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 1 Samuel 9: 9-21

(Formerly in Israel, when a man went to inquire of God, he said, “Come, let us go to the seer,” for today's “prophet” was formerly called a seer.) And Saul said to his servant, “Well said; come, let us go.” So they went to the city where the man of God was.  A prophet today 

would be someone that rightly divides the Word of God, and they also must agree with the Scriptures.  A seer was a prophet of God, but there were also false prophets, and many, then, and now, followed them.  Be very careful of anyone that talks about the vision or dream that God has given them, if it is a new revelation, for all prophecy was fulfilled in Jesus, in fact, we have His statement; “It is finished.”

As they were coming into the city, they met a young lady coming out to draw water, and ask her, where can we find the man of God?  She said to hurry; he just passed me going into the city, for today he is going to the high place to have a sacrifice and eat.  But only those invited will feast on the sacrifice, and that implies others will be watching but were not invited to partake of the meal.  It is essential that we understand that the people would not eat till Samuel came to do his priestly duty of asking God to bless the sacrifice.

Now it gets fascinating in verses 15-21, “Now the day before Saul came, the Lord had revealed to Samuel: “Tomorrow about this time I will send to you a man from the land of Benjamin, and you shall anoint him to be prince over my people Israel. He shall save my people from the hand of the Philistines. For I have seen my people because their cry has come to me.” When Samuel saw Saul, the Lord told him, “Here is the man of whom I spoke to you! He it is who shall restrain my people.” Then Saul approached Samuel in the gate and said, “Tell me where is the house of the seer?” Samuel answered Saul, “I am the seer. Go up before me to the high place, for today you shall eat with me, and in the morning I will let you go and will tell you all that is on your mind. As for your donkeys that were lost three days ago, do not set your mind on them, for they have been found. And for whom is all that is desirable in Israel? Is it not for you and for all your father's house?” Saul answered, “Am I not a Benjaminite, from the least of the tribes of Israel? And is not my clan the humblest of all the clans of the tribe of Benjamin? Why then have you spoken to me in this way?”

Was Saul being humble, not on your life, it was a fact, and though he was a handsome young man and taller than any of the people in Israel, he was a Benjaminite, and it was the least of the tribes of Israel.  Tomorrow we will pick up the story in verse 22, about a particular place of honor for the young man soon to be named king.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice