1 Samuel 10:1-16 (CLICK HERE FOR BIBLE VERSES)
Hi GAMErs,
Today’s passage is 1 Samuel 10:1-16. As usual, I encourage you to read the passage yourself first and see what you can glean with the Holy Spirit’s help, then read the GAME sharing below. Let’s go!
1 Samuel 10:1-7 (NIV)
1 Then Samuel took a flask of oil and poured it on Saul’s head and kissed him, saying, “Has not the LORD anointed you leader over his inheritance?
2 When you leave me today, you will meet two men near Rachel’s tomb, at Zelzah on the border of Benjamin. They will say to you, ‘The donkeys you set out to look for have been found. And now your father has stopped thinking about them and is worried about you. He is asking, “What shall I do about my son?”‘
3 “Then you will go on from there until you reach the great tree of Tabor. Three men going up to God at Bethel will meet you there. One will be carrying three young goats, another three loaves of bread, and another a skin of wine.
4 They will greet you and offer you two loaves of bread, which you will accept from them.
5 “After that you will go to Gibeah of God, where there is a Philistine outpost. As you approach the town, you will meet a procession of prophets coming down from the high place with lyres, tambourines, flutes and harps being played before them, and they will be prophesying.
6 The Spirit of the LORD will come upon you in power, and you will prophesy with them; and you will be changed into a different person.
7 Once these signs are fulfilled, do whatever your hand finds to do, for God is with you.
On verses 1-7: Samuel anointed Saul king over Israel by pouring oil on Saul’s head. What does it mean to anoint? To anoint means to set apart for a special purpose.
Similarly, to prepare us for our mission and life purpose, God anointed us. Every Christian is anointed by God to serve Him and to live for Him (see 1 John 2:20). As 2 Corinthians 1:21-22 says, “…He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.”
Oil is often a symbol for the Holy Spirit. The oil falling on Saul’s head tangibly illustrated Samuel’s prediction in verses 5-7 that Saul would experience the Holy Spirit in a powerful way. This would happen in the verses that follow.
1 Samuel 10:8 (NIV)
8 “Go down ahead of me to Gilgal. I will surely come down to you to sacrifice burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, but you must wait seven days until I come to you and tell you what you are to do.”
On verse 8: Samuel told Saul to go to Gilgal and to wait for Samuel to arrive to offer burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. This would turn out to be a crucial instruction from Samuel to Saul.
1 Samuel 10:9-16 (NIV)
9 As Saul turned to leave Samuel, God changed Saul’s heart, and all these signs were fulfilled that day.
10 When they arrived at Gibeah, a procession of prophets met him; the Spirit of God came upon him in power, and he joined in their prophesying.
11 When all those who had formerly known him saw him prophesying with the prophets, they asked each other, “What is this that has happened to the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?”
12 A man who lived there answered, “And who is their father?” So it became a saying: “Is Saul also among the prophets?”
13 After Saul stopped prophesying, he went to the high place.
14 Now Saul’s uncle asked him and his servant, “Where have you been?” “Looking for the donkeys,” he said. “But when we saw they were not to be found, we went to Samuel.”
15 Saul’s uncle said, “Tell me what Samuel said to you.”
16 Saul replied, “He assured us that the donkeys had been found.” But he did not tell his uncle what Samuel had said about the kingship.
On verses 9-16: Here just as Samuel predicted in verse 6, Saul experiences the Holy Spirit in a powerful way. To prepare Saul for his calling as king, he is given the gift of being able to prophesy (to understand and communicate God’s heart to the people) and his own heart is changed (v6).
The same was true of Jesus’ disciples. In Matthew 28:19-20, Jesus commissioned (and effectively anointed) them to go and make disciples of all nations. But Jesus told them that before they were to go out and preach to the nations, they were first to wait for the Holy Spirit to come upon them in power (Acts 1:8).
What can we learn from this? Not only does God anoint us for a special life purpose, God also equips us by giving us His Holy Spirit and His gifts, known as spiritual gifts.
If you want to be effective in the mission God has for your life, it’s not enough to be anointed. You must also be equipped. Seek to build a strong relationship with the Holy Spirit. You need to know the Holy Spirit and how to operate in His gifts to be effective in your calling.
Lord Jesus, thank You not only for anointing me for a special purpose, but also for equipping me with the Holy Spirit and His gifts. Holy Spirit, I want to get to know You better, to understand and use the spiritual gifts You have given me. In Jesus’ name, AMEN!
Copyright © 2022 Justin Lim. All rights reserved.
