"As Saul turned to leave Samuel, God changed Saul's heart, and all these signs were fulfilled that day." (1 Samuel 10:9) What does it mean that God changed Saul's heart, considering Saul will not be a man who enjoys yielding himself to the Lord's will? I consulted several commentaries and found most of them skipping "God changed Saul's heart" altogether. Some scholars have taken this phrase to mean Saul was saved (born again) while others argue that his life doesn't display the fruits of the Spirit that indicate salvation. My personal opinion is that Saul's change of heart in verse 9 is that the Lord equips him with the political and military skills he will need to be the leader of the nation. As the saying goes: "God doesn't call the qualified; He qualifies the called". Saul may have daydreamed of doing great things for Israel but until the events of Chapter 10 began taking place he had no real hope of ever having the opportunity. But now he's provided with a sharper focus of mind. Ideas about how to help his country are no longer vague but take on the form of actual strategies. The Lord is guiding his thoughts where matters of national prosperity and national security are concerned.
To bolster his confidence that Samuel was right when he said the Lord would enable him to help the nation, the signs Samuel gave him come true, including the one about Saul suddenly being able to prophesy. "When he and his servant arrived at Gibeah, a procession of prophets met him; the Spirit of God came powerfully upon him, and he joined in their prophesying. When all those who had formerly known him saw him prophesying with the prophets, they asked each other, 'What is this that has happened to the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?' A man who lived there answered, 'And who is their father?' So it became a saying: 'Is Saul also among the prophets?' After Saul stopped prophesying, he went to the high place." (1 Samuel 10:10-13)
Those who are the most astonished that Saul would prophesy are those who "had formerly known him". The people who have known him all his life have never noticed him being spiritually-minded. When they see him with the group of men from the "school of prophecy", as some scholars call it, they are shocked and ask, "Is Saul a prophet now?" I think maybe they ask this in a sarcastic tone, thinking he's either faking it or has taken leave of his senses. But a man answers their scornful question by asking them who they think the father of the prophets is, meaning it is God who enables anyone to prophesy. If the Lord wants Saul to prophesy, He can enable him to prophesy.
Saul's sudden ability to prophesy becomes the talk of the town. It's so unusual and so unexpected that news of it spreads like wildfire, with everyone asking their neighbor, "Is Saul a prophet now? What has come over the son of Kish? What does this mean? What is the Lord doing? Has He chosen Saul for something special?" The people begin looking at Saul in a new light, which I feel is perhaps the primary purpose for the Lord giving him the gift of prophecy on this occasion.
"Now Saul's uncle asked him and his servant, 'Where have you been?' 'Looking for the donkeys,' he said. 'But when we saw they were not to be found, we went to Samuel.' Saul's uncle said, 'Tell me what Samuel said to you.' Saul replied, 'He assured us that the donkeys had been found.' But he did not tell his uncle what Samuel had said about the kingship." (1 Samuel 10:14-16) Saul tells the truth but not the whole truth. Samuel told him to wait for further instructions when he would arrive in seven days. This may have included saying nothing about being secretly anointed as king. Or Saul may have taken it to mean that. Or he may prefer that the kingship be announced by Samuel---Israel's judge and chief prophet---and not by himself, to give his claim to the throne the legitimacy it needs.
"Samuel summoned the people of Israel to the Lord at Mizpah and said to them, 'This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: 'I brought Israel up out of Egypt, and I delivered you from the power of Egypt and all the kingdoms that oppressed you.' But you have now rejected your God, who saves you out of all your disasters and calamities. And you have said, 'No, appoint a king over us.' So now present yourselves before the Lord by your tribes and clans.'" (1 Samuel 10:17-19) Saul will be shown to be the Lord's choice through the casting of the lot---a practice we've discussed in some depth before. However, Samuel reminds the people that it is not the Lord's perfect will for them that they should have a king; it is the Lord's permissive will to allow them to have a king. They are determined to have one and to be like all the other nations. He is going to let them have their way in this matter. He has a man in mind for the job and will reveal the man to them at this assembly.
"When Samuel had all Israel come forward by tribes, the tribe of Benjamin was taken by lot. Then he brought forward the tribe of Benjamin, clan by clan, and Matri's clan was taken. Finally Saul son of Kish was taken." (1 Samuel 10:20-21a) The lot eliminates every tribe but that of Benjamin. Then each clan of the tribe of Benjamin is called forth and eliminated one by one until only the clan of Matri is left. This is the clan to which Saul's father Kish belongs. One by one every man of this clan is eliminated except Saul. We would expect him to step forward at this point, or at the very least that he would still be standing there even if he does feel some butterflies in his stomach at the prospect of leading such a great nation. But when the final man before him is eliminated and his name is called, he is not there. "But when they looked for him, he was not to be found." (1 Samuel 10:21b) No one is left still standing except perhaps the high priest, (who I believe was casting the lots as was the practice of using the Urim and Thummim stones), and Samuel who is officiating over this ceremony. Neither of these men is a candidate for the kingship.
I can just imagine the excited and puzzled murmuring of the crowd as they look about them and wonder if somehow Saul didn't get the message that he was supposed to assemble here today. I bet they are asking each other whether anyone saw him before the lots began to be cast. In such a crowd it's understandable that no one can recall for sure and that they would come to the conclusion that he either didn't get the message or that something caused a delay in his journey and that he is still on his way there. "So they inquired further of the Lord, 'Has the man come here yet?' And the Lord said, 'Yes, he has hidden himself among the supplies.'" (1 Samuel 10:22) This isn't a very auspicious beginning to Saul's reign as king. Some scholars propose he was too humble and modest to stand before the people in this moment. Others think he was overwhelmed by anxiety now that time has come to take the heavy mantle of national leadership upon his shoulders. And some scholars point to his hiding of himself as proof of his spiritual failings. I don't know the answer to the question of why Saul hid himself at a moment in which many men would have instead raised two victorious fists in the air like a champion. It could have been a combination of all the things that scholars have suggested. It could be that even Saul himself couldn't tell us exactly what he was feeling and thinking in that moment. All I can suppose is that, whatever he was thinking or feeling, he needed a little space in which to compose himself and get his emotions under control.
"They ran and brought him out, and as he stood among the people he was a head taller than any of the others. Samuel said to all the people, 'Do you see the man the Lord has chosen? There is no one like him among all the people.' Then the people shouted, 'Long live the king!'" (1 Samuel 10:23-24) There is no one like Saul among the people, as far as his outward appearance is concerned. When we were first introduced to Saul in Chapter 9 we talked about how his appearance lined up with a Hollywood idea of what a king in the movies would look like: he has an impeccable pedigree even if he is from the smallest tribe of Israel, he is the most handsome man in all Israel, and he is the tallest man in all Israel. From a human way of thinking, Saul looks just like what the people think a king should look like. He's very impressive. The Lord has chosen the type of man the people would have chosen for themselves---the type of man they would have pictured in their minds to govern their nation. But is he the best man for the job on the inside? Spiritually speaking, no. But politically and militarily speaking, yes, at this particular point on the timeline of Israel's history. He will be able to accomplish some victories for Israel against the Philistines, which is the most urgent matter at hand right now.
"Samuel explained to the people the rights and duties of kingship. He wrote them down on a scroll and deposited it before the Lord. Then Samuel dismissed the people to go to their own homes." (1 Samuel 10:25) These rights and duties are those the Lord outlined in Deuteronomy 17.
"Saul also went to his home in Gibeah, accompanied by valiant men whose hearts God had touched. But some scoundrels said, 'How can this fellow save us?' They despised him and brought him no gifts. But Saul kept silent." (1 Samuel 10:26-27) There is no palace in Israel at this time. There is no royal throne upon which to sit and hold court. Saul simply goes home, like he does every day, but a number of brave men accompany him as his cabinet and as his secret service. He needs the moral support of good and loyal friends but he also needs bodyguards, for as verse 27 tells us, the support behind him is not unanimous. There are some men who are not happy with the way the day turned out. They snub Saul but he takes no action against him. As the saying goes, "Discretion is the better part of valor," and he doesn't take these men to task for their very obvious disloyalty. He remembers who didn't support him when he was proclaimed king but he wisely keeps a handle on any hurt feelings or anger their behavior causes him. A good leader isn't controlled by his emotions. A good leader controls his emotions.
Anyone who wants to honor the Lord with their life needs to learn to control their emotions. Self-control is a valuable quality, as Solomon pointed out: "Better a patient person than a warrior, one with self-control than one who takes a city." (Proverbs 16:32) It takes a lot more strength to keep from acting on our emotions than to give vent to them. Self-control is on the list of the fruits of the Spirit in Galatians 5 and it is something we, as believers, should possess as the children of God. Saul displays self-control here in Chapter 10 and I wish that would always be the case, as later we'll find him falling prey to anger, jealousy, and delusional thinking. He has not so far shown himself to be an especially spiritual man but we can't say that he's shown himself to be an especially unspiritual man either. But as time goes on we'll find him focusing more on himself than on building a relationship with the Lord. The farther he drifts from godly principles the farther he'll drift from the ability to control his emotions. There's only so much human strength can do; we might be able to "pull ourselves up by the bootstraps" sometimes but as the pressures of this world come against us more and more we'll eventually lose control of our emotions and even our actions if we aren't relying on the strength of the Lord. As king, Saul will be faced with a great deal of pressure from every side. Because he has not made the Lord his refuge and strength, he will crack under the pressure.
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