Finally the age of kings dawned and Saul was anointed as Israel's first king. He was tall, imposing, comely, a good choice it seems. But his heart was easily corrupted.
Samuel showed his mettle (Chapter 7)
The ark was
immediately moved back into Israel, but just. The nearest Jewish town to Beth-shemesh
or House of the Sun, the Philistine town that incurred the wrath of God, was
Kiriath-Jearim
That was in response to
a call in 1 Samuel 6:21. However, once there in the City of the Forest, it
stayed there for the next 20 years.
It was not moved to
Shiloh.
The reasons are not evident at all, and it is mystified by Samuel’s own
Godly fervor. He, of all men, should have desired the return of the ark and the
restoration of the Atonement festival.
It suggests that
Israel was as indifferent to the ark before and after its having been purloined
by the Philistines. The nation had lost its greatest touchstone.
That said, the hill of
Kiriath-Jearim had long been held as a sacred hill, although previously that
was in association with Baal.
It therefore displaced the false light of Beth-shemesh
to be the greater light over Israel.
Abinadab, the Levite on
whose land the ark stood, means “Noble father”, while Eleazer means “Servant in
the Court”, which all suggests that the ark was held in custody, preserved and
cared for until it resumed its rightful place of honor in Israel.
That is more fitting
of Samuel, who probably felt that the nation could not give it the respect it
deserved, so rather protect it and care for it until they were ready to accept
it again.
Meanwhile Samuel heard
the cries of the wayward people of God and gathered them together at Mizpah, to
judge their sins and to make an offering for them.
Mizpah is where Jacob
heaped stones as a reminder to Laban and himself, never to return to what they
left and for God to hold that true.
It was thus a Mount of
Witness to the nation, similar to the two halves of a medallion used to hold
betrothed souls true to each until they met again.
As happened in the Yom
Kippur War, that gathering incited the Philistines to attack.
It also backfired. A
great thunder drove them back and gave momentum to a rout that restored the
coastal cities to Israel.
For all the days of
Samuel the land knew peace.
The people demanded a king (Chapter 8)
Samuel was ageing and
Israel despaired of seeing another leader of his stature, so they demanded a
king to rule over them, with the implications of a kingly line.
Samuel, warned by God,
told them that a king would tax them, burden them, coopt their children and
make substantial demands on their lives.
Privately God told
Samuel, “They reject me, not you”, but the petition was granted.
Saul emerged (Chapter 9)
Saul set off from
Gibeah in Benjamin, to recover some lost asses for his father Kish. It took him
on a wandering journey to Ramah. It sounds like a great distance, but we are
talking less than 10 miles.
They didn’t find the
donkeys, but Ramah was the home of Samuel.
So they decided to inquire
of the prophet. Meanwhile God had spoken to Samuel about the imminent arrival
of Saul.
Saul inquired of some
maidens at the village well and they guided him to Samuel, who was about to go
up to the high place of Ramah.
They met and he told
Saul to go with him, where they dined together. The next day they walked
together on the way out of the city, and Samuel told Saul to hold back and let
his servant go on ahead.
Saul is anointed as King (Chapter 10)
Then Samuel anointed
Saul and told him that he would be “captain over God’s people”, but essential
the first king of Israel.
Three special
encounters were then foretold:
- He would meet two men at Rachel’s sepulcher, who would confirm that the asses were found,
- He would meet three men at Mount Tabor who would give him two loaves of bread, and
- He would meet the prophets at Gibeah, his home town, and prophesy with them to emerge as a very different man.
That all happened, but
he was also then told to go down to Gilgal and wait seven days for Samuel to
come and brief him.
Meanwhile Samuel
gathered the nation at Mizpah and revealed their king, who had hidden in the “stuff” or baggage from all the people who had come to Mizpah.
Sometimes we are all caught up in the clutter of life's baggage, when God wants to anoint us and establish our calling for his own glory. Best we rise to the moment.
He was tall and handsome, head and shoulders above his compatriots and a man of
great valor and strength – a fitting king.
The era of the kings
had finally dawned over Israel.
(c) Peter Missing @ bethelstone.com
