The King and the Kingdom 1 Samuel 10 verses 17 to 27

 

Introduction

I wonder… when you have prayed, ‘…your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven…’, do you ever consider how that will happen?

This prayer expresses the desire to see God’s Kingdom established everywhere on earth- in every heart, in every family, in every workplace and school, in every seat of government. It is a big prayer; and it is all centred on the King and the Kingdom.

Today, in this account of Saul’s coronation, we see the remarkable commitment of God to establish His Kingdom. In these verses we learn key lessons about the King and His Kingdom; and the role we have to play as Citizens of the Heavenly Kingdom.

Our passage can be understood under three headings:

Samuel’s Hopeful Rebuke

God’s Sovereign Choice

The Kingdom Come

Throughout this passage we once again see the gracious sovereignty of God. The people must rely on God to have the king they desire. God graciously gives them a king and then makes clear that this king must rule by God’s Word. And again we see that the king and the Kingdom only truly flourish in obedience to God’s Word.

Let’s see that first as we witness… Samuel’s Hopeful Rebuke

Special ceremonies demand careful attention to protocol. Think about the coronation of King Charles, or the annual opening of Parliament, or the ordination of elders and ministers. In each case there is a set way things are to be done, a formula of words to be spoken, a manner of conduct that is expected by all in attendance.

Yet, as Samuel approached Saul’s coronation, he realised that he must break with protocol to make a very serious point. On that day Israel would be given a king, but first they must be called to repentance; because Israel really had rejected their God Samuel knew that he must be faithful rather than cordial.

And so, Samuel gathered all Israel to an assembly at Mizpah- the place where, in Chapter 7, Samuel had earlier led the nation in repentance. Samuel now returned to Mizpah in hope that a new repentance would occur.

So, while a coronation would normally call for formal behaviour and nice speeches, Samuel used the occasion to rebuke the nation and call them back to God. Samuel brought the Word of God to the People. This is what godly leaders do.

 

Samuel’s rebuke had two parts. The first was to remind the people of God’s great saving acts in their history; in verse 18 we read:

“This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘I brought Israel up out of Egypt, and I delivered you from the power of Egypt and all the kingdoms that oppressed you.’

Samuel’s point was clear, just as God had delivered His People before, time and time again, He could be trusted to save His People once more. All that was required of His People was to trust and obey- to put their faith in Him and follow His ways.

However, God’s People decided to follow the ways of the world. In demanding a king, Israel was not simply asking for a new political system, they were rejecting God as their True-King and their place in His Kingdom.

And so, in verse 19, Samuel rebukes God’s People for their faithlessness, their desire to belong to the world rather than belong to God who had delivered them. Israel’s request for a worldly king was effectively a rejection of God and of being God’s People- they no longer wanted to be ruled by God or belong to God.

Believers today who want to be like the world are just like God’s People in Samuel’s day.

Perhaps we look around and see others succeeding without following God’s Way and we wonder if living as Citizens of God’s Kingdom is really worthwhile. In school or amongst colleagues it just seems easier to fit in and follow the crowd. If we do just a few things the world’s way- in the way we speak, the way we act, adopting the world’s priorities and perspectives on life- we can avoid sticking out and life will be easier.

But being God’s People demands faithfulness and devotion to Him and His Way. God’s People are to be holy as He is holy.

In John 16 Jesus told His Followers:

³³ “…In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world…”

When, as Believers, we run from the difficulties that leading a godly life will bring we display a shocking lack of faith in Christ’s power to overcome on our behalf. In other words, we are telling our Lord we no longer want to be ruled by Him or belong to Him.

This is a serious thing. What we speak about today demands deep thought.

Are we really living a faithful life in service of our King, or our we living for ourselves? Do we want to fit in, or will we stand out? Will we glorify God through a life pursuing holiness, or will we glorify ourselves by pursuing our small desires?

We must heed the rebuke of Samuel. We must remember who our God is and what He has done for us. We must remember the truths of Ephesians 2 that: ‘…God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, ⁷ in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.’.

We must remember that we have been delivered from death and darkness and called to be people of light who live in the fullness that Christ provides. We must remember our calling is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.

We must remember our God’s gracious sovereignty…

God’s Sovereign Choice

I wonder if there was a pause in verse 19. Would Samuel have spoken it something like this…

“But today you have rejected your God, who saves you from all your calamities and your distresses, and you have said to him, ‘Set a king over us’” [pause]

Perhaps at this point Samuel would have been expecting a repeat of what had happened at Mizpah- the People crying out in repentance.

If Samuel did take such a pause, it was in vain, greeted only by bewildered silence. So he continued:

“Now therefore present yourselves before the LORD by your tribes and by your thousands”.

This must have been a little unsettling for the people.

Yes, they had never selected a king before, so they would certainly have been unsure about the procedure. But there was more to it that than.

They knew full well what a selection by lots could mean. For this is what God had done earlier in their history in response to the sin of Achan and Israel’s defeat at Ai.

The story is told in Joshua 7 where we read that first a tribe was selected by lot, then a clan, then a family, and finally the man was revealed who had brought God’s wrath by his sin. In this way Achan was revealed and punished by death. On this occasion a precedent had been set in using lots to identify the culprit.

Now Samuel called the People to assemble once more, with lots in hand. We can image a certain amount of trepidation as the people gathered.

In verse 21 we read of how Saul was chosen by lot. The use of lots, the authorised and accepted method by which God revealed His choice, was a clear indication that Saul was not merely Samuel’s choice as king but God’s choice. Through divine revelation Saul’s kingship received public legitimacy.

However, in verse 21 we read of a perplexing problem. We can imagine the scene. Part tragedy. Part comedy. The people are calling for their king, but he was nowhere to be found.

As it turns out, this giant of a man is hiding in the baggage! Here we see what happens when God’s People look for a king like all the other nations rather than rely on God’s saving power.

From the search for Saul we turn to hear Samuel declare in verse 24:

“Do you see the man the Lord has chosen? There is no one like him among all the people.”

As we read carefully, we can’t help but wonder if Samuel had a certain ironic tone as he spoke- he surely had his doubts about this apparently fine specimen who chose to hide under the baggage during his own coronation.

Undeterred, the people shouted in response: ‘Long live the king!’. Regardless of his timid behaviour, Saul looked like just the kind of king they were hoping for: tall, handsome, outwardly impressive. The issues concerning his character and faith were ignored as Israel cheered the king they desired.

These verses are packed with action and intrigue; there is comedy and tragedy in the mix too. However, what we must see most clearly as Saul is crowned King is God’s sovereignty over it all.

The people demanded a king, but they were unable to achieve independence from God. It was the Lord who chose and revealed Saul. God’s sovereignty was not set aside, even as He granted Israel’s demand for a king to replace Him. Indeed, without God’s help in verse 22 they would not have even been able to find the chosen king they longed for.

Here again we see that God is sovereignly at work in all circumstances to bring about His purposes. The people may have rejected God and demanded a king, but God was at work. Indeed, through this king He would deliver His People once more. But, more importantly, through this king He would teach His People about His Kingdom and their need for the True-King. In all of this God was preparing the way for Jesus

God was sovereignly at work in the lives of His People. God was preparing the way for His King and the establishment of His Kingdom. And in the final part of the story, we learn again about the nature of this Kingdom.

The Kingdom Come

Our story today ends, you will notice, not with a proclamation by Saul. He doesn’t stand up and say, ‘Now we’re going to take on the Philistines, and I have a great plan for my first few months as king.’. No. Instead, in verse 25 we read:

Samuel explained to the people the regulations of the kingship. He wrote them down on a scroll and deposited it before the Lord. Then Samuel dismissed the people, each to his own home.

So after this public coronation of Saul it is Samuel, actually, at the forefront, telling the people ‘…the regulations of the kingship…’ and writing them down and placing them before the Lord.

Israel wanted a king. But it was God who selected and revealed this new ruler. The People wanted a king like the other nations. But this king would be ruled by God’s Word. In other words, Saul may have been given the position of king, but God was still the One who reigned over His People by His Word.

God, in His sovereign grace, was ensuring that although His People got a king, they would not actually become like all the nations. Although God had given His People a king, they were still to be ruled by His Word and His Law; God was ultimately sovereign over His People.

And it was not just the king who was called to obey God’s commands, but all God’s People. This is always the way in God’s Kingdom- God, in His sovereign grace, reigns by His life-giving Word.

However, today many Believers today are confused about obeying God’s Law, since the New Testament teaches, in Romans 6, that we are ‘…not under law but under grace…’. But this verse is referring to the way of salvation- we do not gain salvation by the Law but by the grace of God in the Gospel.

Christians are not saved by God’s Law. Instead, we are saved to God’s Law. We are saved to obedience, and the fullness of life that is to be enjoyed in obedience. Our life as Believers, as Citizens of God’s Kingdom, is to be marked by obedience to God’s Word and life-giving Law.

We saw this last week. But isn’t it interesting that it is a point that comes up again today. Indeed, it is a teaching that is repeated throughout God’s Word; and, especially, in the New Testament. God’s People will honour their True-King with wholehearted obedience and devotion to His Way.

Just as God would reign over Saul and the People by means of the regulations of kingship, God exercises His sovereignty over our lives through His Holy Word. This gracious sovereignty must guide us in our marriages, as husband and wives; it must guide us in our homes, as parents and children; it must guide us in our schools and workplaces, as pupils, teachers, bosses and colleagues.

The whole Word of God must come to bear upon the whole of our human experience. If God is not sovereign over all, He is not sovereign at all. As Believers God’s Word must rule over every part of our lives, not just the bits we want it to.

God is sovereign over His People, and He reigns over us through His Word. Careful obedience is not dead legalism but faithful submission to our gracious Sovereign.

Observing God’s Law does not hinder our well-being, instead it is the way in which we enjoy true freedom and God’s blessings. One might argue that a map constrains our behaviour, telling us where we can and cannot go, but the map also gives us the freedom to arrive safely at our destination. As Believers we must hold to the truth that God’s Law gives order to our existence and become the means of receiving God’s sovereign blessing.

Our story concludes in verses 26 and 27:

Saul also went to his home in Gibeah, accompanied by valiant men whose hearts God had touched. But some troublemakers said, “How can this fellow save us?” They despised him and brought him no gifts. But Saul kept silent.

Saul’s coronation brought great shouts of ‘Long live the king!’; but Saul’s coronation also brought division to Israel. As well as the ‘valiant men’ there were ‘troublemakers’ who expressed their doubts about Saul in no uncertain terms.

In this way Saul points us forward to Jesus. The coming of Christ divided the world also. Some, their hearts touched by God in the Gospel, raced to Jesus to be cleansed of their sins and live as His Followers. But many others despised Jesus and would seek to destroy Him.

Like Saul, Jesus ‘kept silent’ during His life and in His death. But when He returns, He will come to judge the nations and punish His enemies. On that Day the Kingdom will be fully established forever and the True-King will reign eternally- and all who belong to Him will reign with Him.

Conclusion

When Saul was presented to Israel, the people cried out with optimism, ‘Long live the king!’. What will we say to King Jesus on the Day when returns to establish His Kingdom forever?

One day we Jesus will return, and every knee will bow, and every tongue confess Him as King. Willingly our unwillingly all will acknowledge the King and His Kingdom.

The joyful assurance of every Believer, every Citizen of God’s Kingdom, is that we can look forward to the day when we cry out with the choirs of heaven and all the redeemed:

“Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain,
to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength
and honour and glory and praise!”…

…“To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
be praise and honour and glory and power,
for ever and ever!” (Revelation 5)

What a glorious hope we have as Citizens of God’s Kingdom! May this hope empower and encourage us to live for our King and take up our calling to build the Kingdom through loving obedience.