pay the price of asking for a king. Let’s learn what is wrong with God’s people when they demanded a king. I pray that we may accept Jesus as our shepherd King and live under his rule with peace and love. May God bless us to commit our hearts to our King Jesus!

PART 1 ISRAEL DEMANDS A KING (8:1-22)

The beginning of this chapter does not seem to be good (1-3).Though Samuel’s sons had a good father, they did not walk in his ways. As an old man, Samuel appointed his sons, Joel and Abijah, to be judges over Israel in his place. His sons were dishonest judges, accepting bribes and perverting much like Eli’s sons, rather than upholding justice. His sons were old enough to be on their own. We must be careful not to blame the parents for the sins of their children. On the other hand, parenting is an awesome responsibility, and nothing is more important than teaching and shaping our children’s future. If you have young children, it is best time to teach them and shape their future. No matter how busy we are, we must spend time with our children so that we may teach them the way of the Lord. We need to invest our time to plant faith in our children. I thank God for dedicated and faithful teachers in Children’s Bible Fellowship and Junior and High School Fellowship.

Look at verses 4 and 5. “So all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah. They said to him, "You are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways; now appoint a king to lead us, such as all the other nations have." There are many reasons for them to ask for a king. They did not want to go back to the days of Eli’s sons. At the same time Samuel was getting old. But the real truth of the matter was that they wanted to be like the neighboring nations. We understand their fears and excuses but it was a mistake to envy of the kings of their neighboring nations. By doing so, they rejected God’s direct rule as their king. They wanted to be exactly what God wanted them not to be, “like all nations.” God had chosen Israel out of all nations of the earth to be his special representatives. He had taken them into covenant relationship with himself, placed them to be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation above all the nations. God wanted them to lift other nations to their level, not to sink back to the level of others. This is the very danger that threatens Christians today. Many cannot bear the thought of being different from those among whom they mingle. But God wants Christians to be like Christ. Jesus redeemed us from our sins by his blood and blessed us to become his precious children with inheritance in heaven. Jesus said, “You are the salt of the earth and you are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.” (Matt. 5:13-14) We should not have a desire to be like our neighbors. We have to be different from the world because we are the salt of the earth and light of the world. These days many churches want to follow the values of the world and lost their distinctive mission to bring people to God. God blessed UBF because people loved the word of God. The word of God brought spiritual revival and many young people obeyed God’s world mission command.

How did Samuel feel about this, and what did he do? Look at verse 6. “But when they said, "Give us a king to lead us," this displeased Samuel; so he prayed to the LORD.” Samuel, of course, grieved that they should seek a king, for God who had redeemed them from Egypt to be his people, was their king. Samuel was not happy with the people’s demand. Israel demanded a fallible human leader. This spiritual crisis brought Samuel to his knees again. He prayed to the Lord. What was God’s direction to him? Look at verses 7-9. “And the LORD told him: "Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king. As they have done from the day I brought them up out of Egypt until this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are doing to you. Now listen to them; but warn them solemnly and let them know what the king who will reign over them will do.” First, Samuel felt that they rejected him as their leader. Samuel served them faithfully from his boyhood to his retirement age. Samuel was hurt to their surprise demand. But God comforted him. They did not reject Samuel. Instead, they rejected God who took care of them all the time. That’s true. In the wilderness, they rejected God so many times. The Exodus generation perished in the desert due to their unbelief. Now, God gave Samuel a green light to allow them to have a king. God knew that they were rejecting him as their king but he still granted them what they requested. They rejected the shepherd king and chose human kings. What is wrong with rejecting God and choosing a human king in place of God? They envied the Philistine Kingdom or the Egyptian Kingdom. Those kingdoms looked impressive. They were unified under one king with a united one army while Israel was scattered with 12 tribes and did not have any standing army. They depended on the judges for their security. Though they had a great victory under Samuel, they were concerned about their national security. Under the judges, God always delivered them from their enemies when they cried out to God. God brought victory in 7:10 by the thunderstorm. God helped them cross the Red Sea by faith. God was the source of their victory. God helped them destroy the walls of Jericho. (Joshua 5:13-14) Their preference was a human leader as their visible king verses invisible God as their king. It was a matter of God’s promise of protection or a visible army commanded by a king. They anticipated future problems with the Amorites and their analysis was right but their prescription was wrong. Their human king could not solve their problems. It is like a doctor who diagnoses a cancer for his patient and then gives him an aspirin. The people demanded a king, thinking that a new system of government would bring about a change in the nation. But because their basic problem was disobedience to God, their other problems would only continue under the new administration. What they needed was their obedience to God and commitment to serve him only. External change would not solve their security problem. Had the Israelites submitted to God’s leadership, they would have thrived beyond their expectations. We have to depend on the promise of God for our security rather than visible material possession. Nothing is secure as current events like earthquakes teach us. We need to walk by faith not by sight.

What did God warn about the costs of having a human king? Look at verses 10-17. “Samuel told all the words of the LORD to the people who were asking him for a king. He said, "This is what the king who will reign over you will do: He will take your sons and make them serve with his chariots and horses, and they will run in front of his chariots. Some he will assign to be commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and others to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and still others to make weapons of war and equipment for his chariots. He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers. He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his attendants. He will take a tenth of your grain and of your vintage and give it to his officials and attendants. Your menservants and maidservants and the best of your cattle and donkeys he will take for his own use. He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his slaves.” At last Samuel relented. He told the people God would give them what they wanted. But he told them the problems with having a king. The king would draft your men into his army, have the young men run in front of the king’s chariot , make them slave laborers, take the best of your fields and vineyards, use your property for his personal gain, demand a tenth of your harvest and flocks. Samuel carefully explained all the negative consequences of having a king. How did the people respond? Look at verses 19 and 20. “But the people refused to listen to Samuel."No!" they said. "We want a king over us. Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king to lead us and to go out before us and fight our battles.” But the Israelites fixed their minds on having a king. They refused to listen. They were blinded with their selfish desires. Shortly after Saul ascended the throne many of these predictions came to pass. The most serious problem was that God would not answer their cry for help under the king system. They used to depend on God during emergencies but now they rejected God. They did not honor God. After hearing God’s direction, Samuel granted their request and everyone went back to their own town. People asked for a king and they would learn costly lessons. I always wondered why God granted their demand for a king. God often says to us, “Try it to see how it feels.” For example, the prodigal son gets his coveted property and is allowed to go into the foreign country and wasted all his money in pleasures. His father knew what would happen to his son but he honored his son’s demand. Later the son experienced a miserable life and longed to come back to his father’s house. He tried it and felt like dying. So he returned to his father. God wanted his people to experience hardship under human kings and eventually return to him. God’s people rejected their shepherd king at this time and later they rejected their humble shepherd king Jesus by saying, “we have no king but Caesar.” (John 19:15) How long can we reject our king Jesus? Not too long. He is coming to judge the living and the dead. He is knocking at the door of our heart now and it is time for us to open the door of our heart and come into his dominion. Let our King Jesus rule us with love and peace. (Rev. 3:20) Before it is too late, let’s worship Jesus as our true King and surrender our life to Jesus so that we may enjoy peace and security provided by our King Jesus.

PART II THE INTRODUCTION AND CHOICE OF THE KING (9:1-27)

Now Saul appears on the stage in verses 1and 2. He was a son of Kish from the tribe of Benjamin, a man of standing. Look at verse 2, “He had a son named Saul, an impressive young man without equal among the Israelites-- a head taller than any of the others.” He was impressive physically. He fit the people’s desires. How was he introduced? He was on a donkey finding mission. Donkeys were all-purpose animals, “pick-up trucks” of the Bible times. Even the poorest family owned one because it was a vital means of transportation. Losing donkeys were like losing our cars. To own many donkeys was a sign of wealth, and to lose them was a disaster. Saul’s father was wealthy, and his many donkeys were evidence of that wealth. Saul’s donkey finding mission caused Saul and his servant to be around to the district of Zuph, the hometown of Samuel. Saul’s servant suggested Saul go see Samuel since they were around his hometown. In this way Saul met Samuel. Most of the time, we think that events just happen to us, but as we learn from this story about Saul meeting Samuel, God may use some ordinary event to lead us to meet our Bible teacher. God creates divine appointments through a certain unexpected event. We think this is a random chance. But from God’s perspective it was designed to lead our life to meet him very personally. One summer day in 1970 I went to Seoul to prepare for the exam to become a government officer. Then I visited my sister working in the Hospital and there God led me to meet M. Esther unexpectedly. Seemingly it was a very ordinary event which a young promising young man met a young girl determined to change me. But it was God who led me to meet my future wife and companion and partner in God’s work. Think about any special event in your life lately and perhaps God is leading your life for his special purpose. Do not ignore God’s signs leading you to have a greater vision. God is omnipresent and omniscient. Therefore, nothing happens without God’s foreknowledge.

Look at verse 14. “They went up to the town, and as they were entering it, there was Samuel, coming toward them on his way up to the high place.” What did God reveal about his plan in choosing a king? Look at verses 15-17 “Now the day before Saul came, the LORD had revealed this to Samuel: ‘About this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin. Anoint him leader over my people Israel; he will deliver my people from the hand of the Philistines. I have looked upon my people, for their cry has reached me. When Samuel caught sight of Saul, the LORD said to him, "This is the man I spoke to you about; he will govern my people."” God instructed Samuel what to do in advance when he met Saul. Clearly, it was God who was in charge of choosing the first king of Israel. Israel rejected him, but God still called them “My people.” People’s fear and God’s love are contrasted in this passage. Let’s look at the meeting between Samuel and Saul. This was a historical meeting. Look at verses 18-24. “Saul approached Samuel in the gateway and asked, "Would you please tell me where the seer's house is?" "I am the seer," Samuel replied. "Go up ahead of me to the high place, for today you are to eat with me, and in the morning I will let you go 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 all your father's family?" Saul answered, "But am I not a Benjamite, from the smallest tribe of Israel, and is not my clan the least of all the clans of the tribe of Benjamin? Why do you say such a thing to me?" Then Samuel brought Saul and his servant into the hall and seated them at the head of those who were invited-- about thirty in number. Samuel said to the cook, "Bring the piece of meat I gave you, the one I told you to lay aside." So the cook took up the leg with what was on it and set it in front of Saul. 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.'" And Saul dined with Samuel that day.” Samuel, a great servant of God, met an unknown young man who came to find lost donkeys. Samuel’s words are so beautiful because he respected God’s word, hiding his personal feelings. At once Samuel became Saul’s shepherd. Samuel invited him to sit with him as guest of honor at the sacrificial feast and had eating fellowship with him. Samuel honored Saul in the seating arrangement because he respected God’s decision. How did Samuel reveal God’s will to Saul?

Look at verses 25-27. “After they came down from the high place to the town, Samuel talked with Saul on the roof of his house. They rose about daybreak and Samuel called to Saul on the roof, "Get ready, and I will send you on your way." When Saul got ready, he and Samuel went outside together. As they were going down to the edge of the town, Samuel said to Saul, "Tell the servant to go on ahead of us"-- and the servant did so-- "but you stay here awhile, so that I may give you a message from God." Samuel invited Saul to his house and talked with Saul on the roof of his house. No doubt Samuel told Saul all that was in his heart. It was an all night talk. That starry night on the house top Saul thought about his future. He came to find lost donkeys but found his kingdom. Probably Samuel shared all he knew how to be a good king with him. Samuel told Saul that he was God’s choice for king. Saul responded with humility. He said that he was unworthy of this high honor. The transparency and humility of Saul are evident at this stage of his life. As soon as the sun rises in the east, Samuel sent him away walking alone with him having a private talk sending the servant to go ahead. Samuel told Saul about God’s revelation about his selection as king. God chose Saul as the first king of Israel. The times of the judges ended and Israel entered into the kingdom period. Throughout his life Samuel has been faithful to his vow, “Speak, for your servant is listening.” (1 Sam. 3:10) Finally, his work is done and he is laying his burdens of lifetime service on the great shoulders of this young giant. He had peace in his heart because the word of God did not fall to the ground in his lifetime. Now Saul entered the uncharted road which no Israelites had trodden before him. The new history of Israel has dawned with the new king.

In conclusion, God is in control in human history. God respects people’s decision and works with the environment where he could use the people of humility and obedience. God called us to be his chosen people in the 21^st century. God gave us Jesus as our true king. Jesus was born as the king of the Jews. But the Jews rejected him and nailed him on the cross. God raised him from the tomb and made him to become our redeemer King. Let’s welcome Jesus as our exalted King now and faithful to him by worshipping him alone. Today, Jesus is waiting for us to come to him so that we may eat with him and have eternal life. I pray that we all may welcome Jesus as our true King and have beautiful fellowship with him daily. Let’s read the key verse 9:16.