Saul
Saul- Gods King or mans desire?
God had been the King of the Israelites.
Was Saul to be king?
1. The people of God wanted a King, was this Gods will? The leaders made their way to Samuel to give him their idea.
1 Samuel 8.3-5 but his sons did not walk in his ways; they turned aside after dishonest gain, took bribes, and perverted justice.
4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah,
5 and said to him, “Look, you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.”
The first character in Saul’s story is Samuel
[1]
2. Who was Samuel ( 1 Sam 1.28) Samuel was the boy that was given to Eli the priest after his mother had promised God to let her only son follow God. God had pick him out from birth to be a voice for Him in this time. The Prophet Samuel was all that Israel needed however- the people rejected him.
And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel [1 Sam. 8:1].
Samuel made his own sons judges to succeed him, although they were unworthy and incompetent for the job. This act was a mistake. Samuel was a great judge, a wonderful prophet, and a great man of God—but he was a failure as a father just as Eli had been.
[2] 1 Samuel 8.3-5 But his sons did not walk in his ways; they turned aside after dishonest gain, took bribes, and perverted justice.
4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah,
5 and said to him, “Look, you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.”
2. This displeased Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” So Samuel prayed to the Lord. 7 And the Lord said to Samuel, “Heed the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them. [1]1 Samuel 8: 6-7 / Hosea 13.11
3. Why did they reject Samuel?
Now the name of his firstborn was Joel; and the name of his second, Abiah: they were judges in Beer-sheba.
And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment [1 Sam. 8:2–3].
[3]
4. The difference between Samuels’s sons and Eli sons is this (Samuels son did not walk in his ways).
This leads us to our focus character Saul
1 Samuel 9.1-11
1. A man of Benjamin-Saul came from the right family. Saul meets Samuel because of his father’s fugitive donkeys. The lost donkeys become the occasion for the meeting between Samuel and Saul, but the writer makes it clear that even the straying of the donkeys is a part of providence and the plan of salvation. It is no coincidence that Saul is unable to find the donkeys and decides to give up, nor is it mere chance that Saul’s servant happens to remember that there is in this city (probably Ramah, since Samuel lived there) a man of God.[4]
2. We never know what will happen when we are on our life’s journey. Will you let God interrupt your adventure?
3. Saul is found hiding on his day. Why was he hiding.
Saul becomes King And then we see his heart
a. Saul was a good Politician. He starts out right.
Saul shows his colors 1 Sam 11:5-7
Now there was Saul, coming behind the herd from the field; and Saul said, “What troubles the people, that they weep?” And they told him the words of the men of Jabesh. 6 Then the Spirit of God came upon Saul when he heard this news, and his anger was greatly aroused. 7 So he took a yoke of oxen and cut them in pieces, and sent them throughout all the territory of Israel by the hands of messengers, saying, “Whoever does not go out with Saul and Samuel to battle, so it shall be done to his oxen.”
And the fear of the Lord fell on the people, and they came out with one consent.
b. 1 Sam13.8;15.24 He live for his own reputation
Saul could not stop his ways of disobedience.
Remember that Samuel said that Saul would be removed from office and a new King after Gods heart would be coming.
1 Samuel 13.14, But now your kingdom shall not continue. The Lord has sought for Himself a man after His own heart, and the Lord has commanded him to be commander over His people, because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you.”[1]
c. He takes on the role of a priest the problem he is not a priest
d. 1 Sam 15.24- then he lies about all of this to Samuel.
e. 1Samuel 13.8-11 He make decisions without talking to God
f. 1 Sam 18.7,12 He becomes a slave to jealous and he is ready to kill David
Con
What can we learn from Saul?
1. Listen to your heart-do not go on your feelings only
2. If the things you are seeking says no then let it be No.
3. If you find yourself in a place of leadership make sure you let God be your lord
4. Most important Repent from your sins. Do not be so proud that you can’t turn from your sins.
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Jer. 22:15–17
Deut. 17:14, 15; Hos. 13:10, 11; Acts 13:21
[1]The New King James Version. 1982 (1 Sa 8:3-5). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
[2]McGee, J. V. (1997, c1981). Thru the Bible commentary. Based on the Thru the Bible radio program. (electronic ed.) (2:138). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
Jer. 22:15–17
[3]McGee, J. V. (1997, c1981). Thru the Bible commentary. Based on the Thru the Bible radio program. (electronic ed.) (2:138). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
[4]KJV Bible commentary. 1997, c1994 (547). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
Judg. 3:10; 6:34; 11:29; 13:25; 14:6; 1 Sam. 10:10; 16:13
1 Sam. 15:28; 31:6