I had an early morning seminary meeting this morning so my thoughts and prayers were focused on the needs of the teachers and the youth in our stake. I prayed that the Spirit would be with the teachers, that they might keep the youth close to their hearts as they prepare for seminary this year. May they love their students as the Lord would. I asked that the Lord would wrap His arms around the youth and let them know that they are loved not only by Him, but by the seminary leaders too! May they feel His love in their life and see His hand in the things that are going on around them. I pray that they will have the best seminary experience possible!
1 Samuel 9-11
We left off with Israel coming to Samuel and asking for a king. In chapter 9 we are introduced to Saul, who will become the first king of the Israelites. Saul was from the tribe of Benjamin and was a fine, upstanding young man (1 Samuel 9:1-2). He was also a head taller than most of the people (9:2). This is significant in chapter 10 when Samuel points out to the people that "there is none like him among all the people" (10:23). His height made him different and apparently more appealing to the people as their king.
In chapter 9 we read of a series of what seems like miracles that take place to bring Saul and Samuel together. Upon there meeting, Samuel anoints Saul to be the king of Israel (10:1) and the Lord gave Saul "another heart" (which can mean that he was "born again").
Something interesting happens next, Samuel gathers the people together to give them their king, but they can't find Saul (10:21). The Lord tells them that Saul had hid himself (10:22). They find him and he is made king, but not everybody is happy about this (10:27).
Just when you think Saul might not be the right man for the job, he pulls it together and leads Israel into battle against the Ammonites and is victorious (11:1-11). Those that supported Saul now want to kill the people that earlier did not support him (11:12). We see a glimpse of the righteousness of Saul in his response, "There shall not a man be put to death this day: for to day the Lord hath wrought salvation in Israel." (11:13)
Here are a few thoughts that came to me as I was reading these chapters:
In verse 25 of chapter 9 it says that "Samuel communed with Saul upon the top of the house." What did they talk about? It is only a few verses away that Saul is anointed king, do you think that they talked about what is expected of a Jewish king? If I was Saul I would want to know what I was getting into!
So what is expected of a Jewish king?
A Jewish king was not supposed to be a king "like all the nations" had. A Jewish king was supposed to be a model of what an ideal Jew is all about ― a model for the rest of the nation to emulate.
A Jewish king has real power and tremendous responsibility, but he is not a tyrant or dictator.
He is the model for the rest of the nation to emulate: a leader, a scholar, pious, righteous and God-fearing.
He is a catalyst that enables the Jewish people to fulfill their national historic mission as a light to the nations. (Miamonides, Yad, Sefer Shoftim: Laws of the Sanhedrin and Laws of King)
Deuteronomy 17:16-20 gives some guidelines as to what Saul was expected to do:
16 But he shall not multiply ahorses to himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt, to the end that he should multiply horses: forasmuch as the Lord hath said unto you, Ye shall henceforth breturn no more that way.
17 Neither shall he multiply awives to himself, that his heart turn not away: neither shall he greatly bmultiply to himself silver and gold.
18 And it shall be, when he sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write him a copy of this law in a book out of that which is before the priests the Levites:
19 And it shall be with him, and he shall aread therein all the days of his life: that he may learn to fear the Lord his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them:
20 That his heart be not lifted up above his abrethren, and that he bturn not aside from the commandment, to the right hand, or to the left: to the end that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he, and his cchildren, in the midst of Israel
This is a big job! Is it possible for a man to be and do all these things? I sure hope so, because if you go back and read these statements and replace the word Jewish King with the word Christian, you are looking at every Christians job description! It is a bit overwhelming when you first realize this. I can totally understand why Saul hid!
If I were to tell the truth I have been like Saul at times in my life and hid from my responsibilities as a Christian. I think of times when I was less than the best example, or was selfish, or greedy, or didn't read my scriptures, or say my prayers, or.... the list goes on.
Saul has every chance to be a righteous king, just like we have every chance to be a righteous Christian. We just need to come out of our hiding places and take on the job the best we can. Just like Saul was led to Samuel, the Lord will guide us to the people and places we need, we just need to trust Him to help us do our job. He will give us opportunities to become the leader He knows we can be. It is said that all things are possible with God. I believe that this statement is true, even when it comes to what seems like an impossible job!
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