The Call of God to Old Testament Characters

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The Call of God to Old Testament Characters
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Lesson 8
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Lesson TextI Samuel 91-2
I Samuel 91-21 Now there was a man of Benjamin,
whose name was Kish, the son of Abiel, the son of
Zeror, the son of Bechorath, the son of Aphiah, a
Benjamite, a mighty man of power.
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Lesson TextI Samuel 91-2
2 And he had a son, whose name was Saul, a choice
young man, and a goodly and there was not among
the children of Israel a goodlier person than he
from his shoulders and upward he was higher than
any of the people.
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Lesson TextI Samuel 101
I Samuel 1011 Then Samuel took a vial of oil,
and poured it upon his head, and kissed him, and
said, Is it not because the LORD hath anointed
thee to be captain over his inheritance?
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Lesson TextI Samue1020-22
I Samuel 1020-22 20 And when Samuel had caused
all the tribes of Israel to come near, the tribe
of Benjamin was taken.
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Lesson TextI Samue1020-22
21 When he had caused the tribe of Benjamin
to come near by their families, the family of
Matri was taken, and Saul the son of Kish was
taken and when they sought him, he could not be
found. 22 Therefore they inquired of the LORD
further, if the man should yet come thither. And
the LORD answered, Behold, he hath hid
himself among the stuff.
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Lesson TextI Samue1023-24
I Samuel 1023-24 23 And they ran and fetched him
thence and when he stood among the people, he
was higher than any of the people from his
shoulders and upward.
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Lesson TextI Samue1023-24
24 And Samuel said to all the people, See ye him
whom the Lord hath chosen, that there is none
like him among all the people? And all the people
shouted, and said, God save the king.
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Lesson TextI Samue1025-26
I Samuel 1025-26 25 Then Samuel told the
people the manner of the kingdom, and wrote it in
a book, and laid it up before the Lord. And
Samuel sent all the people away, every man to his
house. 26 And Saul also went home to Gibeah and
there went with him a band of men, whose hearts
God had touched.
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Focus VerseI Samuel 101
I Samuel 101 Then Samuel took a vial of oil, and
poured it upon his head, and kissed him, and
said, Is it not because the LORD hath anointed
thee to be captain over his inheritance?
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Focus Thought
God identifies those who are qualified to serve
and places them in the proper position at the
right time, but they are able to serve only as
long as they live in obedient submission and
humility.
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I. God Gave Israel What They Wanted
Culture Connection Unique Gifts and Talents
I resist using the word unique because it is
grossly misused. Many people use the word to
describe things that are not really unique, which
refers to something that is one of a kind.
However, when it comes to humans, we understand
that God has indeed made us unique. We share many
traits and talents with others, but we know also
we are unique when we look at our fingerprints
that relate solely to us.
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I. God Gave Israel What They Wanted
A persons gifts and talents may not be unique,
but the combination of them along with that
persons diverse background, education, and life
experiences places a uniqueness on that
individual and his or her gifts. In that sense we
are unique in our gifts and talents, which God
has both given us and led us to develop. In his
blog article titled You Are Unique in Gods
Family, bestselling author Rick Warren stated,
God has a unique role for you to play in His
family.
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I. God Gave Israel What They Wanted
This is your ministry, and God has gifted you for
this assignment A spiritual gift is given to
each of us as a means of helping the entire
church (I Corinthians 127, New Living
Translation). (See Powertochange.com, entry for
May 5, 2010.) God has a specific life work for
every one of us. Our challenge is to discover and
develop the gifts He has purposely placed within
us and then to use them to glorify and bless His
church and the world.
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I. God Gave Israel What They Wanted
Contemplating the Topic
The conquest and settling of Canaan brought
permanency to the family of Israel. The ancient
promise of land flowing with milk and honey had
finally come to fruition. No longer required to
live in tents and be ready to travel at a
moments notice, they could now settle down and
build real houses. This wonderful land had plenty
of water to refresh their cattle, along with
fertile soil to produce bountiful harvests. (See
Numbers 13.)
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I. God Gave Israel What They Wanted
In addition to each family who worked to
establish their home in this new land, some
individuals established a national system of
worship and government. They designated cities of
refuge and set aside special plots of land for
the Levites. As this huge task of development and
distribution neared completion, the nation and
its leaders gathered one last time to receive
instructions from Joshua (Joshua 24). Standing
before the congregation, Joshua issued a
solemn charge.
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I. God Gave Israel What They Wanted
Choose you this day whom ye will serve whether
the gods which your fathers served that were on
the other side of the flood, or the gods of the
Amorites, in whose land ye dwell . . . (Joshua
2415). The crowd responded with one voice God
forbid that we should forsake the Lord, to serve
other gods (Joshua 2416). Their avowal
somehow did not convince Joshua that their
commitment was sincere (Joshua 2419).
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I. God Gave Israel What They Wanted
He debated their answer with them, reminding them
of the consequences of turning from God. But the
people claimed confidently that they would serve
God faithfully. So, standing in the very place
where their father Abraham had built his first
altar in the land God had promised to give him
(Genesis 126-8), and on the same site where
Jacob purged idolatry from among his companions
(Genesis 354), the Israelites repeated their
promise to Joshua. We will serve the Lord
(Joshua 2421).
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I. God Gave Israel What They Wanted
The Book of Judges tells the tale. As long as
Joshua lived, the Israelites kept their promise.
Following his death, however, it took just one
generation for the nation to forget the vow they
made that day in Shechem. And they forsook the
Lord God of their fathers, which brought them out
of the land of Egypt, and followed other gods, of
the gods of the people that were round about
them, and bowed themselves unto them, and
provoked the Lord to anger (Judges 212).
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I. God Gave Israel What They Wanted
Searching the Scriptures God Gave Israel What
They Wanted
God had planned to establish Israel as a nation
unlike any other on earth. He had promised
through Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob that He would
establish them in strength and number. Through
Moses He had provided them a thorough and
complete set of religious and civil laws.
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I. God Gave Israel What They Wanted
The testimony of their deliverance from Egypt
afforded a constant reminder that they were,
indeed, the chosen people of God. Everything was
in place for Israel to become Gods shining
light, a city set on a hill. But the peoples
dissatisfaction with Gods plan drove them to
circumvent it. Sick of the dishonesty, threats,
and sins of Samuels sons, the people demanded a
king to free them from the tyranny of the corrupt
priests (I Samuel 83, 5).
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I. God Gave Israel What They Wanted
They did not ask for an end to the injustice
instead, they demanded a brand new system, a
kingship that mirrored that of every other
nation. Samuel viewed their request as an affront
to himself and to God. He voiced his objections
to the God of Israel. Surprisingly, the Lord
instructed Samuel to comply with the demands of
the people but to warn them in advance about the
negative consequences of having a king.
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I. God Gave Israel What They Wanted
A king would demand taxes and tributes and
conscript their sons and daughters into his
service. The people would cook his meals, plow
his fields, fight his battles, and care for his
animals in short, they would cater to his every
whim. Nevertheless the people refused to obey
the voice of Samuel and they said, Nay but we
will have a king over us That we also may be
like all the nations and that our king may judge
us, and go out before us, and fight our battles
(I Samuel 819-20).
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I Samuel 822
And the LORD said to Samuel, Hearken unto their
voice, and make them a king (I Samuel 822).
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I. God Gave Israel What They Wanted
Samuels predictions about the kingship proved
to be true. In the ensuing years, forty-three
kings reigned over Israel, thirty-three of which
would be considered wicked or corrupt. These men
led the people away from Jehovah, presiding over
the decline of the nation God had miraculously
established. Finally, God used heathen nations to
sweep His people out of the Promised Land and
thrust them into foreign countries where they
assimilated into heathen cultures.
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I. God Gave Israel What They Wanted
They lost their national and spiritual identity
to heathen countries they had wished to emulate.
The desire to choose our own paths and fit in
with the crowd stems from our carnal nature.
While it is vividly illustrated by Israels
rejection of God, scores of other biblical
examples teach the same lesson.
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I. God Gave Israel What They Wanted
James summarized the results of trying to fit in
when he wrote, Ye adulterers and adulteresses,
know ye not that the friendship of the world is
enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a
friend of the world is the enemy of God (James
44). The word enmity implies hostility. Those
who embrace the world set themselves at odds with
God. To do so does not require a formal
declaration of hatred toward God or His ways. An
individual does not have to declare war on
God to fight against Him.
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I. God Gave Israel What They Wanted
Simply choosing the ways of the world
automatically sets one in opposition to God. A
person cannot remain neutral toward God. He will
submit to Gods Word and serve Him, or he will
find himself in conflict with Goda conflict he
is doomed to lose. These sobering facts add
weight to Johns warning to love not the world,
neither the things that are in the world. If any
man love the world, the love of the Father is not
in him (I John 215).
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I. God Gave Israel What They Wanted
God may accede to our demands, but that does not
mean He blesses or endorses our decision. Neither
should we mistake His mercy and grace for His
approval and blessing. The person who ignores
Gods plan and demands his own way will find that
decision a costly one.
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II. God Chose Israels First King
God Chose Israels First King
Gods love for His people had compelled Him to
bring them out of Egypt and give them their own
land. That same love caused Him to hover over
Israel. When they cried out to Him, He responded.
Instead of leaving them to their own destructive
devices, God continued to work toward a better
future for Israel.
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I. God Gave Israel What They Wanted
In granting their request for a king, He
envisioned the kings role as leading His people
in the ways of the Lord. Israel could not set up
a king without Gods consent. The first chapter
of Colossians reminds us that all power belongs
to God, and He distributes or withholds it as He
chooses (Daniel 521). God may be merciful to
those who reject His Lordship, but the reins of
power remain firmly in His grip. He chooses which
individuals will represent His power and
authority in the earth.
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A. Saul Was a Good Man

• Saul Was a Good Man

The Scriptures introduce Saul as a kind and
humble young man in the employ of his wealthy
father, Kish (I Samuel 9). When some of their
donkeys strayed, Kish sent Saul and a servant to
find them. Saul thought he was searching for
lost donkeys, but that was Gods way of getting
him to the place of his anointing. They searched
for days without success until the servant
suggested they consult the prophet for
assistance in finding the wayward beasts.
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I. God Gave Israel What They Wanted
After some hesitation, they agreed to follow the
servants plan and found the prophets house.
Before Saul returned home, Samuel anointed him as
the first king over Israel (I Samuel 101).
Unlike the youth Jesus described in the parable
of the prodigal son, Saul seemed to submit
readily to authority. He went willingly to search
for the animals. He listened to his servants
suggestion and acted on it. He respected the
prophet of God. With such a positive attitude,
this young man related well to everyone.
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I. God Gave Israel What They Wanted
Gods work is people oriented. He places the
value of just one soul above the accumulated
wealth of the entire world. (See Mark 836.) To
be successful in His kingdom, therefore, requires
an appreciation for others and a genuine desire
to establish strong relationships. It is
important that Gods stewards similarly value
those for whom Jesus died.
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B. Saul Was a Humble Man

• Saul Was a Humble Man

Although the Bible described Saul as a handsome
man (I Samuel 92) who came from a wealthy
family, he was humble, perhaps even bashful. Saul
demonstrated that humility when the prophet
announced him as the guest of honor at dinner
soon after Saul entered the prophets house. Saul
had no desire to be the center of attention and
demurred. (See I Samuel 921).
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I Samuel 921
Am not I a Benjamite, of the smallest of the
tribes of Israel? and my family the least of all
the families of the tribe of Benjamin? wherefore
then speakest thou so to me? (I Samuel 921).
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I. God Gave Israel What They Wanted
Later he shied away from his own coronation.
Samuel summoned all the tribes of Israel for the
grand announcement, but they had to put the
presentation on hold when they could not find
Saul. Finally someone discovered him hiding among
the stuff (I Samuel 1022). Perhaps Sauls
most significant response to authority, however,
was his submission to his father. God has always
demanded obedience to the lines of authority He
has established.
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I. God Gave Israel What They Wanted
In Saul, God found a young man willing to submit
to the God-ordained authority over him. In Gods
kingdom, submission always comes before
promotion. Because Saul submitted willingly to
authority, God placed him in a position of
authority.
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A. Saul Was Chosen
God Sent Samuel to Saul

• Saul Was Chosen

About the same time Saul debated with his
servant about whether or not to search for the
prophet, God was preparing Samuel to expect the
future kings arrival (I Samuel 916). Sauls
mundane task had become a divine appointment.
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I. God Gave Israel What They Wanted
God still chooses His servants and selects them
according to His own criteria. He does not base
His choices on physical ability or family ties.
Attitude, character, and other qualities of the
heart are much more significant to Him. But the
Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his
countenance, or on the height of his stature
because I have refused him for the Lord seeth
not as man seeth for man looketh on the outward
appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart (I
Samuel 167).
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I. God Gave Israel What They Wanted
God seeks individuals to work with and through.
In His kingdom, humility is more important than
talent, and submission is more valuable than
skill.
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B. Saul Was ?Anointed

• Saul Was Anointed

Samuel had prepared a vial of oil with which to
anoint Saul. As they traveled together, Samuel
sent the others ahead, and, when they were alone,
he anointed Saul (I Samuel 101).
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I. God Gave Israel What They Wanted
Anointing and coronation are two separate
events. Anointing is a spiritual experience,
while coronation is the formal and public
ceremony that acknowledges the anointing. The
anointing empowers while the coronation
celebrates. The anointing is usually a private,
even intimate, occasion, while the coronation is
public. The anointing is for the benefit of the
individual who has been chosen, while the
coronation is designed to please the crowd. The
anointing precedes the coronation.
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I. God Gave Israel What They Wanted
The anointing is not a public proclamation of
Gods plan but a personal experience that
empowers the person whom God has called. Personal
anointing is necessary for apostolic service. God
no longer sends prophets with vials of oil to
perform the task, but through His own Spirit He
empowers those whom He calls. As Saul discovered,
Gods anointing is sufficient to fulfill His
calling.
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I. God Gave Israel What They Wanted
True anointing brings transformation.
Immediately following his anointing, Saul had a
series of experiences that confirmed Gods call
upon his life and convinced observers that Gods
hand was upon him. And it was so, that when he
had turned his back to go from Samuel, God gave
him another heart and all those signs came to
pass that day (I Samuel 109).
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I. God Gave Israel What They Wanted
The Spirit of God came upon Saul and he
prophesied with a band of prophets he met on his
journey, astounding those who knew him (I Samuel
1011). Still others brought him gifts. The
visible results of his anointing convinced both
Saul and those around him.
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A. Saul Was Confirmed

• Saul Was Confirmed

Samuel gathered all of the tribes of Israel
together to introduce them to their new king.
Casting lots or some similar method of random
selection marked the tribe of Benjamin and then
narrowed it to the family of Matri. The last cast
indicated that the selection fell upon Saul (I
Samuel 1021). This confirmed to the people that
the young man Samuel who had been anointed was
indeed the one whom God had chosen to be king.
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I. God Gave Israel What They Wanted
Samuel gathered all of the tribes of Israel
together to introduce them to their new king.
Casting lots or some similar method of random
selection marked the tribe of Benjamin and then
narrowed it to the family of Matri. The last cast
indicated that the selection fell upon Saul (I
Samuel 1021). This confirmed to the people that
the young man Samuel who had been anointed was
indeed the one whom God had chosen to be king.
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B. Saul Was Inaugurated

• Saul Was Inaugurated

As noted earlier, the coronation takes place
primarily for the benefit of the audience. Samuel
had already anointed Saul and the Spirit of God
had confirmed the call. Now it came time to make
the appointment official and binding upon the
citizens.
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I. God Gave Israel What They Wanted
When Samuel presented Saul to the people, they
rejoiced over the fulfillment of their desire for
a king. They would no longer be considered
peculiar by all their neighbors they could be
just like them. When it was time to go to war,
their king would lead their sons into battle and
return victorious. Samuel explained to the people
the rights and duties of a king, wrote it all
down in a book, and sent the people home. Israel
had a king!
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I. God Gave Israel What They Wanted
As Saul journeyed home, some courageous men
whose hearts God had touched accompanied him (I
Samuel 1026). Not only had God equipped Saul to
be king, but He motivated men of strong character
to rally around him. God knew the job was too
great for one man, and He gave Saul a team with
which to work and to provide encouragement.
Despite His peoples rejection of Him, God
continued to provide a channel through which His
Spirit could flow to those who desired to
follow Him.
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V. God Sent Samuel to Saul Again
God Sent Samuel to Saul Again
As the years passed, Saul came to view Gods
kingdom as his own and saw himself as the highest
authority. His formerly submissive nature evolved
into selfish arrogance.
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A. Saul Lost His Humility

• Saul Lost His Humility

The young man who once considered himself
unworthy of sitting in the place of honor now
thought little of ignoring the commandments of
the Lord (I Samuel 15). Neither did he hesitate
to parade the evidence of his disobedience before
the prophet of God. He apparently considered it
proper to elevate his own thoughts and desires
above the Word of the Lord.
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I. God Gave Israel What They Wanted
The submissive attitude that once led a younger
Saul to the place of his anointing had vanished.
Now the kings arrogance justified each
rebellious decision and action. Replacing
humility with arrogance affects a persons
thought processes, and he begins to assume that
God thinks and reacts as humans do. Saul thought
a huge sacrifice would mollify God and cause Him
to agree that Sauls idea made more sense than
the Lords command (I Samuel 1515).
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I. God Gave Israel What They Wanted
But human arrogance neither appeases God nor
changes His mind. Pomp and ceremony do not
impress Him. Instead, faith and obedience to His
Word move Him (I Samuel 1522 Matthew 88-10).
God still regards partial obedience as
disobedience. Sauls arrogance led to
disobedience which, in turn, led to his tragic
downfall. Because thou hast rejected the word of
the Lord, he hath also rejected thee from being
king (I Samuel 1523).
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I. God Gave Israel What They Wanted
Saul lost his position with God when he lost his
humility. His boldness in ignoring the
instructions from the man of God and rearranging
Gods Word to fit his own desires led to the only
possible conclusion.
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B. Saul Lost His Opportunity to Serve

• Saul Lost His Opportunity to Serve

Sauls arrogant disregard for Gods Word led to
the loss of his kingship and the relationship he
had enjoyed with Samuel. And Samuel said unto
Saul, I will not return with thee for thou hast
rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord hath
rejected thee from being king over Israel (I
Samuel 1526). What had begun with such hope
ended in misery and tragedy.
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I. God Gave Israel What They Wanted
Arrogance gives its owner a distorted view of
his own self-worth. Regardless of how we view
things, God remains the Creator and owner of
everything (Colossians 116). Those who possess
power do so for only a limited time and on a
limited basis. Eventually, that authority will be
assumed by another person until it ultimately
flows back to the God to whom all power belongs.
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I. God Gave Israel What They Wanted
Mankind must constantly remember that they are
merely servants, stewards of the things of God.
Regardless of how well a servant performs or how
loudly others applaud him, the throne will always
belong to God and God alone will always decide
who occupies it.
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C. Importance of Living in Submission and
Humility

• Importance of Living in Submission and Humility

A humble spirit of submission not only is
required for service but is necessary to
understand Gods eternal value system. When Saul
preferred his ways above the commands of God, he
disconnected from Gods plan for His people. He
saw only the present, forgetting that quite often
the most important consequences of a mans
choices are not immediately experienced.
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I. God Gave Israel What They Wanted
It is a grave mistake to assume that God thinks
as humans do. The Bible makes that point very
clearly Because the carnal mind is enmity
against God for it is not subject to the law of
God, neither indeed can be (Romans 87). It is
impossible for us to figure out Gods plan by
using our carnal minds.
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I. God Gave Israel What They Wanted
Easton Bible Dictionary defines the word enmity
as deep rooted hatred. One of Websters
definitions for that same word is the quality of
being an enemy the opposite of friendship.
Without humility and submission, it is impossible
to be on good terms with God.
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I. God Gave Israel What They Wanted
Internalizing the Message
Sauls story has been repeated countless times.
On many occasions, those who have fallen victim
are the ones who should have been best
preparedpreachers and teachers who gave their
best years to the study of Gods Word. Throughout
the ages many have testified of how they allowed
their carnal minds to lead them away from God.
History continues to tell Sauls story
obedience is what God requires.
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I. God Gave Israel What They Wanted
At the conclusion of the outdoor drama The
Shepherd of the Hills, a mournful voice echoes in
the dark Ozark-mountain night, gently nudging
those present We build temples and churches,
but will not worship in them we hire spiritual
advisors, but refuse to heed them we buy Bibles,
but will not read them believing in God, we do
not fear Him acknowledging Christ, we neither
follow nor obey Him (The Shepherd of the Hills,
1987, Shepherd of the Hills Historical Society,
Incorporated, p. 250).
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I. God Gave Israel What They Wanted
Times have changed and the location is different,
but human nature stays the same. We still expect
God to justify our choices as quickly and
completely as we justify ourselves. The
greatest value of Sauls story, however, is not
that it provides a sinister warning, but that it
shows how easy it is to please God. All He
requires is obedience to His Word. He does not
require intelligence-quotient exams, minimum
monetary contributions, background checks, or
character references.
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I. God Gave Israel What They Wanted
God does not sift through the millions of humans
on earth looking for talent, intelligence, and
good looks like a Hollywood producer casting a
new film. Instead, He seeks for those who will
love Him enough to submit to His Word and walk
humbly in His presence and who will treasure the
anointing more than the coronation.