Year One, August 12

They Have Forsaken Me, the Fountain of Living Waters1

1 Samuel 10:1; 17-27

1aThen Samuel took a flask of oil and poured it on his head and kissed [Saul] and said, “Has not the LORD anointed you to be prince over his people Israel? (It has been remarked that only a small bottle of oil was used and not a ram’s horn as in the case of David. This seemed to be a sign that Saul’s reign as king would be a short one and that the abundant grace of God was lacking in his life.)

17Now Samuel called the people together to the LORD at Mizpah. 18And he said to the people of Israel, “Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, ‘I brought up Israel out of Egypt, and I delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the hand of all the kingdoms that were oppressing you.’ 19But today you have rejected your God, who saves you from all your calamities and your distresses, and you have said to him, ‘Set a king over us.’ Now therefore present yourselves before the LORD by your tribes and by your thousands.”

The Lord’s people often refuse to walk by faith. This is just one example of an evil that is all too common among them. They are not spiritual enough to trust only in the invisible God. They want to depend on something they can see. They are not satisfied with the unseen hand of God helping them. They demand visible assistance. They cry out for help the same way the world does. The Lord often gives these people just what they ask for. However, it soon becomes more of a curse than a blessing—just as it was for Saul and Israel. When we pray we should always say, “Not as I will, but as you will.”2 If we pray thinking we know more about what is good for us than God does, he may answer our prayer in anger and the result will not be one that brings real happiness.

20Then Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel near, and the tribe of Benjamin was taken by lot. 21He brought the tribe of Benjamin near by its clans, and the clan of the Matrites was taken by lot; and Saul the son of Kish was taken by lot. But when they sought him, he could not be found. (He knew the lot must fall on him because Samuel had already anointed him king. He may have thought the job was too big for him and was afraid he would be a failure. Crowns are heavy things and often give those who wear them headaches. Saul should not be blamed for hiding from such a difficult honor. If people understood the trials of the great, they would stop wanting to trade places with them.)

22So they inquired again of the LORD, “Is there a man still to come?” and the LORD said, Behold, he has hidden himself among the baggage.” (God knows where we are. Let us never dream of hiding from him. We are like bees in a glass hive. He sees everything we do.) 23Then they ran and took him from there. And when he stood among the people, he was taller than any of the people from his shoulders upward. (Saul was the kind of man that most people would be impressed by and give their respect to. They looked up to him in more ways than one.) 24And Samuel said to all the people, “Do you see him whom the LORD has chosen? There is none like him among all the people.” And all the people shouted, “Long live the king!”

25Then Samuel told the people the rights and duties of the kingship, and he wrote them in a book and laid it up before the LORD. (The book was the nation’s law explaining how the king was to rule over his subjects. Saul was to be a king under God’s authority and to govern according to principles God had given to Israel.) Then Samuel sent all the people away, each one to his home. 26Saul also went to his home at Gibeah, and with him went men of valor whose hearts God had touched. (They saw God’s hand in choosing Saul and joined him.)

27But some worthless fellows said, “How can this man save us?” (No one can hope to please everybody. Even the man God himself selects is not approved by people who are never satisfied. Saul was from a good family, he had good character, he was humble, and he was pleasant. But these things did not count for anything with these troublemakers. May none of us ever belong to that evil class of people, who are always in opposition, always faultfinding, and never willing to work with anybody. This is not the mind of Christ, nor is it the fruit of the Spirit, which is always peaceable.) And they despised him and brought him no present. But he held his peace. (This was a very sensible thing to do. Those who can be quiet will defeat their enemies. Do not be quick to defend yourself, or answer those who lie about you. “Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord.”3)

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¹ Jeremiah 2:13

² Matthew 26:39

³ Exodus 14:13