I Samuel 10

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I Samuel 10

Notes by Ivan Ho   12 May 2016

I Samuel 9

 

I Samuel 10:1 

Then Samuel took a flask of oil and poured it on his head, and kissed him and said: “ Is it not because the Lord has anointed (rub with oil, consecrate) you commander over His inheritance? (an estate, portion, possession)

I Samuel 10:1 NKJV

 

There are 4 persons involved in this leadership ordination: 1.The Lord, 2.Samuel the prophet, 3.Saul the commander and 4. the Lord‘s inheritance, His people.

Ultimately, the authority given to Saul did not come from the people, nor did it come from Samuel, but it came directly from the Lord Himself. But without Samuel who heard from the Lord and faithfully carried out His instructions, Saul wouldn‘t have been recognised and anointed as commander, and His people would be without a leader of God‘s choice and blessings. Saul was chosen to serve the people who was God‘s inheritance or possession. The people do not belong to the leader nor to the State, they belong to God!

God the Commander-in-Chief – the prophet – the commander – God‘s inheritance the people

There are many leaders today, either politically or in the church, that unfortunately bypassed this process, resulting in either self made leaders, or leaders made by the people (usually through an election system), or leaders who inherited or appointed by previous leaders, but God was not involved in the process, and we wonder why there are so much confusions and lacking in God‘s blessings? (I am not talking about your church of course). And we wonder why there are so much power struggles, fights, slanders, backslapping and so on in our political world today? All because man try to get ahead of God and bypass Him being the ultimate authority and Chief Commander.

If we want stability and blessings from our Lord, we need to go back to God‘s original pattern of leadership process and initiation. We also need someone like Samuel who can hear from God and recognise the God ordained leaders from amongst the people. Moreover, we need someone (Saul unfortunately did not follow instructions from above) who faithfully follow instructions from the Lord of hosts to be able to govern as commander of His people. Finally, we need people who recognise, support and obey the leader of God‘s choice.

God has His pattern and set up of leadership in heaven and on earth. Unfortunately, so does the devil, the one who usurped God‘s authority as self appointed leader, who sets up his own leadership structure on earth! Man also have their own leadership set up and hierarchical structures which do not necessarily involve God. So are ALL authority from God? The answer obviously is NO!

Insights on Romans 13

 

Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.

Romans 13:1-2 KJV

 

Not ALL governing authorities that exist on earth are from God, not every hierarchy set up by man in the name of God are necessarily of God either.

We are only required to submit to and obey godly authorities ordained by God. In Samuel’s days, for example, that would include king Saul who was later on replaced by king David.

 

1 Samuel 10:1


Then Samuel took a flask of oil and poured it on his head, and kissed him and said: “ Is it not because the Lord has anointed you commander over His inheritance?

1 Samuel 10:1

Notice that it was the Lord, rather than Samuel, who anointed Saul as the king of Israel. Nevertheless, Saul did not turn out to be a godly man, and as a result, the Lord ended his reign and replaced his position with “a man after His own heart“, David.

Saul derived his power and authority from above, but sadly due to his disobedience, God terminated his term of rulership over Israel. We need to be careful that the leaders we submit to are not people carrying titles whose authority from above has already expired long ago.

 

I Samuel 11

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