God confirms His calling with His power, Long Live the King. After anointing Saul as Israel’s first king, Samuel gave signs that proved the Lord had chosen him. The Spirit of God transformed Saul, yet Israel’s deeper need remained unchanged. Earthly kings would come and go, but God’s covenant continued pointing toward Jesus Christ—the eternal King whose kingdom will never end.
Obedience • God’s Covenant • Seer • Prophets • Holy Spirit • Faith • Humility • Kingship • Redemption Plan • Jesus Christ
📖 Scripture: 1 Samuel 10:1–2 (NIV)
“10 Then Samuel took a flask of olive oil and poured it on Saul’s head and kissed him, saying, “Has not the Lord anointed you ruler over his inheritance?[a]”
“2 When you leave me today, you will meet two men near Rachel’s tomb, at Zelzah on the border of Benjamin. They will say to you, ‘The donkeys you set out to look for have been found. And now your father has stopped thinking about them and is worried about you. He is asking, “What shall I do about my son?”’
📖 Scripture: 1 Samuel 10:3–8 (NIV)
“3 “Then you will go on from there until you reach the great tree of Tabor. Three men going up to worship God at Bethel will meet you there. One will be carrying three young goats, another three loaves of bread, and another a skin of wine. 4 They will greet you and offer you two loaves of bread, which you will accept from them.”
“5 “After that you will go to Gibeah of God, where there is a Philistine outpost. As you approach the town, you will meet a procession of prophets coming down from the high place with lyres, timbrels, pipes and harps being played before them, and they will be prophesying. 6 The Spirit of the Lord will come powerfully upon you, and you will prophesy with them; and you will be changed into a different person. 7 Once these signs are fulfilled, do whatever your hand finds to do, for God is with you.”
“8 “Go down ahead of me to Gilgal. I will surely come down to you to sacrifice burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, but you must wait seven days until I come to you and tell you what you are to do.”
Samuel then described several signs that would immediately follow: Saul would hear news that the lost donkeys had been found, receive bread from worshipers, and encounter a company of prophets. Most importantly, the Spirit of the Lord would come powerfully upon him, changing him into a different person.
Samuel also instructed Saul to wait for him at Gilgal before taking further action. God’s calling always requires obedience as well as faith.
📖 Scripture: 1 Samuel 10:9–13 (NIV)
“9 As Saul turned to leave Samuel, God changed Saul’s heart, and all these signs were fulfilled that day. 10 When he and his servant arrived at Gibeah, a procession of prophets met him; the Spirit of God came powerfully upon him, and he joined in their prophesying. 11 When all those who had formerly known him saw him prophesying with the prophets, they asked each other, “What is this that has happened to the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?”
“12 A man who lived there answered, “And who is their father?” So it became a saying: “Is Saul also among the prophets?” 13 After Saul stopped prophesying, he went to the high place.”
Everything Samuel had foretold happened exactly as God promised.
As Saul approached Gibeah, he met a procession of prophets, and the Spirit of God came powerfully upon him. Saul began prophesying alongside them, astonishing everyone who knew him.
People asked,
“Is Saul also among the prophets?”
God demonstrated that His power—not human ability—equips those He calls.
The transformation was evidence that God Himself was working through Saul to accomplish His purpose for Israel.
📖 Scripture: 1 Samuel 10:14–18 (NIV)
“14 Now Saul’s uncle asked him and his servant, “Where have you been?”
“Looking for the donkeys,” he said. “But when we saw they were not to be found, we went to Samuel.”
“15 Saul’s uncle said, “Tell me what Samuel said to you.”
“16 Saul replied, “He assured us that the donkeys had been found.” But he did not tell his uncle what Samuel had said about the kingship.”
“17 Samuel summoned the people of Israel to the Lord at Mizpah 18 and said to them, “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.’ “
When Saul returned home, his uncle questioned him about meeting Samuel.
Saul mentioned only the lost donkeys and Samuel’s reassurance that they had been found.
He said nothing about being chosen king.
Rather than boasting about his future position, Saul remained humble and quiet.
God often prepares leaders by teaching them humility before giving them public responsibility.
📖 Scripture: 1 Samuel 10:19–23 (NIV)
“19 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.”
“20 When Samuel had all Israel come forward by tribes, the tribe of Benjamin was taken by lot. 21 Then he brought forward the tribe of Benjamin, clan by clan, and Matri’s clan was taken. Finally Saul son of Kish was taken. But when they looked for him, he was not to be found. 22 So they inquired further of the Lord, “Has the man come here yet?”
And the Lord said, “Yes, he has hidden himself among the supplies.”
“23 They ran and brought him out, and as he stood among the people he was a head taller than any of the others.”
Samuel gathered all Israel before the Lord at Mizpah.
Before presenting Saul, Samuel reminded the people that God had delivered them from Egypt and protected them throughout their history.
Yet despite God’s faithfulness, Israel had rejected Him by demanding a human king.
Through the casting of lots, God publicly identified Saul as His chosen leader.
When Saul was finally found hiding among the supplies, he stood before the people.
Samuel declared,
“Do you see the man the Lord has chosen?”
The people shouted with one voice,
“Long live the king!”
Samuel then explained the rights and responsibilities of kingship and recorded them before the Lord.
Even as Israel received its king, God’s authority remained above every earthly ruler.
📖 Scripture: 1 Samuel 10:24–27 (NIV)
“24 Samuel said to all the people, “Do you see the man the Lord has chosen? There is no one like him among all the people.”
Then the people shouted, “Long live the king!”
“25 Samuel explained to the people the rights and duties of kingship. He wrote them down on a scroll and deposited it before the Lord. Then Samuel dismissed the people to go to their own homes.”
“26 Saul also went to his home in Gibeah, accompanied by valiant men whose hearts God had touched. 27 But some scoundrels said, “How can this fellow save us?” They despised him and brought him no gifts. But Saul kept silent.”
After returning home, Saul was accompanied by valiant men whose hearts God had touched.
These men willingly supported the king God had chosen.
Yet not everyone accepted Saul.
Some despised him and questioned whether he could save Israel.
Rather than responding with anger or revenge, Saul remained silent.
His restraint reflected wisdom and humility during the beginning of his reign.
Throughout Scripture, those whom God appoints often face opposition before their purpose is fully revealed.
Although Israel desired a human king, God’s covenant never changed.
Saul’s anointing fulfilled God’s immediate plan for the nation, but it also pointed toward a greater King.
Every king of Israel would eventually fail, yet God’s promise continued through history until Jesus Christ—the Anointed One, the King of kings, established the everlasting kingdom that will never end.
God equips those He calls through His Spirit.
Obedience follows God’s calling.
Humility prepares leaders for greater responsibility.
God’s power accomplishes what human strength cannot.
Not everyone will accept God’s chosen servants.
Faith trusts God’s timing even when opposition arises.
Jesus Christ is God’s perfect and eternal King.
First Samuel 10 shows that true leadership begins with God’s anointing, not human ambition. Saul received God’s Spirit and was publicly chosen to lead Israel, yet his success would always depend upon continued obedience to the Lord. This chapter reminds us that while earthly leaders rise and fall, God’s covenant remains secure through Jesus Christ, whose reign is righteous, eternal, and filled with the power of the Holy Spirit.
