A tall young man spent days searching the countryside for his father's stolen donkeys. He never did find the animals. What he did find, after inquiring with a local holy man, was a prophet waiting to anoint him king of Israel and change his country's future forever.
Lost were the donkeys but found was a crown. This is the story of how Saul became the first king of Israel and how the bright promise of youth turned to sorrow and regret.
How the People Got a King
Until the time the people made their request, Israel had no king. The land was ruled by judges and prophets, and God Himself was their leader. However, as the prophet Samuel grew old, the people brought him a grievance.
"Get us a king to rule over us," they said. "So shall we be like all the nations that are around us." Samuel was appalled at their demand, and he took it to the Lord. The reply was as surprising as it was disappointing: "They have not rejected thee," said God, "but Me, that I should not reign over them." Nevertheless, God ordered Samuel to grant the people their wish, although he was to advise them of the burdens a king would bring. The prophet warned them that the king would take their sons and daughters for his service, their property, and their pleasure. He would demand a portion of their produce and livestock. The people were not dissuaded. "We want a king," they said, "so that we may be like all the nations." And so Samuel chose a king for them.
Israel had been governed by judges and by God Himself. When the people demanded a king like the nations around them, God told Samuel to give them one — but first to warn them exactly what that king would cost.
Looking for Donkeys, Finding a Crown
Meanwhile, a young man named Saul was having a most disheartening day. Saul was the son of Kish, a member of the tribe of Benjamin, and apparently a looker: "...he was head and shoulders above any of the young men of Israel." His father's animals had gone missing, and Saul was sent to search for them with a servant. They scoured the countryside but found no trace of Kish's donkeys.
As they were preparing to return home, thinking that further searching was in vain, Saul's servant gave him good news: "There is a seer in this town who can tell us where to find the lost animals." The seer was none other than Samuel, and the Lord had already made plans to install Saul as Israel's king. "Behold, I will show thee the man that the Lord hath chosen," said Samuel to Saul when the young man arrived.
And what did Saul think of all this? He thought he was meeting a prophet about some lost donkeys. Little did he know the meeting would turn his life around.
Saul came looking for a prophet who could tell him where his father's donkeys had gone. Samuel had been waiting for him since the day before, told by God that the future king of Israel was on his way.
Anointed in Secret
Samuel entertained Saul at a feast and treated him like a guest of honor, telling him not to worry about the donkeys because they had already been found. Saul was dumbfounded at the seer's effusive praise because he was "of the smallest of the tribes of Israel..." and "of the least of the families..." The next morning, Saul prepared to return home, but first, Samuel paid him a most curious visit. The prophet anointed him king by pouring oil on his head and kissing him. This was a special token because anointing with oil signified that the recipient had been set apart for a sacred purpose. Henceforth, the anointed person became known as the Lord's anointed. Samuel told Saul to return home and informed him that on his return journey, he would meet prophets and be overcome with the spirit of God and join them in prophesizing. This was not an easy thing to do, as the locals quickly concluded. "Is Saul also among the prophets?" they said. God had taken possession of Saul, and there was no stopping him.
A King Presented to the People
The anointing was a most personal matter between Samuel and Saul, but to make Saul king, he had to publicly greet the nation. At Mizpah, Samuel summoned the people and conducted a most interesting selection process. He kept choosing different tribes and families until finally, only one was left. Then Saul, the son of Kish, had vanished, but they found him "hid among the stuff." In one of the Bible's most touching scenes, Saul is introduced to his nation. At first, he was hidden, but later, he stood fair among the people. Samuel presented him to the crowd saying, "Here is the man; there is none like him among all the people." And so the nation cried "Long live the king!" Israel was to have its first king, and most of the country was enthusiastic about the prospects. Some skeptics were said to "doubt," as the king was presented to the people.
Found hiding among the baggage at Mizpah, Saul was brought out and stood head and shoulders above everyone. Samuel presented him to the nation and the crowd shouted 'Long live the king.'
Bright Prospects
Saul's days as king began most promisingly. As he soon found himself fighting his first war, the king was hailed as a military genius. When the enemy, the Ammonites, laid siege to the Israelite town of Jabesh-Gilead, demanding that all Israelites either submit to their king or suffer the consequences, a powerful spirit of patriotism was raised. When Saul heard the grievance, the Spirit of God came mightily upon him, and he gathered the Israelite tribes to fight at Jabesh-Gilead. Saul led the vanguard in the battle and routed the enemy with a decisive blow, rescuing the Israelite town. The king had given the people what they wanted, and the skeptics fell silent.
The young king was humble and charismatic, and he gave the people reason to believe that his reign would indeed be a golden era for Israel. He did not want the position, he was most reluctant to accept the burden, and when he won a glorious victory, he praised God and was merciful to his critics. Great promise was seen in the young king, and everything pointed to Saul becoming Israel's most successful ruler.
A Turning Point for Israel
We must briefly discuss the historical significance of Saul's reign to better understand what makes him such an interesting figure in the bible. The simple fact is that Saul was Israel's first king, and so he holds a special place in history. The establishment of the monarchy marked the end of one epoch and the beginning of another.
Israel was a loosely connected tribal union ruled by various local leaders. The rule of the king changed that significantly, introducing a new form of government and new societal relations. It is most remarkable, however, that the Lord himself made the king for Israel. Although we are told that the people wanted a king "like all the nations around us," Samuel anointed Saul in due time. Furthermore, the monarchy created excellent conditions for the emergence of some of Judaism's most remarkable figures, including King David. Thus the people got the king they wanted, but the Lord got the people He wanted.
A Cautionary Tale about Power
Saul's story is a cautionary tale about humility and power. The young king had it all: divine approval and the people's love, but he wasted both on vanity and jealousy. He was a towering figure whose life fell apart because he could not control his passions. His early years of power and glory turned to sorrow and regret.
What is most remarkable about the entire episode with Saul is that it is a cautionary tale about power. He was a most promising leader, but it seems that all the good fortune was wasted on him because he could barely handle the responsibilities. Everything began well for Saul, but vanity and jealousy soon got the better of him. The king grew frustrated with his inability to control the people and was especially jealous of David. These weaknesses ultimately led to Saul's downfall. However, how much of it was his fault? He was an ordinary man placed in extraordinary circumstances, and he failed to rise to the occasion.
The Tale of the Anointment
The story of Saul's anointment is worth recounting because of the valuable insight it offers into the ways of the Lord. The Lord is often accused of being unfair in His judgments, but the episode with Saul shows that God is very just. God warned the people that they would suffer at the hands of the king, and he made sure they would get the exact king they wanted. We learn from Saul's story that no matter how corrupt the people are, if they genuinely repent, the Lord will always forgive them.
The people may have wanted a king to rule over them like the other nations, but they did not get the king they wanted. The Lord gave them Saul, but he was "head and shoulders above any of the young men of Israel." And so Saul ruled Israel for many years, and the people loved him. Some of them, however, were not so enamored with the king and doubted that he was Israel's true leader. Nevertheless, the Lord's will prevailed.
