1 SAMUEL 11
Read 1 Samuel 11:1-15
The old troubles for Israel continued. There were still enemies within the Promised Land and this time it was the Ammonites who were giving the Israelites a hard time. When Saul heard about this he was angry and the Spirit of God came upon him. That reminds us of the days of the Judges but with a slight difference. In the old days when an enemy oppressed Israel, the nation cried out to God and he raised up a spirit empowered Judge. Now the people cried out to their king for deliverance, but God, in his grace and mercy, still empowered King Saul with the Holy Spirit. And we read that Saul won the backing of the people (although he used some pretty tough tactics) and also won a resounding victory against the ammonites.
At the end of the last chapter, when Saul was made king, there were some who were not happy with the choice and said, ‘how can this fellow save us?’ (1 Samuel 10:27). After this victory, Saul, to his credit, announced, ‘this day the Lord has rescued Israel’. Just as in the days of the Judges it was the Lord who brought deliverance, not the king. Salvation came not because Israel had a king, but because the king was equipped with the Spirit of the Lord. What God is saying to Saul and the Israelites is, ‘without me, you can do nothing’, and that is a message for the church today as much as for the Old Testament people of God.
After Saul’s famous victory in battle, Samuel called the people of Israel together for a ceremony to renew the kingship. Samuel’s intent was that the people reaffirmed Saul as king but also that it was done in the presence of the Lord. The Israelites had demanded a king so that they could be like other nations. But they were not like other nations; they were a chosen people, a holy people special to God. And because of that the Lord was still their God. They might now have a human king but he was subservient to God, he was an under-shepherd and Samuel wanted the people to remember that. And so there were great festivities, but a sacrifice was offered to the Lord in thanksgiving for his deliverance from the Ammonites.
Samuel’s calling of the people together at this time to reaffirm the kingship is important for as a Christians. It reminds us that we should always be looking to celebrate God’s victory over sin and death and we should always be looking to reaffirm our allegiance to the Kingdom of God. Samuel here reminds us of Matthew 6:33. ‘Seek first his kingdom and righteousness, and all these things will be given to you’.