BIBLE STUDY LESSON 10
SAUL CHOSEN
ISRAEL’S NEW KING
From 1 Samuel 9:26-10:27
“At dawn the next morning, Samuel called to Saul, who was sleeping on the roof of Samuel’s house. ‘Time to get up!’ he said. ‘I will see that you get started on your way home.’ When they came to the edge of town, Samuel told Saul, ‘Send your servant ahead of us, but you stay with me, for I have a message from the Lord for you.’ From a flask, Samuel poured olive oil over Saul’s head. ‘This is to show that the Lord has anointed you to be the king of Israel,’ he said. ‘When you leave me today, you will see a sign to confirm this to you. As you approach Rachel’s tomb at Zelzah, in the territory of Benjamin, you will meet two men. They will tell you that your donkeys have been found and that your father is now more concerned about your safety than the donkeys and that he is asking how he might find you. Later, as you approach the oak at Tabor, you will meet three men on their way to worship God at Bethel.
One will have three young goats, another three loaves of bread and the third a bottle of wine. They will greet you and offer you two of the loaves of bread. Accept them. Then you will come to the Hill of God, where the garrison of the Philistines is located. As you approach the town, you will meet a band of prophets coming down the hill, playing a tambourine, a flute and a harp, prophesying as they come along the road. The Spirit of the Lord will come with great might upon you at that time and you will prophesy with them. Not only that, but you will actually seem like a different person. From this time on, do what seems best, for the Lord is with you to help you. After you reach home, go to Gilgal and wait seven days there for me. I will come then to offer burnt offerings and peace offerings and to show you what to do.’ As Saul turned to leave, God changed his heart and the prophecies of Samuel came true to him that day. At the Hill of God, Saul met the prophets and when the Spirit of God came upon him, he prophesied with them. Some of Saul’s friends saw what was happening. ‘What is this?’ they asked.
‘Is Saul among the prophets?’ This is how the saying began, ‘Is Saul among the prophets?’ When Saul finished prophesying, he went home to Gibeah. ‘Where have you been?’ Saul’s uncle asked. ‘Looking for our lost donkeys,’ Saul answered. ‘But we couldn’t find them, so we went to see Samuel.’ ‘And what did Samuel tell you?’ the uncle asked. ‘That the donkeys had been found,’ Saul said. But Saul didn’t tell his uncle that Samuel had anointed him to be king over the people of Israel. One day Samuel called all the people of Israel to meet with him at Mizpah. ‘This is what the Lord says,’ Samuel told them. ‘I rescued you from the power of the Egyptians and from the other nations that oppressed you. But you have turned against Me and asked for a king instead. Therefore, I’m going to give you a king! Stand up here before the Lord by tribes, then divide into clans.’ Samuel told all of the tribal leaders of Israel to come near to him and cast lots. When they did, the tribe of Benjamin was chosen.
Then Samuel had all of the clans or families of the tribe of Benjamin come near to him. By lot, the family of Matrites was chosen. Then the members of the family of Matrites were brought before Samuel and the lot fell upon Saul, the son of Kish. But when the people looked for Saul, he was nowhere to be found. ‘Where did he go?’ they asked the Lord. ‘Among the baggage,’ the Lord answered. ‘He is hiding there.’ Some of the people ran to get Saul. When he stood among the people, he was head and shoulders taller than anyone else. ‘Here is the one the Lord has chosen to be your king,’ Samuel told the people. ‘There is no one like him in all Israel.’ ‘Long live the king!’ the people shouted. ‘Long live the king!’ Samuel reminded the people again of the rights and duties of a king and wrote these things in a book and presented it to the Lord. Then Samuel sent all of the people back to their homes. Saul returned to his home in Gibeah, along with some brave men whom God had moved to go with him. But some worthless men complained, ‘How can this fellow save us?’ They despised Saul, refusing to give him gifts, but Saul ignored their rudeness.”
COMMENTARY
ANOINTING
In Old Testament times, casting lots was sometimes used to determine the will of God. A priest would reach into the pocket of his special robe, the ephod and pull out a stone which indicated an answer to specific question. All Israel watched as this process singled out Saul, the son of Kish, as God’s choice to be king. Impressed with Saul, the people shouted “Long lives the king.” But God, through Samuel, had already chosen Saul to be king and had anointed him for that work. In ancient times, oils and ointments were considered almost as essential to life as food and water. Both men and women regularly rubbed their skin with perfumed olive oil to protect it from the hot dry climate. This kind of anointing was such a natural part of daily life that people omitted it only during times of mourning. But on certain occasions, anointing was a way of showing that someone or something was special, set apart from the ordinary. At banquets for example, a host honoured the most important guest by brushing his forehead with a few drops of scented oil. At festive times people dabbed themselves with the “oil of gladness” as a sign of rejoicing. Even more important was the custom of dedicating persons or objects to sacred use by anointing them with oil. Following God’s command, Moses anointed the furniture and vessels of the tabernacle as well as the altar. Both priests and kings were anointed before taking office. The anointment was a necessary step in accepting their duties and was a sign that they were entering God’s service. Sacred anointing oil was poured over the high priest’s head and sprinkled on the robes of other priests. Once a priest was anointed he was part of the priesthood for the rest of his life. Making the holy oil was an art entrusted to only a few priests. The recipe called for a rich mixture of pure olive oil blended with sweet cinnamon, a fragrant gum called myrrh, sweet-smelling cane from India, and the spicy bark of the oriental cassia tree. This oil was so special that it could not be used for ordinary anointing. In fact, anyone found trying to duplicate the recipe could be killed. Kings may have been anointed with this special oil too, for the office of king was a religious one. In ancient Israel, the king was not just a political leader. He was also a spiritual leader who worked with the priests to govern Israel. For this reason the prophets anointed the kings, pouring oil over their heads. Years later this rite became the responsibility of the priests. Anointing gave the king the authority to act as God’s chosen ruler. He was called “the Lord’s anointed,” serving the Lord as His representative.
TEST YOURSELF
1.) Where was Saul Sleeping when Samuel woke him up?
A) On the roof
B) On the threshold
C) Under the stairs
D) Under his bed
2.) How many men did Samuel prophesy that Saul would meet near Rachel’s tomb?
A) Three
B) Four
C) Two
D) One
3.) What was Saul to receive at the oak at Tabor?
A) Two loaves of bread
B) One ox
C) Three goats
D) Five rams
4.) Where was Saul to go, after having reach his home and waited for Samuel?
A) Gilgal
B) Beth-Shemesh
C) Jerusalem
D) Nazareth
5.) Where was Saul hidden when Israel congregated at Mizpah?
A) Ramah
B) Behind the stage
C) Among the baggage
D) Near the altar
6.) Who went back to Gibeah with Saul?
A) Some pretty woman
B) Some worthless men
C) Some brave men
D) None of these
7.) What was used daily in hot climates to prevent dry skin?
A) Oil
B) Rice
C) Rawhide rubbings
D) Wine
8.) When was the “oil of gladness” often used?
A) Celebrations
B) Funerals
C) Meal time
D) Wakes
9.) What was the penalty for trying to duplicate the recipe for the anointing oil?
A) One hand chopped off
B) A 200 shekel fine
C) Death
D) Blindness
10) What official was commonly known as “The Lord’s Anointed”?
A) The grand vizier
B) The footmen
C) The treasurer
D) The king |
