What It Takes For You To Enjoy Security

1 Samuel chapter 10.

1 Samuel 10 · chapter mention

1 Samuel chapter 10.

1 Samuel 10 · chapter mention

1 Samuel chapter 10.

1 Samuel 10 · chapter mention

1 Samuel chapter 10.

1 Samuel 10 · chapter mention

1 Samuel chapter 10.

1 Samuel 10 · chapter mention

1 Samuel chapter 10.

1 Samuel 10 · chapter mention

1 Samuel chapter 10.

1 Samuel 10 · chapter mention

1 Samuel chapter 10.

1 Samuel 10 · chapter mention

1 Samuel chapter 10.

1 Samuel 10 · chapter mention

1 Samuel chapter 10.

1 Samuel 10 · chapter mention

1 Samuel chapter 10.

1 Samuel 10 · chapter mention

1 Samuel chapter 10.

1 Samuel 10 · chapter mention

1 Samuel said to all the people,

1 Samuel,

And all of the people shouted, Long live the king.

Then Samuel told the people the rights and the duties of a kingship, and he wrote them in a book and laid it up before the Lord.

Then Samuel sent all the people away, each one to his own home.

Saul also went to his home at Gibeah, and with him went men of valor whose hearts God had touched.

But some of the worthless fellows said, How can this man save us?

And they despised him and brought him no present, but he held his peace.

The word of God for the people of God.

Thanks be to God. You may be seated.

Would you pray with me?

Lord, you know your people.

You know what's in the heart of every person.

And I ask, Lord, that because you are our good and gracious king, please minister, Father, as I do my best to interpret and apply your word, this passage that Ralph just read for us.

In such a way, Lord, that brings you glory and you alone, and that builds up your people.

That we can present everyone mature within your kingdom by your power.

We thank you, Lord, that we have King Jesus so clearly given to us in all of Scripture.

And we thank you, Lord, that the light of King Jesus shines back on ancient passages like this.

And it becomes useful even for our instruction and for our building up.

But only if you will do this, Lord, by your power.

And so that's what we ask for your glory and our good.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Well, picture yourself in London.

Someone gave you tickets to watch the national football or soccer team at Wembley Stadium.

70,000 people packing the stadium, wearing the jersey that has the three lions on the chest.

and here come the best athletes from the whole nation

and they line up.

And then you just hear like one voice,

all the people singing,

long live our noble king.

Scatter his enemies and make them fall.

Confound their politics.

Frustrate their knavish tricks.

Send him victorious, happy and glorious.

Long to reign over us.

God save the king.

That British national anthem was written in 1740s.

I looked it up.

When was the first international soccer match played?

Not till about 130 years later, 1870s.

So these national anthems of countries like ours

and of England, of around the world,

they were not written for sports.

They're written for war,

to expand the empire,

to provide security for the nation.

Did you catch that line in our passage today?

Would you look at chapter 10, verse 24?

We're given this very detailed account of how Saul is finally put in front of the people

and the response of the nation is,

Long live the king.

Or may the king live forever.

And ancient Israel is just like our country today.

This doesn't change.

What people want from their leaders, from their government,

is stability and security.

And it's very easy,

when we don't have those things,

to put our hopes in a man,

a ruler, a king,

who could maybe bring that to us.

And that's what's going on in this story today.

Because what that phrase says is this,

as long as this king lives,

the kingdom will continue like this, secure.

So may the king live forever.

May the way it's going now be locked in forever.

May the king never die.

Beloved congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ,

I want to show you,

with this longing for security,

what all it takes for a kingdom to enjoy that.

More specifically for us,

in Christ's kingdom,

what does it take for you and I to enjoy security?

Well first, it's this,

for God's people to enjoy security,

God must grant a king federal headship

over his own kingdom.

For God's people to enjoy security,

God must grant a king federal headship

over his kingdom.

When evil men tried to grab power for themselves

in the book of Judges,

it failed.

The Lord wouldn't put up with it.

When evil men tried to bring in idols

into God's kingdom,

God would destroy them.

Even Samuel,

who loved the Lord and feared him,

when he tried to set up nepotism,

that his own sons would become the next judges,

it failed.

God is showing his people,

I'm the one who must grant authority.

And we see that the Lord granted to Saul

everything he needed

to fulfill this charge

that God had put on him.

I see and saw

all that it would take

for a man to be a representative,

a federal head,

one figurehead over the entire kingdom.

A shadow of all the offices

God would give to the one man,

Jesus Christ.

First, the Lord took Saul.

If you remember last week, chapter 9,

Saul is embarrassingly unqualified,

and God elevated him.

Would you look even at the very end

of chapter 9?

Notice how every time Saul is moving,

and toward the end of the chapter,

he's going upward.

He goes up to Ramah.

Then he goes up to the feast.

And then at the very end,

he even goes up on top of the house.

The Lord is elevating Saul

out of nothing,

bringing him up.

And that's symbolic

to what God is about to do

in chapter 10.

Now in verse 1 of chapter 10,

Samuel took a flask of oil

and poured it over Saul's head

and kissed him and said,

this is not because the Lord has,

is this not because the Lord

has anointed you commander?

Now he reminds him

over his inheritance.

So who is Saul to rule over?

God's inheritance.

It's God's kingdom.

God's the one who has to appoint

and delegate this authority

to a man,

a federal head,

over God's own kingdom.

What a scene this would be.

We're on the top

of these mountain peaks.

And here's a giant of a man

between LeBron James

and Shaquille O'Neal most likely.

And here's old Samuel.

He's a Nazarite,

so he's got long hair

and beard never cut.

This man likely kneels down.

They're going to do

a private anointing ceremony

following God's instruction.

Pours the oil over him.

Says this is because

the Lord is anointing you

to rule over God's inheritance.

Picture the weight of that charge

on this man.

Well next,

the Lord took this anointed man

and notice what he does.

In verses 3 and 4,

there are these men

going up to God,

going up to worship.

And notice the three things

that these people are carrying.

goats,

bread,

and wine.

And it's the bread

of the communion

that they're going to give

to Saul.

What are you going to do

with the goats

when you go up

to worship God?

There's your blood sacrifice.

And after a blood sacrifice,

you're going to enjoy

the peace,

the peace sacrifice,

where you're going to have,

you get to eat the meat now.

The sins have been atoned for.

The burnt sacrifice is done.

Now we get to enjoy

this delicious feast with God.

There's meat and there's bread

and there's the fruit of the vine.

But they,

he says,

these men are going to give you

the bread.

Well,

in the ceremonial law

in Leviticus,

the bread is set apart

for the priests.

But,

there's also in the law

provision where

it can be legally shared.

Remember when David comes

and the priest gives him bread.

And it was legal.

And the Lord even reminds

the law keepers of this.

And so,

here's this man

anointed to be king.

There's the kingly office.

being given the bread,

the portion of the priest.

There's the priestly office.

Shadowy symbolized there.

Well,

what about the office of prophet?

The Lord took this anointed king

with the priestly bread.

And in verse 6,

look at what he says.

The spirit of the Lord

will come upon you

and you will prophesy

with them.

And you will be turned

into another man.

All three offices

put onto Saul,

this one man,

king,

priest,

prophet,

the anointing.

This is God's inheritance.

You're the federal head.

Lift it up.

Will this man be able

to bear under the weight

of this charge?

Will he be able to do

what is required

to secure the peace

and the kingdom?

I know I sure wouldn't.

I would crumble under that.

Now,

when it says

the spirit will be upon you,

that doesn't necessarily mean

Saul gets a new heart

of regeneration

to believe and follow the Lord.

Because the spirit of God

also made a donkey prophesy.

The spirit of God

made Nebuchadnezzar prophesy.

The spirit of God

takes creatures

and does whatever

God wants to do.

And so that's

important for us to realize

because Saul

is a complex character.

He doesn't stay flat

through all these chapters.

That's all we need to say

about that for now.

The Holy Spirit

operated differently

in the Old Testament

than now

in the church.

Well, next the Lord

took this anointed king

associated with

the priestly rite of bread

who prophesied

speaking God's word

to the people.

What do we mean by prophecy?

It's that.

It's one who speaks

God's word to the people.

And he made him able

to obey.

Look at verse 9.

So it was

when he had turned

his back from Samuel

that God gave him

another heart.

Again,

in this context

for these reasons,

I believe this means

that he had the inward

ability

to do what God

expected of him

as king.

He had a special

God-given ability

to fulfill this office

for which God

anointed him.

I don't necessarily

think it should mean

or we should read

into it

that he's regenerated

or saved

or got a new heart

savingly.

But that God

is not giving him

any excuse

or the people

any excuse

to say that the Lord

sabotaged

the thing they wanted.

God will allow him

to be able to govern.

All right.

So for God's people

to enjoy security,

do you see how

God must grant

a man

federal headship

to represent

God's people,

God's kingdom?

Let's remember this,

that if you and I

have enjoyed

any level of security

in this state

or in this nation,

it's because God

has granted peace.

God steers the hearts

of rulers

like the streams.

God lifts up

and God throws down.

He can do that.

The reason we're to pray

for all civil magistrates

in every state,

no matter what their views are,

even the views that

disagree with God's kingdom,

we still pray for them

because God put them there

in his providence

and his big plan.

Now,

with God's moral law

inside his people,

we should not like laws

that contradict

God's moral law.

We can't.

Not if the Holy Spirit

lives in us.

But we can still pray

for these rulers

who are dark.

They're in darkness.

They're deceived

by the enemy

and we need to pray

that God will

give us peace

despite those laws.

Well,

the second observation

about how

God secures

peace

in his kingdom

for his people

is this.

In order for God's people

to enjoy security,

the king

must not just be

selected and appointed

and given authority.

He must do something

with it.

Specifically,

I see two things here.

The king must purify

God's kingdom

and second,

the king must care

for God's kingdom

on earth.

Purify

and care for it.

first,

for God's people

to enjoy security,

look at what Saul

needs to do

in verse 5.

We read,

after you shall come

to the hill

of God.

Some translations

just have it

the high place,

but we're told

this is where

the worship

is happening.

This is the hill

where God

will receive

the offerings

and the sacrifices

of his people

and meet them.

And there

is a Philistine

garrison.

This is not

Philistine territory.

This is God's

territory.

It's part of the

geographic boundaries

of God's kingdom

on earth

during this time.

This is God's land

and it's God's hill.

And on this hill,

this village,

the Philistines

have put an outpost

of the Philistine empire.

Now the Philistines

hate the true God.

They want to worship

the idols

and the pagan gods.

And yet here

on this holy

hill of the Lord,

they're being allowed

to live there

with their soldiers

in this outpost.

The hill of the Lord

is not being kept pure

of those who blaspheme

and contradict

the sovereign rule

of God in the land.

One commentator put,

a blaspheming army

of God

in the hill of God.

Pagans

been permitted here

to build a fortified

stronghold

on God's property.

Enemy troops

oppressing God's people

from God's own hill.

What should a king

do about that?

Now the instructions

to Saul

are very clear.

It will be

after all these signs,

look at verse 6,

the spirit will come

upon you

and you will prophesy.

So listen for that

in the story.

Samuel says,

when that happens,

when you prophesy,

look at what he says

next in verse 7.

Let it be

when those signs

come to you

that you do

as the occasion

demands.

Some translations say,

do what your hand

finds to do.

And in Judges chapter 9,

Judges 9 · chapter mention

we saw this in Sunday school,

verses 32 and 34.

That phrase

in this context,

do what your hand

finds to do,

it means you're the king.

You're the man

anointed by God,

given power.

You're to go

and drive them out,

slay them,

cleanse the hill of God

from idolatry.

And it's given

that further reinforcement.

Look at verse 7,

the very end.

Do what your hand

finds to do,

drive out the enemy,

for God is with you.

What more could you need?

These are marching orders.

Get at it.

In verse 13,

when he had finished

prophesying,

let's see whether

Saul does this.

The Lord is with you,

Saul.

We simply read

in verse 13

that Saul went

to a high place.

He goes to talk

to his uncle.

I think because

the command was so clear,

the signs were so clear,

you will prophesy.

All these things happened,

he prophesied.

People are shocked.

Even Saul,

he's not the son

of a prophet.

What's going on?

And instead of obeying,

he does the same sin

of Adam.

It's God's temple,

God's kingdom.

And you're allowing

the serpent

to be right here

in the holy

consecrated land.

He sinned

by neglecting

to drive them out.

It's a sin

of omission.

And that's the first sin

we see for this man

anointed to be

the king

and the federal head.

He did not purify

the kingdom of God.

I think the reason

Saul did not purify

the kingdom of God

is because he did not

care about

or care for

the kingdom of God.

Why didn't he do it?

We only care for

what we care about.

Look at verse 14.

He goes up

to talk to his uncle.

We know one of

Saul's uncles

was Abner

who was associated

with the kingdom

and the army,

a great general.

And his uncle says,

where did you go?

Saul, super open-ended,

catching up with you.

You can take this conversation

anywhere you want.

Where did you go?

And look at what Saul says

of all the things

he had to report

to look for the donkeys.

And when we saw

they were nowhere

to be found,

we went to Samuel.

Okay, we're developing

this conversation,

taking it in the direction

of God's man,

the man of God

who speaks for God.

And then verse 15,

Saul's uncle said,

please tell me

what Samuel said to you.

It's emphatic.

Tell me, please.

What did Samuel say to you?

That's what I'm interested in.

So in the conversation,

this is how it goes.

One person shows interest

in going this direction.

I want to hear

about the man of God.

What did he have to say?

He's specific

and he's very interested.

But look at Saul.

He told us plainly

that the donkeys

had been found.

Now, we could interpret this

as him being humble

and keeping it private,

but I think that

the narrator right here

of this same passage.

He doesn't want us

to miss this point.

Look at verse 16.

He teaches us

how to interpret this.

Verse 16,

but about the matter

of the kingdom,

Saul did not tell

his uncle

what this man of God

had said.

Well,

we can't read more

into Saul

in this chapter

than that.

That's what it says.

What we do know,

though,

is that for God's people,

you and me,

to enjoy security,

we need a greater king,

a great king

who cares for God's kingdom,

who brings the kingdom

of heaven to earth,

who purifies it.

This is what we need.

If you're here

and you belong

to the kingdom of God

through Jesus Christ,

Jesus is your king.

Know that he cares

about you

and he will purify

his kingdom.

If you're in his kingdom,

he will continue

to purify you

and me.

And he will continue

to care about

demolishing and pushing

out those strongholds

of the enemy

because you're in

his kingdom

and he's a king

who cares

and he's a king

who is active

and he uses

the power of his spirit

to cleanse

and purify his people

always.

Anything brought

into the domain

and the rule

of the special kingdom

of heaven.

If you're in the church,

it means you're being

cleansed more and more

and more and more

because we have

such a king

in Jesus Christ.

Well, third,

for God's people

to enjoy security,

the king must

lead the people

back to God.

For God's people

to enjoy security,

we need a king

who understands

all the layers

of authority.

If you want a king

like all the other nations,

he's going to lead you

in the path

of all the other nations

which is more power

for yourselves,

more glory for yourselves

and in the end

it's destruction

from the hand of God.

But if you want a king

who understands

true authority,

it's a king

who will lead his people

to the highest ruler

of all,

God the creator.

Samuel sets the stage

for Saul.

Look at verse 17.

Samuel next calls

all the people

together

to the Lord

at Mizpah.

Here's the man of God

who proclaims

the word of God

calling all the people,

representative heads

from the whole nation,

to the Lord.

The Lord's going to

meet with you

and the place

is Mizpah.

Do you remember Mizpah?

You can turn back

to chapter 7

if it helps you remember.

Mizpah is the place

where the Lord

gave his nation

the great victory

as they worshiped

the Lord

and they had this

wonderful worship ceremony

and the burnt offering

is going up

and the Philistines

are approaching

and the Lord

blasts the enemy

from heaven

with thunder

and lightning.

This is where God

gathers his people

and back in chapter 7

remember what

what the people did

when they were gathered

to the Lord

at this place.

Chapter 7 verse 6

so they gathered

at Mizpah

and what they did

is they drew water

and they poured it out

before the Lord

and they fasted

and they prayed

and they said

Lord we have sinned

against you

and Samuel judged

the children of Israel

at Mizpah.

Everyone should know

what the right response is.

We're being gathered

to the same place.

This is our only response

to God.

It's to repent

to pour out our hearts again.

But there's no such

pouring out of their hearts

like water.

There's no repentance

no fasting

no prayers

this time around.

Imagine being Samuel.

How do you prepare

to speak next

to these people?

Many of you

have had to get up

and give a talk

you know for your business

or your job

and speak to your audience

and you know the stakes

are high

you feel that pressure.

What is the message

that God's going to have

Samuel give his people

in this moment?

How do you prepare?

Well let's see what he says.

Look at chapter 10

verse 18.

Samuel stands up

and says

thus says

the Lord God of Israel

I brought up Israel

out of Egypt

and delivered you

from the hand

of the Egyptians

and from the hand

of the kingdoms

of those who oppressed you

but you have today

rejected your God

who himself saved you

from all your adversaries

and your tribulations.

You have said to him

no

set a king over us.

Now therefore

present yourselves

before the Lord

by your tribes

and by your clans.

He's calling them

to judgment.

When you notice

what he's preaching though

is the same thing

he already preached

to them.

Turn back to chapter 8

and look at verse 7.

In chapter 8 verse 7

Samuel stands

before the people.

He gives them

God's word.

Then he goes back

and talks to the Lord

and the Lord says

Samuel

they have not rejected you

they have rejected me

that I should not

reign over them

according to all

the works

which they have done

since that day

when I brought them

out of Egypt

even to this day

with which they have

forsaken me

and served other gods

so they do now.

And in chapter 8

Samuel turns around

and preaches this

to the people.

It's the exact

same message

from the exact

same person

to the exact

same audience.

God's word

is relentless.

God's word

chases his people

down

and when the people

reject the Lord

he could easily

walk away

become cold

and distant

but instead

he pursues

his people

he brings

his same

word

back to his people.

His message

does not change.

What needs to change

is the hearts

of his people.

This has been true

in all of

redemptive history.

Martin Luther

made this comment

the Bible

is alive

it speaks to me

it has feet

it runs after me

it has hands

it lays hold of me

God's truth

through his word

chases us down

doesn't it?

And he's so

gracious

it's the same

message

to his people.

Praise the Lord

if it's coming

from a different

mouth

a different person

even a different

century

it's the same

message

from the same

God

to his people.

God is lovingly

relentless

in his word

just like our

hearts often

are

God

is faithful

when his people

are faithless.

He's relentless

but still in Israel

there's no

repentance.

Well who is it now?

This story cries out

for someone

who will

lead the people

by example

repent

turn back to God.

wouldn't it be

amazing to have

a king

a representative

who will do

that

who will stand

up and come

forward to the

Lord and be the

first one to pour

out his heart

like water.

I think it's a

wonderful pattern

in churches that

want to be

biblical

when those

the congregation

has set aside

for an office

elder or deacon

to lead by that

that prayer of

confession of sin

Lord search me

you know my heart

show me Lord

those ways that are

not right in my

heart and that's

what it means to

have spiritual

leadership in a

relationship in a

family in a

congregation.

It's to be

like in Psalm 51

a broken hearted

evangelist.

Lord you you know

my faults

help me to now

turn around and

proclaim the

goodness of God

who washed me

clean to those

who need to know

this wonderful

good news.

Well now what

what happens next

is that no one

stands up

voluntarily

and that wasn't

the purpose

except to expose

their lack of

repentance.

The purpose is

really that God

is going to give

them the king

that they want

to be like all

the other nations

but it'll be God

who will do it

just as God

anointed him in

private God's

going to announce

him now in

public and God

does this by using

lots.

There were

different forms

of casting lots

and most likely

it's each tribe

brings a stone

marked with their

tribe and you

bring it forward

and then the

stones will be

selected so it's

like a blind

test where you

just you let

luck or chance

as the pagans

would view it

decide which stone

is going to be

chosen.

Well in this

case we know

that there's no

such thing as

chance or luck

in all of this

creation.

Everything happens

through God

and by his

will and if you

thought it was

a high view of

God to let him

make Saul chase

the donkeys for

three days and

then go down the

hill and arrive at

the gate just as

Samuel's going up

what about this

for a view of

God's providence.

The Lord controls

and he shows the

people this is my

choice.

This is how I will

rule my people

with a high

providence over you

my high sovereignty

on my people.

So the family of

Matri is chosen

from the tribe of

Benjamin down to

Kish and then

which of Kish's

sons and it will

be Saul.

we read in

verse 22

they looked around

and he couldn't

find him and so

they said well has

this man come here

yet?

See here's the

irony at this

point in the story

is these elders of

Israel who want a

king like all the

other nations

these wayward men

they can't even

find Saul the man

God put forward

for them just as

Saul couldn't find

those wayward

donkeys.

Well you know

what the Lord did

with the donkeys

is first he found

those donkeys for

the king and now

he's going to find

the king for these

wayward men.

God answered there

he is hidden among

the equipment.

How could Saul be

a king that would

draw the people

back to God?

He neglected to

draw near to God

himself and instead

he went into hiding.

The people should be

seeing all these

red flags.

They should be

hearing the message

loud and clear from

the Lord.

Don't you see?

I am your king.

But instead look at

verse 23 the people

ran.

They're still eager to

have their way and

they brought Saul from

there from behind the

equipment.

And then Saul stands

up among the people

and everyone can now

see with their eyes.

He's taller than any

of the people from

his shoulders upward.

The tallest head came

up to Saul's shoulders.

In verse 24 Samuel

said to all the people

do you see him whom

the Lord has chosen

that there is no one

like him among all

the people?

Look at verse 24 one

more time.

I don't know what

Samuel's tone would

have been here but it

could be read a few

different ways right?

There's no one like

Saul.

Well first of all we're

not told of anyone

else hiding.

There's no one like

that here.

And these men who are

eager to have their

king there's no one

tall like him.

He does look like the

giant we want.

The great champion that

could give our nation

that fighting chance.

Samuel says see there's

no one like him among

all the people.

And now instead of

repenting and fasting

and pouring their

hearts out look what the

people do.

In verse 24 all the

people shouted and

said long live the

king.

May the king this man

who moments ago was

hiding may he live

forever.

As long as this king

is alive the kingdom

of God God's

inheritance inheritance

it will continue as it

is.

So what the people are

really saying is we like

the kingdom just like

this.

We don't want it to

change.

They're going to learn

the lesson as goes the

king so goes the

kingdom.

How is it going for

Saul up to this point?

Not good.

Not leading anyone back

to God.

Not stepping up and

purifying the kingdom

from the obvious

enemies that have taken

the hill of God.

That's how it's going to

go with Israel.

Is this the king that

you want to live

forever?

And the people

shouted long live

the king.

The sad reality of

sin their sin my sin

and yours is this.

When when sin has a

grip or a foothold.

You know the sin is

not good.

Paul says in Romans

7 I actually hate it.

But you pray

and you see like this

sin in my life it

needs to be someone

stronger than me to

set me free from it.

And until the Lord

himself by power sets

you free and purges

and cleanses his

kingdom which is you.

You're his temple.

His life.

It's your life.

Until the Lord

does it.

It's like that

Philistine garrison

on the hill of the

Lord.

You're powerless

just like Saul.

And I'm powerless.

We're probably

worse than Saul.

And the Holy Spirit

inside God's people

he wants to show you

how foolish this is.

See you're saying

to this idol

may you live

like this in my life

forever.

I like my life

exactly how it is now.

I don't want the

Lord to come and

disrupt it.

God came

in King Jesus

to show you

and me

there is a better

kingdom.

There's a better

life.

And where you fail

where you're too weak

the Lord

will cleanse you.

Now there's also

I think an application

from Saul.

He's chosen

by God.

He's put into

this position.

Maybe like Esther

she's reluctant

and doesn't know

what to do

or even if she

wants all this

responsibility.

But for such a time

as this the Lord

has placed you

where he's placed you.

And when the Lord

gives you a position

of influence

it could be influence

over one person

in your family.

Maybe a younger sibling.

Maybe a friend

that you're back

in touch with now.

You have a chance

to influence them.

You want to use

that position

of influence

and point them

to the Lord.

Lead them back

to God.

Do what Saul

failed to do.

Show them look

I'm the first one

to confess my sin

and repent

and come with me

because God

is a good

and gracious king.

Lead your friend.

Lead those people

God is entrusted

to your care

back to his kingdom.

And you do it

soli deo gloria

for the glory

of God alone.

Well that's the last

of this passage

and we see

as it ends

that not only

did Saul fail

to lead the people

in repentance

and he failed

to declare

the Lord of armies

to this rebellious people.

He failed

to point them

back to the true king

God on high

who's been their help

who delivered them

out of slavery.

And what's more

by neglecting

and being passive

Saul actually

becomes the object

of their idolatry.

Well you and I

we want security

just as badly

as these ancient Israelites.

And our hearts

can just as easily

set our hopes

on lesser things

on idols

that are just as foolish.

And none of those things

can secure

our future

or provide the stability

that we want.

So I want to leave you

with this word of hope.

Even in the shadows

of this passage

of chapter 10

in the work of God

ordaining every event

that happens

we see signs

that are given

very clearly

to mark out the king.

What sign

does God give

in this story

that can help us

as God's people

to recognize

our true king?

See in literature

an archetype

is a pattern

that repeats itself

in multiple stories

to highlight

a motif

or a theme.

The theme

of this chapter

obviously

is the kingdom

of God.

And it's being

administered

on earth

by a man.

It's this English

theologian

named Alistair Roberts

who helped me

to see this.

Look at the signs.

Go back to chapter 10

verse 3.

Do you remember

those men

that Samuel told him

would be bringing

goats

loaves of bread

a skin of wine

and then there

would be followed

by music.

You remember

those signs?

And then we read

in verse 9

Saul's heart

would change

even though

it would be

temporarily

and it wouldn't

affect the whole

nation.

It would be

a sign.

These are signs

of the kingdom

but they're only

an archetype.

They're only signs

we can trace out

if they show up

in other stories.

Would you turn

next to 1 Samuel

1 Samuel 16 · chapter mention

chapter 16.

Look at 1 Samuel

16 19

just a few

pages forward.

Let's see if we

find those same

signs

and develop

an archetype here.

Are these pointing

to the king

to the kingdom?

Well the next king

after Saul

is going to be David.

Look at this

amazing description.

Saul says

send me your son

David

who is with

the sheep.

Then Jesse

took a donkey

there's a donkey

loaded with bread

and skins of wine

and a young goat.

They're all there.

And he sent him

with his son

David to Saul.

David plays music

in the court

of the king

and we're told

that Saul's heart

changes.

Exact same events.

The donkey

the goats

the bread

the wine

music

and a changed heart.

Well now we got

to look at

the New Testament.

Would you turn

to Luke chapter 19?

Luke 19 · chapter mention

Luke chapter 19.

Luke 19 · chapter mention

Luke chapter 19.

Luke 19 · chapter mention

Luke chapter 19.

Luke 19 · chapter mention

Remember we're listening

for a donkey

a blood sacrifice

bread

wine

music.

Luke chapter 19

Luke 19:30

verse 30.

Jesus tells his disciples

as you enter the village

you will find a colt tied there

now in Luke chapter 19

Luke 19 · chapter mention

look at verse 45

where Saul neglected to drive out

the Philistines in the garrison

of the holy hill of God

Jesus Christ

drives out

those who are buying and selling

in the holy temple

this is God's domain

now if you keep going in Luke

look at Luke chapter 22

Luke 22:10

verse 10

what about the goat

the blood sacrifice

the bread

the wine and the music

Luke 22 chapter 10

behold

he tells his disciples

when you enter the city

a man carrying a pitcher of water

you'll see him coming down

follow him into a house

he'll show you to the upper room

and there make ready

the Passover

what do you do to make ready

the Passover

you take

a blood sacrifice

a lamb

you prepare the bread

you prepare all the utensils

you leave the wine and the cups

ready to be served

when the Lord administers

the Lord's Supper

we read this every single week

they ate the blood sacrifice

he says

I'm your Passover lamb

he gives him the bread

he gives him the fruit

of the vine

and then they sing a song

and then they departed

where Saul is set

to go wait for seven days

after Christ's work is done

which we'll celebrate

with Good Friday and Easter

he tells the church

go and wait

the Holy Spirit

is poured out on the church

in Acts 2

their hearts are changed

but now it's not just

a temporary change

it's the whole nation of God

everyone who will believe

will have a changed heart

so those are the signs

and there's the fulfillment

from the shadows

the substance

Jesus Christ

he shows up

and those who know the Bible

they know to look for him

the true king

and this is one small way

one small shadow

every chapter of the Old Testament

points to Christ

in so many different glorious ways

our lifetimes are too short

to study all of it

behold King Jesus

that's the takeaway

from 1 Samuel chapter 5

1 Samuel 5 · chapter mention

you need a greater king

and behold in Jesus Christ

he has come

there are a few contrasts

that we can draw here as well

see Saul's heart

was never perfectly aligned

to God

on earth

we need a king

whose heart

will be unbending

always

consummately

in every way

aligned

to the will of God

in heaven

we're told at the end

of chapter 10

of 1 Samuel

that a few valiant men

went with Saul

whose hearts

God had touched

and now because

the Holy Spirit

has been poured out

on his church

all those

whose hearts

the Holy Spirit touches

they follow King Jesus

to be a Christian

is to be one of those

valiant men

that God himself

has said

follow this king

and you do it

in chapter 10

of 1 Samuel

verse 16

we're told

that sad

insight

in talking with his uncle

that of the kingdom

of God

Saul said

nothing

and when all the people

are gathered at Mizpah

Saul called no one

to repent

he led no one

back to God

but behold

King Jesus

in Mark 1

14 and 15

he came preaching

the gospel

of the kingdom

of God

and saying

the time is fulfilled

the kingdom of God

is at hand

repent

and believe

in the gospel

calling everyone

whosoever will

to go to God

turn back to him

the kingdom of God

is at hand

in Jesus Christ

in 1 Samuel

1 Samuel 10:21

chapter 10

verse 21

we are told

that Saul

the son of Kish

was chosen

and when they

sought him

they could not

find him

well behold

in King Jesus

the son of God

God the son

he was chosen

to accomplish

God's eternal plan

and because he succeeded

he calls everyone

whosoever will

to come to God

in him

and come to God

while he may be found

Christ is here

to extend grace

and draw everyone

to the father

who will believe

in him

for you and me

as God's people

to enjoy security

the king must be

the one to lead

the people

back to God

and behold

King Jesus

he has done this

in Saul

the Lord Jesus

in Saul

God took

an embarrassingly

unqualified man

and elevated him

the contrast is

Jesus Christ

is the only qualified man

already elevated

at the right hand

of God

and yet he descended

he took on a body

Hebrews 10 says

a body you have

prepared for me

and I have come

to do your will

God anointed Saul

with oil

to please sinners

but because he's

well pleased

in his son

God the father

anointed King Jesus

with his Holy Spirit

so that he would

save sinners

like you and like me

in John 14 6

Jesus says

I am the way

to the father

no one comes

to the father

except through me

so come to me

all you who are

weary and heavy laden

I'll take you

to the father

I'm the only one

who can

Jesus hides

from no one

he's lifted up

so all the world

can see him

for you and me

to enjoy security

as God's people

the king must purify

and care for

his kingdom

on earth

we read in

Revelation 1

King Jesus

is the one

who loved us

and washed us

from our sins

with his own blood

so that we can

enjoy communion

with God

just like every nation

or every kingdom

has an anthem

all of those

who belong

to King Jesus

and his kingdom

we have an anthem

as well

it's a glorious anthem

even though there's

many melodies to it

many lyrics

many different languages

it tells one

great story

and it's that God

saves sinners

by his amazing grace

through Jesus Christ

the king

and the lord of all

so we join our voices

like we will

in a moment

we say amazing grace

how sweet the sound

that saves a wretch

like me

I once was lost

but now I'm found

I was blind

but now I see

we sing this together

one voice

changed hearts

I love the line also

reminds us

the lord has promised

good to me

his word

my hope

secures

he will

my shield

and my portion

be

as long

as life

endures

king Jesus

has done

all

that is required

for the kingdom

of heaven

to come

to earth

make sure

Jesus Christ

is your king

today

and then enjoy

security

with all his people

in his kingdom

would you pray

respond in this way

to the lord

voy forbade