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In First Samuel, chapter twelve, verses seven through eighteen, Samuel manifested the true prophet’s heart by pleading with the people to remain faithful to God and His commandments. Samuel remained faithful to God and his purpose throughout his life and never deviated from his original personal integrity, mission, or message. Samuel obtained testimony from them […]

In First Samuel, chapter eleven, verse six, the assurance of the empowering of the Spirit spoken by Samuel at Saul’s anointing as king is present. Saul, as king, gave the same kind of military leadership against Israel’s enemies as the judges did. One dimension of the Holy Spirit’s work in the believer is genuine anger

In First Samuel, chapter ten, verse twenty-five, Israel’s king was to be distinctly different from the kings of other nations. Rather than being an absolute monarch, he was to be a theocratic king, subject to God as the ultimate ruler of the king.Though the people were bent on having a king, yet were sensible that

In First Samuel, chapter ten, verse nine, Saul possessed many God-given abilities to help him righteously serve God and Israel. Initially, he had a changed heart, an empowering by the Holy Spirit, a strong body, a humble attitude, and the guidance and prayers of Samuel, as stated in verses six and twenty-three of chapter ten,

In First Samuel, chapter ten, verse six, God changed the inner deposition of Saul through his anointing by the Holy Spirit. This change was not unconditional or permanent, but something that could be maintained only by the holy fellowship with and loving obedience to God. When Saul later drifted from dependence on God to direct

In First Samuel, chapter ten, verse five, prophesying involves praises to God through prophetic utterance and songs inspired by the Holy Spirit. The name of Gibeah, or Hill of God, was given to it for a well-known high place or sacrificial height in the town. These belonged to one of those seminaries termed “schools of

In First Samuel, chapter ten, verse one, Saul’s anointing was dedicating him to God for the task to which he received the call and to impart enabling grace and gifts for his God-appointed assignment. “The Lord’s anointed” became a common term for Israel’s king as in verse nine of chapter twenty-six: Lamentations, chapter four, verse

In First Samuel, chapter eight, verse twenty-two, although it was not God’s will to give Israel a king at this time, He did so. This example precedes according to God’s permission will rather than His perfect will. God permitted the appointment of a king and monarchial government despite its eventual trouble and disaster for the

In First Samuel, chapter eight, verse seven, Israel’s government had been a theocracy: God ruled Israel as their king. He governed through direct guidance, through special revelation and the written word, and through chosen and anointed leaders. When Israel requested a monarchial government, her kings took office under hereditary succession rather than by God’s choice.

In First Samuel, chapter eight, verse five, kingship was a part of God’s promise in His covenant with Abraham, as in Genesis seventeen, verse six: In Jacob’s blessing of his sons, he assigned the kingship to the tribe of Judah as in Genesis forty-nine, verse ten. Moses foretold of the day when Israel would no