Sermon 31: 1 Samuel 9:17-25

17. And when Samuel saw Saul, the Lord said to him: Behold, this is the man of whom I spoke to you; he shall reign over my people. 18. And Saul approached Samuel in the middle of the gate and said: Tell me, I pray, where is the house of the seer? 19. And Samuel answered Saul, saying: I am the seer. Go up before me to the high place, that you may eat with me today, and I will send you away in the morning; and I will tell you all that is in your heart. 20. And as for the donkeys that you lost three days ago, do not be anxious about them, for they have been found. And for whom is all that is desirable in Israel? Is it not for you and for all your father's house? 21. And Saul answered and said: Am I not a son of Benjamin, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel, and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? Why then have you spoken this word to me? 22. And Samuel took Saul and his servant and brought them into the dining hall, and gave them a place at the head of those who had been invited — and there were about thirty men. 23. And Samuel said to the cook: Give the portion which I gave you, which I commanded you to set aside. 24. And the cook lifted up the shoulder and placed it before Saul, and said: Behold, what remains, set it before you and eat; for it has been kept for you by design, when I called the people. And Saul ate with Samuel on that day. 25. And they came down from the high place into the town, and he spoke with Saul on the roof.

We said yesterday that the day before Saul came, God had revealed to Samuel whom he wished to anoint as leader over his people, and this same thing is confirmed for him. For when Saul approached Samuel, he received a new revelation that this was the one who was to reign over Israel; therefore it happened that he fulfilled what followed. For God did not reveal this secret to him merely so that he might have knowledge of it and his curiosity be satisfied, but because he wished him to be the minister of the anointing, and to carry out the entire matter in God's name and by his authority. Therefore it was necessary for him to be made certain by unmistakable signs of God's will and election. And certainly nothing should be undertaken or attempted rashly in such arduous and momentous matters as the administration of commonwealths or the governance of the church. And the greatest care must be taken lest anyone follow his own reason or judgment as guide in such matters, especially divine ones; but we must rely on God's will alone, lest anything be undertaken contrary to it. And I confess that no such revelation is given to us from heaven today, from which we might know whom God has chosen to rule over people; but we have a general canon and rule, which whoever follows will never stray from the right path. But here a special case is treated — namely, that change of the kingdom which could not have been fortuitous — and therefore it was necessary for God to speak with his own mouth and give a certain and indubitable testimony and declare whom he wished to be set over his people as king. For there was not yet a hereditary succession of the kingdom; therefore, until the opportune time should arrive, it was necessary for a temporary provision to be made. But this could not proceed from men or from their industry, but was the work of God alone; therefore it is not without reason said here that Samuel was again admonished by the Lord and received a new revelation. For he whom God wished to be the minister of his will, it was necessary to be made certain of it by unmistakable signs.

It follows therefore in the text that Saul met Samuel and asked him for the house of the seer, who replied: I am the one. From this it appears again how the Lord directed Saul's steps, and how certain is what the prophet says elsewhere: that God knows our ways, our going out and coming in. Indeed we often do not apprehend this, but yet we must hold it as a most certain principle — as another prophet also speaks in these words: 'I know, O Lord, that the way of man is not in himself, that it is not in a man who walks to direct his steps.' By these words 'ways' and 'steps' he understands indeed the whole of human life, but from them it also appears that we can neither go forward nor go back without God observing or even directing all our steps. Indeed the things that happened to Saul had not come into his mind, and when he met Samuel, he came upon him as upon an unknown person in an unfamiliar place, about to inquire about the seer's house. He fell upon Samuel while God was meanwhile driving him and directing him straight to Samuel himself. From this question of Saul's, we easily conjecture that Samuel, although a leading man and of the highest authority among his people, was not distinguished by any pomp by which he might be recognized apart from others; for Saul asks Samuel, as if asking an unknown person, where the seer's house is. Therefore it appears that there was great simplicity in Samuel's appearance and clothing. Nevertheless he was acknowledged by all as God's prophet and regarded as a leader and governor of the people; but the honor shown to him was not in outward pomp and magnificence, such as the dignity and magnificence of kings and princes. How great, then, was Samuel's modesty in such high dignity — that he never forgot himself, nor exalted himself, nor claimed anything for himself, nor put on airs, but was content with a common appearance, as one of the common people! By this example let those learn wisdom whose ambition is such that they always try to make their position splendid with new pomp and new display, and to be conspicuous to all. How far, I ask, do they stand from the prophetic spirit, which was indeed a spirit of gentleness and humanity? Therefore, if we wish to be counted among God's children, let us learn, even though we have attained the highest degrees of dignity and honor, not to be haughty but to compose ourselves to modesty and humility, so that our very appearance may testify that we do not seek vain glory and the desire to reign and that frivolous little glory of being pointed at by passersby; but let such pride and arrogance be far from us.

Moreover, Samuel's response — that he was the seer whom Saul was seeking — is not boasting but a testimony of truth, which when asked he was compelled to give. And besides, he also needed to maintain his dignity before Saul, so that Saul would believe what he said afterward. Samuel therefore asserts himself to be a seer or prophet chiefly for this reason: to make Saul attentive and prepare him to receive his words with humility, lest he think they proceeded from human intellect, but rather persuade himself that what he was about to receive from Samuel was a sentence divinely given — an irrevocable decree of God, to which he must submit. And indeed it is necessary for God's servants to win authority for themselves among people by setting forth their office and the dignity of the one they serve. For indeed no one would arrogate to himself such authority — not even the most excellent of all men — as to bring forward what he himself has fabricated as decrees of God. For what kind and how great, I ask, would that arrogance be, and how abominable, if they were to set forth their own dreams to people and wish them to be received and accepted as the word of God? Indeed if the angels themselves, coming in their own name, were to propose a new dogma in the church, they should by no means be listened to; nor should so much authority be ascribed to them as God claims for himself alone. Therefore the apostle Paul, seeking to win authority for himself among the churches, says that he is an apostle of God, chosen and ordained by God for this office.

The prophets did the same thing; and who would accuse them of vanity or ambition for proclaiming God's calling, rather than recognizing the utmost modesty in them, since they proclaim their authority so that God may retain his right among people, lest anyone should imagine that they bring forward something of their own? Therefore Paul says that he glories in the grace he had obtained, which he defends with such conscience that he does not permit it to be despised, nor does he relax anything of the reverence he shows is owed to him. He certainly was not looking to his own person, nor was he desirous of his own glory; but he wished to win authority for the doctrine he had received from God, so that people might receive it with due reverence as coming from God, not from a man, and not cling to creatures (for human beings are very fragile instruments), but rise up all the way to God, to whom it pleased to entrust such a treasure to people. And indeed, if you consider the human agents, what would become of God's word? How foully it would be torn apart and rejected by people! Therefore we must rely on this principle as on a firm foundation: that those who are sent by God must be such as to demonstrate by their actions that they have not come in their own name, and have not arrogated so great a burden to themselves, but have received from God such dignity and authority that they may be received and heard as sent by God. And for this reason Samuel responded to Saul that he was the seer, in order to dispose him to obedience and prepare him to receive God's word from his mouth, so that he would not afterward call into doubt what he was to hear from Samuel, but, firmly persuaded that it was God's command, would acquiesce in Samuel's words.

Next, Saul was commanded by Samuel to go up before him to the high place. 'That you may eat with me today,' he says, 'and I will send you away in the morning; and whatever is in your heart I will tell you — namely, regarding the donkeys that were lost, pay attention to me, for they have been found.' And meanwhile he makes some mention of the revelation he had received and gives him some taste of it, when he says: 'And for whom is all the desire of Israel? Is it not for you, and for the whole house of your father?' Here it should be observed that the custom of that time and people was to take their meal in the evening, since there were no regular and customary midday meals. Thus they dined in the evening. But those words, 'for whom is all the desire,' can be explained in two ways: either as though the people desired Saul to be made king and looked to him alone, or 'desire' is used for the thing desired, according to Hebrew usage. The latter explanation seems simpler, so that 'desire' is used for the desired, precious, and excellent thing. The kingdom is therefore meant.

Meanwhile it should be observed that God disposed Saul's mind to receive Samuel's words simply. For he might have suspected that his father was anxious about what had happened to him, and therefore might have excused himself to Samuel and asked for dismissal; but nothing of the sort happens: he shows himself obedient and compliant to Samuel in all things. And certainly there is no doubt that the Lord bent him, just as it is certain that all things are governed by his providence. Therefore Samuel also gave credibility to his words in a way, so that they might carry greater weight with Saul and he might receive them as coming from God, when he added that he would tell him whatever he had in his heart — about the lost donkeys. This certainly could not have happened without a special revelation. Therefore Saul must have recognized, unless he wished to be utterly stubborn against God, that Samuel had been sent to him, so that he might comply with him in all things; and being ordered to remain with Samuel, he did so willingly. But we shall see shortly that this obedience of Saul was not lasting.

Nevertheless, from this passage we learn that when we have recognized that God has spoken through the ministry of his servants, we ought to conform ourselves to their teaching and be obedient to them, and seek no excuse or escape if we have been too sluggish in performing our duty. Finally, whenever we have recognized by unmistakable signs that God is speaking, let us show ourselves attentive and willingly and eagerly follow wherever he leads. Moreover, whether God is speaking or not, we will always easily recognize, unless negligence and pride have hindered us. For how is it that the greatest part of humanity is ignorant of God's will, except that they are deceived in trivial matters and do not care about the things of God? But they will surely receive their reward for wandering aimlessly like beasts and being carried along headlong. Therefore it is to be wished that God may keep tight reins on us, lest we be carried headlong into stubbornness and rebellion against him. On the other hand, if we are attentive and diligent, it is certain that God will show us the way we should walk. But the greatest impediment and hindrance for many is pride. For, I ask, how many strive for integrity and sincerity of life, or desire to be sincerely converted to God? Rather, each one follows his own opinion and his own dreams, and is carried headlong off course, deceived by love of self and too wise in his own eyes. There comes yet another far more serious evil: that we yield to our desires, which we obey rather than right counsels, and we cannot submit to what is good and fair. Hence it usually happens that we are unable to keep ourselves within bounds, and we do not know which way to turn. And indeed we are unworthy for God to guide us, whom we do not seek and whose yoke, on the contrary, we shake off as much as lies in us — being more like wild beasts and stubborn animals than children of God. Therefore we must meditate on this doctrine all the more diligently, so that when we have been made certain of God's will by sure and indubitable signs, we may know that we ought to compose ourselves entirely to his will and pleasure. And so much for Saul's obedience.

Furthermore, what is said about the desire of Israel does not therefore confer on Saul the power and authority to seize whatever goods and riches were in Israel, but merely designates the royal dignity to which he was to be elevated by the Lord's command. And we saw in the previous chapter what kind of power the king would have in seizing and plundering — not indeed because royal law demands it, but because the subjection of the people allows it. Here, however, by the word 'desire' nothing else is to be understood than that what was most excellent in Israel was reserved for Saul and his family; since, when Saul obtained the royal dignity, his whole family was ennobled. For that primary dignity did not pertain to Saul alone but also to his entire family. By these words, therefore, Samuel shows that Saul was called by God to a dignity he would not have hoped for even in his imagination.

But Saul was utterly astonished at this announcement and trembled at such great grace of God revealed to him, as Samuel disclosed God's decree to him, as if to say that he had found what he had not sought. This is clear from his response, when he replies: 'I am of the tribe of Benjamin, and the family of my father is the smallest among all the others.' He calls himself a son of Jemini, but from the beginning of this chapter we see that Jemini is the same as Benjamin. For he was a man of the tribe of Benjamin. Nor should any dispute be raised about this, whether we say Jemini or Benjamin, for he was both Jemini and Benjamin. But the purpose of his response deserves more attention, which is such that Saul freely acknowledges that from a human standpoint he is most remote and most alien from this degree of dignity, since the tribe of Benjamin was at that time the most abject among the rest. For in the history of Judges we saw that nearly the entire tribe had been destroyed by annihilation, when it had waged war against the other tribes on account of that foul and abominable crime of the violated wife of the Levite. Therefore the tribe of Benjamin must have been not yet restored from such a great blow, but weak and hardly populous, besides the fact that even before it had not been very numerous. Then he adds that the family of his father was the smallest among the remaining families of Benjamin.

God therefore raised up this man from the lowest degree to the summit of dignity, and conferred on him the highest honor. In which we observe an outstanding virtue of divine grace, and the virtue of one who thinks modestly of himself, and does not attribute as much praise to himself as he should, but rather, overcome by the novelty and magnitude of the matter, is stupefied and astonished. But we shall see below that this modesty did not put down deep roots in him; from where it happened that he was finally also stripped of the honor God had given him, so that the greater was the dignity to which he had been raised, the greater was the perpetual infamy and disgrace that attended his fall from it. Therefore all the greater caution must be exercised here by us, so that when God has once opened our eyes and revealed our lowliness to us, we may acknowledge that whatever gifts we have, we have received from his gratuitous goodness alone, and may fix this more deeply in our minds so that it may never be erased by any forgetfulness. We should not merely display humility and modesty for a moment, but make so much of God's goodness as we ought, and proclaim it with the highest praises. But we must persevere in this, so that to the very end, conscious of our weakness and lowliness, we may leave to God his power and render him due honor. Therefore when we observe that Saul was at first modest and humble, but then when he sat at the helm of affairs became more insolent and forgetful of himself, let us think all the more diligently that it is not enough if we once or twice acknowledge God's kindnesses toward us and render the sacrifice of praise and due honor for them; rather, we must retain a constant memory of them throughout our whole life, daily recognizing our former condition and origin, and serving God more ardently because we have attained some dignity not by our own industry, not by our labors and vigilance, but by his hand and will. This doctrine must be explained more fully for us in this passage. Here a temporal kingdom is being discussed, and one that would last for only a brief period of time; for God was going to establish that kingdom in the tribe of Judah and establish David, as was afterward done. Saul's calling was therefore only for a time, a kind of interregnum, as it were. And indeed with God rather tolerating than causing or approving it, Saul was raised to that royal dignity, although God gave some testimony of his goodwill toward the people by raising up Saul, whose service he would use for the defense and liberation of his people — even though that kingdom of Saul was going to be only momentary. Nevertheless, if in In this temporary, that is, momentary kingdom, which God himself does not approve nor bless, as he did with what followed under David, we see that God wished to take away from men every occasion of boasting, and to crush all pride and arrogance. What then shall we say about that heavenly kingdom, which is graciously offered to us by God, and into the hope of which we are called and adopted? God himself, out of mercy alone, chooses us and admits into the number of his children those whom he makes partakers of the heavenly kingdom, upon whom he places the crown of immortality, whom he makes companions of the angels, whom he blesses and causes to enjoy that eternal happiness obtained through the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, so that we may be united and joined to him as to our head. What, I ask, can we contribute here? When in the election of Saul God displayed such great splendor of his grace, that he raised to the royal throne one born of a humble family and an obscure place, scarcely known among other families — what, I ask, shall we say when God calls us to himself? Shall we answer that some worthiness of ours is the cause? What kind of impudence and arrogance that would be! Let us therefore attend carefully to this, and consider what God requires of us today: if in a matter of not such great importance he still wished his goodness and gratuitous mercy to be acknowledged, so that all glory would be attributed to him alone, and all human boasting be removed — now that it is no longer about an earthly and momentary inheritance, but about eternal life and an inheritance stored up in heaven, which makes us companions of angels and co-heirs of our Lord Jesus Christ — what, I ask, does God require of us here? Is it not that all our boasting be removed, and that all glory be attributed to God alone, and that we acknowledge that we ourselves gave no occasion for our being chosen, nor did we anticipate his grace by any merits or worthiness of ours, but that he sought the cause in his own infinite goodness alone, by which he would receive the unworthy into favor? Nor is it sufficient to have known these things; we must also be carried away in admiration of God's great benevolence toward us. For if we lightly esteem God's benefits, it is certain that this will be testimony of the greatest ingratitude. Therefore it is necessary that all our senses be touched to the quick, so that as we contemplate God's immense goodness toward us we may be carried outside ourselves in admiration, and meditate with no light mind on how much we owe to God. Thus we see David, beholding God's general goodness toward men, as if struck dumb, when he exclaims: 'What is a mortal, that you are mindful of him? Or the son of man, that you visit him?' And yet David speaks in that place about the common condition of all, by which they receive food and clothing from God's hand. David could indeed have said that it is the duty of men to worship God, because he embraces them with fatherly beneficence; but he goes further, and as if beside himself exclaims: 'Oh Lord, what is a mortal!' We wretched ones are nothing but dust and decay — how is it then that you do not disdain to descend into this world to govern us? You feed us with a generous hand; you rule and govern; you protect with special providence; you have special care for us. Come now, I ask, if David makes so much of this grace common to all from God, that he admires it with astonishment, what do we reckon to be our duty in praising and proclaiming that special grace of God, which is a far more excellent benefit than ordinary life? For indeed among mortals you may often see many for whom it would have been far better never to have been born than to endure so many miseries. But when God as it were separates us from the number of other men, and adorns us with certain singular gifts, and especially, as I have said, calls us to the hope of eternal life, and directs our senses and unites us to our Lord Jesus Christ, so that in him we may fully enjoy all his blessings — is not the amplest material offered to us for exclaiming: 'Oh! What shall become of us wretches, unless God of his own accord lifts us up and directs us with his hand!' For by nature we are all pressed down by bondage and subjected to the yoke of death. But God himself rules us and protects and rescues us from a thousand dangers — yet who looks up to such great gifts of God as is fitting? Therefore every effort must be made lest, in considering God's beneficence, we pass over it lightly, or suppress God's truth by shameful ingratitude, or treat it as a thing of no importance. Rather, let this be our sole concern: that whenever we think about ourselves, we recall our former condition before we were received into favor by God, and weigh in contrast the dignity to which we have been raised, since we were called to the faith of his Gospel, so that we might be made children and members of our Lord Jesus Christ, and acknowledge the condition by which we are adopted as children of God. Nor indeed are these things to be weighed lightly, but examined with the utmost ardor, so that when they come to mind we are carried away in admiration, and moved by vehement affection we exclaim: 'Ah Lord, who and what are we!' Just as we see David in another place applying this specifically to his own person: namely that he has the most ample occasion for glorifying God, because by God he was not only elected to royal dignity, but also to be a figure of our Lord Jesus Christ, and received into the body of the church as such an excellent member of it. In short, not only in general, but also specifically meditating on the benefits conferred on him by God, he bursts forth in praises of God. Furthermore, Saul's response, in which he questions Samuel as to why and by what impulse he would say such things, seems to have proceeded from unbelief, as if he doubted that what Samuel had said would come to pass. Samuel would not so come to pass. This would not have been without fault. I confess indeed that his excuse was praiseworthy, flowing from unfeigned humility; nevertheless, since he was well aware that Samuel was a prophet of God from whom he was hearing these things, he ought simply to have acquiesced in his words. From this let us observe that in all the blessings offered to us by God, we must so order and compose our lives that we do not show ourselves unbelieving, nor ever be struck with such great astonishment that we block the way of his grace and mercy. The Virgin Mary indeed, at the angel's announcement that she would conceive the Son of God, was astonished and inquired how this would happen, yet she did not therefore reject God's grace, but rested in God, while opening up her reasons for doubting, and showing herself teachable and obedient in all things. Unlike Sarah, who at the angel's promise about a son to be born from a barren woman laughed out of unbelief. Therefore let us learn to be so cast down and humbled that we nevertheless lift up our heads by faith, so that we may accept whatever God in his beneficence offers us. For many profess the greatest humility, especially when they look at themselves; but from this they wrongly take occasion to infer that free access to God is thereby barred to us. On the contrary, we must, while well acknowledging our lowliness and unworthiness, nevertheless draw closer to him. For what good will our humility do us if we take from it an occasion to draw back from God? Such humility would surely be harmful and to be condemned in every way. Thus we often see many come to despair, and, driven by a sense of their infirmity and vices, pour out similar words: 'Wretched me! Who am I? Would God look upon me, covered with so many vices? Would God have mercy on me and admit me into the number of his children?' We must by all means guard against imitating these, but rather strive that the greater sense of our sins we have felt, the more ardently we may seek him, and persuade ourselves that we are loved by him. And whatever good things he has bestowed upon us, although we are most unworthy, let us nevertheless accept them freely.

Furthermore, this too should be observed here: that when Saul was anointed by Samuel, he was not indeed called a king, but a leader and governor of the people; and it is likely that Samuel admonished him about his duty and exhorted him to fulfill it. He understands that Saul will be king and will reign, but he uses a word by which the unity and joining together of the people under his rule is indicated, to show that unless they foster concord, dissolution will follow. In the Book of Judges we saw that when there was no king in Israel, each one did what his desire dictated. This is indeed a miserable and deplorable condition, when each person is ruled by his own desire. Therefore we should observe from this how necessary it is for men to be ruled and governed by some form of civil order, since otherwise a complete upheaval of all things is to be feared, and a mutual tearing apart of one another, like wild beasts. How great an evil threatens men unless they coalesce into one body! For why, I ask, did God will that there be necessary concord among men, and that they have dealings with one another, if not because he knew that they cannot do without each other's help? This indeed had to be a bond of closer union between them. But how, even with God gathering us into one body, can we coalesce without a head? For that comparison drawn from the human body is most apt for indicating the union of men. Therefore let us observe that God bestowed a singular benefit upon the human race when he willed that there be men of primary authority — kings, princes, or magistrates — according to the various forms of administration among peoples and nations. For whatever form that public administration may take, a singular gift of God shines forth in it. Meanwhile, those who sit at the helm of public affairs are reminded of their duty, that they should watch over the care of the people entrusted to their faith, and take action against the wicked, lest they allow any confusion to take hold, with the more powerful raging against others; but rather that each person be given what is due, and that people freely interact and do business with one another, and that each private citizen direct all his efforts toward the care of his fellow citizens and the entire region. And if this is what mere humanity demands among men, what, I ask, shall we say is owed to God? Indeed, men must remember that the highest and primary dignity is always owed to God. In short, to sum up this matter briefly, God, in setting Saul as king over the people, taught that the people could no longer remain safe and free from dangers, but would have been close to destruction, unless this divinely given remedy — namely a head by which they might coalesce into one — were granted to them. For we have already seen how rebellious that people was, and how they gave place to their passions and emotions, so that God himself had to bring a remedy to this necessity with new measures daily; which he accomplished by giving them a king. But what is said about that time and people must be applied to our own use, and a general rule established from these things, as we have noted above. Then the text continues: Samuel ordered the cook to bring the portion he had previously commanded to be set aside, namely the shoulder and what was attached to it; and Saul had the highest place among the invited guests, who were about thirty men. This might at first glance have seemed remarkable, since there is no doubt that Samuel had made a selection of men and chosen the most honored. And indeed, although the sacrifice was offered in the name of the whole city, only those thirty men were invited to that banquet. And there is no doubt that they were elders and men of chief authority. men of authority. Who then would not marvel that an unknown and ignoble young man, seeking his father's donkeys, whose father, family, and house were not known, was preferred by Samuel over those leading men? This was indeed new and unusual, and rightly seemed extraordinary. And so from this deed we gather that Samuel had gained such great authority among his people that whatever he did was welcome and accepted, because he was regarded as a distinguished prophet of God, who had undertaken nothing rashly or from caprice of mind, but had faithfully kept himself within the limits of his calling. Had the whole people not been persuaded of this, it certainly would not have been done without murmuring. For with what spirit, with what eyes would those elders and men of distinguished rank have watched an unknown and ignoble boy being placed before them — how would they have endured it? Would they not have protested to Samuel himself: 'What is this boy to us? What is the meaning of this? If you want him to be present at this banquet, let him sit in a lower place.' But nothing of the sort was to be heard; those elders were not disturbed, even though Samuel's action could have seemed unusual. And human dispositions are fickle and passions strong, so that the elders and honored men invited to that sacrifice could easily have been stirred up against Samuel, and murmured as if an injury had been done to them, and complained about it. But, as I said, they show themselves most obedient to Samuel, and bear with no resentful spirit that a young man is placed before them. From all this we ought to be all the more confirmed in what we said above: namely, that when we observe by clear signs that something is pleasing to God, we must peacefully acquiesce in it, even if any mortal addresses us in his name; and even if we are brought low and cast down from our rank, and God thus tests our patience, we must bear it patiently, and not envy those whom God has raised up and preferred before us, even though their condition may not otherwise be such that such great honor is due to them. Therefore let us willingly submit to God as he acts, and comply with him in all things. Let us consider what a great benefit we receive from him when he takes us into the number of his children; and let us prefer to be cast down and humbled in God's house and to enjoy his mercy, rather than to rejoice with the ungodly and enjoy great honors joined with God's curse.

It remains, brothers, for us before God, etc.

9:26. And when they had risen early, and it was now dawning, Samuel called to Saul on the rooftop, saying: Arise, and I will send you on your way. And Saul arose, and both went out, he and Samuel. 27. And as they were going down to the outskirts of the city, Samuel said to Saul: Tell the servant to go ahead of us and pass on; but you remain here a little while, that I may declare to you the word of God.

17. When Samuel saw Saul, the Lord said to him: 'Behold, this is the man of whom I spoke to you; he shall reign over My people.' 18. Saul approached Samuel in the middle of the gate and said: 'Tell me, please, where is the house of the seer?' 19. Samuel answered Saul: 'I am the seer. Go up before me to the high place, and you shall eat with me today. I will send you on your way in the morning, and I will tell you all that is in your heart.' 20. 'As for the donkeys you lost three days ago, do not worry about them, for they have been found. And for whom is all that is desirable in Israel? Is it not for you and for all your father's house?' 21. Saul answered: 'Am I not a Benjamite, from the smallest of the tribes of Israel, and is not my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? Why then do you speak to me this way?' 22. Samuel took Saul and his servant and brought them into the dining hall, giving them the place of honor at the head of those who had been invited — about thirty men. 23. Samuel said to the cook: 'Bring the portion I gave you, which I told you to set aside.' 24. The cook lifted up the shoulder and set it before Saul. Samuel said: 'See, what was reserved — set it before you and eat, for it has been kept for you for this appointed time, when I invited the people.' So Saul ate with Samuel that day. 25. They came down from the high place into the town, and Samuel spoke with Saul on the roof.

We said yesterday that the day before Saul came, God had revealed to Samuel whom He wished to anoint as leader over His people — and now that same knowledge is confirmed to him. When Saul approached Samuel, Samuel received a fresh revelation that this was the one appointed to reign over Israel. That confirmation was what moved him to carry out everything that followed. God had not revealed this secret to him merely so that Samuel might satisfy his curiosity. He revealed it because He wanted Samuel to be the minister of the anointing and to carry out the whole matter in God's name and by His authority. Samuel therefore needed to be made completely certain of God's will and election by clear and unmistakable signs. Nothing should ever be undertaken rashly in matters as weighty and momentous as governing a nation or leading the church. In such matters — and especially in divine ones — the greatest care must be taken not to follow one's own reason or judgment, but to rely on God's will alone, so that nothing is done contrary to it. I grant that no such revelation comes to us from heaven today telling us whom God has chosen to rule over a people. But we do have a general rule and standard, and whoever follows it will never stray from the right path. Here, however, a special case is at hand — the transfer of a kingdom, something that could not have been left to chance — and so it was necessary for God to speak with His own voice, give an unmistakable testimony, and declare whom He wished to set over His people as king. There was as yet no established hereditary succession for the kingdom. Until the right time came, a temporary provision was needed. Such a provision could not come from human ingenuity or effort — it was the work of God alone. It is therefore not without reason that Samuel was here given a renewed warning and a fresh revelation. The man God chose as the minister of His will had to be made certain of that will by unmistakable signs.

The text then tells us that Saul met Samuel and asked him where the seer's house was — and Samuel replied: 'I am the one.' This again shows how the Lord directed Saul's steps. It confirms what the prophet says elsewhere: that God knows our ways, our going out and our coming in. We often fail to perceive this, yet we must hold it as a most certain principle — as another prophet says: 'I know, O Lord, that the way of man is not in himself; it is not in a man who walks to direct his steps.' By 'ways' and 'steps,' the prophet means the whole course of human life — and from these words it is clear that we can neither move forward nor backward without God observing and even directing every step. None of what was happening to Saul had ever entered his mind. When he met Samuel, he came upon him as a stranger in an unfamiliar place, intending only to ask where the seer's house was. He stumbled upon Samuel — while God was all along driving and directing him straight to Samuel himself. From the fact that Saul had to ask where the seer lived, we can easily conclude that Samuel, despite being a leading figure and a man of the highest authority among his people, bore no outward signs of rank by which he could be recognized. Saul questioned him as though speaking to a complete stranger. Samuel's appearance and clothing were clearly simple and plain. He was acknowledged by all as God's prophet and regarded as the leader and governor of the people — but the honor shown him came from his character, not from outward pomp and magnificence like that of kings and princes. How remarkable was Samuel's modesty at such an elevated rank — that he never lost himself in his position, never exalted himself or claimed special treatment, never put on airs, but remained content with a common appearance, as one of the ordinary people. From his example, let those learn wisdom whose ambition drives them to constantly add new displays of grandeur to their position, always striving to make themselves conspicuous to everyone. How far removed are such people from the prophetic spirit — a spirit of gentleness and humanity? Therefore, if we wish to be counted among God's children, let us learn — even when we have reached the highest degrees of dignity and honor — not to become proud, but to hold ourselves to modesty and humility. Let our very manner show that we are not chasing empty glory, the desire to dominate, or the petty satisfaction of being pointed at by passersby. Let pride and arrogance be far from us.

Samuel's answer — that he was the very seer Saul was looking for — was not boasting. It was a truthful declaration he was compelled to give when directly asked. He also needed to establish his credibility before Saul, so that Saul would trust what Samuel was about to tell him. Samuel identified himself as a seer and prophet primarily to make Saul attentive — to prepare him to receive his words with humility, so that Saul would not think they came from human wisdom, but would be persuaded that what he was about to hear from Samuel was a divinely given word, an irrevocable decree of God to which he must submit. God's servants must indeed establish their authority among people by setting forth their office and the dignity of the One who sent them. No one — not even the most excellent of men — would on his own authority dare to present his own fabrications as decrees of God. What kind of arrogance would it be — how monstrous — if someone were to put forward his own dreams to people and demand that they be received as the Word of God? Indeed, if the angels themselves were to come in their own name and propose a new doctrine in the church, they should not be listened to. So much authority should not be attributed to them — for God claims that authority for Himself alone. The apostle Paul, seeking to establish his authority among the churches, declares himself an apostle of God, chosen and appointed by God for that office.

The prophets did the same — and who would accuse them of vanity or ambition for proclaiming their divine calling? Rather, we should recognize in this the greatest modesty: they proclaimed their authority so that God might retain His rightful place among the people, and so that no one would imagine they were putting forward something of their own. Paul says he glories in the grace he had received. He defends it with such conviction that he does not permit it to be despised, nor does he allow any of the reverence owed to it to be minimized. He was certainly not looking to himself or seeking his own glory. His aim was to establish authority for the teaching he had received from God — so that people would receive it with proper reverence as coming from God, not from a man, and would not fix their attention on the messenger (for human beings are very fragile instruments) but rise all the way up to God, who was pleased to entrust such a treasure to people. Indeed, if you judge by the human messengers alone, what would become of God's Word? How badly it would be torn apart and rejected! We must therefore rest on this as a firm foundation: those sent by God must demonstrate by their conduct that they have not come in their own name and have not seized so great a task for themselves — but have received from God such dignity and authority that they may be received and heard as sent by Him. For this reason Samuel told Saul that he was the seer — to prepare Saul for obedience and to ready him to receive God's word from Samuel's mouth, so that he would not later doubt what he heard, but would be firmly persuaded it was God's command and would gladly accept Samuel's words.

Samuel then commanded Saul to go up ahead of him to the high place. 'You shall eat with me today,' he said, 'and in the morning I will send you on your way and tell you all that is in your heart. As for the donkeys you lost — pay attention — they have been found.' At the same time Samuel gives Saul a hint of the revelation he had received, offering him a first taste of it when he says: 'And for whom is all the desire of Israel? Is it not for you, and for all your father's house?' It is worth noting that the custom of that time and people was to take their main meal in the evening, since there were no regular midday meals. They dined in the evening. The phrase 'all the desire of Israel' can be understood in two ways: either that the people desired Saul as king and looked to him alone, or — according to Hebrew usage — 'desire' stands for the thing desired itself. The second explanation seems simpler: 'desire' is used to mean the most desirable and precious thing. The kingdom is what is meant.

We should also observe that God prepared Saul's heart to receive Samuel's words without resistance. Saul might well have been anxious about his father's worry over his long absence and asked Samuel for leave to return home — but none of that happens. He shows himself willing and obedient to Samuel in every way. There is no doubt that the Lord inclined his heart to this, as God governs all things by His providence. Samuel also lent credibility to his words by giving Saul a sign: he told him he would reveal what was in his heart — specifically about the lost donkeys. This kind of specific knowledge could not have come apart from a special divine revelation. Saul could therefore not remain in stubborn resistance against God without recognizing that Samuel had been sent to him. Ordered to stay with Samuel, he willingly did so. But we will see shortly that this obedience from Saul did not last.

From this passage we learn that once we have recognized God speaking through the ministry of His servants, we ought to conform ourselves to their teaching, be obedient to them, and not look for excuses or escape routes when we have been slow to do our duty. Whenever we have recognized by unmistakable signs that God is speaking, let us show ourselves ready and willing — eagerly following wherever He leads. Whether or not God is speaking will always be easy enough to recognize, unless negligence and pride have closed our ears. Why is it that the majority of people remain ignorant of God's will? It is because they are absorbed in trivial things and simply do not care about what matters to God. They will surely receive what they deserve for wandering like animals and rushing headlong wherever their impulses carry them. We should therefore pray that God would hold us back with a firm hand, so that we are not carried headlong into stubbornness and rebellion against Him. On the other hand, if we are attentive and diligent, God will surely show us the way we should walk. But for many people, the greatest obstacle is pride. How many people genuinely strive for honesty and integrity in their lives, or truly want to be converted to God? Very few. Instead, each person follows his own opinions and dreams, driven off course by self-love, convinced he is wiser than he is. Then comes a still worse evil: we surrender to our desires, obeying them rather than sound counsel, and find ourselves incapable of accepting what is good and right. The result is that we cannot keep ourselves within proper limits and do not know which way to turn. We become unworthy of God's guidance — we do not seek Him, and we shake off His yoke as much as we can, behaving more like wild and stubborn animals than like children of God. We must therefore meditate on this teaching all the more earnestly, so that when God's will has been made clear to us by certain and unmistakable signs, we know that we must align ourselves completely with His will and pleasure. That is enough about Saul's obedience.

The phrase 'the desire of Israel' does not give Saul authority to seize whatever goods and wealth existed in Israel. It simply designates the royal dignity to which he was to be elevated by the Lord's command. We already saw in the previous chapter what kind of power the king would exercise in taking and demanding — not because royal law actually requires such things, but because the people's subjection permits it. Here, though, 'desire' means simply that the most excellent thing in Israel — the royal dignity — was reserved for Saul and his family. When Saul received that dignity, his entire family was ennobled along with him. This honor was not Saul's alone but extended to his whole household. By these words, Samuel was telling Saul that God had called him to a height of honor he never could have imagined for himself.

Saul was completely stunned by this announcement. He trembled at the greatness of the grace God was showing him as Samuel disclosed the divine decree — as if to say that Saul had found what he had never been looking for. This is clear from his response: 'I am from the tribe of Benjamin, and my father's family is the smallest of all the families of Benjamin.' He calls himself a son of Jemini, but from the beginning of this chapter we see that Jemini and Benjamin are the same tribe. There is no need to debate whether we say Jemini or Benjamin — he was both. What matters more is the point he was making: from a human standpoint, Saul considered himself the most remote and least likely candidate for such a position, since the tribe of Benjamin was at that time the most lowly and diminished of all the tribes. In the book of Judges we saw that nearly the entire tribe of Benjamin had been wiped out in a war against the other tribes — the war triggered by the horrific crime against the Levite's wife. The tribe had not yet fully recovered from that catastrophic blow. It was weak and sparsely populated — and even before that disaster, it had not been a large tribe. Saul further adds that his own father's family was the smallest among the remaining families of Benjamin.

God raised this man from the lowest rank to the very summit of dignity and bestowed on him the highest honor. In this we see both a remarkable display of divine grace and the virtue of a man who thinks humbly of himself — who does not credit himself with as much as others might, but instead, overwhelmed by the astonishing magnitude of what was happening, is left stunned and speechless. We will see later, however, that this humility did not take deep root in Saul. As a result, he was eventually stripped of the very honor God had given him — and the greater the height to which he had been raised, the greater the lasting disgrace that attended his fall. This should make us all the more careful: when God has once opened our eyes and shown us our own lowliness, let us acknowledge that whatever gifts we have, we have received from His free goodness alone — and let us fix this so deeply in our minds that no forgetfulness can ever erase it. We should not display humility and modesty for just a moment. We must value God's goodness as it deserves and proclaim it with the highest praise. And we must persevere in this — so that to the very end of our lives, conscious of our weakness and lowliness, we leave to God what belongs to Him and give Him the honor He deserves. When we see that Saul was at first humble and modest but then, once seated at the helm of power, became arrogant and forgot himself, let us reflect all the more carefully: it is not enough to acknowledge God's kindness once or twice and offer praise for it. We must carry a lasting memory of it throughout our whole lives — daily recalling our original condition and origin, and serving God more eagerly because we attained whatever dignity we have not by our own effort, labor, or cleverness, but by His hand and will. This teaching deserves fuller treatment here. We are discussing a temporal kingdom — and a brief one at that, since God intended to establish the kingdom permanently in the tribe of Judah through David, as He later did. Saul's calling was therefore only for a time — a kind of temporary provision, an interregnum of sorts. Indeed, God more tolerated than caused or approved it when Saul was raised to royal dignity. Yet even so, God gave some evidence of His goodwill toward the people by raising up Saul — whose service He would use for the defense and liberation of His people — even though Saul's kingdom would prove to be only temporary. Yet even in this temporary, short-lived kingdom — one that God Himself did not fully approve or bless as He did the kingdom that followed under David — we see that God wished to strip from men every ground for boasting and to crush all pride and arrogance. What then shall we say about the heavenly kingdom, which God graciously offers to us, into whose hope we are called and adopted? God Himself, out of mercy alone, chooses us and brings into the number of His children those whom He makes partakers of the heavenly kingdom — upon whom He places the crown of immortality, whom He makes companions of the angels, whom He blesses with that eternal happiness obtained through the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, so that we may be united and joined to Him as our head. What can we possibly contribute to this? When in Saul's election God displayed such great splendor of His grace — raising to the royal throne a man born of a humble family in an obscure place, barely known among other families — what shall we say when God calls us to Himself? Shall we claim that some worthiness of ours is the cause? What impudence and arrogance that would be! Let us therefore take careful note of what God requires of us. If in a matter of comparatively small importance He still required that His goodness and undeserved mercy be acknowledged, and that all glory be attributed to Him alone with all human boasting removed — how much more is this true now, when what is at stake is not an earthly and temporary inheritance, but eternal life and an inheritance stored up in heaven, which makes us companions of angels and co-heirs of our Lord Jesus Christ? Does He not require that all our boasting be removed, and that all glory be given to God alone — that we acknowledge we gave no occasion for our own election, that we did not merit His grace in advance by any worthiness of our own, but that He found the cause entirely in His own infinite goodness, by which He wills to receive the unworthy into His favor? Nor is it enough merely to know these things. We must also be swept away in wonder at God's great goodness toward us. If we pass lightly over God's benefits, it will be a clear sign of the grossest ingratitude. All our senses must be moved to the core, so that as we contemplate God's immense goodness toward us we are carried outside ourselves in astonishment, and with serious and earnest reflection consider how much we owe to God. We see David doing this — beholding God's general goodness toward all mankind and exclaiming as though struck dumb: 'What is a mortal, that You are mindful of him? Or the son of man, that You visit him?' And David is speaking there about the common condition of all people — how they receive food and clothing from God's hand. He could simply have said it is the duty of people to worship God because He cares for them with fatherly kindness. Instead, he goes further and cries out as if beside himself: 'O Lord, what is a mortal!' We are nothing but dust and decay — how is it then that You do not disdain to stoop down to govern us? You feed us with a generous hand; You rule and guide; You protect us by special providence and care for us in particular. If David marvels with such astonishment at this grace that God extends to all people in common, what do we owe in praising that special grace of God — a gift far more excellent than ordinary life? Among mortals you will often find many for whom it would have been far better never to have been born than to endure so many miseries. But when God sets us apart from the rest of humanity, adorns us with particular gifts, calls us — as I have said — to the hope of eternal life, directs our minds, and unites us to our Lord Jesus Christ so that in Him we may fully enjoy all His blessings — does He not offer us the fullest possible reason to cry out: 'What would become of us wretches, if God did not of His own accord lift us up and guide us by His hand?' By nature we are all weighed down by bondage and subjected to the rule of death. But God Himself rules us, protects us, and rescues us from a thousand dangers — and yet who regards such great gifts of God as they deserve? Every effort must therefore be made to ensure that we do not pass lightly over God's goodness, or suppress His truth through shameful ingratitude, or treat it as a thing of little importance. Let this be our sole concern: whenever we think about ourselves, to recall our former condition before we were received into God's favor — and then to measure it against the dignity to which we have been raised, since we were called to faith in His Gospel, made children and members of our Lord Jesus Christ, and adopted as children of God. These things must not be weighed carelessly, but examined with the greatest earnestness — so that when they come to mind we are swept away in wonder, and moved by strong feeling we cry out: 'Ah, Lord, who and what are we!' We see David doing exactly this in another place, applying it personally to himself: that he has the richest occasion for glorifying God, because God not only elected him to royal dignity but also to be a type of our Lord Jesus Christ, and received him as a most excellent member into the body of the church. Not only in general terms, but meditating specifically on the benefits God had conferred on him personally, David breaks out in praises of God. One more thing to note: Saul's response, in which he questions Samuel about why and on what basis he would say such things, seems to have come from a kind of unbelief — as though he doubted that what Samuel said would come to pass. This was not without fault. I grant that his excuse was commendable, flowing from genuine humility. But since he knew well that Samuel was a prophet of God and was hearing these words directly from him, he should simply have trusted Samuel's words. From this let us observe that in all the blessings God offers us, we must so order our lives that we do not show ourselves unbelieving, and are never so overwhelmed with astonishment that we block the path of His grace and mercy. The Virgin Mary, when the angel announced that she would conceive the Son of God, was astonished and asked how this could happen — yet she did not reject God's grace. She rested in God, voiced her reasons for perplexity, and showed herself teachable and obedient in all things. Unlike Sarah, who laughed in unbelief when the angel promised a son from a woman long past childbearing. Let us therefore learn to be so brought low and humbled that we nonetheless lift our heads by faith, ready to receive whatever God in His kindness offers us. Many profess the greatest humility, especially when they look at themselves — but then wrongly conclude from this that they have no right of access to God. On the contrary, while fully acknowledging our lowliness and unworthiness, we must still draw closer to Him. What good does our humility do us if we use it as a reason to pull back from God? Such humility would be harmful and entirely to be condemned. We often see people driven to despair — overwhelmed by the sense of their weakness and sins, pouring out words like: 'Wretched me! Who am I? Would God look on someone covered with so many vices? Would He have mercy on me and receive me among His children?' We must guard carefully against imitating these people. Instead, the greater the sense of our sins we feel, the more eagerly we should seek God and persuade ourselves that we are loved by Him. Whatever good things He has given us — though we are most unworthy — let us still freely receive them.

There is one more thing worth noting here: when Samuel anointed Saul, he did not call him a king outright, but rather a leader and governor of the people. It is likely that Samuel also charged him with his duty and urged him to fulfill it faithfully. Samuel understood that Saul would be king and would reign — but the word he used points to the unity of the people under his rule, indicating that without the cultivation of harmony, dissolution would follow. In the book of Judges we saw what happened when there was no king in Israel: everyone did whatever his own desires dictated. That is a miserable and deplorable condition — when each person is governed by nothing but his own impulses. From this we should observe how necessary it is for people to be governed by some form of civil order. Without it, a complete collapse of everything is to be feared — people tearing at one another like wild animals. What a terrible evil threatens people when they cannot be brought together into one community! Why did God will that there be a necessary bond of mutual support among people, and that they engage with one another? Because He knew that they cannot do without each other's help. That need was meant to draw them into a closer union. But even with God gathering us into one body, how can we function without a head? The analogy from the human body is perfectly suited to describe the union of people. Let us therefore recognize that God gave the human race a remarkable gift when He ordained that there be persons of highest authority — kings, princes, or magistrates — according to the various forms of government among different peoples and nations. Whatever form that public governance takes, a singular gift of God shines through it. At the same time, those who sit at the helm of public affairs are reminded of their duty: they must watch over the people entrusted to their care, take action against the wicked, and prevent any chaos from taking hold — stopping the powerful from tyrannizing others. They must ensure that each person receives what is due, that people can interact and conduct business freely with one another, and that each citizen directs his efforts toward the welfare of his neighbors and the community as a whole. And if this is what basic humanity requires among people, what, we must ask, is owed to God? People must always remember that the highest and primary honor belongs to God. To sum up briefly: by setting Saul as king over the people, God showed that the people could no longer remain safe without this divinely given remedy — a head around whom they could unite. Without it, they were on the edge of destruction. We have already seen how rebellious that people was, how they gave themselves over to their passions and emotions, so that God continually had to bring fresh remedies to their situation — which He did by giving them a king. But what is said about that time and people must be applied to our own lives, and a general rule drawn from it, as we have noted above. The text then continues: Samuel instructed the cook to bring out the portion he had previously set aside — the shoulder and what was attached to it — and Saul was given the place of honor among the invited guests, who numbered about thirty men. This might seem surprising at first glance. Samuel had clearly made a deliberate selection, choosing the most distinguished men. Though the sacrifice was offered on behalf of the whole city, only those thirty men were invited to the banquet. There is no doubt they were elders and men of the highest standing. Who would not find it remarkable, then, that Samuel placed above those leading men an unknown and obscure young man who had come looking for his father's lost donkeys — a man whose father, family, and household were not known? It was indeed something new and unusual, and it rightly struck people as extraordinary. From this action we can conclude that Samuel had earned such great authority among his people that whatever he did was accepted without complaint, because he was regarded as a distinguished prophet of God who had never acted rashly or out of personal whim, but had faithfully kept himself within the limits of his calling. If the people had not been fully persuaded of this, such an action would certainly have caused murmuring. Think about it: how would those elders and men of distinguished rank have watched an unknown boy placed above them? Would they not have said to Samuel: 'What does this boy have to do with us? What does this mean? If you want him here, let him sit in a lower place.' But nothing of the sort was heard. The elders were not disturbed, even though Samuel's action could easily have seemed improper. Human nature is fickle and passions run strong — those honored men invited to the sacrifice could easily have been stirred up against Samuel and complained that an insult had been done to them. But, as I said, they showed themselves completely compliant with Samuel, bearing without resentment that a young man was placed above them. All of this should confirm what we said earlier: when we can see by clear signs that something is pleasing to God, we must peacefully accept it — even if a mere mortal delivers the message in His name. And if we are brought low and set aside from our rank, and God uses this to test our patience, we must bear it patiently. We must not envy those whom God has raised up and placed ahead of us, even if their outward circumstances do not seem to merit such great honor. Let us therefore willingly yield to God as He works, and cooperate with Him in all things. Let us consider what a great benefit we receive when He takes us into the number of His children — and let us prefer to be humbled and brought low in God's house, enjoying His mercy, rather than to rejoice with the ungodly and enjoy great honors that come with God's curse.

It remains, brothers, for us before God, etc.

9:26. They rose early, and at the break of dawn Samuel called up to Saul on the rooftop: 'Get up, and I will send you on your way.' Saul arose, and both he and Samuel went out together. 27. As they were walking down to the outskirts of the city, Samuel said to Saul: 'Tell the servant to go on ahead of us.' When the servant had passed on, Samuel said, 'But you stay here a moment, and I will declare to you the word of God.'