April 08, 2014 - Tuesday

Start Time: 7:00 A.M.

End Time: 7:37 A.M.

Title: Samuel Anoints Saul

Scripture: 1 Samuel 9:1 – 27

God’s Message / God’s Promise / God’s Commands:

→ There was a Benjamite, a man of standing, whose name was Kish son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Bekorath, the son of Aphiah of Benjamin.  Kish had a son named Saul, as handsome a young man as could be found anywhere in Israel, and he was a head taller than anyone else.  Now the donkeys belonging to Saul’s father Kish were lost, and Kish said to his son Saul, “Take one of the servants with you and go and look for the donkeys.”  So he passed through the hill country of Ephraim and through the area around Shalisha, but they did not find them. They went on into the district of Shaalim, but the donkeys were not there. Then he passed through the territory of Benjamin, but they did not find them.  When they reached the district of Zuph, Saul said to the servant who was with him, “Come, let’s go back, or my father will stop thinking about the donkeys and start worrying about us.”  But the servant replied, “Look, in this town there is a man of God; he is highly respected, and everything he says comes true. Let’s go there now. Perhaps he will tell us what way to take.”  Saul said to his servant, “If we go, what can we give the man? The food in our sacks is gone. We have no gift to take to the man of God. What do we have?”  The servant answered him again. “Look,” he said, “I have a quarter of a shekel^[a] of silver. I will give it to the man of God so that he will tell us what way to take.”  (Formerly in Israel, if someone went to inquire of God, they would say, “Come, let us go to the seer,” because the prophet of today used to be called a seer.)  “Good,” Saul said to his servant. “Come, let’s go.” So they set out for the town where the man of God was.

NOTES:

Ø God uses those that men no longer consider worthy or of importance!  Saul was a Benjamite and not long ago, the Israelites, killed all the Benjamites for what they did to the wife of a priest (the benjamites defiled the wife and the priest cut his wife into pieces and sent it off to every tribe of Israel, so the tribes went together and fight against the Benjamites for the injustice and wickedness they did to the wife).  Yet, when Israel sought for a king, God chose a Benjamite, one who is no longer of importance to them for they made a terrible sin to their own brothers, which resulted to them getting wiped out.  Many times, we may see ourselves unimportant or insignificant, yet God sees us with a purpose!

Ø God helps us in seeking whatever was lost from us, no matter how small it is!  God is a God we can count on and He helps in whatever small or big issues we encounter.  Saul was looking for a lost donkey and for some time He has been seeking for it yet when all else fails, he and his servant decided to go to the man of God to ask help.  During those times, man comes to the prophet or seer to inquire of anything no matter how small the issue is.  And God is the same yesterday, today and forever, He will listen to our concerns no matter how small it is.  All we need to do is seek Him first and all things will follow.

→ As they were going up the hill to the town, they met some young women coming out to draw water, and they asked them, “Is the seer here?” “He is,” they answered. “He’s ahead of you. Hurry now; he has just come to our town today, for the people have a sacrifice at the high place. As soon as you enter the town, you will find him before he goes up to the high place to eat. The people will not begin eating until he comes, because he must bless the sacrifice; afterward, those who are invited will eat. Go up now; you should find him about this time.”  They went up to the town, and as they were entering it, there was Samuel, coming toward them on his way up to the high place

NOTES:

Ø God has set His appointed leader/prophet/priest or man of God in a high place!  Anyone who seeks counsel or the Lord, knows where to go to meet God’s appointed leader.  When God calls us to become leaders, He has set us in a specific location where people can come and ask for counsel of the things of God.  Appointed leaders of God do not only have a purpose but a place in the midst of His people.

→ Now the day before Saul came, the Lord had revealed this to Samuel:  “About this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin. Anoint him ruler over my people Israel; he will deliver them from the hand of the Philistines. I have looked on my people, for their cry has reached me.”  When Samuel caught sight of Saul, the Lord said to him, “This is the man I spoke to you about; he will govern my people.” Saul approached Samuel in the gateway and asked, “Would you please tell me where the seer’s house is?”  “I am the seer,” Samuel replied. “Go up ahead of me to the high place, for today you are to eat with me, and in the morning I will send you on your way and will tell you all that is in your heart. As for the donkeys you lost three days ago, do not worry about them; they have been found. And to whom is all the desire of Israel turned, if not to you and your whole family line?”

NOTES:

Ø God has set every step of His people and He has answers to questions we haven’t even asked yet!  Saul went to meet Samuel for answers and before he could even ask the question, Samuel already told him to dine with him and Samuel will send him home tomorrow.  Also Samuel gave him the answer he seeks regarding his father’s lost donkeys.  There was a reason or a purpose why they were unable to find the donkeys on their own.  Saul and his servant took time to locate the lost donkey yet they failed, and it was intended to be so Saul will go see Samuel.  It was not even Saul’s idea to meet Samuel, it was his servant’s.  Look at how God intervenes and organized every thought, decisions and steps just so Saul and Samuel meet on the day God said so.  This is how great our God is!  Many times, we feel we are at lost, just like Saul who cannot find the donkeys or his father, yet we didn’t know that there was a reason behind that why we are not able to find it… because God wants us to find something greater!  For Saul’s case, he went out looking for his father’s lost donkey, he ended up finding his calling from God.  Let’s seek God always and do not be discouraged when we do not find what we thought we need or want because God has something greater in-store for us, for every lost we experienced; God has something bigger for us to gain!

→ Saul answered, “But am I not a Benjamite, from the smallest tribe of Israel, and is not my clan the least of all the clans of the tribe of Benjamin? Why do you say such a thing to me?” Then Samuel brought Saul and his servant into the hall and seated them at the head of those who were invited—about thirty in number. Samuel said to the cook, “Bring the piece of meat I gave you, the one I told you to lay aside.” So the cook took up the thigh with what was on it and set it in front of Saul. Samuel said, “Here is what has been kept for you. Eat, because it was set aside for you for this occasion from the time I said, ‘I have invited guests.’” And Saul dined with Samuel that day.  After they came down from the high place to the town, Samuel talked with Saul on the roof of his house.  They rose about daybreak, and Samuel called to Saul on the roof, “Get ready, and I will send you on your way.” When Saul got ready, he and Samuel went outside together.  As they were going down to the edge of the town, Samuel said to Saul, “Tell the servant to go on ahead of us”—and the servant did so—“but you stay here for a while, so that I may give you a message from God.”

NOTES:

Ø God has something great kept just for us!  He has a message just for us alone!  Saul was feeling small in the eyes of Samuel and even questioned why Samuel is saying great things about him when he belongs to the least clan of the tribe of Benjamin.  Yet Samuel said to bring out the piece of meat that he instructed to be laid aside and gave it to Saul.  God has laid aside something big and special specific for us and it’s time for us to come and take what is ours.  Samuel told Saul that the meat has been kept for him and him only and it was set aside for him specifically for this occasion.  God has set a specific message or something special for us every time we come to meet Him in His temple.  We ought to be excited for God set that message specifically for us and we are to eat it or feast with it in His presence at His house!  Hallelujah!

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, Precious Lord and wonderful God!  I am truly blessed and feel favored because of Your great love for me.  Thank You because You see me with value even when I feel insignificant in this world.  Thank You because You see me precious than anything because of Your unending love for me.  Thank You because You are concern of every simple or small things that we are concerned of and we can count on Your help in every situation.  Thank You because Your hand is not too short to help us in every simple problem or details we have in our lives.  Thank You because when we come to meet You, You have prepared the answer to our question even before we ask them.  Thank You because You know everything and You know our needs and wants and You satisfy us.  Thank You Lord because You have something great in store for me and me alone.  Help me to see things through Your eyes and Your eyes only – from the perception of myself to the great and marvelous plans You have in-store for all of us.  Use me Lord and let me be an instrument of Your vision that it may be fulfilled as You planned it.  Let Your glory be known forever and may I be a tool to make that a possibility in this world.  In Jesus’ Name, amen!