Audio Download

1 Samuel 9:1–27 Saul Chosen to be King 

[Study Aired March 2, 2026]

Introduction

The study today focuses on the Lord’s providence in guiding Saul to Samuel to be anointed as the king of Israel. The study starts with Saul’s physical attributes which made him stand out as a possible candidate for a king. This is followed by Saul’s journey in Israel in search of his father’s lost donkeys, which ultimately led him to Samuel, who was going to anoint him as king of the people of Israel.

Introduction of Saul

1Sa 9:1  Now there was a man of Benjamin, whose name was Kish, the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Bechorath, the son of Aphiah, a Benjamite, a mighty man of power.
1Sa 9:2  And he had a son, whose name was Saul, a choice young man, and a goodly: and there was not among the children of Israel a goodlier person than he: from his shoulders and upward he was higher than any of the people. 

Verse 1 describes Kish, the father of Saul, from the tribe of Benjamin, as a mighty man of power. In the Bible, the description of a mighty man of power signifies our Lord Jesus Christ. The tribe of Benjamin represents the family of the Lord’s elect as shown in the following verses:

Gen 43:34  And he took and sent messes unto them from before him: but Benjamin’s mess was five times so much as any of theirs. And they drank, and were merry with him.

Gen 45:22 To all of them he gave each man changes of raiment; but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver, and five changes of raiment.

Gen 49:27  Benjamin shall ravin as a wolf: in the morning he shall devour the prey, and at night he shall divide the spoil.

Benjamin means son of the right hand. Here in Genesis 49:27, we can say that it is the Lord who is wild as a wolf in His destruction of our flesh as He devours our flesh through His judgement when He rises in our hearts and minds as the morning star and in the fullness of time, divides the spoil for His elect (reward of His elect).

Kish means ‘bent.’ This describes the way of the Lord which is not straight forward (bent). 

Rom 11:33  God’s riches, wisdom, and knowledge are so deep that it is impossible to explain his decisions or to understand his ways.
Rom 11:34  “Who knows how the Lord thinks? Who can become his adviser?” 
Rom 11:35  Who gave the Lord something which the Lord must pay back? 
Rom 11:36 Everything is from him and by him and for him. Glory belongs to him forever! Amen! (GW)

As indicated, Kish being a mighty man of power, represents Christ. Saul means desired, which can mean chosen. What this implies is that Saul was chosen by the Lord to become a king. The Lord has called and chosen us, His elect, to reign with Him as kings in the fulness of time. 

Eph 1:4  According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: 

2Ti 2:12  If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us: 

On a negative note, Saul also represents the leaders of the church system of this world or Babylon. His attractive physical attributes imply that the leaders of the church system of this world come with charisma, which is difficult to ignore as they sweep the Lord’s people off their feet with their personality, such that they are not able to discern that these men of God do not represent the Lord’s elect.

Pro 31:30  Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised. 

1Sa 9:3  And the asses of Kish Saul’s father were lost. And Kish said to Saul his son, Take now one of the servants with thee, and arise, go seek the asses. 
1Sa 9:4 And he passed through mount Ephraim, and passed through the land of Shalisha, but they found them not: then they passed through the land of Shalim, and there they were not: and he passed through the land of the Benjamites, but they found them not. 

In the Bible times, owning asses signifies being physically rich, as shown in the following verses:

Gen 24:35  And the LORD hath blessed my master greatly; and he is become great: and he hath given him flocks, and herds, and silver, and gold, and menservants, and maidservants, and camels, and asses.

Gen 30:43  And the man increased exceedingly, and had much cattle, and maidservants, and menservants, and camels, and asses.

Therefore, Saul going out in search of the asses of his father means that we start our walk with Christ in pursuit of the Lord’s spiritual riches. Saul taking one of the servants of his father to search for the asses implies that in this pursuit of becoming spiritually rich in Christ, we become witnesses of Christ. 

2Co 13:1  This is the third time I am coming to you. In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.  

In verse 4, we are shown the cities Saul visited in search of his father’s asses. The meaning of these cities that Saul and his father’s servant went through have implication of what we must go through to become spiritually rich. The first place they passed through was Mount Ephraim. Ephraim means ‘doubly fruitful.’ The mount of Ephraim is the house of the Lord or the church of the Lord’s elect.

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.

What this suggests is that to become spiritually rich or doubly fruitful, we must enter the house of the God of Jacob or the church of the Lord’s elect, which is the pillar and ground of the truth. That is where we are nourished through what every joint supplies, to become spiritually rich in Christ. 

1Ti 3:15  But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

Eph 4:15  But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: 
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.

The next place where Saul and his father’s servant went was the land of Shalisha. It is important to note that Salisha means ‘the third.’ The number three symbolizes the process of spiritual maturity through the Lord’s judgment. This means that it is through the Lord’s judgment of our flesh that we become spiritually rich in Him.

The third place of the search was the land of Shalim. Shalim means ‘foxes’ and therefore to become spiritually rich, we must take out, through the Lord’s help, the foxes which spoil the vine. These foxes which impoverish us spiritually are the false prophets parading as angels of light.

Son 2:15  Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes. 

Eze 13:4  O Israel, thy prophets are like the foxes in the deserts.

2Co 11:13  For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. 
2Co 11:14  And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. 
2Co 11:15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works. 

The fourth place Saul and his father’s servant went searching for the asses was the land of Benjamin. The name Benjamin means ‘son of the right hand’, which means the Lord’s elect. It is in the assembly of the Lord’s elect that we are empowered to become spiritually rich. The fact that in all these places, Saul and the servant did not find the asses means that becoming spiritually rich is a process which takes time. We only find these spiritual riches when we search with all our hearts.

Jer 29:13  And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.

1Sa 9:5  And when they were come to the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant that was with him, Come, and let us return; lest my father leave caring for the asses, and take thought for us. 
1Sa 9:6  And he said unto him, Behold now, there is in this city a man of God, and he is an honourable man; all that he saith cometh surely to pass: now let us go thither; peradventure he can shew us our way that we should go.  

The land of Zuph means the ‘land of honey comb.’ It is in this land of honey comb which signifies the rudimentary gospel of milk and honey which causes us to ponder over the Lord’s thought for us.  

Jer 29:11  For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

1Co 3:2  I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.

It was in this city that a man of God, Samuel, lived. The servant saying that Samuel can show them the way to go means that it is Christ who can show us the way we should go. What we need to understand is that Christ works through His elect, like Samuel, to show us the way to become spiritually rich in Him.

2Co 8:9  For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich. 

1Co 4:8  Now ye are full, now ye are rich, ye have reigned as kings without us: and I would to God ye did reign, that we also might reign with you.

1Sa 9:7  Then said Saul to his servant, But, behold, if we go, what shall we bring the man? for the bread is spent in our vessels, and there is not a present to bring to the man of God: what have we? 
1Sa 9:8  And the servant answered Saul again, and said, Behold, I have here at hand the fourth part of a shekel of silver: that will I give to the man of God, to tell us our way.
1Sa 9:9  (Before time in Israel, when a man went to enquire of God, thus he spake, Come, and let us go to the seer: for he that is now called a Prophet was beforetime called a Seer.)
1Sa 9:10 Then said Saul to his servant, Well said; come, let us go. So they went unto the city where the man of God was.

Here Samuel, the man of God represents Christ. Saul reminded the servant that they must bring a present to the man of God. However, at that time Saul did not have anything worth offering to Samuel. This is because the bread in their vessels was finished. The bread here represents the word of the Lord. At this stage of Saul’s life, he did not know the Lord and therefore could not hear His voice. As a result, there was nothing to offer the Lord. It is when we are given to know the truth of the word of the Lord that we can offer something precious to Christ. This offering which we must bring to Christ is presenting ourselves as living sacrifices, holy and acceptable 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.
Rom 12:2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. 

In verse 8, the servant’s remarks that he has a fourth part of silver that he will give to the man of God implies that we must give the whole of what we have to the Lord. This whole of what we have is our bodies which we must offer to the Lord without any reservation.

Num 23:10  Who can count the dust of Jacob or number the fourth part of Israel? Let me die the death of the upright, and let my end be like his!”  

In verse 10, Saul agreeing to go to the city to see Samuel means that it is through what every joint supplies (what the servant offered) that we are able to come into the city of the Lord’s elect to see Christ or to come to know Him. 

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. 

Coming into the City of the Living Lord

1Sa 9:11  And as they went up the hill to the city, they found young maidens going out to draw water, and said unto them, Is the seer here? 
1Sa 9:12  And they answered them, and said, He is; behold, he is before you: make haste now, for he came to day to the city; for there is a sacrifice of the people to day in the high place: 
1Sa 9:13  As soon as ye be come into the city, ye shall straightway find him, before he go up to the high place to eat: for the people will not eat until he come, because he doth bless the sacrifice; and afterwards they eat that be bidden. Now therefore get you up; for about this time ye shall find him. 
1Sa 9:14 And they went up into the city: and when they were come into the city, behold, Samuel came out against them, for to go up to the high place. 

The young maidens (vs 11) represent the churches of the Lord’s elect scattered all over the world. The role of the church is to fetch water to quench the thirst of the Lord’s people. The water signifies the word of the Lord which is made available through what every joint supplies in the church of the first born. It is in the midst of the churches of the Lord’s elect that we find the seer who symbolizes the Lord Jesus Christ. 

Joe 2:27  And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the LORD your God, and none else: and my people shall never be ashamed.

In verses 13 and 14, it was when Saul and the servant were in the city that they met Samuel. That means that it is when we come into the church of the Lord’s elect that we come to see Christ. It is instructive to note that in verse 13, Saul and the servant were told that the people will not eat until Samuel comes to bless the sacrifice. We are the sacrifice, and it is when the Lord comes to breathe over His people the Holy Spirit that we are given to understand the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven. 

Joh 20:22  And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:

As Saul and the servant entered the church of the Lord’s elect, Samuel was coming toward them on his way to the worship site. This is to let us know it is not we, who are seeking after the Lord, but it is the Lord who is coming toward us to sit in our hearts and minds (worship site). 

Eze 34:11  For thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out. 
Eze 34:12 As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day.

1Sa 9:15  Now the LORD had told Samuel in his ear a day before Saul came, saying, 
1Sa 9:16  Tomorrow about this time I will send thee a man out of the land of Benjamin, and thou shalt anoint him to be captain over my people Israel, that he may save my people out of the hand of the Philistines: for I have looked upon my people, because their cry is come unto me. 

The Lord indeed moves in mysterious ways. The lost asses of Kish and Saul’s father’s request for Saul to take one of his servant to search for the lost asses were all part of the Lord’s plan to bring Saul before Samuel, with the purpose of anointing him as king of Israel. In other words, the mundane activities that we engage in are all designed by the Lord for the purpose of bringing us to Himself. 

Rom 11:33  O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! 
Rom 11:34  For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor? 
Rom 11:35  Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? 
Rom 11:36  For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory forever. Amen.

It is insightful to note that the Lord told Samuel in verse 16 that Saul shall save the people of Israel from the hands of the Philistines. As we are aware, Saul was rejected by the Lord as king later in his reign. He therefore signifies the leaders of the church system of this world or Babylon. What this implies is that even during our time in Babylon, the Lord was gradually destroying our flesh through His judgment.

1Sa 9:17  And when Samuel saw Saul, the LORD said unto him, Behold the man whom I spake to thee of! this same shall reign over my people. 
1Sa 9:18  Then Saul drew near to Samuel in the gate, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, where the seer’s house is. 
1Sa 9:19  And Samuel answered Saul, and said, I am the seer: go up before me unto the high place; for ye shall eat with me to day, and to morrow I will let thee go, and will tell thee all that is in thine heart. 
1Sa 9:20 And as for thine asses that were lost three days ago, set not thy mind on them; for they are found. And on whom is all the desire of Israel? Is it not on thee, and on all thy father’s house? 

We can see from these verses that Saul did not know Samuel. We all start our walk with Christ not knowing Him. Just as Samuel told Saul to go to the high place to eat with him, so is the Lord telling us, His elect, to go to the church or assembly of the Lord’s elect, signified by the high place. It is in the church that we eat with the Lord, which means being fed with the truth of the Lord’s word in order to know Him. Just as Samuel told Saul that the important thing is to go to the high place and eat with him and then He will tell Samuel what was in his heart, we are to focus on our gathering together to dine with the Lord through His word. It is through this that we become aware of what is in our hearts. That, the heart is desperately wicked and corrupt.

Jer 17:9  The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
Jer 17:10  I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.

It is worth noting that Samuel told Saul not to worry about the lost asses because they had been found. All that Saul had to do was to go to the high place to eat with Samuel. Our focus must be on our gathering and the word of truth which is able to give us an inheritance. When we focus on Him, the Lord will take care of our needs.

Php 4:6  Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 

Mat 6:31  Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 
Mat 6:32  (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 
Mat 6:33  But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Mat 6:34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. 

In verse 20, Samuel also said that Saul is the desire of Israel. At that time, the people of Israel wanted to be like any other nation, and therefore the Lord gave them Saul, who is like them. Later, we saw how the people were disappointed in him. What the world is looking for in leaders are people who are loving, kind, not corrupt, etc. These qualities can only be found in the Lord’s elect. That is why the scriptures tell us that the desire of the people of the world is the revealing of the sons of God. When Christ comes, the sons of God shall be revealed to the world. 

Rom 8:19  For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. 

Samuel Dines with Saul

1Sa 9:21  And Saul answered and said, Am not I a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel? and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? wherefore then speakest thou so to me? 
1Sa 9:22  And Samuel took Saul and his servant, and brought them into the parlour, and made them sit in the chiefest place among them that were bidden, which were about thirty persons.
1Sa 9:23  And Samuel said unto the cook, Bring the portion which I gave thee, of which I said unto thee, Set it by thee.
1Sa 9:24 And the cook took up the shoulder, and that which was upon it, and set it before Saul. And Samuel said, Behold that which is left! set it before thee, and eat: for unto this time hath it been kept for thee since I said, I have invited the people. So Saul did eat with Samuel that day. 

Saul did not consider himself as someone who can become the king of Israel because he was from a small tribe and his family was the least of the families of the tribe of Benjamin. We are all like Saul. We do not deserve to be part of the Lord’s elect. However, in His mercy, He has favored us and chosen us in Him before the foundation of this world. 

Eph 1:4  According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: 
Eph 1:5  Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 
Eph 1:6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

As we can see in verse 22, Samuel made Saul sit among those bidden to come to feast. As indicated, Samuel here represents the Lord who has raised us up in him to sit in heavenly places.

Eph 2:4  But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
Eph 2:5  Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) 
Eph 2:6  And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: 
Eph 2:7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.

The thirty people who were invited to the feast represent the Lord’s elect who are destined to overcome to become part of the marriage feast of the lamb. These are those who will reign over the kingdoms of this world. 

Gen 41:46  And Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh, and went throughout all the land of Egypt.

2Sa 5:4  David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years.

Our coming together is like a feast where we eat and drink as the Lord has set apart our portions for us, just like Samuel reserving a portion for Saul. The eating and drinking is knowing the Lord through His word.

In an age to come, we shall be at the marriage feast of the Lord, where we shall be like Him even as we come to know Him as He is. As we are aware, in this life we only know Jesus in part. However, when we see Him, we shall be like Him and know Him as He is. The feasting at the marriage feast of the lamb is for the purpose of knowing Him as He is.

Rev 19:7  Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. 
Rev 19:8  And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.
Rev 19:9 And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God. 

1Co 13:9  For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. 
1Co 13:10  But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. 

2Co 3:18  But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

1Sa 9:25  And when they were come down from the high place into the city, Samuel communed with Saul upon the top of the house. 
1Sa 9:26  And they arose early: and it came to pass about the spring of the day, that Samuel called Saul to the top of the house, saying, Up, that I may send thee away. And Saul arose, and they went out both of them, he and Samuel, abroad. 
1Sa 9:27 And as they were going down to the end of the city, Samuel said to Saul, Bid the servant pass on before us, (and he passed on,) but stand thou still a while, that I may shew thee the word of God. 

As indicated earlier, Saul was the Lord’s elect at this stage of his life. Samuel communing with Saul is the Lord communing with us through His word. Therefore, Samuel communing with Saul after they came down from the high place implies that our study of the word of the Lord must not be confined to only our gathering or feasting. In our closet, we must continue to study the word of the Lord to show ourselves approved as workmen who need not be ashamed.

2Ti 2:15  Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

It is insightful to note that Samuel told Saul to let the servant pass on before them. In this case, the servant represents our brothers and sisters in Babylon whom the Lord is not opening their eyes and ears to hear the word of the Lord. To our brothers and sisters in Babylon, the word of the Lord is a parable. However, to us, the Lord is showing us the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven as signified by Samuel ready to show Saul the word of God in verse 27.

Mat 13:10  And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? 
Mat 13:11  He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. 
Mat 13:12  For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. 
Mat 13:13 Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. 

May the Lord continue to show us the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven as we see the day approaching. Amen!!