1st Samuel 9. OUTWARD APPEARANCE The whole narrative of Samuel and Saul is a sad and pitiful story of one who was chosen to be king over Israel. His early days were bright and full of promise, but his last days were days of unbelief and disobedience that ended in suicide. It is a demonstration of the kind of person people want to lead them, and the willingness of God to allow them what they desire. He uses this section of Israel's history as a teaching time as to why their own choices are so limited. "Man looks on the outward appearance, but God looks on the heart." When we choose people to lead us using our own template, we have boxed ourselves in to the limitations of that person's weakest point of personality.
Saul came from a notable family line in the tribe of Benjamin. Most of the men of one whole generation of the tribe of Benjamin were killed because of their immorality. But apparently Saul's family had not been involved in that tragedy. His father, Kish, was a man of wealth and good standing in the tribe of Benjamin although Saul depreciated that standing in words at least. A false sense of humility because of parentage does not really hide a self-centered person who is conscious of himself and how he appears to others. He could have been grateful for his lineage with a genuine sense of appreciation but as was common to this man, he was the center of his own ego.
The people’s request for a king was answered in Saul. Samuel had taken their request to the Lord in prayer and God began to use normal circumstances in the life of Saul, the son of Kish, to lead him to a divine appointment. In our lives we may not realize the significance of the normal activities of our lives until we look back and see how, unknown to us, divine appointments changed our lives. Good and bad events affect us and how we respond to them comes from the character we have built within us. Some character traits come to us from our gene pool. Others come from training in family life and other forms of education in life's experience. But basically, our character is built on those things which we allow to be taken in through our senses. For whatever reason, Saul was quite conscious of what he appeared like outwardly.
He was an outstanding man physically and naturally. Because he was tall and imposing in stature, and his apparent humility hid his insecurity, he was attractive to the people who wanted a man to be their king instead of God. He was a "choice young man" in contrast to the old "man of God." Saul's spiritual interests appeared to have been very limited if he had any at all. Saul's servant knew more about the man of God than Saul even though they were in the same family circle. Samuel lived not far from where Saul lived, but apparently Saul had no previous interest in knowing the man of God nor hearing what he taught. His interest was in himself, not spiritual things. Our lives are characterized by those things that take up the most of our attention. If our interest in spiritual things is only limited to how they help me reach my personal goals, we are carnal people. Some people attend the meetings of an assembly simply to interface with other people to gain some material advantage. Others come because they are socially accepted by trusting people.
Saul is introduced as a seeker for something his father had lost. That reminds us of people today who are seeking for the blessing of God that has been lost to us through sin when the first Adam "by transgression fell." When Saul met Samuel in the gate, he did not know him. That is a common response among people who know about God and about the Lord Jesus, but they do not know Him. His outburst regarding Samuel's words revealed the instability of Saul's character. Instead of dignified humility and respect, he seemed to feel inferior, at least in front of others, because of his background and parentage. On the other hand, he revealed himself as a narcissistic young man who was worried about how things would affect him. It seems strange that he had nothing to give others with him. Even his servant and a bit of silver to loan to this young man who felt entitled to things he could only get from others. He was the kind of young man who didn't take responsibility for his own actions and the actions he wanted others to take. He was one of those kinds of people who look for others to blame for their faults and failures.
At Saul's first meeting with Samuel we have demonstrated the power and accuracy of God's word through His servant. He was reminded of his own failure to find the donkeys and that they were already found. He was brought to the place where he could have learned his need for divine guidance, and learned how to act on it when it was given. He was also made aware of the fact that God knows everything about him and his doing, and so even his inward attitude was known by God. If he had been willing to learn, he would have learned how to pass on authority to others without bitterness, envy and jealousy. Samuel had none of these in his heart as he went about passing on to Saul the leadership role he had for a lifetime. For the forty years of Saul's leadership there was nothing but turmoil, uncertainty, division and bitterness - even when it came time to pass on leadership.
These principles apply in leadership today and we need to give them the attention they deserve. It is important to listen to what others say. Saul's servant knew Samuel to be "a man of God" in his relationship to God. He knew Samuel was "held in honor" in his relationship to people, He also knew that "all he says comes to pass" so he was a reliable prophet. Saul was slapping his pockets and looking in his knapsack to see if he had any little thing to give God through the man of God. If that attitude is in us when we give, it must be insulting to our Lord after what He has freely given us. Actually, that is not evidence that one even knows the Lord. The contrast between Samuel and Saul is like light and dark. Samuel had dignity and grace. Saul had pride and arrogance. Samuel was a spiritual man. Saul was a carnal man. God designated Saul to be king but he was never committed to God. Saul never found rest in his soul, so he never became God's man for the need that had to be met.
Three things that are notable that we can learn from Saul. He was not able to recover that which was lost, and we cannot expect people that wander from God to be recovered by an incapable person. David was probably a shepherd boy then keeping his father's sheep even from the lion and the bear. What a contrast. Actually, Saul and his servant were lost themselves. A second lesson is that a person who does not know the man of God is not able to lead God's people in the paths of the Lord's leading. A leader who is self- centered is not a holy person who can expect people to follow his leadership. Saul obviously had never felt his need of Samuel as a priest. he just did things his own way for his own pleasure. A third lesson is that one who tries to lead and has nothing to give, is ignorant of the grace of God. If that person feels they have to give something trivial, that does not earn God's favor. Saul's servant had a little silver piece to give which speaks of the atonement and redemption in the scripture.
Saul was to be the king like the people of Israel wanted in their natural desire. He was young, good looking and had natural strength and ability. He came from a good family and Saul was seventh in line. In good and bad circumstances, God has a purpose. Saul’s lack of knowledge about Samuel shows his lack of knowledge of spiritual matters. Saul vacillated between feelings and convictions. Saul never became God’s man. He was always feeling inferior. He never did let God’s love give him rest in his heart. When God gives us what we want, we need to be sure that what we want is what He wants.
It is interesting to notice that there were other young people doing the right thing in the right place at the right time. They in turn were able to give directions to the right person. That is our role as God's people going about our daily business (those young women were going to get water) where we meet with people looking for some guidance as to where to go or how to find the Person to meet their need. The city on a hill could only be reached by leaving the lowlands of worldly experience and ascending to the higher ground where people are in touch with God. When we are doing what God wants us to, we can give others the directions they need. Those young people knew what was going on. They knew Samuel the seer. They knew where to find him and where Saul could find him. They were in touch with the things that were important - people, not lost animals. People are always more important than things. One of the greatest services we can do for God is to point others to our Lord Jesus Christ, tell them where to find Him and assure them of His welcome.
Saul met Samuel first in the gate and didn't recognize him. A person can never go inside the gate of heaven without knowing the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. He is the Way to heaven. Saul may not have realized the importance of meeting the man of God who could tell him what was in his heart, relieve him of his anxiety, tell him of the favor into which he had come, and show him the word of God. At the feast in Samuel's house, Saul was the guest of honor. The shoulder which belonged to the priest as a symbol of his authority, was given to Saul indicating the transfer of power from Samuel to Saul. Samuel did the act with respect and dignity as this godly old man realized that God had acquiesced to the desire of the people and the results were not going to be good. However, he did give respect to "God's anointed." The first meeting of these two concluded in the parlor of Samuel's house and then down at the end of the city. The last meeting of these two was in the house of a witch.