Today we're looking at chapters 9 through 12 of 1 Samuel. And I just have to say people are complicated. This is where we'll meet King Saul. If you've studied Scripture for long, you probably remember that he's the one that tried to kill the future King David. Usually the guy trying to kill the good guy is the bad guy... But there are some moments in today's chapters where he doesn't seem like such a bad guy--and God picks him to be King over Israel. Like I said, it's complicated and that's why it feels so real to me because people are truly complex.

Today's Reading: 1 Samuel 9-12

Scripture Read or Reference:

1 Samuel 9:1-2, 14-17

1 Samuel 10:1, 5, 9-11, 20-22, 26-27

1 Samuel 11:6, 13

1 Samuel 12:13-25

Isaiah 55:2

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Commentaries Most Referenced: Moody Commentary, MacArthur Commentary

This is the Dwelling Place from a Trusted Ministries.

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I'm Stephanie Hickox, and today I had

some conversations with other moms who

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feel just like me, that with all of

the messages being thrown at us from

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every direction, the only way to stay

grounded is by looking to scripture.

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If you're feeling guilt, you're not doing

enough, wondering if you're doing it all

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wrong or struggling to make what matters

for eternity the priority in your home.

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You are in the right place.

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Today we're looking at chapters

nine through 12 of one Samuel.

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And I just have to say

people are complicated.

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This is where we'll meet King Saul,

and if you've studied scripture

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for long, you probably remember.

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He's the one that tried to kill

the future, king David, and

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usually the guy trying to kill

the good guy is the bad guy.

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But there are some moments

in today's chapters where he

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doesn't seem like such a bad guy.

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And also God picks him

to be king over Israel.

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Like I said, it's complicated

and that's why it feels so real

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to me because people are complex

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At the beginning of chapter

nine, we find out that Saul

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is from the tribe of Benjamin.

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In the Book of Judges, the tribe of

Benjamin was noted several times for not

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doing what was right before the Lord.

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So it's interesting that the

Lord is going to elevate him.

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We also learn he's more handsome

than anyone else in Israel and that

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he's much taller than everyone.

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His dad is wealthy and a bunch

of their donkeys are missing.

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Saul and a servant are

sent to go look for them.

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They look for a while, and then

Saul recommends we should go back.

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We don't want my dad worried about us.

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But the servant says they should consult

a man of God, and maybe he'll be able

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to tell them where the donkeys are.

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They go into the city looking for this man

who happens to be Samuel, and learn that

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he's been sacrificing on the high place.

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I wanna point this out because

generally in scripture, sacrificing

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on the high places was a really evil

thing to do, but at this point, the

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temple was not yet built by Solomon.

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So from my reading in the

commentaries, they didn't actually

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condemn that Samuel was there.

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It just seemed that this

was the necessary place.

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For the offering because then

all the people below would be

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able to see that a sacrifice is

being offered on their behalf.

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The providence and sovereignty of God

is incredibly evident in these chapters.

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Verse 14 tells us as they were

entering the city, they saw

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Samuel coming out toward them

on his way up to the high place.

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Now, the day before Saul came,

the Lord had revealed to Samuel.

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Tomorrow.

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About this time, I will send

to you a man from the tribe of

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Benjamin and you shall anoint him

to be prince over my people Israel.

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He shall save my people from the hand

of the Philistines for I have seen my

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people because their cry has come to me.

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When Samuel saw Saul, the Lord told him,

here's the man of whom I spoke to you.

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He it is who shall restrain my people?

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Samuel greets Saul with honor and tells

him that the donkeys have been found,

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and Saul responds with true humility.

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Samuel bestows upon him the piece of meat

that's usually reserved for the priest and

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then an honored place to stay the night,

but in the morning sends him on his way.

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In chapter 10, Samuel privately pulls

Saul aside, taking oil and anointing him.

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He tells him, has not.

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The Lord anointed you to be priest

over his people Israel, and you

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shall reign over the people of the

Lord and you will save them from the

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hand of their surrounding enemies.

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Samuel gives him three signs of what will

happen as he leaves so that he knows this

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is true, eventually promising that the

spirit of the Lord will rush upon him.

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He says, God is with you.

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I'll see you in a week, and I'm really

struck by what Chapter 10 verse nine

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reveals when he turned his back to leave

Samuel, God gave him another heart, and

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then the spirit of God rushed upon him.

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This transformation is so dramatic

that people say what has come

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over the son of Kish, they're also

surprised because he is so different.

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And if you're praying for someone who

feels far from the Lord or for a child.

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Or if you're discouraged because

you just can't seem to break through

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in some of your own sin patterns.

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This is a God who has all power and

authority to change hearts, and we

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can find great encouragement in this

solace, handsome, and he's tall, it

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seems He's humble and now he's got a new

heart and he's full of the Holy Spirit.

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But when Samuel calls

all of Israel together.

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Has them separated by tribe and by clan.

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They cast the lots to find out which

man the Lord has called to be king.

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They get it all narrowed down

that God has chosen Saul, but

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they can't find him because he's

hidden himself amongst the baggage.

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Even amongst this

confirmation of the Lord.

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He's fearful.

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But God inspires other men to rise up

and follow him But like any political

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regime, there are some men that

despise him, but Saul holds his peace.

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The Holy Spirit is helping

him to be a man of restraint.

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In Chapter 11, the Ammonites are

causing issues for the Israelites again.

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If you recall, their main

enemies at this point are the

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Philistines and the Ammonites.

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In verse six, the spirit of God rushes

upon Saul, and in a gruesome but effective

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way, he's able to rally 300,000 men

of Israel and 30,000 men of Judah.

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Speaker 13: If you really have your

listening ears on, you might be thinking,

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why is it dividing them up like that?

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There will be a point where these tribes

are gonna split and there is going to

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be the Kingdom of Israel and the Kingdom

of Judah, but it hasn't happened yet.

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And there are these little indicators

throughout that show us that

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this book was probably written

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Speaker 14: after the Kingdom split.

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God gives Saul a wise military strategy

and victory over the Ammonites and the

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people are rejoicing, but then they

remind Saul, Hey, remember those worthless

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fellows that didn't want you as king?

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Let's put them to death.

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But Saul says, not a man shall be

put to death this day for today,

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the Lord has worked salvation in

Israel, and he shows restraint again.

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They crown Saul King at Gilgal, and a

new chapter begins for Israel against

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Samuel's warnings and recommendations.

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They have set up a kingship.

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But it means they'll no longer

need to be as reliant upon Samuel

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as they were in chapter 12.

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Samuel, like all great leaders in Israel

before him, offers a parting speech,

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after confirming that he has

never unfairly benefited from

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them as he served them and then

giving them a history lesson,

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he rebukes them for seeking a

king when God was their king,

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and then he charges them.

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To be faithful to the Lord

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and now behold the king

whom you've have chosen.

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If you will fear the Lord and serve him

and obey his voice and not rebel against

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the commandment of the Lord, and if both

you and the king who reigns over you will

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follow the Lord your God, it will be well.

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But if you will not obey

the voice of the Lord.

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But rebel against the

commandment of the Lord.

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Then the hand of the Lord will

be against you and your king.

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Now therefore, stand still and

see this great thing that the

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Lord will do before your eyes.

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Is it not wheat harvest.

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Today I will call upon the Lord

that he may send thunder and rain

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and you shall know and see that

your wickedness is great, which you

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have done in the sight of the Lord

in asking for yourselves a king.

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So Samuel called upon the Lord and the

Lord sent thunder and rain that day, and

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all the people greatly feared the Lord.

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And all the people said to Samuel,

pray for your servants to the Lord

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your God, that we may not die for.

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We have added to all our sins, this evil

to ask for ourselves A king and Samuel

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said to the people, do not be afraid.

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You have done this evil yet.

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Do not turn aside from following the Lord.

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But serve the Lord with all your heart

and do not turn aside after empty things

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that cannot profit or deliver for

they are empty, for the Lord will

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not forsake his people for his great

namesake because it has pleased the

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Lord to make you a people for himself.

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Moreover, as for me, far be it from

me, that I should sin against the Lord

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by ceasing to pray for you, and I will

instruct you in the good and right way.

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Only fear the Lord and serve

him faithfully with all your

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heart for consider what great

things he has done for you.

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But if you still do wickedly, you shall

be swept away, both you and your king.

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During this time of year.

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Rain was extremely rare.

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, And that's what helped them realize

the gravity of their sin, the challenge

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to not turn aside after empty things

that cannot profit or deliver.

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Reminds me of Isaiah 55.

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Why do you spend your money

for that which is not bread?

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And your labor for that

which does not satisfy?

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Listen diligently to me and eat what is

good and delight yourselves in rich food.

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There is so much that we chase

after that does not satisfy.

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Sometimes we are legit exhausted from

helping people all day, but instead

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of being renewed and satisfied by

Jesus the bread of life and the

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word that he wants to daily fill us

with, we decide to numb ourselves.

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Instead, there's a place

for rest and relaxation.

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But most often we need deep soul

renewal and only he can bring it.

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When Samuel says that it would be a sin

against the Lord if he stopped praying for

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them and instructing them in the truth.

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That verse even made it as a

theme verse for the Entrusted

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with the child's heart study.

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As Betsy challenges moms, that

prayer is one of the most important

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things we will do for our kids.

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And that's why I'm so proud of you because

you're here doing that day after day.

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heavenly Father, today we're

reminded that people are complex.

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And we're so aware of that in our

parenting, how sometimes we're filled

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with hope at the fruit we see in our kids.

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And then other points We're

discouraged and humbled

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and at our own sinfulness as well.

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But Lord, we're encouraged that your Holy

Spirit has the power to transform and

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that you're willing to change hearts.

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I pray for our children and our families.

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For those that haven't surrendered their

lives to you, I ask that they would.

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And for those that have that you

would be victorious over the sin.

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That still battles for each one of us.

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Thank you that you have been pleased

to make us a people for yourself, and

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we pray that you will give us the honor

of bringing you glory on this earth.

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It's in the name of Jesus that we pray.

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Amen.