1 Samuel 9 ~ to lay aside

Is Saul also among the prophets?

1 Samuel 9 (New International Version)

- Audio Link - 1 Samuel 9

¹ There was a Benjamite, a man of standing, whose name was Kish son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Becorath, the son of Aphiah of Benjamin. ² He had a son named Saul, an impressive young man without equal among the Israelites—a head taller than any of the others.

³ Now the donkeys belonging to Saul's father Kish were lost, and Kish said to his son Saul, "Take one of the servants with you and go and look for the donkeys." ⁴ So he passed through the hill country of Ephraim and through the area around Shalisha, but they did not find them. They went on into the district of Shaalim, but the donkeys were not there. Then he passed through the territory of Benjamin, but they did not find them.

⁵ When they reached the district of Zuph, Saul said to the servant who was with him, "Come, let's go back, or my father will stop thinking about the donkeys and start worrying about us."

⁶ But the servant replied, "Look, in this town there is a man of God; he is highly respected, and everything he says comes true. Let's go there now. Perhaps he will tell us what way to take."

⁷ Saul said to his servant, "If we go, what can we give the man? The food in our sacks is gone. We have no gift to take to the man of God. What do we have?"

⁸ The servant answered him again. "Look," he said, "I have a quarter of a shekel of silver. I will give it to the man of God so that he will tell us what way to take." ⁹ (Formerly in Israel, if a man went to inquire of God, he would say, "Come, let us go to the seer," because the prophet of today used to be called a seer.)

¹⁰ "Good," Saul said to his servant. "Come, let's go." So they set out for the town where the man of God was.

¹¹ As they were going up the hill to the town, they met some girls coming out to draw water, and they asked them, "Is the seer here?"

¹² "He is," they answered. "He's ahead of you. Hurry now; he has just come to our town today, for the people have a sacrifice at the high place. ¹³ As soon as you enter the town, you will find him before he goes up to the high place to eat. The people will not begin eating until he comes, because he must bless the sacrifice; afterward, those who are invited will eat. Go up now; you should find him about this time."

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.

¹⁵ Now the day before Saul came, the LORD had revealed this to Samuel: ¹⁶ "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."

¹⁷ 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."

¹⁸ Saul approached Samuel in the gateway and asked, "Would you please tell me where the seer's house is?"

¹⁹ "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. ²⁰ 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?"

²¹ 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?"

²² 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. ²³ Samuel said to the cook, "Bring the piece of meat I gave you, the one I told you to lay aside."

²⁴ 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.

²⁵ After they came down from the high place to the town, Samuel talked with Saul on the roof of his house. ²⁶ 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. ²⁷ 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."

"Is Saul also among the prophets?" Was an important saying - a pop culture question for millenniums ago - during the time when Saul was elevated to be leader of God's inheritance - King. It wasn't really a question... when it should have been. The people of Israel were used to godly leadership. Saul, in their eyes, was anointed by God, therefore a judge of Israel, a prophet, like Samuel. The people expected a Samuel - type person, but in warrior fashion. The people expected this in Jesus, as well.

2,700 years ago or today, we are always looking for more security and more happiness. Maybe there isn't enough thanksgiving, gratitude or prayer.

This is a great Scripture chapter for people considering marriage or even dating.

When you think about the Book of Judges, you'll remember there were always raids and skirmishes, sometimes some oppression from neighboring enemies. Small wonder, when Israel had been the new neighbor. But the grass is always greener, the people wanted more security.

The people of Israel had asked to put aside Samuel, who was old, and to have a king, to be like other nations. Just as Saul didn't have the inclination to know about Samuel and the real gifts of God, the Children of Israel were in the same pop culture frame of mind. The people did not ask or pray to God for a man like Moses, Joshua or Samuel, they merely asked Samuel for a king. Unconcerned about spiritual blessings, they were interested in only the seen, the practical aspects of life.

Beautiful and tall, Saul is already displaying his flaws and virtues, even in the very early morning of his first meeting with Samuel. Saul has no idea where Samuel - the Judge of Israel, the Seer, is from. And importantly, his offering to the Lord doesn't even come from Saul, but the servant. Hannah, Samuel's mother, had no offering to bring of her own, when she prayed so earnestly for help (a child). But Hannah's concern wasn't the offering or sacrifice. Saul's first concern is payment for the prophet, not an offering to the Lord.

The Old Testament is quite different from the gift of the Holy Spirit given to the baptized in the New Testament. In the Old Testament, people were powerfully servants, driven to be instruments for the Lord. The Holy Spirit rested powerfully on one individual instead of the group of people, following the Lord, we see in Acts, Chapter 2. We see from the beginning of 1 Samuel 9, Saul has the worldly attributes of a winner, but the gifts of God haven't concerned Saul enough to learn of them in his past. This does not mean God didn't love Saul and plan good for him. Saul still brought safety and care to Israel.

We've read 1 Samuel 9, this year, in Scriptures for Today. If you'd like to see another aspect of this chapter, the Lord's forgiveness extended to Saul, please see - 1 Samuel 9 ~ behold.

Father God, help us to remember Your requirements for each person & each day are different from our own. With Your wisdom, mature us each day to learn to put aside what isn't needful for us. Help us Jesus, to become the person - soul - You would have us to be. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

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