Lesson #09

1 SAMUEL 9
Lesson #09
GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY IN ACTION

• Memory Verse: Psalms 62:11-12

• Read 1Sam 9:1-17 God chooses the king
• Saul and his family:
• Saul’s father was a man of power. The passage suggests that he was a feudal lord of great wealth and property. He also was a military leader.
• The tribe of Benjamin.
• This tribe was the smallest and weakest of the 12 tribes.
• In fact, the tribe of Benjamin was almost annihilated by the end of the book of Judges.
• The territory belonging to the tribe of Benjamin was a buffer between the two larger tribes of Judah and Ephraim.
• You would think the first king would come from the tribe of Judah based on prophecy.
• Read Gen 49:10
• There are 2 major reason why the first king does not come from the tribe of Judah:
• =1= Remember that this king is God’s permissive will.God’s perfect will is David from the tribe of Judah. Because this is not God’s perfect timing for Israel to have a king, His permissive will chooses a king from a tribe other than Judah.
• =2= The fact that Saul came from the tribe of Benjamin was a sleek political move of unity that balanced the two larger tribes of Judah and Ephraim.
• Saul
• Saul was tall and made a very handsome appearance.
• Saul had great potential for leadership and service.
• Saul’s home was Gibeah.
• What do we learn about the sovereignty of God?
• God is obviously directing events and leading people even though they are functioning in God’s permissive will. We see His coordination in the following events:
• The nation wanted a king.
• Kish, Saul’s father, lost his donkeys. (3)
• Saul’s search for the donkey’s was unsuccessful (4)
• Saul’s servant happened to have a gift for the prophet. (7-8)
• Saul, searching for directions to the prophet’s house, meets Samuel.
• The prophet and prophecy:
• The Hebrew word for, prophet, means = to announce or to tell forth the message.
• Samuel was the last of a series of judges but the first of a series of prophets.
• Samuel established schools of prophecy where those dedicated to the Word of God studied the gift and calling of being a prophet of God. (1Sam 10:5)
• These schools were in existence until the days of Elijah and Elisha.
• There was a school in Samaria, in Gilgal, in Bethel, and in Ramah.
• God raised up prophets to keep the monarchy true to its task.
• In other words, God was permitting the Israelites to have a king, but the king and the people were still accountable to God by means of the prophets who spoke the messages of God to the people.
• The word, seer.
• At one time, the word, prophet, and the word, seer, were separate. However they were brought together to mean the same thing.
• A prophet was one who was given ecstasies.
• A seer was one with hidden insight unto present or future events.

• Read 1Sam 9:18-27
• A private banquet of 30 people honored Saul.
• Saul was served the shoulder of the animal.
• The significance is that the shoulder represented responsibility and authority of government.
• Read Isa 9:6
• Why did God choose Saul when He knew Saul would fail?
• If Saul had been the perfect king, they would not have learned the lesson that God’s permissive will has dire consequences.
• According to verse 16, Saul was not to be called “king” but “captain”.
• The word, “captain”, means = prince, ruler, leader.
• Following the prophecy in Gen 49:10, the throne was to belong to the tribe of Judah.
• Therefore, God chose Saul because he was an example of what a king should not be.
• By contrast, David would be the example of what a king should be.
• In the beginning of the establishment of the kingdom, what was necessary as first steps?
• The tribes should be at peace with each other. (8:22)
• They should ask God for His direction. (9:10)
• God would use the spirit of prophecy through His anointing. (9)
• They needed someone with wisdom, insight, and direction.
• They needed a visionary goal.
• Application:
• In our personal lives, we need a Lord and a King to bear the government of our lives on His shoulders.
• God can use the smallest, weakest, least likely person for leadership in His kingdom.
• As believers in Jesus Christ, we need God’s leadership and visionary goals in our lives.
• God’s sovereignty still brings about divine appointments in our lives.

HOMEWORK
1 SAMUEL 10
This is a self-study. Please do not send homework answers to the teacher forcorrection.

• Application of 1Sam 9
• God’s sovereignty and choosing are not by accident. God is not caught by surprise when there is suddenly a vacancy in the leadership of His people. He knows and prepares ahead of time people for opportunities and opportunities for people. Many times we miss seeing God’s sovereignty because we are not looking for it.
• Meditate on this idea. If you do so long enough, you will begin to see patterns in your life.
• Write one incident when you were amazed to see how God put you, other people, and opportunities together.
• Preparation for 1Sam 10
• Read 1Sam 10:1-16 Saul’s private anointing
• How does God confirm the appointment?
• How does God confirm His guidance to us today? 
• Read 1Sam 10:17-27 Saul’s public installation
• Why was the public installation important?
• What was Saul’s attitude during all of these events?
• Memory Verse: 2Timothy 1:9