How did God lead Israel?

First he invited the Patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (also known as Israel) into a relationship with him. He spoke with them and told them his plans. They believed God and his promises, and they passed their faith on to their descendants.

While the children of Israel were in Egypt,all they had to guide them were the words God gave their forefathers. They kept them alive by reciting them in every generation.

Then God raised up Moses who led Israel out of Egypt and gave them the Law of God’s Covenant. Moses recorded the words of the Law and Israel had the Scriptures to guide them after Moses died. God told Israel to meditate on the written Word of God day and night.

God led Israel into the Promised Land using the military genius of Joshua and then he guided and protected Israel through the work of the twelve judges. Next God raised up the child Samuel to become a prophet. His words never failed and Samuel gave his life to leading Israel.

More than Eight hundred years passed between the story of Abraham and the story of King Saul. That is a very long time for a nation of people to be led entirely by God through his prophets and priests. No other nation ever had that experience.

But now Israel wanted an earthly king. They wanted to be like the other nations around them.

Samuel’s Solemn Warnings

In 1 Samuel 8:10, “Samuel told all the words of the Lord to the people who were asking him for a king.”

Kings make demands, and when Israel chose a king they would give up their rights to him. He would conscript some of their sons into his army and lead them to war. He would press others into service as laborers and manufacturers. The king would take land, vineyards, and olive groves for himself and his attendants. He would select male and female slaves from Israelite households, and commandeer the best of the livestock in the land. The people would be taxed by the king.

“When that day comes, you will cry out for relief from the king you have chosen, but the Lord will not answer you in that day.” 1 Samuel 8:18

Israel had already thought this through. They wanted a king.

“But the people refused to listen to Samuel. ‘No!’ they said, ‘We want a king to lead and go out before us and fight our battles.’” 1 Samuel 8:19

Samuel took what Israel said to God and God told him to listen to the people.

“Then Samuel said to the Israelites, ‘Everyone go back to your own town,’” 1 Samuel 8:21

Saul Meets Samuel

Saul was a handsome young man from Gibeah and he was the man God selected to be Israel’s first king. God made that clear in a series of events that only God could orchestrate.

Saul’s father sent him on an errand with a servant to find some lost donkeys. From that moment, God guided Saul’s every step. The two men wandered around looking for donkeys for exactly the amount of time needed to get Samuel to the place he would meet Saul.

The servant urged Saul meet Samuel who was in a town nearby. Despite being hungry and discouraged, Saul agreed to visit the prophet.

Some young women gave them directions that put them on the path to meet Samuel face to face. Most importantly, Samuel recognized Saul as the man God had spoken to him about the day before. He invited Saul to eat with him, and told him the donkeys he was searching for had been found. Then he said,

 “And to whom is all the desire of Israel turned, if not to you and your whole family line?” 1 Samuel 9:20

Saul was startled. He didn’t believe that someone like him was “the desire of all of Israel.” Yet he must have been aware that Samuel was looking for a king for Israel.

Saul’s Strange Journey

Samuel knew he was going to have dinner with the future king that day. He asked the cook to bring out a king-sized piece of beef he had set aside for the most honored guest and give it to Saul. After dinner Samuel invited Saul to his house where they sat on the roof and talked.

In the morning Samuel pulled Saul aside, anointed him with oil and kissed him saying, “Has not the Lord anointed you ruler over his inheritance? 1 Samuel 10:1

Then Samuel prophesied how Saul’s journey home was going to go. Everything happened exactly as Samuel predicted. As soon as Saul left Samuel he became a changed man.

First he met two men who told him the donkeys had been found and his father was worried about him. He walked on and met three men who were going up to Bethel to worship and who offered Saul two loaves of bread, which he accepted.

Next Saul approached the town of Gibeah and met a procession of prophets coming down from the high place with musical instruments. They were prophesying and when the Spirit of God came over Saul he also prophesied. That was so remarkable that it became a byword whenever the unexpected happened in Israel, “Is Saul also among the prophets?” 1 Samuel 10:12

He finally arrived home where his uncle wanted to know all about his journey. Saul told the story, but left out the part about being anointed king.

Saul Becomes the King of Israel

The moment Israel had been waiting for arrived when Samuel summoned everyone to Mizpah. After scolding the Israelites for asking for a king, he began the big reveal.

“This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘I brought Israel up out of Egypt, and I delivered you from the power of Egypt and all the kingdoms that oppressed you.’ But you have now rejected your God, who saves you out of all your disasters and calamities. And you have said, ‘No, appoint a king over us.’ So now present yourselves before the LORD by your tribes and clans.” 1 Samuel 10:18-20

Samuel worked his way through the tribes, casting lots to determine which one was the tribe of the new king. Benjamin was selected, then Matri’s family, and finally the lot fell to Saul. But Saul was nowhere to be seen.

God told them where Saul was hiding among the supplies, and when he emerged, young, tall, and handsome, the people shouted “Long live the king!” 1 Samuel 10:24

Samuel explained the rights and duties of the king, wrote them on a scroll, and put them in a safe place. Then he dismissed the people to go home. Some valiant young men went with Saul to Gibeah, but there were also some jealous scoundrels who immediately despised Saul. Saul didn’t respond to their insults.

Saul’s First Victory

Nabash the Ammonite had been threatening war and now he besieged Jabesh Gilead on the east side of the Jordan. The men of Gilead didn’t want a war so they offered to make a treaty with Nabash, but his terms were terrible. He wanted to gouge out the right eye of every man in Jabesh Gilead. They asked for seven days to ask the rest of Israel for a rescue and for some reason Nabash agreed.

Word reached King Saul about the situation and the Spirit of God came upon him. He cut up a pair of oxen and sent the pieces to the tribes of Israel, warning them they would become like these oxen if they didn’t follow him into battle. They quickly mustered to him.

Saul sent word to the men of Jabesh Gilead that they would be rescued by midday the following day. Then he marched out to Gilead and destroyed the Ammonite army as promised.

Israel was thrilled! “Then Samuel said to the people, ‘Come, let us go to Gilgal and there renew the kingship.” 1 Samuel 11:14

Israel now was under the rule of their king.

Samuel Steps Aside

Samuel led Israel for many years and he became an old man. Now that Israel had a king to rule over them, it was time for Samuel to step aside.

Once more Samuel warned Israel to remember the one true God and never turn to idols. He called upon the Lord to demonstrate his power again and that day God sent thunder and rain. “So all the people stood in awe of the Lord and Samuel.” 1 Samuel 12:18

The Israelites were suddenly worried that they had sinned in asking for a king, but Samuel told them, “Do not be afraid . . . you have done all this evil; yet do not turn away from the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart . . . As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by failing to pray for you. And I will teach you the way that is good and right.” 1 Samuel 12:20-23

Samuel would not be leading Israel anymore, but he would remain their prophet and teacher for years to come.