Audio Download

1 Samuel 10:1–27 Saul Anointed King by Samuel

[Study Aired March 9, 2026]

Our study today focuses on the Lord’s sovereignty in establishing Saul as Israel’s first king. The study highlights how the Lord divinely empowered Saul to become the king of Israel. It therefore, shows us how the Lord is empowering us, His elect, to reign with Him when the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ.

Rev 11:15  And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.

Saul Anointed King

1Sa 10:1  Then Samuel took a vial of oil, and poured it upon his head, and kissed him, and said, Is it not because the LORD hath anointed thee to be captain over his inheritance?

It is important to note in verse 1 that the Lord anointing Saul was for the purpose of making him captain over the Lord’s people or inheritance. That means that to become a king of the Lord’s people or inheritance, we must be anointed.

Deu 32:9  For the LORD’S portion is his people; Jacob is the lot of his inheritance.

The Lord’s inheritance is our inheritance. The Lord has shown us in His word that He will give us the nations as our inheritance.

Psa 2:8  Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. 

Psa 24:1  A Psalm of David. The earth is the LORD’S, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.

In Psalm 133:1, we are shown what the anointing does in our lives to ensure our kingship when the kingdoms of this world becomes the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ. It helps us to dwell together in unity with our brothers and sisters in the body of Christ, which is the pillar of the truth of the Lord’s word.

Psa 133:1  A Song of degrees of David. Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!
Psa 133:2 It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron’s beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments; 

The Lord is therefore training us as rulers within the body of Christ, so that in the fullness of time, we shall reign as kings with Christ. This training involves living in unity with our brothers and sisters as we go through suffering in this age to destroy our flesh. Living in unity implies being of one mind and speaking the same thing.

1Co 1:10  Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.

What We Must Go Through to become Kings

1Sa 10:2  When thou art departed from me today, then thou shalt find two men by Rachel’s sepulchre in the border of Benjamin at Zelzah; and they will say unto thee, The asses which thou wentest to seek are found: and, lo, thy father hath left the care of the asses, and sorroweth for you, saying, What shall I do for my son?

After anointing Saul, Samuel told him about what would happen to him on his way to become king of Israel. Therefore, it shows us what we must go through as anointed of the Lord in order to realize our kingship when the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ.

The two men in verse 2 represent the Lord’s witnesses. The fact that the two men were by Rachel’s sepulcher implies that all of the Lord’s witnesses are going through the death of their flesh or the valley of shadow (meaning of Zelzah) of death in this age, through the Lord’s judgment.

Psa 23:4  Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

We must note that the two men who serve as the Lord’s witnesses were to let Saul know that the asses have been found and that his father is worrying about him.  This is to let us know that when the Lord calls and chooses us to be become His elect, He ensures that our needs are met so we can serve Him in rest and quietness.

Php 4:19  But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. 
Php 4:20  Now unto God and our Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen. 

Saul’s father caring about Saul after finding his lost asses is to show us the Lord’s care regarding us. The reason He cares about us is that He loves us dearly as His children.

Jer 31:3  The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.
Jer 31:4 Again I will build thee, and thou shalt be built, O virgin of Israel: thou shalt again be adorned with thy tabrets, and shalt go forth in the dances of them that make merry.

1Sa 10:3  Then shalt thou go on forward from thence, and thou shalt come to the plain of Tabor, and there shall meet thee three men going up to God to Bethel, one carrying three kids, and another carrying three loaves of bread, and another carrying a bottle of wine: 
1Sa 10:4 And they will salute thee, and give thee two loaves of bread; which thou shalt receive of their hands. 

The plain of Tabor is a mountain near the hills of Nazareth. As we have indicated in previous studies, a mountain on a positive note signifies the house of the Lord or the church of the Lord’s elect. Saul going to meet three men on their way to God at Bethel affirms that it is in the house of the Lord that Saul was going to meet these three men, since Bethel means house of God. These three men represent the Lord’s elect who were going to offer sacrifice to the Lord.

Isa 2:2  And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD’S house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it.
Isa 2:3  And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

Saul meeting the three men at the plain of Tabor implies that if we are to reign with Christ, then we must come into the church of the Lord’s elect. That is where we learn to offer ourselves as living sacrifice to the Lord. It is important to note that Saul was going to meet three men at Mount Tabor. The number three means the process of spiritual maturity through the Lord’s judgment of our old man or flesh. The fact that the three men were carrying three kids and three loaves and a bottle of wine is to show us that offering ourselves as a living sacrifice to the Lord is a process attained through the Lord’s judgment of our flesh.

Rom 12:1  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
Rom 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

The three men saluting Saul and giving him two loaves of bread in verse 4 means that in entering the church of the Lord’s elect, we are given to know Christ through His word, which is symbolized by the two loaves of bread given to Saul. The word of the Lord that we receive is through what every joint supplies in the assembly of the Lord’s elect as we are granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven.

Eph 4:16  From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

It is instructive to understand that Saul was given two loaves of bread. The number two means a witness. It implies that in coming to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, we must compare scripture with scripture.

1Co 2:13  Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

1Sa 10:5  After that thou shalt come to the hill of God, where is the garrison of the Philistines: and it shall come to pass, when thou art come thither to the city, that thou shalt meet a company of prophets coming down from the high place with a psaltery, and a tabret, and a pipe, and a harp, before them; and they shall prophesy: 
1Sa 10:6  And the Spirit of the LORD will come upon thee, and thou shalt prophesy with them, and shalt be turned into another man. 
1Sa 10:7 And let it be, when these signs are come unto thee, that thou do as occasion serve thee; for God is with thee.

It is on the hill of God or in the assembly or the church of the Lord’s elect that there is a Philistine outpost. This implies that it is in the church of the Lord’s elect that we pay attention to the deeds of our flesh.

Mat 26:41  Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

As we are aware, it is in the city of the Lord’s elect that we meet prophets with lyres, timbrels, pipes and harps as they prophesy. Prophesying here means singing praises to the Lord with lyres, timbrels, pipes and harps. Singing to the Lord is a form of prophesying as shown by the sister of Moses, who is called a prophetess, and the daughters of Philip, the evangelist, with seven daughters who prophesied.

Act 21:8  And the next day we that were of Paul’s company departed, and came unto Caesarea: and we entered into the house of Philip the evangelist, which was one of the seven; and abode with him.
Act 21:9 And the same man had four daughters, virgins, which did prophesy. 

Exo 15:20  And Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances. 
Exo 15:21 And Miriam answered them, Sing ye to the LORD, for he hath triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.

Singing is a form of worship, and therefore it is in the church of the Lord’s elect that we learn to worship the Lord in spirit as we offer our bodies as living sacrifice to the Lord.

Rom 12:1  I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.

As shown in verse 6, it is in the company of prophets or the Lord’s elect that the spirit of the Lord comes upon us to turn us into another man, who is Christ. We must remember that it was when the disciples were together on the day of Pentecost that the Holy Spirit descended upon them to turn them into Christ or another man.

Act 2:1  When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place.
Act 2:2  And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 
Act 2:3  And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them.
Act 2:4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.

The coming of the holy spirit into our lives is to lead us into the truth which is a requirement if we are to reign as kings, as we see the Holy Spirit came upon Saul.

Joh 16:13  Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

As indicated in verse 7, when we are given two loaves of bread as we come into the assembly of the Lord’s elect, and we are given the Holy Spirit to turn us into Christ or another man, then it means that the Lord is with us! It is not when things are going well with us that show the Lord is with us.  We may not feel His presence and we may be going through all kinds of trials and tribulations, but we must be assured that the Lord is with us as long as we are given to understand the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven through the Holy Spirit.

1Sa 10:8  And thou shalt go down before me to Gilgal; and, behold, I will come down unto thee, to offer burnt offerings, and to sacrifice sacrifices of peace offerings: seven days shalt thou tarry, till I come to thee, and shew thee what thou shalt do. 
1Sa 10:9 And it was so, that when he had turned his back to go from Samuel, God gave him another heart: and all those signs came to pass that day.

It was in Gilgal that Israelites were circumcised when they went over the Jordan.

Jos 5:2  At that time the LORD said unto Joshua, Make thee sharp knives, and circumcise again the children of Israel the second time.
Jos 5:3  And Joshua made him sharp knives, and circumcised the children of Israel at the hill of the foreskins. 
Jos 5:4  And this is the cause why Joshua did circumcise: All the people that came out of Egypt, that were males, even all the men of war, died in the wilderness by the way, after they came out of Egypt. 
Jos 5:5  Now all the people that came out were circumcised: but all the people that were born in the wilderness by the way as they came forth out of Egypt, them they had not circumcised.

Jos 5:8  And it came to pass, when they had done circumcising all the people, that they abode in their places in the camp, till they were whole.
Jos 5:9 And the LORD said unto Joshua, This day have I rolled away the reproach of Egypt from off you. Wherefore the name of the place is called Gilgal unto this day. 

What we are therefore being told is that it is by doing away with our flesh through the Lord’s judgment of our old man or flesh that we can offer ourselves as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to the Lord.

Rom 12:1  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 
Rom 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. 

The fact that in verse 8 Samuel told Saul to wait for him for seven days, to be told what to do implies that offering ourselves as a living sacrifice is a process. The seven days waiting for the Lord to come to us to offer the sacrifice pleasing to Him is the complete period of time in our lives that we go through the Lord’s judgment of our flesh. 

In verse 9, it was when Saul turned to follow Samuel’s instruction that the Lord gave him another heart and what had been said about him came to pass. It is through our obedience to the word of the Lord that we are given another heart. This is what it means to be given another heart:

Eze 36:26  A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. 
Eze 36:27  And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.
Eze 36:28  And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and ye shall be my people, and I will be your God.
Eze 36:29 I will also save you from all your uncleannesses: and I will call for the corn, and will increase it, and lay no famine upon you.

1Sa 10:10  And when they came thither to the hill, behold, a company of prophets met him; and the Spirit of God came upon him, and he prophesied among them. 
1Sa 10:11  And it came to pass, when all that knew him beforetime saw that, behold, he prophesied among the prophets, then the people said one to another, What is this that is come unto the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets? 
1Sa 10:12  And one of the same place answered and said, But who is their father? Therefore it became a proverb, Is Saul also among the prophets? 
1Sa 10:13  And when he had made an end of prophesying, he came to the high place. 

In verse 10, we are told that what Samuel said about Saul came to pass. This is to assure us that what the Lord has said in His word concerning us will come to pass in the fullness of time. 

Hab 2:3  For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.  

Many of those who knew Saul wondered what had happened to him. In a similar vein, many who knew us during our time in the churches of this world are wondering what’s become of us. Just as many wondered whether Saul was really among the prophets, many are not really sure whether we are among the Lord’s elect. However, time will tell who really is destined to reign with Christ. 

In verse 13, Saul came to the high place after prophesying. As indicated earlier, Saul prophesying is Saul singing to the glory of the Lord. This shows us that the high place which signifies the church of the Lord’s elect is where we should be. 

Heb 10:25  Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

Saul’s Encounter with His Uncle

1Sa 10:14  And Saul’s uncle said unto him and to his servant, Whither went ye? And he said, To seek the asses: and when we saw that they were nowhere, we came to Samuel. 
1Sa 10:15  And Saul’s uncle said, Tell me, I pray thee, what Samuel said unto you. 
1Sa 10:16 And Saul said unto his uncle, He told us plainly that the asses were found. But of the matter of the kingdom, whereof Samuel spake, he told him not.

Saul’s uncle represents our brothers and sisters in the churches of this world who are only interested in what the Lord has said to us. The Lord gave Saul wisdom to tell his uncle only what pertains to the finding of the asses and not his kingship. As the Lord told us, we must not cast our pearls before swine. That was exactly what Saul did.

Mat 7:6  Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.

The Choosing of Saul as King

1Sa 10:17  And Samuel called the people together unto the LORD to Mizpeh; 
1Sa 10:18  And said unto the children of Israel, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I brought up Israel out of Egypt, and delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all kingdoms, and of them that oppressed you: 
1Sa 10:19  And ye have this day rejected your God, who himself saved you out of all your adversities and your tribulations; and ye have said unto him, Nay, but set a king over us. Now therefore present yourselves before the LORD by your tribes, and by your thousands. 
1Sa 10:20  And when Samuel had caused all the tribes of Israel to come near, the tribe of Benjamin was taken. 
1Sa 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.

Just like the people of Israel, we have all rebelled against the Lord even though the Lord has wrought deliverance on our behalf in taking us out of the world (Egypt) to come and worship Him. In verse 19, we are shown the cardinal sin we have committed – we have rejected the Lord as king over our lives. The question is, “In what way have we rejected the Lord as king over our lives?” When through false doctrines we imbibed in Babylon or the churches of this world, we come to think that we have our own minds and make our own decisions. When we think we make our own decisions and do whatever we like, then we are the man of sin sitting in our temple claiming himself to be God. 

2Th 2:3  Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; 
2Th 2:4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.

Samuel requesting the people of Israel to present themselves before Him by tribe and by thousands, resulting in the selection of Saul as king is to let us know that our election to reign with Christ, in the fullness of time, is not by anything we have done. It is wholly the work of the Lord. He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world because He loves us!

Deu 7:6  For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God: the LORD thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth.
Deu 7:7  The LORD did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people: 
Deu 7:8 But because the LORD loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers, hath the LORD brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.

1Sa 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. 
1Sa 10:22  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. 
1Sa 10:23  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. 
1Sa 10:24 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. 

The lot to determine the tribe, the family and the person to become the king of the people of Israel was a way of knowing the Lord’s decision in those days. This is because the Holy Spirit had not been given permanently to guide them. It was after Jesus ascended that the Holy Spirit took permanent residence in the Lord’s elect to guide us to the truth. However, since all things are working according to the counsel of the Lord’s will, every ruler appointed in this world is therefore of the Lord – whether it is through voting, military insurrection, assassination, etc.

Pro 16:33  The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD. 

Eph 1:11  In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will.

It is important to note that when Saul was selected, he was nowhere to be found because he hid himself. He knew that the Lord has chosen him, but he hid himself. The first time that man tried to hide himself from the Lord was because of sin. In this case, it was Adam and Eve when they disobeyed the Lord. 

Gen 3:8  And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden.
Gen 3:9  And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? 
Gen 3:10  And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself. 
Gen 3:11 And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?

This implies that Saul hiding from the kingship was because he counted himself not fit for the kingship because he thought he was unworthy. We are all like Saul when the Lord came to us to offer us the kingship of ruling with Him in the fullness of time. At that time, we all felt unworthy of such an honor by the Lord. However, the Lord did not give up on us. My brother and sister, are you thinking that you are unworthy of such an honor by the Lord? No, don’t give up!! Let’s continue to persevere until we possess the crown.

Heb 10:35  Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward. 
Heb 10:36  For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. 
Heb 10:37  For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry.
Heb 10:38 Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. 

In the final analysis, the people overwhelmingly accepted Saul as their king. In the fullness of time, the world will overwhelmingly accept us as their kings when the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ.

Rev 11:15  And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.

1Sa 10:25  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. 
1Sa 10:26  And Saul also went home to Gibeah; and there went with him a band of men, whose hearts God had touched.
1Sa 10:27 But the children of Belial said, How shall this man save us? And they despised him, and brought him no presents. But he held his peace.

As shown in verse 26, the Lord will always find a way to support His chosen ones. The band of men whose hearts the Lord had touched represent all those whom the Lord has placed in our path of life, to help us achieve our goal of being able to reign with Christ in the fullness of time. Therefore, let’s not take for granted those whom the Lord directs to cross our path, whether they are part of the Lord’s elect or people who do not know Christ. 

On the other hand, there are those who don’t see what we see. Here in verse 27, these people are called children of Belial, and they represent our brothers and sisters in the churches of this world. They despise us and do not think we can ever become kings. Like Saul, we must hold our peace, and perhaps the Lord will open their eyes to see and their ears to hear that we are the saviors of the world.

Oba 1:21  And saviours shall come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau; and the kingdom shall be the LORD’S.

May we continue in Him, even as we are dying to the flesh daily through His judgment. Amen!!