The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in 1 Samuel 9:21,
"But am I not a Benjamite, from the smallest tribe of Israel, and is not my clan the least of all the clans of the tribe of Benjamin? Why do you say such a thing to me?"
The "thing" Samuel told Saul was that he would be the desire of all Israel, "And to whom is all the desire of Israel turned, if not to you and your whole family line?" Israel was demanding they be given a king, just like the surrounding nations had. God was to be the king of the nation, but they demanded a human king, and Saul was the chosen one.
The choice of Saul would not be a happy one for the nation, but when God's best is rejected for the desires of the heart, what else should be expected?
I find the choice of Saul instructive. Saul's comment above reminds me God often looks for things we do not. What we find important, God thinks otherwise. What God finds important, we often think otherwise. In 1 Samuel 16:7b the Lord tells Samuel, "The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart."
After the failure of Saul's reign, another king will be anointed by Samuel, David. The choice of David is similar in that God chose someone no one else expected. David's father had seven of his sons pass in front of Saul to present them as the possibilities that God had selected one of them. Not seeing who he was looking for, Samuel asked Jesse, David's father, "Are these all the sons you have?" Jesse told him the youngest, David, was tending the sheep. It never occurred to either Samuel or Jesse that the Lord had chosen David. David was not the tallest, David was not the oldest, David was left to the sheep while the rest of the family met with God's prophet... yet, David was God's choice to replace Saul.
I am reminded of something Paul would say a millennium later, "Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: 'Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.'" 1 Corinthians 1:26-31.
"But am I not a Benjamite, from the smallest tribe of Israel, and is not my clan the least of all the clans of the tribe of Benjamin? Why do you say such a thing to me?"
The "thing" Samuel told Saul was that he would be the desire of all Israel, "And to whom is all the desire of Israel turned, if not to you and your whole family line?" Israel was demanding they be given a king, just like the surrounding nations had. God was to be the king of the nation, but they demanded a human king, and Saul was the chosen one.
The choice of Saul would not be a happy one for the nation, but when God's best is rejected for the desires of the heart, what else should be expected?
I find the choice of Saul instructive. Saul's comment above reminds me God often looks for things we do not. What we find important, God thinks otherwise. What God finds important, we often think otherwise. In 1 Samuel 16:7b the Lord tells Samuel, "The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart."
After the failure of Saul's reign, another king will be anointed by Samuel, David. The choice of David is similar in that God chose someone no one else expected. David's father had seven of his sons pass in front of Saul to present them as the possibilities that God had selected one of them. Not seeing who he was looking for, Samuel asked Jesse, David's father, "Are these all the sons you have?" Jesse told him the youngest, David, was tending the sheep. It never occurred to either Samuel or Jesse that the Lord had chosen David. David was not the tallest, David was not the oldest, David was left to the sheep while the rest of the family met with God's prophet... yet, David was God's choice to replace Saul.
I am reminded of something Paul would say a millennium later, "Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: 'Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.'" 1 Corinthians 1:26-31.
Here is something to give real thought to.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
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