1 Samuel 6 – 10

The Philistines are trying to decide what to do with the Covenant Chest and in verse 6:6 the priests and fortune tellers give their view:

Why would you be as stubborn as the Egyptians and their Pharaoh were? You’ve heard the stories, haven’t you? When this God had taught them a lesson, didn’t they release the people of Israel? Didn’t they go?

Think about what they have been enduring and what they know. Then consider why they are even thinking about keeping it. At this point logic should have taken over and the only option would be return the chest. But no, they have to rely on mystics to give them the ultimate decision.

Now the meat of this reading is in Israel getting a king. Verse 8:20 has the people ignoring what Samuel is telling them:

so that we will be like all other nations and will have someone to judge us and to lead us into battle.

Sometimes I wonder if this was not the best thing for them, because left on their own they tended to drift to other gods and practices. At the same time once you allow this, the king has the power to be a tyrant, removing all freedoms. This is why when the USA was formed the leaders wanted limited power and election by the people of the “kings” to represent them. When you think about it this model is ideal where people have freedom yet are lead to stay on track. As we will see with Israel and all other systems in history, they get corrupted and rarely survive unless a sharp turn to the roots is made.

In chapter 9 Saul is selected by God and anointed by Samuel which is something we often forget. I have heard from many churched people that David was the first anointed king, but we see Saul is really the first. But where the problem comes in is in verse 10:22 when Saul rejects his calling:

So they asked the Eternal One if the man had yet arrived.

Eternal One: Look! He has hidden himself among the baggage.

Saul was anointed king before this and hid from his God given responsibilities. How many times have we done that? I still kick myself for that one prompt where someone had come to the front during an alter call. The pastors were all busy and she kept searching right in front of me. I was called to speak to her, but instead hid in the baggage and continued to worship and sing. She left shortly after and I have no idea if she ever resolved her salvation, but I hid. And this is the real problem with Saul!!