Meditation Points:

• In a somewhat private ceremony Saul was appointed and anointed to be captain and king over Israel (10:1). Who would enter into leadership of God’s people without God’s approval?
• Samuel announces several signs which were to confirm God’s will to Saul (10:2-8). Saul doesn’t ask for a sign; but confirming signs are given anyhow. Does God always confirm His will to you?
• The Spirit of God came upon Saul (10:6, 10), as He had other leaders in Israel before. By this Saul could be sure that God was with him (10:7). Has God ever given you another heart (10:9)?
• Saul didn’t tell everything that he knew (10:16). And neither should we.
• On the day that Samuel would announce publicly that Saul was to be king, Saul his himself “among the stuff” (10:22). Was this fear, humility, or something else? Have you ever run away from the task God called you to?
• Saul surrounded himself with a group of men “whose hearts God had touched” (10:26). The leader will be surrounded by advisors. Better advisors make for better leaders.
• Not everyone liked Saul (10:27). Not everyone liked the Lord Jesus either.
• When the Philistines threatened Jabeshgilead, the Spirit of God came upon Saul and he was stirred to come to the defense of his brethren (11:6). When Paul observed the idolatry of Athens (Acts 17), his spirit was stirred and he came to the defense of the Lord Jesus.
• After the victory, when some would kill the men who refused Saul’s leadership (see: 10:27), Saul refused to allow the slaughter (11:13).
• Public inauguration took place in Gilgal (11:14-15).

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Meditation Points:

• Like Hophni and Phineas, the rebellious and wicked sons of Eli the priest, Joel and Abiah, sons of Samuel, were in position to take over the office of judge after the death of their father Samuel. But, in both cases, God had other plans (1 Samuel 8:2-5).
• Samuel was displeased when the people demanded a king (6); but God assured him that it was not against Samuel but against the Lord that the people rebelled (7). Before you protest that the people had a legitimate complaint because Samuel’s sons were wicked, remember that they didn’t ask God to regenerate the boys or even to replace them with men after God’s own heart. Instead they demanded a king of their own approval. Isn’t that like today’s voters?
• God agrees to give them a king; but first they must be told that an earthly king will conscript their children and their employees and their animals,  and tax their wealth at a rate of 10%. Still the people demanded a king. Earthly men will give anything to have leadership that they approve. Societies haven’t changed, even though tax rates have risen to 40% and more.
• A Benjamite named Saul will be the first king of Israel (1 Samuel 9:1-2). Note his qualifications. Did you see anything about his relationship to God?
• When Saul was ready to go home, his servant suggested consulting a man of God about the lost animals. Saul protested that they hadn’t a gift for the prophet and therefore could not expect an answer (1 Samuel 9:6-7). It is sad that people won’t consult the proper help because they believe that they must pay for God’s services.  Isn’t it more sad when people actually MUST pay before preachers and priests will “serve” them in God’s name?
• The day before Saul’s arrival, God had told Samuel that he who would be king was to arrive. When Saul arrived, God voiced His approval of Saul to Samuel (1 Samuel 9:15-17).
• Saul received a royal welcome feast with 30 honored guests (9:22); later he remained behind with Samuel to learn the word of God (1 Samuel 9:27).

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Meditation Points:

• When in doubt, ask for advice. Who better to turn to than to priests and diviners (1 Samuel 6:2). Of course, you ought to consult the priests and diviners of the true God – or better yet, consult God Himself.
• Votive offerings-those gifts to deity which symbolize our thanksgiving. Ancient Greeks are known to have formed images of body parts that were recently restored to health, and they offered these. The museum in Corinth has various examples of thanksgiving images, including even “private parts”. Alas, the Greeks were not the first to think this way, for the Philistines offered the Lord five golden “emerods”, one for each of the great Philistine cities.
• And mice (5). Was there an infestation of mice, or even plague-carrying mice, too?
• Can unbelievers give glory to God (5)? For sure, Israel had not done so, and the glory had departed from them (1 Samuel 4:21-22).
• And a box of jewels for a trespass offering (8). Oh, how they had trespassed. Do you think one box of jewels would be enough? Nothing less than the sacrifice of a sinless Christ can atone for sin.
• Like Gideon’s fleece, the cow-drawn cart with the ark of the covenant was set before the Lord to do with as He pleased. And God pleased to lead the cows to Bethshemesh (12). Do cows have free will? Did God destroy their free will; or was it just an accident that they walked to Israel?
• Although the men of Bethshemesh rejoiced to see the ark arrive, and they respectfully called for Levites to remove the ark of the covenant from the cart, and reverently cut up the cart and offered the two cows as a burnt offering to the Lord, they rebelliously opened the ark of the covenant to see what lay inside. For this, the Lord smote many of them (1 Samuel 6:13-15, 19).
• Who is able to stand before this holy LORD God? Do you have the answer?
• Men from Kirjathjearim retrieved the ark from Bethshemesh; and the ark remained in Kirjathjearim for 20 years. The house of Israel lamented. Why? Samuel suggested that if they were really repentant, then they would rid their houses of false gods and false religious practices (1 Samuel 7:3-5). Then he could and would and did pray for them. Sound advice for today.
• On the occasion of Israel’s public repentance, the Philistines mounted an attack (7:7). Be aware that when you get serious about your sin, and begin confessing it to God and asking His forgiveness, the enemy of your soul will mount new attacks.
• Also know, that he who perseveres in prayer will prevail at these times (1 Samuel 7:8). As God confused the Philistines that day, so also in our defense will God make the devil run away.
• Samuel was a circuit-riding prophet (16-17).

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Meditation Points:

• The superstitious parading of religious art was not invented by early Christian heretics (1 Samuel 4:3). Nor did it stop with them.
• At first the Philistines, too, believed some great power was inherent in the gold-covered box; but (at least) they discovered that without God, even members of the right group can do nothing (John 15:5).
• Ichabod-no glory. Yes, the glorious ark of the covenant had been captured by the Philistines; and the glorious protector husband (and his father) had died. But the God of Glory had long since departed and left Israel to its own devices. Like Samson (Judges 16:20), the nation shook itself, but didn’t know that God was nowhere around.
• The Philistines started their own superstitious custom of not stepping on the threshold of Dagon’s temple (1 Samuel 5:4-5).
• If emerods are “hemorrhoids” or another painful, bloody disease, we can understand why the men of Ashdod were quick to move the ark (1 Samuel 5:7) and why the men of Gath wanted to be rid of it, too (1 Samuel 5:10); and why the men of Ekron demanded that it be taken away from their city (1 Samuel 5:11). One might think it was a container of nuclear waste.

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