I Samuel Chapter 10

Please read:  I Samuel 10 –

Saul was given all the right opportunities to be a great king of the Israelites.  He was chosen by God and given a new heart by God.  He was spiritually guided by a great man of God, Samuel.  Saul also showed wisdom when he did not immediately announce his pending kingship to his uncle prior to Samuel’s announcement.  And he did not react to those Israelites that doubted that Saul could be the type of powerful king they needed to take care of their problems of Philistine oppression.  Saul certainly had a great start as the man God chose to be the king.

Samuel had just told Saul and his servant that the donkeys were found and now he was privately anointing Saul’s head with oil.  The pouring of oil had no special power, it was meant to be a picture of the Holy Spirit that would be poured into Saul.  The Holy Spirit would come upon Saul, and he would be a changed man.  God would give him a new heart, a heart after God.

Let's Reflect

1.  Imagine the surprise that Saul must have felt as he heard Samuel pronounce this dedication of purpose on the life of Saul.  What name did Samuel call Saul by that would be his future position over Israel?

2.  Samuel was just doing what God had instructed him to do.  The people so badly wanted a king like all the other nations, and Samuel was sent to anoint God’s choice.  Samuel did not change Saul’s heart; God did.  At what point did Saul’s heart change?  See verse 9.

3.  Samuel gave Saul some very exact statements of things that would happen to him as he headed home.  These were meant to build confidence in Saul that the word Samuel had spoken was true.  What were some things that happened to Saul on his way back home?

4.  The greatest change in Saul’s life was when he came upon godly men who were prophesying, and he began to prophesy too.  What happened to Saul immediately before he began to prophesy?  These men inspired by the Spirit of God exclaimed truths of God.

5.  Another test to build Saul’s confidence was that he was asked to wait for several days before meeting up with Samuel again.  How many days was he told to wait?

6.  Samuel called the people to gather at Mizpah where he reminded them of what God had done for them in bringing them out of Egypt.  This will be a significant marker throughout Scripture of the greatness of God.  Samuel also reminded them of how they had rejected God as their King and demanded to have a human king.  Samuel told them to gather all the tribes together, this would have included all the people on the other side of the Jordan, all the men, women, and children.  They were to gather so that Samuel could present to them their king whom God anointed.  When they gathered there was one tribe that had the privilege of being closest to Samuel.  What tribe won that privilege by a drawn lot?  What tribe was Saul from?

7.  As the family of Kish drew close to Samuel, his son was not with the family.  But God told Samuel where Saul was.  He was hiding.  This was certainly an intimidating moment for Saul; to be brought before all the tribes of Israel and to be announced as their king.  Where was Saul hiding?

8.  The people were thrilled to know that they would have a king.  When Saul was presented, being tall and good looking, what words did the people shout?

This chapter ends with a bit of humor.  Saul had just been announced the king of Israel, but there was not yet a royal palace, so Saul just went home to his father’s house.  However, he was accompanied by some men of valor – men that God had changed their hearts.