A Study of the Books of Samuel

Sermon # 7

“When We Settle For Less than the Best”

(1 Sam 9:1-10:10)

         God had a plan for the life of his nation Israel, but Israel thought they understood better what they needed than God did. They wanted a king, and they wanted one for all the wrong reasons. They wanted to be like the other nations. When we as God’s people desire more than anything else to be like the other people of this world we are in trouble. When we know what God wants in our lives and yet chose to go another direction we are very best, choosing second best. We need to recognize tonight that God’s will for our lives, is what we would choose if we could see clearly. God’s will is not to make our lives miserable but to make our lives fulfilled.

             In the story we have before us we are going to see Israel make a choice that was less than God’s best for their lives. As we examine this story we can see; 1. Some things we can learn about Choices.  2. Some things that we can learn about Saul. 3. Some things that God showed Saul about Himself.

 I. Things We Can Learn About Choices.

 1.    We are free to obey or disobey God. God has

a perfect will for each life, but God gives us a great deal of freedom to make our own choices in life. For example it is God’s will that I honor others above myself. However, God will permit me to honor myself above others. But when I do, I’ll suffer some negative consequences. It is God’s will that I be generous in sharing my personal possessions. Does God allow me to be selfish and stingy? Yes, but when I am selfish, I will face negative consequences.  

2. When we choose less than God’s best he still does not abandon us. It grieved God and his prophet Samuel that Israel demanded a king.  Samuel was sent to reason with Israel but they replied, “No, we want a king like all the other nations.” They thought that they knew what was best, they took counsel of their own hearts and having chosen a course independent of God, they proceeded at once to follow it up. Sometimes the severest judgment God can give us is to let us have our own way. And yet even when we reject God’s best he does not forsake his people.  Most of us are painfully aware that things would be far better in our lives if they had made wiser decisions.  I believe that it is especially frustrating to realize what they are going through now is the result of poor past decision in our lives, times when we settled for less than God’s best.

II. Things We Learn About Saul. Ch 9

         1. Saul was from a leading family (v. 1)

There was a man of Benjamin whose name was Kish …  a Benjamite, mighty man of

power.”

Saul was from the house of Benjamin, the smallest tribe of Israel, an unlikely source for future kings. Interestingly Saul means “that which has been asked for.”

          2. Saul was physically strong and attractive

(v.2)“And he had a choice and handsome son whose name was Saul. There was not a more

handsome person than he among the children of Israel. From his shoulders upward he was

taller than any of the people.”

Psalm 139:13-16   “For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother's womb. (14) I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made, Marvelous are Your works And that my soul knows very well. (15) My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. (16) Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, The days fashioned for me, When as yet there were none of them.” This passage reminds us that even our genetic structure, the way that are made physically, is ordained by God.  He creates us with particular characteristics because he has certain tasks for each one of us to perform.

        Saul was well-built and appeared every inch a king. Saul was literally “tall, dark and

handsome.” He was the most handsome man in Israel (v.2) and his size marked him out for

leadership and gave him a distinct advantage in handling a bow and spear.

     3. He was obedient in the Small Things.  (v. 3)

“Now the donkeys of Kish, Saul’s father, were lost. And Kish said to his son Saul, "Please,

take one of the servants with you, and arise, go and look for the donkeys."

He could have said, “I have more important things to do than to look for lost

donkeys.” Instead he did as his father asked and he was diligent in carrying out the task.

Verses four and following reveal that he and his servant went throughout the hill country of

Ephraim. They kept looking but they could not find the animals. This task may have

seemed insignificant event. Some animals are lost and Saul goes to find them. Yet this

insignificant event led to some very great things. I think there is a principle here and it is

“If you have some seemingly insignificant task to perform, do and do it right. Do the

very best job you can.” It may be the door to some other greater responsibility and

privilege. Every Christian can look back over his or her life and see how God was at work in

a series of incidents that that the time seemed insignificant.

    4. He was sensitive enough to be concerned for others (v. 5). “…. Saul said to his

servant who was with him, "Come, let us return, lest my father cease caring about the

donkeys and become worried about us."  He was aware that if he remained gone too long

his father would worry, so he suggests returning home.

     5. He was secure enough to listen to advice (v. 6). “And he said to him, "Look now,

there is in this city a man of God, and he is an honorable man; all that he says surely

comes to pass. So let us go there; perhaps he can show us the way that we should go."

        Oddly enough Saul lived only five miles from Samuel but he had never even heard of the famous prophet. Perhaps he was like so many in our day, he was against religion, but he did not make knowing the Lord a vital part of his life.

Saul could have said, “Listen your just a servant what do you know about anything.”

But Saul answered in verse ten, “Then Saul said to his servant, "Well said; come, let us

go." So they went to the city where the man of God was.”

            Saul’s story continues to be one of surprises, as he and the family servant entered the city they learned from a young woman who was drawing water, that a religious sacrifice was about to be observed and that the prophet Samuel had just arrived to bless the sacrifice (vv. 11-13). In God’s timing, Samuel had arrived that very day. According to the young woman it is just the right moment but they will have to hurry. The truth is that the Lord had orchestrated all the circum-stances to bring Samuel and Saul together.

From Samuel’s perspective he keeps an appointment to bless a sacrifice and ends up

anointing a king. Saul goes out seeking his father’s livestock and finds a crown.   Saul soon

discovers that he was speaking to the man that he was seeking, that he would feast with

him the next day, and that Samuel had a special message for him.

As they leaving the town the next day Samuel instructs Saul to have his servant go on ahead so that he can talk to him privately (v. 27). When he does so Samuel takes his flask of oil and anoints Saul announces to him that he is the new king of Israel. “Then Samuel took a flask of oil and poured it on his head, and kissed him and said: "Is it not because the LORD has anointed you commander over His inheritance?”

 III. Things that God Showed Saul  about Himself -   Ch. 10

First, he is assured that God can solve his problems. In verse two he is told that he will meet two men  “When you have departed from me today, you will find two men by Rachel's tomb in the territory of Benjamin at Zelzah; and they will say to you, "The donkeys which you went to look for have been found. And now your father has ceased caring about the donkeys and is worrying about you, saying, "What shall I do about my son?"'

        Next he is told that God can supply his needs. (vv. 3-4)“Then you shall go on forward from there and come to the terebinth tree of Tabor. There three men going up to God at Bethel will meet you, one carrying three young goats, another carrying three loaves of bread, and another carrying a skin of wine. (4) And they will greet you and give you two loaves of bread, which you shall receive from their hands.”

        Third, he is told that God will supply the power he needs. (vv. 5-6)   “After that you shall come to the hill of God where the Philistine garrison is. And it will happen, when you have come there to the city, that you will meet a group of prophets coming down from the high place with a stringed instrument, a tambourine, a flute, and a harp before them; and they will be prophesying. (6) Then the Spirit of the LORD will come upon you, and you will prophesy with them and be turned into another man.”

        The Holy Spirit would enable him to serve God as long as he walked in obedience to his will (v. 6)

          Fourth, he is assured that God will be with you as you serve Him (v. 7). “And let it be, when these signs come to you, that you do as the occasion demands; for God is with you.”

        The Lord still promises his presence to us as we serve him. The writer of Hebrews (13:5) records the promise,  “…. For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you."

            Jesus himself promised at the conclusion of the great commission in Matthew 28:20 “… I am with you always, even to the end of the age."

          According to the verse nine all three signs came to pass on the same day and the effect upon Saul was that “it gave him a new heart.” “So it was, when he had turned his back to go from Samuel, that God gave him another heart; and all those signs came to pass that day.”

        It would be a mistake to interpret this in a New Testament sense as a “new birth” (John 3:3) but more in the sense of encouragement. It was God’s way of saying to Saul, “I have anointed you for a task and I am able to give you the strength that you will need.” Even today we still need that kind of encouragement on a continuing basis.

 Conclusion

Yet all of Saul’s good qualities are not a  guarantee of success. Saul had so much going for him. What a pity he turned away from God and failed. Saul’s career as king began as the sun was coming up. His career ended with the sun going down. At night Saul disguised himself and went and consulted a witch.

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