Getting to Know . . . I Samuel (10:1-8)

The prophet Samuel prophesies three events that will happen to Saul when he leaves Samuel. After anointing Saul and kissing him, Samuel says that the Lord has anointed him as ruler over His inheritance (v. 1). Samuel then says Saul will have three encounters: (1) one will be that he will meet two men who turn over the lost donkeys to him, even using the words that Saul’s father has stopped thinking about them and is worried about Saul! (v. 2)

(2) The second encounter will involve three men going to worship at Bethel. Samuel specifies what they will be carrying! Saul is to accept two loaves of bread from them (v. 4).

(3) The third encounter will happen close to a Philistine outpost! There he will meet a procession of prophets coming from the high place and prophesying. Samuel says, “The Spirit of the Lord will come powerfully upon you, and you will prophesy with them; and you will be changed into a different person. 7 Once these signs are fulfilled, do whatever your hand finds to do, for God is with you.”

Samuel then promises to meet Saul in Gilgal and to wait seven days for him to arrive and to give him further instructions (v. 8).

Please notice:  Samuel is a real prophet!  He is given information by God that can only be explained as supernatural revelation!  He knows the number of the men in each of the two first encounters.  He knows the words the first men will use about Saul’s father worrying about him.  He knows exactly what each man will be carrying in the second encounter.  He knows what the procession of the prophets will be doing in the third encounter and how it will impact Saul himself.  Such knowledge can only be God-given.  Perhaps Saul needed these concrete evidences of Samuel’s prophetic gift.

What a great statement Samuel gives after prophesying the third encounter: “The Spirit of the Lord will come powerfully upon you, and you will prophesy with them; and you will be changed into a different person. 7 Once these signs are fulfilled, do whatever your hand finds to do, for God is with you.”  Oh, that each of us would changed into different people because of the presence of the Spirit of the Lord!   And that each of us would have the freedom to do whatever our hands find to do because God is with us!