When
the servant had departed, Samuel took a flask of oil and anointed Saul. As he
did so, he kissed him and made known God’s word to him saying, “Has not
the Lord anointed you a ruler over His inheritance?” The
assignment that God gave to Samuel to do in 1 Samuel 9:16 reads, “…and you
shall anoint him (Saul) to be prince over My people Israel….” But in 1
Samuel 10:1, the prophet’s words to Saul were, “Has not the Lord anointed
you a ruler over His inheritance?” Notice the change in two words. In
place of the word “prince” he used “ruler”, and for the “people of Israel”
Samuel used the word, “inheritance.” The word ruler suggests a softer tone to
the word prince. And the word “inheritance” speaks of their unique relationship
with God. The choice of the words suggests that while the people had rejected
God as their ruler, He had not yet given up on His claim on them. Like the
people of Israel, we too are more than just a group of people but are His own
acquisition. God owns us because we are His possession and
inheritance. He has every right over our lives, and we must yield to
His dealing so that we can better reflect His glory.
Besides
the words, Samuel also predicted three things that would take place as he made
his journey back to his father. More than anything, the prediction was to show
Saul all that had happened to him and what would soon take place were all under
the watchful eye of God. And for us, like Saul, nothing happens to us outside
of God’s watchful eye over us. Hence, we must learn to be sensitive to God’s
leading and discern His guidance above all the noises and activities that come
our way.
The first event Saul would encounter would take place at Rachel’s
tomb. Two men whom he would meet would tell him that the father’s
donkeys had been found. And the father was more concerned about him and his
whereabouts. The second event would take place at the Oak of Tabor. Saul
would meet three men going to God in Bethel. One of them would be carrying
three young goats, another carrying three loaves of bread, and another carrying
a jug of wine. And when they greet him, the one carrying the bread would give him two loaves of the bread he was carrying. He was to receive them from him
for God was making provision for him, to enable him to do the work he was
called to do.
The third event took place at the hill of God, where a garrison of Philistines
would be stationed. The presence of the Philistines suggests the threat that
was looming large. The prediction also told him what would happen when he
entered the city. He was told that “… as soon as you have come there to the
city, that you will meet a group of prophets coming down from the high
place with harp, tambourine, flute, and a lyre before them, and they will
be prophesying. Then the Spirit of the Lord will come upon you mightily, and you shall prophesy
with them and be changed into another man. It shall be when these signs
come to you, do for yourself what the occasion requires, for God
is with you. And you shall go down before me to Gilgal; and behold, I
will come down to you to offer burnt offerings and sacrifice peace
offerings. You shall wait seven days until I come to you and show you what
you should do.” This would be the most significant of the three predictions.
Here Saul was told two things: after the Spirit had come upon him, he would be changed
into another man. He would first have to do what God had set for him to do with
the Philistines, meaning to deal with them. Secondly, he was to go
to Gilgal and wait for seven days for Samuel to come and offer the burnt
offering and sacrifice of peace-offering.
Just
as He empowered Saul, God will never leave us to do anything without empowering
us. He will not keep us in a lurk concerning His assignments to us. But we will
have to stay alert and be receptive to His guidance and direction. What God announces,
He will surely bring it to pass. What is required of us is to obediently finish
what we must do. So be alert, lean on God and diligently fulfill our
God-given assignment.
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