I Samuel 10: 21 When he had caused the tribe of Benjamin to come near by their families, the family of Matri was taken, and Saul the son of Kish was taken: and when they sought him, he could not be found.22 Therefore they enquired of the Lord further, if the man should yet come thither. And the Lord answered, Behold he hath hid himself among the stuff.23 And they ran and fetched him thence: and when he stood among the people, he was higher than any of the people from his shoulders and upward.24 And Samuel said to all the people, See ye him whom the Lord hath chosen, that there is none like him among all the people? And all the people shouted, and said, God save the king.25 Then Samuel told the people the manner of the kingdom, and wrote it in a book, and laid it up before the Lord. And Samuel sent all the people away, every man to his house.
Come out from behind those bushes! No doubt that command was shouted that day. Israel wanted something God didn’t want. They wanted to be like other nations and have a human king. God allowed it to teach them a lesson, but he would choose the king. He spoke to Samuel in the preceding chapters and told him who he had chosen for the job. God’s first move was toward a man who kept mules. A muleskinner was Israel’s first king. Donkeys and mules can be stubborn so that probably gave him some good learning experience. The man was challenged to assume a high position never held by anyone else. It was a big job. God chose Saul.
The donkeys got away from Saul and in looking for them he ran into Samuel. God showed Samuel he was looking at the chosen king. Samuel laid it out to Saul and anointed him. As he turned to leave they ran into the sons of the prophets and prophesied with them. Saul could have been a great king had he stuck with God.
When the time came to present the king to the people, Samuel called Israel together. He called out the tribe of Benjamin, then the family of Matri and then the family of Kish. He called for Saul. All the sons were there, but Saul was nowhere to be found. He had run. It sounds like Jonah, who when faced with a job to do, ran from it.
There is a lesson here for us. God has blessed us with a wonderful position in God. To the world being a Christian is a target, something to be ashamed of. Regardless of how the world feels about it, the greatest calling in the world is to be a child of God. It’s the greatest experience in life to be born again. It’s the greatest work to serve the Lord and be one in his kingdom. We are new creatures put in a position if the forefront.
Samuel called the family of Matri, then Kish and announced God had chosen Saul to be king. God has chosen us with an equal calling to an equal position. It’s a challenge to be on the battle front. It calls for strength, not of ourselves, to be counted with the Lord. We’re called to be in the front and noticed for God. We’d like to hide behind a bush sometimes, but now is not the time to hide.
Imagine the tallest man in Israel trying to hide in the bushes. God called him to the forefront to fill some big shoes. We have gospel shoes to fill. Our feet are big enough. We’re like Saul if we want to hide in the background. The Lord told them where to find Saul. You may hide from others and the world, but you’ll never hide from God.
They went after Saul. He knew there was no use to hide from God. We say we’re bashful and backward and can’t talk yet we can talk on and on about everything but God. We can run to Timbuktu for just about anything but can’t take the gospel to someone. We know our secular job inside out but want to run to the preacher if asked a question about God. God has called us all to be ready to give an answer. It’s time to get from behind the bush and be what God wants. Saul stepped out and was head and shoulders above the others. You may feel incapable, but the important thing is to be available to God.
For a brief time Israel had a good king. God blessed Saul when he stood for right. We’re the church of the end times. We can’t hide behind that. Cut the bush down and step up to the plate. Tell the Lord “here I am.” Saul had to be fetched to take his throne. Do we need to be fetches afresh to do what God wants us to do? Come from behind the bush and bring glory to God. Step into the shoes God wants you to step in. Show others the way to God.
Adwolfe Freewill Baptist Church 