1 Samuel 10: 1 – 27
The Humblebragger
10 Then Samuel took a flask of oil and poured it on his head, and kissed him and said: “Is it not because the LORD has anointed you commander over His inheritance? 2 When you have departed from me today, you will find two men by Rachel’s tomb in the territory of Benjamin at Zelzah; and they will say to you, ‘The donkeys which you went to look for have been found. And now your father has ceased caring about the donkeys and is worrying about you, saying, “What shall I do about my son?” ’ 3 Then you shall go on forward from there and come to the terebinth tree of Tabor. There three men going up to God at Bethel will meet you, one carrying three young goats, another carrying three loaves of bread, and another carrying a skin of wine. 4 And they will greet you and give you two loaves of bread, which you shall receive from their hands. 5 After that you shall come to the hill of God where the Philistine garrison is. And it will happen, when you have come there to the city, that you will meet a group of prophets coming down from the high place with a stringed instrument, a tambourine, a flute, and a harp before them; and they will be prophesying. 6 Then the Spirit of the LORD will come upon you, and you will prophesy with them and be turned into another man. 7 And let it be, when these signs come to you, that you do as the occasion demands; for God is with you. 8 You shall go down before me to Gilgal; and surely I will come down to you to offer burnt offerings and make sacrifices of peace offerings. Seven days you shall wait, till I come to you and show you what you should do.” 9 So it was, when he had turned his back to go from Samuel, that God gave him another heart; and all those signs came to pass that day. 10 When they came there to the hill, there was a group of prophets to meet him; then the Spirit of God came upon him, and he prophesied among them. 11 And it happened, when all who knew him formerly saw that he indeed prophesied among the prophets, that the people said to one another, “What is this that has come upon the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?” 12 Then a man from there answered and said, “But who is their father?” Therefore it became a proverb: “Is Saul also among the prophets?” 13 And when he had finished prophesying, he went to the high place. 14 Then Saul’s uncle said to him and his servant, “Where did you go?” So he said, “To look for the donkeys. When we saw that they were nowhere to be found, we went to Samuel.” 15 And Saul’s uncle said, “Tell me, please, what Samuel said to you.” 16 So Saul said to his uncle, “He told us plainly that the donkeys had been found.” But about the matter of the kingdom, he did not tell him what Samuel had said. 17 Then Samuel called the people together to the LORD at Mizpah, 18 and said to the children of Israel, “Thus says the LORD God of Israel: ‘I brought up Israel out of Egypt, and delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the hand of all kingdoms and from those who oppressed you.’ 19 But you have today rejected your God, who Himself saved you from all your adversities and your tribulations; and you have said to Him, ‘No, set a king over us!’ Now therefore, present yourselves before the LORD by your tribes and by your clans.” 20 And when Samuel had caused all the tribes of Israel to come near, the tribe of Benjamin was chosen. 21 When he had caused the tribe of Benjamin to come near by their families, the family of Matri was chosen. And Saul the son of Kish was chosen. But when they sought him, he could not be found. 22 Therefore they inquired of the LORD further, “Has the man come here yet?” And the LORD answered, “There he is, hidden among the equipment.” 23 So they ran and brought him from there; and when he stood among the people, he was taller than any of the people from his shoulders upward. 24 And Samuel said to all the people, “Do you see him whom the LORD has chosen, that there is no one like him among all the people?” So all the people shouted and said, “Long live the king!” 25 Then Samuel explained to the people the behavior of royalty, and wrote it in a book and laid it up before the LORD. And Samuel sent all the people away, every man to his house. 26 And Saul also went home to Gibeah; and valiant men went with him, whose hearts God had touched. 27 But some rebels said, “How can this man save us?” So they despised him, and brought him no presents. But he held his peace.
False modesty is annoying. That's right, I said it.
And not just little brother level of annoying. It's like stand-still traffic, spilled hot coffee, only AM radio, and little brother in the back seat level of annoying.
Your false modesty isn’t fooling anyone, according to a variety of studies from researchers by some of our college centers.
A term which false modesty has created is called ‘Humblebragging’ — defined as “bragging masked by a complaint or humility” These types of personal attributes actually makes people like you less than straight-up self-promotion, the research reports
It’s such a common phenomenon. All of us know some people in our lives, whether in social media or in the workplace, who do this annoying thing. “You think, as the ‘humblebragger’, that it’s the best of both worlds, but what we show is that sincerity is actually the key ingredient.”
You probably do not know this but ‘humblebragging’ is everywhere: Out of 646 people surveyed, 70% could recall a humblebrag they’d heard recently.
Next, the research groups have established that there are two distinct types of ‘humblebrags’. The first falls back on a complaint (“I hate that I look so young; even a 19-year-old hit on me!”) while the second relies on humility (“Why do I always get asked to work on the most important assignment?”). About 60% of the ‘humblebrags’ people remembered fell into the complaint category.
The researchers then carried out experiments to see how people responded to ‘humblebrags’, with a particular focus on the bragger’s perceived likability and competence. They found that regular bragging was better on both counts, because it at least comes off as genuine, Even complainers were more likable and seemed more competent than ‘humblebraggers’ of any type.
“If you want to announce something, go with the brag and at least own your self-promotion and reap the rewards of being sincere, rather than losing in all dimensions.”
If you want the world to know that you are God’s gift to the world you might want to get somebody else to “wingman” your boasting. “If someone brags for you, that’s the best thing that can happen to you, because then you don’t seem like you’re the one doing the bragging,”
We have to notice some things or clues of Precious Holy Spirit points out to us regarding Saul. Have you caught any of these clues yet where something about Saul is not right?
I want to describe to you that Saul fills in the position of a ‘humblebragger’. I find three such ‘humbragger’ incidents in this chapter alone. I want you to see if you also pick out the three situations. I will give you my findings at the end of our study.
10 Then Samuel took a flask of oil and poured it on his head, and kissed him and said: “Is it not because the LORD has anointed you commander over His inheritance?
The servant having walked on from them, Samuel then took a vial of oil and poured it on Saul’s head and kissed him. Pouring oil on the head of guests was quite usual, as was the kiss of greeting, although usually it would have been expected to happen before this. However, if the servant saw anything he would probably assume that it was simply a farewell nicety. But Samuel explains to Saul the significance of what he is doing. He is anointing him because YHWH has ‘anointed him as war-leader over His inheritance.’
The idea of anointing was of dedication to Yahweh’s exclusive service. The person so anointed was made holy to Yahweh (Leviticus 8.12). Matters were not just to be left there. A deliberately private anointing having taken place it was now necessary for Saul to be assured that God was with him and that Samuel’s assurances could be accepted as being from Him. Samuel was aware of how huge a step this was for the young man Saul. It was one thing to have come of military stock. It was another to be appointed commander-in-chief over all the hosts of Israel, especially at so early an age, and to be able to call on them at need.
Thus prior to his appointment being confirmed before all Israel, it was necessary that Saul himself have his confidence boosted. And even then he would be overwhelmed at the thought of what was to happen to him.
The assurances given to him are briefly as follows:
• 1). He will learn that Samuel’s supernatural knowledge about the finding of the lost donkeys was true (9.20), and this is backed up by a further supernatural revelation of where he will meet his informants (10.2).
• 2). He will be met by men who are going to a high place who will provide him and his servant with necessary provisions, demonstrating that God is able to meet his needs at all times, and to feed His people, and that he must therefore look always to Yahweh’s provision (10.3-4).
• 3). He will meet up with the band of prophets and will at that stage become another man because the Spirit of Yahweh will come mightily on him. And he will himself prophesy revealing to all that the Spirit of God is with him, thereby demonstrating to the spiritual in Israel that he is truly God’s man (10.5-6).
2 When you have departed from me today, you will find two men by Rachel’s tomb in the territory of Benjamin at Zelzah; and they will say to you, ‘The donkeys which you went to look for have been found. And now your father has ceased caring about the donkeys and is worrying about you, saying, “What shall I do about my son?” ’
The first sign that is given to Saul in order to confirm what Samuel has told him, will be that he will learn about the recovery of the lost donkeys, (a recovery which Samuel has already miraculously told him about), from two men whom he will find by Rachel’s sepulcher in the border of Benjamin at Zelzah. Rachel’s sepulcher was somewhere on the road from Bethel to Bethlehem (Genesis 35.19) which passed through Benjamin’s territory. They will also inform him that his father has now become worried about him. ‘Two men’ represent a true witness.
The reference to Rachel’s sepulcher may have in mind a tradition that Rachel wept for her people when they were in trouble (Jeremiah 31.15). The Israelites were certainly in trouble now with a Philistine invasion in progress (9.16). To learn near Rachel’s sepulcher that the lost donkeys had been found would be an encouragement concerning the greater problem.
3 Then you shall go on forward from there and come to the terebinth tree of Tabor. There three men going up to God at Bethel will meet you, one carrying three young goats, another carrying three loaves of bread, and another carrying a skin of wine. 4 And they will greet you and give you two loaves of bread, which you shall receive from their hands.
The second sign will be that at the oak of Tabor he will be met by three men going up to God to Beth-el (or ‘to the house of God’), one carrying three kids (presumably for sacrifice), and another carrying three loaves of bread. The third will be carrying wine. These men will greet Saul and his servant and will give them two loaves of bread, presumably after chatting with them and discovering that they are short of food, which they are to accept. To ‘salute’ a man on the way meant to stop and talk together, and often share food together.
This reception of necessary provisions in this way would be an indication for Saul in the future that God could provide all that he needed, and that his eyes must therefore be continually on Yahweh.
5 After that you shall come to the hill of God where the Philistine garrison is. And it will happen, when you have come there to the city, that you will meet a group of prophets coming down from the high place with a stringed instrument, a tambourine, a flute, and a harp before them; and they will be prophesying.
On arrival at the neighboring city (possibly the Gibeah of Benjamin (Judges 19; 20; 1 Samuel 13.2) which was Saul’s home and headquarters they will be met by a band of prophets coming down from the high place, playing music, singing and prophesying (praising God under inspiration,). This would suggest that they had been taking part in festal activities.
6 Then the Spirit of the LORD will come upon you, and you will prophesy with them and be turned into another man.
When this situation occurred then the Spirit of Yahweh would come mightily on Saul, and he too would prophesy and would be turned into another man. The purpose of the Spirit of God coming mightily on a man has been especially brought out in the book of Judges 15.14. It was in order that he might ‘judge’ and deliver God’s people. Thus this indicates that Saul was to become the instrument of the Spirit of God in deliverance, and had he remained faithful to God, or had he learned to repent like David did, he would have been wholly successful.
‘7 And let it be, when these signs come to you, that you do as the occasion demands; for God Is with you.
Then once all these signs have come to him he has to hold himself in readiness for doing whatever God requires of him. ‘Do as occasion shall serve you’ signifies seizing the opportunities that God offers when they come.
8 You shall go down before me to Gilgal; and surely I will come down to you to offer burnt offerings and make sacrifices of peace offerings. Seven days you shall wait, till I come to you and show you what you should do.”
Once the signs had been fulfilled Saul was to go down before Samuel to Gilgal. Gilgal was one of Samuel’s three main venues (7.16) and furthest from the Philistine menace, being in the Jordan rift valley (the Arabah). Samuel seems regularly to have offered sacrifices there. Saul was to go down to the Sanctuary there and wait before God for seven days, possibly partaking in a seven day festival of worship and praise following the pattern of the regular feasts. This suggests that Gilgal was seen as the equivalent in those times of the old Tabernacle, as the place where Israel were to meet for their regular feasts. Then at the end Samuel would come to him and show him what he had to do.
It would seem from this verse that Samuel regularly required Saul to experience a similar seven days of waiting on God before he gave him God’s instructions, having the aim in mind of keeping Saul’s heart set firmly on Yahweh. The point is that Saul is not to see himself as his own master but very much as the appointed servant of Yahweh. Thus 13.18 give us one instance of when he does this. In other words Samuel wanted Saul continually to recognize that he must wait before God prior to the coming to him of the prophetic word which would give him final instructions. In order to receive that word his heart must be in readiness to receive it. Samuel was doing his best to keep Saul on the right track. Israel had two annual seven day feasts, the feast of Unleavened Bread and the Feast of Tabernacles. But no mention is made of those feasts in connection with this command to Saul, and Samuel would have been present at those from the beginning. Thus Samuel’s point may have been that whenever the tribes were assembled for battle the same procedures had to be followed as at the feasts, seven days of sacrificing and waiting on God, after which he would always come to them to reveal the mind of Yahweh. That is why when Saul did not wait it was so unforgivable. He had over-ridden Yahweh.
We may certainly see that the regular feasts did provide Saul with a pattern as to what he should do during the seven days of waiting. But this seven day wait was to be a time of preparation of heart. Naturally to a war-leader such waiting could be a bit of a trial. But to Samuel it was important, because it ensured that the war-leader recognized his responsibility to look in faith to Yahweh and that in the end the glory was to go to Yahweh.
We now learn that all the signs promised were fulfilled. The only detail given is of the last one, bringing out how important it was.
9 So it was, when he had turned his back to go from Samuel, that God gave him another heart; and all those signs came to pass that day.
What God had promised came about. Each sign was fulfilled ‘that very day’, and God gave Saul ‘another heart’. To Israelites the heart was the centre of a man’s will, mind and emotions. To be given another heart meant that he was given new resolution and inner strength for the task that lay before him.
10 When they came there to the hill, there was a group of prophets to meet him; then the Spirit of God came upon him, and he prophesied among them.
As Samuel had told him, when he came to the hill the band of prophets met him and ‘the Spirit of God came mightily on him and he prophesied.’
11 And it happened, when all who knew him formerly saw that he indeed prophesied among the prophets, that the people said to one another, “What is this that has come upon the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?”
We know how important it was that ‘those who knew him previously’ should be made aware that Saul had now become important in the purposes of God. And once they had seen him prophesying with the prophets they knew that something unusual had happened to him, and that it was connected with God. This made them ask themselves what it meant. Was Saul now also a Spirit-inspired man?
12 Then a man from there answered and said, “But who is their father?” Therefore it became a proverb: “Is Saul also among the prophets?”
One of the wise among them supplied the answer. ‘Consider,’ he said, ‘who the father of the prophets is.’ He was probably here referring to Samuel. In other words he was saying, ‘this is the doing of the prophet Samuel. Samuel has incorporated Saul among the prophets for some special purpose.’ Later events would illuminate them as to what that purpose was. Alternately ‘their father’ may refer to God in which case he is saying, ‘This surely means that God has some special purpose for him’. Either way it was marking Saul out as a man of the Spirit.
13 And when he had finished prophesying, he went to the high place.
Once Saul had finished prophesying he came to ‘the high place’. A high place in Samuel’s time was one of the sites used as a Sanctuary. Thus this may be intended to indicate Saul’s fulfillment of Samuel’s requirement that he go to the Sanctuary at Gilgal once the signs have been fulfilled.
14 Then Saul’s uncle said to him and his servant, “Where did you go?” So he said, “To look for the donkeys. When we saw that they were nowhere to be found, we went to Samuel.”
Saul’s uncle seems simply to be asking a casual question. ‘I had noticed your absence, where have you been?’ For Saul explains that he had been out looking for lost donkeys, and that this had brought them in contact with Samuel.
15 And Saul’s uncle said, “Tell me, please, what Samuel said to you.”
Being aware of the rumors of what had happened to Samuel among the prophets this appears to have aroused his uncle’s interest, and he enquires as to what Samuel had said to him.
16 So Saul said to his uncle, “He told us plainly that the donkeys had been found.” But about the matter of the kingdom, he did not tell him what Samuel had said.
Saul was keeping matters to himself. The private preparation of the young man Saul for his role as war-leader and king of Israel has now taken place. Samuel is now sure that Saul is God’s choice, and the rather diffident Saul has been given a number of signs which have demonstrated the same to him, and has received a secret anointing, followed by an empowering for the task. It was now felt that it was time for Israel also to become convinced of this fact.
All the tribes of Israel would now also have to be persuaded as to who should be king, and given the jealousy between the tribes and the determination of the prominent ones that their rights should not be overlooked, and that their rivals should not gain any advantage over them, it was not going to be easy.
It would certainly be made easier by the fact that Saul was impressive, and came from a small tribe of minor significance politically, but it was still necessary for all to be convinced and come to agreement. And this was now to be done by using the age-old method of casting lots. For all believed, in the words of Proverbs, that ‘the lot is cast into the lap, but the whole disposing of it is of Yahweh’s (Proverbs 16.33).
17 Then Samuel called the people together to the LORD at Mizpah,
In order to carry out the process of choosing by lot Samuel gathered the tribes at Mizpah. It is clear from the fact that he was able to do so that the Philistines were not in the vicinity in any force. Had they been so they would unquestionably have intervened, especially in view of the purpose of the gathering? Mizpah was one of the high places where sacrifices could be offered, and was the place where Samuel had gathered the people together in his younger days when they had defeated the Philistines (7.5-11). But it was vulnerable to Philistine attack (whereas Gilgal was much safer). Indeed’ the fact that Samuel gathered them there in order to determine the kingship must be seen as indicating that he had no fear of Philistine suspicion and intervention, simply because the Philistines were still to be seen as contained (7.13-14).
18 and said to the children of Israel, “Thus says the LORD God of Israel: ‘I brought up Israel out of Egypt, and delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the hand of all kingdoms and from those who oppressed you.’ 19 But you have today rejected your God, who Himself saved you from all your adversities and your tribulations; and you have said to Him, ‘No, set a king over us!’ Now therefore, present yourselves before the LORD by your tribes and by your clans.”
Samuel began by making it clear that he did not approve of what was happening. He pointed out how their God Yahweh had delivered them in the past from both Egypt and all those who had oppressed them. He had been their King. But now they had rejected this saving God and had said, ‘No, set a king over us.’ So it was not so much the desire for a king, but the kind of king that they desired which was in question. Had they been willing to accept simply a war-leader appointed by Yahweh, which was what he had been trying to persuade them to accept, it might have been acceptable. But they kept on insisting on a full-blown king.
That being so he called on them now to present themselves before Yahweh by their tribes and by their wider families. Here we have a clear case where the word for ‘thousands’ means ‘wider families’. The idea was that choice would then be made by lot.
20 And when Samuel had caused all the tribes of Israel to come near, the tribe of Benjamin was chosen. 21 When he had caused the tribe of Benjamin to come near by their families, the family of Matri was chosen. And Saul the son of Kish was chosen. But when they sought him, he could not be found.
The first lot cast determined which tribe had been chosen. The next lot determined which wider family should be chosen which was the Matrites. Finally the lot would be cast over individuals. And by that lot Saul, the son of Kish was chosen as both Samuel and Saul knew would happen. But when they looked around for Saul he could not be found. Like the donkeys in 9.3 he had wandered off and would have to be sought.
22 Therefore they inquired of the LORD further, “Has the man come here yet?” And the LORD answered, “There he is, hidden among the equipment.”
Puzzled by the fact that no one was there who answered to Saul’s name the question was then put to Yahweh as to whether there should have been someone else there. And Yahweh replied that the person in question had hidden himself, either by standing among the piles of baggage which would have been fairly large considering the numbers present, or among the baggage wagons holding the baggage. They had wanted a king like all the nations, had they? Well, he was to be found among the baggage. He was not like Yahweh Who walked amidst the camp (Deuteronomy 23.14). He was an accessory.
His purpose in hiding could not have been in order to avoid being chosen because he was well aware that Samuel had already determined that he was to be the new war-leader. It would seem therefore that it was due to false modesty, because he did not wish to give the impression of actually seeking the position. Alternately it might have been his hope that if he was out of sight and not among the congregation he might be excluded from the results of the lot. It is strange how often people think that they can hide from God. But like Saul they will discover that they cannot.
23 So they ran and brought him from there; and when he stood among the people, he was taller than any of the people from his shoulders upward.
Recognizing that Yahweh had revealed the man who was to be their king the people ran to the baggage area and discovered Saul there, and when he came out among them they saw his great stature, and that he was taller than anyone else..
24 And Samuel said to all the people, “Do you see him whom the LORD has chosen, that there is no one like him among all the people?” So all the people shouted and said, “Long live the king!”
Samuel then pointed him out as the chosen of Yahweh and drew attention to his magnificent bearing, stressing that there was none other like him. Enthusiastically the people gathered round and cried ‘long live the king’. Saul was thus now made king by popular acclamation. God had previously appointed him in secret through Samuel, something which had been necessary to prepare Saul for this moment, and now men had appointed him under God’s direction by public acclamation. Both were necessary, firstly so that he would be deeply aware of his need to serve God only, and then secondly so that he might be acceptable to all the tribes, and the people who were connected with them.
25 Then Samuel explained to the people the behavior of royalty, and wrote it in a book and laid it up before the LORD. And Samuel sent all the people away, every man to his house.
Samuel then told the people what manner of kingship this would be. Saul would be their war-leader but it would be under God and subject to the advice of His prophet. He may well have patterned the detailed requirements on Deuteronomy 17.12-20. This was then written in a book and ‘laid up before Yahweh’, that is, it was placed in the Sanctuary.
Saul now returned home accompanied by those who would be his faithful supporters, and when others questioned his appointment he said nothing but bided his time. It was not to be long in coming, for the king of the Ammonites was determined to bring shame on Israel because of what he saw as past insults (Judges 11.12-28), and saw in this period of turmoil the opportunity of attacking them in Transjordan.
The Ammonites, and their Moabite allies (they usually acted together led by whichever had the strongest king at the time) recognized that Israel were in turmoil and being kept busy by the Philistines, and that Samuel was now ageing, with the result that Israel had no strong military leader. They therefore took advantage of the opportunity to invade the territory of Reuben and Gad in Transjordan.
This feud between the Ammonite-Moabite alliance and Transjordanian Israel was of longstanding. It had been there ever since they had made it difficult when Israel was passing through their territory and Moab had called on Balaam to curse Israel. It had also burst out twice in Judges, first in the time of Ehud when the threat had been very serious, even reaching over the Jordan into the western side of the Jordan rift valley and possibly beyond (Judges 3.12-30), and then in the time of Jephthah when it had threatened the whole of Transjordan, including Gilead (Judges 11.4-33). In both cases Israel had finally triumphed after initial periods of misery. Thus to the people of Ammon/Moab Israel’s present turmoil now seemed a good time to take revenge, by both shaming Israel and gaining spoils and tribute.
26 And Saul also went home to Gibeah; and valiant men went with him, whose hearts God had touched.
The people having been sent home Saul returned to his house at Gibeah, along with a large crowd of supporters who acted as a guard of honor to honor his new status. These were men whose heart God had touched so that they might be Saul’s mainstay among the people. Some may even have remained with him, for he probably lived in a large household.
27 But some rebels said, “How can this man save us?” So they despised him, and brought him no presents. But he held his peace.
But there were also some dissenters who were not happy with the selection, and who muttered, ‘How shall this man save us?’. They despised him and refused to give him the gifts that a newly appointed king could expect from his subjects, a sign that they rejected his authority. They wanted it to be quite clear what their position was. Perhaps they had partly been put off by the way that he had remained out sight and among the baggage carts during the selection process. Or perhaps they did not like Benjaminites This does serve to bring out why the process was being so long-winded. Not only was Saul himself having to be assured and given confidence that it really was Yahweh Who was calling him to this huge responsibility, but a people of divided loyalties also had to be convinced that the man chosen was indeed the right choice, both Yahweh’s choice and one that they could support. Until there was a widespread feeling of general satisfaction about things a coronation could not take place. As it happened that was not to be long in coming.
We should, however, note that these steps in Saul’s acceptance were not all that different from the steps usually required by kings in those days, even when they were following in their father’s footsteps, for there would often be rival claimants to the throne. First there would be a proposal that he be king which would come from people of authority acting privately among his own supporters, then there would often be the need to demonstrate his credentials by military action (often against a rival claimant), then there would be the presentation of the king for more general acceptance with the hope of having him acclaimed, and then, once that had been accomplished there would be the coronation.
Certain people were against Saul ‘But he held his peace.’ He was not going to begin his stint with a show of aggression, and he probably recognized that a huge change like this took time to be fully accepted.
Now as promised I will give you the three ‘humblebragger’ episodes.
When our Precious Holy Spirit did wonders in a sequence of events, Saul with false modesty only reports that the missing donkeys were found. 12 Then a man from there answered and said, “But who is their father?” Therefore it became a proverb: “Is Saul also among the prophets?” 13 And when he had finished prophesying, he went to the high place. 14 Then Saul’s uncle said to him and his servant, “Where did you go?” So he said, “To look for the donkeys. When we saw that they were nowhere to be found, we went to Samuel.” 15 And Saul’s uncle said, “Tell me, please, what Samuel said to you.” 16 So Saul said to his uncle, “He told us plainly that the donkeys had been found.” But about the matter of the kingdom, he did not tell him what Samuel had said.
I remember when my son’s family had lost their dog in a nearby park. I live about an hour away but said I would come and look for the dog with him. My son tried to discourage me from driving that distance and that after looking for his dog for over 10 hours it is probably useless. To let him know that I love him and his family I would venture out and perhaps the Lord would allow us to find his dog. Well, to make a long story short, after I got to the park where his dog was last I did something many overlook – I prayed. In fact my prayer was partly covering what we read here in this chapter. If God in His great love could find some missing donkeys I know that He can find this poor scarred dog. Before I finished my prayer my son’s dog came running by my car. I jumped out and called it. It stopped and came over to me which is another miracle in itself for the dog didn’t know me. I grabbed it by its collar and put it in my back seat. I called my son and personally I was overwhelmed with joy in which the Lord did for me and my son’s family. When I called my son he thought that I picked up some stray dog and not his dog. My son drove over to the park with his wife and two children. I can tell you straight up what a joyful reunion it was. So, I tell you this because I was so overwhelmed with joy at what the Lord did I called everyone I knew and had to tell them what great love and mercy our Holy Lord extended to me. So, for me only nonchalantly just telling his uncle, ‘Oh, the prophet told me that the donkeys were found is definitely humblebragging false modesty.
Next on our hit list comes from the following verses, 17 Then Samuel called the people together to the LORD at Mizpah, 18 and said to the children of Israel, “Thus says the LORD God of Israel: ‘I brought up Israel out of Egypt, and delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the hand of all kingdoms and from those who oppressed you.’ 19 But you have today rejected your God, who Himself saved you from all your adversities and your tribulations; and you have said to Him, ‘No, set a king over us!’ Now therefore, present yourselves before the LORD by your tribes and by your clans.” 20 And when Samuel had caused all the tribes of Israel to come near, the tribe of Benjamin was chosen. 21 When he had caused the tribe of Benjamin to come near by their families, the family of Matri was chosen. And Saul the son of Kish was chosen. But when they sought him, he could not be found. 22 Therefore they inquired of the LORD further, “Has the man come here yet?” And the LORD answered, “There he is, hidden among the equipment.” 23 So they ran and brought him from there; and when he stood among the people, he was taller than any of the people from his shoulders upward. 24 And Samuel said to all the people, “Do you see him whom the LORD has chosen, that there is no one like him among all the people?” So all the people shouted and said, “Long live the king!”
Are you kidding me? Saul has already been anointed by Samuel and told what our Great God has in store for him. At Mizpah Samuel before the Israelites shows by miraculous lot God’s choice of their next king. When ultimately Saul is selected he can’t be found. I can just picture the scene. ‘Okay people here are the final result. You new king is Saul. Saul come on down. Hey, where is he? Saul come forth! What he’s not here? I can just see our Precious Holy Master shaking His head and then speaks up to Samuel. ‘You’re new king is over by the luggage hiding.’ The people rush over and bring him out for all the people to see and rejoice over. I can imagine why some loyal followers of Yahweh must have been saying to themselves. ‘What does this guy have to do in grand standing his entrance?
Lastly, we see in my opinion the third humblebragger act. 26 And Saul also went home to Gibeah; and valiant men went with him, whose hearts God had touched. 27 But some rebels said, “How can this man save us?” So they despised him, and brought him no presents. But he held his peace.
Saul was faking false modesty but at the same time he was taking notes for future retribution as to the insult these rebels did to him. As we continue in our chapters of this book we will see the vicious ways in which Saul pays back those people whom he even suspects are against him.
