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The First King of Israel: Saul - The Book of 1 Samuel · Bible in a Year with Jack Graham

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  Speaker 1: Let us pray. Then Samuel took a vial of oil
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  Speaker 1: and poured it upon his head and kissed him and said,
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  Speaker 1: Is it not because the Lord hath anointed thee to
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  Speaker 1: be captain over his inheritance? 1 Samuel 10.1 God, as
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  Speaker 1: this new day greets me, thank you for being the
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  Speaker 1: God of twenty-four hours. I thank you that, like Saul,
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  Speaker 1: You can send someone into my life to change the
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  Speaker 1: trajectory of my future. Guide my feet and my actions
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  Speaker 1: so that I will be able to cross paths with
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  Speaker 1: designated destiny igniters. I declare that my name is being
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  Speaker 1: spoken in rooms I have not yet entered into. I
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  Speaker 1: thank you that you've already prepared my promotion and you
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  Speaker 1: know the date of my elevations. Place men and women
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  Speaker 1: of God around me that will help guide and teach
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  Speaker 1: me the position of influence that I am about to
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  Speaker 1: walk in. Enlarge my heart so that I will have
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  Speaker 1: a newfound passion and love for the calling and assignment
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  Speaker 1: you've created for me. I declare that I am ready,
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  Speaker 1: and even in my weaknesses, I know that I am
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  Speaker 1: still covered because I have not rejected you as king
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  Speaker 1: over my life, Lord. So, I will arise. I will
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  Speaker 1: take the weapons and gifts you've given me and take
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  Speaker 1: territory for your kingdom. I'm ready. Let's do this, God.
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  Speaker 1: In Jesus' name.
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  Speaker 2: Amen.
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  Speaker 1: Thank you for praying with me today. Continue listening for
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  Speaker 1: an incredible Bible story brought to you by BibleInAYear.com.
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  Speaker 2: The first king of Israel, Saul. In our last story,
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  Speaker 2: Israel cried out for a king. Israel, God's chosen people,
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  Speaker 2: shouted and begged for a king to rule over them.
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  Speaker 2: Despite Samuel's warnings, Israel desired for a man to reign
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  Speaker 2: over them completely and protect them from their enemies. Now
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  Speaker 2: we see God acknowledging their desires by raising up a king.
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  Speaker 2: For Israel's first king, God chooses Saul. And with Saul
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  Speaker 2: begins a story that would pave the way for God's
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  Speaker 2: true king and savior.
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  Speaker 3: Hello, this is Jack Graham with today's episode of the
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  Speaker 3: Bible in a Year podcast. In yesterday's episode, we learned
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  Speaker 3: that Samuel served God faithfully as Israel's judge and prophet
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  Speaker 3: for many years. And because the people turned back to
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  Speaker 3: God and cast out their idols, God prospered the nation greatly.
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  Speaker 3: But Israel's longing to be like other nations was too
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  Speaker 3: great and they ultimately insisted on being given an earthly
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  Speaker 3: king just like the rest of the world. This grieved
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  Speaker 3: God as they were rejecting not Samuel but God himself.
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  Speaker 3: But God would not force his children to follow him.
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  Speaker 3: He never does. And after warning Israel that having a
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  Speaker 3: king would not go as they desired, God told Samuel
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  Speaker 3: to give them what they wanted. Today we'll hear of
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  Speaker 3: the first king that God raises up for Israel. Saul
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  Speaker 3: had all the makings of a king, strength, good looks, wealth, charm,
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  Speaker 3: and yet he was also humble, at least at that moment.
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  Speaker 3: Saul will seem to be the right man for the job.
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  Speaker 3: Let's listen now to today's reading.
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  Speaker 2: In the tribe of Benjamin was a man named Saul.
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  Speaker 2: Saul was the son of a wealthy man named Kish.
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  Speaker 2: Saul was tall and broad-shouldered. He stood a head above
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  Speaker 2: the rest of his tribe and was one of the
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  Speaker 2: most handsome men in all of Israel. Despite Saul's stature, wealth,
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  Speaker 2: and good looks, he was a relatively humble young man.
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  Speaker 2: He enjoyed tending to his father's land. One day, one
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  Speaker 2: of Kish's donkeys went missing, so he sent Saul out
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  Speaker 2: to look for it. Saul and his servant went looking
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  Speaker 2: for the donkey and searched all the nearby villages to
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  Speaker 2: no avail. When they ventured through the land of Zulf,
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  Speaker 2: days had passed, and Saul grew worried. Saul said to
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  Speaker 2: his servant, We should return. I am sure my father
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  Speaker 2: is more anxious about our safety than the donkey's. Saul's
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  Speaker 2: servant stopped him and said, I heard that there is
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  Speaker 2: a man of God in this city. The people hold
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  Speaker 2: him in high esteem. Maybe he can tell us where
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  Speaker 2: we should go. So the two men gathered some gifts
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  Speaker 2: to bring to the prophet. They went up the hill
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  Speaker 2: to the city that rested above. As they were on
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  Speaker 2: their way, God came to Samuel and said, I have
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  Speaker 2: heard the people's cries for a king. Tomorrow I will
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  Speaker 2: reveal to you Israel's first king. He shall deliver my
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  Speaker 2: people from the Philistines. The next day Samuel saw Saul
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  Speaker 2: and his servant approaching his home. God whispered to Samuel, saying,
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  Speaker 2: There is the man. who shall restrain my people? Saul
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  Speaker 2: approached Samuel. He stood a few feet above him, and
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  Speaker 2: his smile was infectious. Clearly Saul was a man of charisma,
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  Speaker 2: someone people would not mind following. Where might I be
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  Speaker 2: able to find the prophet? Saul asked politely. I am
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  Speaker 2: the prophet, Samuel answered. Without prompting or explanation, Samuel took
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  Speaker 2: Saul and said, Go up before me to the high
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  Speaker 2: place where we make sacrifices. Today you and I shall
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  Speaker 2: eat together, and I will reveal the deepest desires of
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  Speaker 2: your mind. Saul was confused by the request, for all
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  Speaker 2: he wanted to do was ask about his donkeys. Before
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  Speaker 2: Saul got a chance to ask, Samuel said, As for
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  Speaker 2: your donkeys, it is a stupid thing to worry about.
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  Speaker 2: They were found while you were gone. Saul was dumbfounded.
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  Speaker 2: Not only did this prophet know about his donkeys, but
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  Speaker 2: he wanted to eat with him near the altar of God.
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  Speaker 2: I am from the least of the tribes of Israel.
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  Speaker 2: Why do you speak with me this way?
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  Speaker 1: Saul asked.
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  Speaker 2: Without an answer, Samuel took Saul up to the hall.
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  Speaker 2: He asked the cook to prepare a meal, and Saul
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  Speaker 2: sat down with Samuel among thirty other people. They spent
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  Speaker 2: the night there, and Saul lay awake wondering what was
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  Speaker 2: happening to him. An anxious excitement rushed over Saul, though
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  Speaker 2: he did not know why. The prophet spoke to him
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  Speaker 2: in riddle and ambiguity. So Saul waited patiently to find
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  Speaker 2: out why he was being kept. Samuel sent Saul's servant
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  Speaker 2: back home and took Saul on a walk through the
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  Speaker 2: streets of the city. It was still dawn and the
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  Speaker 2: sunlight trickled in through the alleys. The city was still
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  Speaker 2: quiet and undisturbed. Samuel and Saul walked silently in the
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  Speaker 2: coolness of morning. Samuel took Saul up to a secluded place.
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  Speaker 2: The sun was breaking over the horizon, and the people
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  Speaker 2: were stirring below in the city. The two of them
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  Speaker 2: sat on a rock and looked down at the people.
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  Speaker 2: The men and women of the city began their work,
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  Speaker 2: while the children played on the streets. It was a
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  Speaker 2: beautiful sight. Samuel took a flask of oil and poured
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  Speaker 2: it over Samuel's head. Samuel kissed him on the cheek
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  Speaker 2: and said, God has anointed you to be the king
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  Speaker 2: over his people. Saul's eyes widened, but he did not
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  Speaker 2: say a word. Samuel continued, saying, You shall reign and
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  Speaker 2: rule over God's people. The Lord has appointed you to
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  Speaker 2: save them from the fist of their enemies. On that hill,
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  Speaker 2: God gave Saul a new heart. Saul welled up with
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  Speaker 2: love and affection for the people of Israel, and he
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  Speaker 2: was filled with the Spirit of God. Seven days later,
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  Speaker 2: Samuel called the people of Israel together. A sea of
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  Speaker 2: people stood before him, and the crowd hung on every
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  Speaker 2: word Samuel said. Samuel spoke for God as a prophet
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  Speaker 2: and said, I brought you out of Egypt, and since
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  Speaker 2: then I have delivered you from every kingdom that sought
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  Speaker 2: to oppress you. But today you have rejected your God.
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  Speaker 2: You seek a king to rule over you instead of me.
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  Speaker 2: You will have the blessings and curses that come from
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  Speaker 2: having a man rule over you. So Samuel brought Saul
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  Speaker 2: up from the tribe of Benjamin. He stood tall and
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  Speaker 2: his head was above the entire crowd. Saul looked upon
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  Speaker 2: the people, eyes wide and afraid. Behold, Samuel shouted, your king.
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  Speaker 2: The people roared in applause. Trumpets blared as the people
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  Speaker 2: erupted in shouts of praise. The earth shook below Saul
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  Speaker 2: because of the sound. In one voice he could hear
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  Speaker 2: the crowd chant, long live the king. Samuel read Saul
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  Speaker 2: the duties of kingship before the people, and he vowed
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  Speaker 2: to rule and protect them for all his days. Mighty
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  Speaker 2: men of Israel rose up from among the crowd to
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  Speaker 2: pledge their loyalty to Saul, and from there he departed
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  Speaker 2: to his home, ready to take on the Philistine army.
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  Speaker 2: Some doubted Saul's ability to lead and despised him, yet
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  Speaker 2: Saul had spent plenty of time doubting himself, so he
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  Speaker 2: paid no attention to their protests. Saul held his peace.
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  Speaker 2: and readied his sword and shield. With a deep breath
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  Speaker 2: and calm spirit, Saul began his march against the enemies
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  Speaker 2: of God.
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  Speaker 3: We begin the story today with a man named Saul.
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  Speaker 3: He was physically imposing, young, handsome, and wealthy. This would
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  Speaker 3: be the kind of man that the people would expect
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  Speaker 3: to be their king. One day Saul and his servant
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  Speaker 3: went in search of one of his father's donkeys. They
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  Speaker 3: searched for days without any luck. Saul wanted to go
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  Speaker 3: home thinking his father would be worried about his safety,
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  Speaker 3: but the servant told him a man of God was
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  Speaker 3: in town and suggested they ask him where to search.
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  Speaker 3: That man was Samuel. To an outside observer, it may
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  Speaker 3: look like that this was just dumb luck that Saul
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  Speaker 3: would encounter Samuel. But God's hand and his plan was
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  Speaker 3: in all of this. He told Samuel the next day
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  Speaker 3: that he would reveal to him the man that was
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  Speaker 3: going to be king over all of Israel. When Samuel
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  Speaker 3: saw Saul approaching him bearing gifts to the prophet, God
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  Speaker 3: spoke to Samuel saying, this is the one. So when
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  Speaker 3: Saul approached Samuel, Samuel then told him he was the prophet.
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  Speaker 3: Then he told Saul to go to the place where
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  Speaker 3: they would offer sacrifices and they would eat together there.
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  Speaker 3: Samuel told Saul he would reveal to him what was
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  Speaker 3: on his mind. Saul's response reveals his humility, even insecurity
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  Speaker 3: in the moment. Despite being a young, wealthy, good-looking man
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  Speaker 3: that cut an imposing figure, he did not think highly
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  Speaker 3: of himself. And in 1 Samuel 9, 21, this is
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  Speaker 3: what Saul says. Am I not a Benjaminite from the
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  Speaker 3: least of the tribes of Israel? And is not my
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  Speaker 3: clan the humblest of all the clans of the tribe
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  Speaker 3: of Benjamin? Why then have you spoken to me in
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  Speaker 3: this way? Saul did not yet understand that God delights
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  Speaker 3: and desires to take the least, the unlikely, even the
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  Speaker 3: forgotten people and do great things through them. God takes
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  Speaker 3: ordinary people and does extraordinary things through their lives when
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  Speaker 3: they trust in him. But Samuel does not respond to
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  Speaker 3: Saul's questions. They simply went up to the high place
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  Speaker 3: where Saul ate with Samuel. Then they rested for the night.
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  Speaker 3: The next morning, Samuel told Saul to send his servant home.
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  Speaker 3: He had something important to tell him. This was to
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  Speaker 3: be a word from God. Samuel then took the flask
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  Speaker 3: of oil, anointed Saul's head, and gave him the life-changing news.
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  Speaker 3: God has chosen you to be king of Israel. Saul
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  Speaker 3: would lead Israel in battle and God would save his
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  Speaker 3: people from their enemies that surrounded them. What a shock
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  Speaker 3: this must have been for Saul. What an amazement. He
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  Speaker 3: went out in search of a donkey and returned home
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  Speaker 3: as the soon-to-be king of the nation of Israel. All
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  Speaker 3: that was left was to tell Israel who their king
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  Speaker 3: would be. Samuel spoke God's words to the people, reminding
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  Speaker 3: them that they had rejected God and chosen an earthly king.
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  Speaker 3: Saul was pronounced king and the people rejoiced. They didn't
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  Speaker 3: care what this meant to God. They had gotten their
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  Speaker 3: own way, at least for now. Saul would serve as
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  Speaker 3: God's man, leading with confidence, calm, and peace that God
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  Speaker 3: had given him. And soon it would be time to
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  Speaker 3: fight the first battle against the Ammonites. We'll hear about
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  Speaker 3: that tomorrow. Dear God, thank you that you choose the lowly,
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  Speaker 3: the humble, and the unlikely to accomplish your purposes. That
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  Speaker 3: includes us. May we always be sensitive to hear your
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  Speaker 3: call upon our lives and obey you. May we always
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  Speaker 3: do the things that you have prepared for us because
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  Speaker 3: we know that we are your workmanship, created in Jesus
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  Speaker 3: Christ unto good works and for your glory. Amen. Thank
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  Speaker 3: you for listening to today's Bible in a Year podcast.
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  Speaker 3: I'm Pastor Jack Graham from Dallas, Texas. Download the Pray.com
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