1 Samuel 10:17-27  Preoccupied with the world

Written by Paul J Bucknell on May, 19, 2022

1 Samuel 10:17-27  Preoccupied with Study Questions: Saul, the Publicly Chosen King

Prioritizing God’s direction in our lives secures His fellowship and blessing.

Do you ever get so preoccupied that you forget other equally important matters? I received an internet bill with a late charge. We thought we had dealt with it, but with the move, I guess not! They were kind and forgave the late charge. Some things don’t matter so much, but some do!

Worldly preoccupation always is detrimental to our relationship with God, as we will find in 1 Samuel 10:17-27. Israel thought everything was good when they wanted a king like the other nations around them. They sought to bolster Israel’s kingdom and exalt God’s Name.

1 Samuel 10:17-27 pointedly reminds us of our tendency to push ahead with what we consider most important while ignoring or avoiding what is critical. Our plans, hopes, and lusts send out blinders, not allowing God’s message to get through. Oh, we receive them but treat them as mental spam.

God graciously announces His better way in verses 17-18. The following verses point out how God relinquishes His best and deals with their rejection—better than they deserve (see point 3).

1. God’s Pursuit (1 Sam 10:17-18)

¹⁷ Thereafter Samuel called the people together to the Lord at Mizpah; ¹⁸ and he said to the sons of Israel, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘I brought Israel up from Egypt, and I delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the power of all the kingdoms that were oppressing you.’” (1 Sam 10:17-18)

God’s work with the nation of Israel was unique. Yahweh, their God, pursued them before and now gives them a second chance. In verses 17-18, God pursues their devotion; He wants them to set aside their preoccupation with their plans to have a king.

• Samuel assembled them together (1 Sam 10:17)

The LORD told Samuel to call the people together, hoping, no doubt, that they would enter a time of national repentance. This gathering could be an occasion to positively redirect their future, a meeting where they could embrace God’s better plan.

Earlier, God put it this way: “The Lord said to Samuel, “Listen to the voice of the people in regard to all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me from being king over them” (1 Sam 8:7). I believe verse 17 is a positive statement to encourage an affirmative response; to see if there were any that would voice a cry to return to God as their king.

Our Blessed Lives

Our lives wonderful illustrate God’s pursuit of our hearts. He has given so much to us. Can you deny it? The same was true for Israel. In verse 18, we see four particular ways God reminds them of His faithfulness.

God’s blessings call us to pursue Him with all our heart.

“And he said to the sons of Israel, thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, ‘I brought Israel up from Egypt, and I delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the power of all the kingdoms that were oppressing you.’” (1 Sam 10:18)

• Chosen: Samuel reminds them of their identity (18)

Once gathered together, Samuel reminded them of their identity as the sons of Israel—“he said to the sons of Israel.” Their national name came from their forefather Jacob. God abruptly appeared to him when he was running for his life. He had just deceived his father, Isaac, cheated his brother out of his blessing, and now had escaped. (Just one family member like Jacob can create much family bitterness.)

On his way north, God revealed Himself to Jacob in a dream. We know it as Jacob’s ladder, where angels ascended and descended.

God captured Jacob’s attention by wrestling with him, but Jacob sensed something greater and pursued the LORD. “He (God) said, “Your name shall no longer be Jacob, but Israel; for you have striven with God and with men and have prevailed” (Gen 32:28). And so, Jacob, now Israel, dedicated himself to live for God. Through him came twelve sons, that became the twelve tribes of Israel.

With twenty precious years of his youth passed, he returned to the Promised Land to that exact spot and remembered his vow. If God brought him back blessed, he would serve His God.

Maybe Samuel was hoping the memory of God’s blessing upon erring Jacob, now Israel, would cause their hearts to break before their magnanimous God. But the Lord heard no response from the people—no sign of contrition or humility. They appeared not to hear him; God’s words weren’t getting through.

• Adopted: God’s deliverance from Egypt (18)

All the Israelites, including Jacob, went down to Egypt, following Joseph. After four hundred years, God miraculously brought them out of Egypt back to the Promised Land. God says, “I brought Israel up from Egypt.” The adoption of Israel as God’s own possession became quite evident through the Passover (Exodus 12). He chose them, making Himself their Redeemer and their Rewarder. God started to train His people to obey Him as the source of blessing.

• Claimed: God worked on Israel’s behalf against the world empire (18)

“I delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians.” The LORD undoubtedly stirred up their memories of the many miracles He performed to claim them as His people, having delivered them from the demise of their arch-enemy, Egypt. This same testimony would follow them wherever they went. The people of Jericho feared the Israelites because they had heard of these amazing feats by God (Joshua 2:9-11).

• Rescued: God rescued them from many other oppressive forces

God protected them from “the power of all the kingdoms that were oppressing you.” The Israelites’ existence and benefits depended on God’s choice of them. God served them as their great king, did He not? He is their Savior, the best of all kings.

No Neutral Ground

They were not at a neutral deciding point. It’s not as if many gods had similarly blessed or not blessed them so that they could equally choose any of them. To select an alternative, they had to reject God.

God alone had befriended and graced them. Out of all the many people groups, God chose Israel and delighted in them as in a favored vineyard, “Let me sing now for my well-beloved, a song of my beloved concerning His vineyard” (Isaiah 5:1). He is proud of His adopted sons; they bore His Name, Spirit, and words.

God’s Blessings on Our Lives

What a wonderful manifestation of God’s gracious work in their lives. Their very existence depended upon His care for them. He beckoned them to trust Him fully. We don’t start neutral, as if nothing has happened in our lives. God has led us, blessed us, and sent His only Son Jesus Christ to die for us. Paul in Ephesians 1 says, “Who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ” (Eph 1:3).

More broadly, all of creation manifests God’s goodness, beckoning us to pursue our Maker, yet they rejected God’s best, because they were preoccupied with their ‘better’ plan.

God extremely blessed us as God’s people. Don’t quickly discard your Christian family and heritage. Behind the meetings, meals, love, and teaching is God Almighty who first sent His Son, Jesus Christ, into the world to die for the world–no matter what nation to which you belong.

God is good, and there is no greater plan, way, or method than His. What do you believe about God?

To keep my heart warm to the Lord, I view each day as an opportunity to respond to God’s luscious love poured upon me in Christ Jesus. Hearts become lukewarm from forgetting the many things He has done for us.

I hate to think where I would be if God had left me as a self-absorbed little sinner boy. “Behold, now is the day of salvation” (2 Cor 6:2). No one on the planet can hide from the goodness of God. Jesus has come into the world to save the world. God displayed His supreme sign of goodness when He sent His Son to die for us. How will you respond?

God likewise seeks our hearts; He seeks our complete trust in Him.

2. The People’s Rejection (1 Sam 10:19)

¹⁹ But you have today rejected your God, who delivers you from all your calamities and your distresses; yet you have said, ‘No, but set a king over us!’ Now therefore, present yourselves before the Lord by your tribes and by your clans” (1 Sam 10:19).

What could have been a great, glorious new beginning for Israel became a steep decline in their spiritual worship. They were too set on their nationalistic pride and security to pay attention to God’s desire to be their awesome King and lead them. That, no doubt, sounded spiritually impractical in the real world.

Turning points are crucial times to make wise, godly decisions and, sadly, can lead down into spiritual lethargy instead. What was the foundational problem? Israel went from trust in the Lord’s care to being preoccupied with the nation’s management. Those involved, eager to step into their newly planned future, couldn’t see the change in loyalty. Sadly, this same situation repeats itself with nations, governments, churches, corporations, families, and individuals.

Our decisions always matter!

Now by God’s grace, we find ourselves asking the question: “It started so well. Where did it go wrong?” Did you ever ask that question? Are you asking it now?

God isolates the turning point here.

A Bit of History

Instead of following God’s leadership, they insisted, “No, but set a king over us!” Why would they ask such a thing? Did they not know the ramifications of such a decision?

We know the situation that made them vulnerable; it had to do with the lack of a visible, desirable transition. Although it appears to be a one-time encounter, God already had discussed this with them in chapter 8. Chapter 12 serves as their final discouraging response to God.

“And it came about when Samuel was old that he appointed his sons judges over Israel. ² Now the name of his firstborn was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah; they were judging in Beersheba. ³ His sons, however, did not walk in his ways, but turned aside after dishonest gain and took bribes and perverted justice.

⁴ Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah; ⁵and they said to him, “Behold, you have grown old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint a king for us to judge us like all the nations.” ⁶ But the thing was displeasing in the sight of Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us” (1 Sam 8:1-6)

The Israelites, disillusioned by the appointment and corruption of Samuel’s wayward sons, could not trust God to lead them forward. Samuel, the aging prophet and priest, quickly faded from the scene. They appreciated how God worked through Samuel, but he had no one to pass the baton, like when Moses anointed Joshua.

We applaud their willingness to reject Samuel’s sons’ corruption. Sometimes, we hide a leader’s evil; this is not right. So while they could see what they didn’t want, they hadn’t learned to see or appreciate God’s plans.

Disillusionment leads to blinded solutions.

This disillusionment is typical of churches and groups that don’t take prayer seriously. Or, their prayers, are only asking God to bless their plans. Remember how convinced they were? They insisted a king would work best. People must refuse to be mesmerized by gifted people or chosen plans and seek God to work through godly leaders.

Three Colossal Mistakes

The Israelites, as a nation, made at least three colossal mistakes. Each time God’s people forsook Him and His best, worst disastrous consequences occurred. I’ll point out three significant ones.

(1) Rejection at Kadesh after Egypt (40 years) - Numbers 13

God had powerfully delivered them from the formidable Egyptian world empire. Now, on the edge of the Promised Land, God had them send spies in to see its fruitfulness. But they had no faith in conquering the land, even with God’s help. They forgot how God had just delivered them from Egypt!

Their faithlessness brought failure at Kadesh-Barnea, leading to a long forty years in the wilderness (Num 13). God cared for them (i.e., manna), but the delay was unnecessary.

(2) Choosing a king (1000+ years) - 1 Samuel 10

God challenged them to allow Him to rule as King, but they rejected His rule, preferring to be like the world with a physical king. Perhaps, they didn’t know the unique way that the Lord brought Samuel into the picture, or maybe they did and couldn’t be bothered with God’s arrangements.

After all, they faced real-time enemies in their land and at their borders. Samuel would soon die and leave them leaderless. In the next 1000 years, Israel endured many wicked kings and finally lost their land due to their disobedience.

How often have you been utterly discouraged by the Old Testament kings’ wicked acts?

(3) Rejecting Jesus their Messiah (2000 years+)

The last colossal mistake happened when God sent His own Son to offer forgiveness of sin and to powerfully lead the Israelite nation. But they had no patience for someone who told them to love their enemies. They rejected and even killed Jesus the Messiah.

The Jewish people greatly suffer the consequences to this day. The Scriptures foretell a time at the very end of the ages when Israel will be brought to her knees and finally call on the Lord for help. Having all their options stripped away, they cry out to God their Savior. But after so many years? Why not earlier?

God would timely preserve and provide for them, but the severity of the consequences worsened. By rejecting God’s solution, they rejected God Himself. They were too preoccupied with their solutions to bother with God’s ways. God gets so involved in our lives that a rejection of His offered help becomes a rejection of Him.

Application

These uncomfortable questions point to a key question, “Who can stand before the Lord?” It’s not that we shouldn’t come before God, but that time and time again, we find ourselves making wrong decisions. Only later do we discover our inadequacies.

Fortunately, God’s mercy is extensive. We can decide to step out of our dire situation by coming before the Lord no matter where we find ourselves.

3. God’s Selection (1 Sam 10:20-27)

²⁰ Thus Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel near, and the tribe of Benjamin was taken by lot. ²¹ Then he brought the tribe of Benjamin near by its families, and the Matrite family was taken. And Saul the son of Kish was taken; but when they looked for him, he could not be found. ²² Therefore they inquired further of the Lord, “Has the man come here yet?” So the Lord said, “Behold, he is hiding himself by the baggage.” ²³ So they ran and took him from there, and when he stood among the people, he was taller than any of the people from his shoulders upward. ²⁴ Samuel said to all the people, “Do you see him whom the Lord has chosen? Surely there is no one like him among all the people.” So all the people shouted and said, “Long live the king!” (1 Samuel 10:20-24).

Getting What We Want

Samuel followed through with their decision—“Thus Samuel…”. God told Samuel to give them what they wanted. “The Lord said to Samuel, “Listen to the voice of the people in regard to all that they say to you”” (1 Sam 8:7).

Do you really want to get what you wish? What did the Israelites want? If we clarify our thoughts and wishes, we can more easily discover our wickedness. Again, they dismissed their need for God to choose an earthly king. They rebelled against their powerful and magnanimous God.

When God granted them their king, they deluded themselves in their success, totally ignorant of the ramifications of rejecting God as King. Yes, they would be like the other nations, but did they understand how that would weaken them?

They wanted someone to protect their nation. Glad about God’s choice, they said, “Surely there is no one like him among all the people.” The people shouted, “Long live the king!” (10:24). The rest of 1 Samuel records Samuel’s spiritual difficulties and how this decision had a detrimental affect on the kingdom, even with others like David.

God knew what they wanted and gave it to them. He didn’t trick them but used their request to expose their foolishness. Earlier , He did this when the Israelites complained about no meat and complained to God. He gave them meat, “until it comes out of your nostrils and becomes loathsome to you” (Num 11:18-20)!

He gave them what they thought would cure their independent spirit, even though He knew it wasn’t best. When we reject God’s best, we end up with the second-rate.

The things we choose are not always the best, though they look good. How many once successful-sounding governmental, business, and church leaders became sore points for their groups?

Here are two observations:

As parents, pastors, mentors, and friends, it’s sad to see those we love make bad decisions. Pray for them.
Some of us live a difficult life because of our poor choices. Don’t fear that it is too late. Behind this process is a God of love who seeks His people’s hearts. Do turn back to Him, and ask Him where to go from this point onwards. He’ll delightfully lead you.

A Kind Headstart (1 Sam 10:25-27)

²⁵ Then Samuel told the people the ordinances of the kingdom, and wrote them in the book and placed it before the Lord. And Samuel sent all the people away, each one to his house. ²⁶ Saul also went to his house at Gibeah; and the valiant men whose hearts God had touched went with him. ²⁷ But certain worthless men said, “How can this one deliver us?” And they despised him and did not bring him any present. But he kept silent” (1 Samuel 10:25-27).

What surprises me is how the Lord chose a tall, well-equipped, strong man, Saul, to be their new king. (Wouldn’t you choose a weak, poorly-equipped king to teach them a lesson?)

The previous sections remind us that, despite their foolish decision to get a king like the world, God was gracious enough to give them a good king, at least on the outward. He told Samuel to anoint and appoint him. The Lord did it publicly, too, so to minimize tribal rivalry.

Later, Samuel would install Saul as king, after his victory, when people’s spirits were high. God wished they had chosen Him, but in His patience He granted them a handsome, tall, strong warrior, someone Samuel respected. God made the green lights shine brightly for this new dynasty.

The Israelites got a powerful-looking king-general from a great family, but alas, not one that first sought after God. This is no doubt why we are exhorted to pray for our leaders (1 Tim 2:1-2). It’s difficult for them. Their character flaws can lead to compromise and corruption.

Samuel started them off well by giving them their king along with the ordinances, which clarified the rules by which they would abide. They were written in a book to remind them and placed before the Lord.

Some suggest it is not the same as Deuteronomy 17:15-17 where God lays out a description because they already had that. I’m not sure that is true. However, it seemed like everyone was in agreement. Perhaps, later on, people would look back and use it to articulate what could or could not be done. The king is powerful but does not have the last word; the prophet still held his position. The book is probably a blend of the two, safely placed in the Lord’s presence.

Gibeah’s history recorded some fearless and courageous warriors (Judges 20). The tribe was lost due to a purging of their wickedness. Kish’s family, Saul’s grandfather(?), must have been one of the 600 men held out by the rock of Rimmon that formed the rebuilding of the tribe of Benjamin (Judges 20:47). “Now there was a man of Benjamin whose name was Kish, the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Becorath, the son of Aphiah, the son of a Benjamite, a mighty man of valor” (1 Sam 9:1).

Division Avoided

Admittedly, establishing new governmental and military leaders for the first time is not an easy task. Saul was from the tribe of Benjamin. Some unidentified leaders had trouble with this. Maybe there was tribal rivalry, but I don’t think so because they were noted as “worthless” men, people from whom one might expect trouble. We still have such men today!

Saul passed two tests that day. First, he followed Samuel’s guidelines during the meeting. Second, perhaps more difficult, “he kept silent” (1 Sam 10:27)! When one has newly acquired power, it’s tempting to exercise it and use it to bring everyone together. He refused to do this. This didn’t resolve the conflict but it is very noteworthy, proving he might be a good king.

Application

What we think we need is usually short-sighted, often blurred by our selfish wants. This is Israel’s problem here! When looking for pastors, many first look for gifts and degrees. Paul explicitly writes to look for godly character when choosing leaders in two places and how it affects their relationships (1 Tim 3; Titus 1). Character flaws create crater-like ministry gaps. This problem will lead us through the remaining chapters of 1 Samuel.

Summary

Our life decisions form the backbone of our spiritual lives. It’s easy to make worldly decisions, following the cues of those around us. But they will lead to a lackluster spiritual life, marked by problems. It’s much better to trust God for His ways, even if they seem confusing or nonsensical. He tests your trust in Him through these means, trying to build up your faith to further bless and use you in this world.

Spiritual Life Points

Respond to God’s pursuit.
Be convinced of His better ways. (faith)
God works with us where we are at. Seek Him!
Don’t be preoccupied with your plans. Be careful what you seek.
Repent from any bad decisions.
Work closely with Him no matter where you are.

The consequences for rejecting God worsen Illustrated through Israel’s History.

Bible Study Questions for 1 Samuel 10:17-27

What did God’s past treatment of Israel indicate about His care for them (1 Sam 10:17-18)?
How did they get to be called the “sons of Israel”? Give a brief history.
Do you think 1 Samuel 10:17-18 acted as God’s second chance for the Israelites? Explain your answer.
What are some reasons people make bad choices?
The Israelites insisted on making a poor choice in verse 19. What were the two options?
What made this decision of theirs so severe?
How do you react when people reject your opinion? How did God act toward the Israelite’s when they rejected Him?
List at least four concrete ways the Lord supported the Israelites in this decision (10:20-27). Which stands out most to you and why?
Why is it wrong to get what you wanted so much? Give an example from your life.
What do you think the Israelites wanted in a king? Do you think they thought about what kind of king they desired?
What would it be like to choose God to be their king instead? How do you think it would be better?
Are you sometimes so preoccupied with your set ways that you are not open to God’s alternative way? Give an example.