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From Eternity Past
said to Samuel, “Behold the man who I spake to thee of! this same
shall reign over My people.”
Assuring him that the lost animals had been found, Samuel urged
him to tarry and attend the feast, at the same time giving some inti-
mation of the great destiny before him. “On whom is all the desire of
Israel? Is it not on thee, and on all thy father’s house?” The demand for
a king had become a matter of absorbing interest to the whole nation,
yet with modest self-depreciation, Saul replied, “Am not I a Benjamite,
of the smallest of the tribes of Israel? and my family the least of all
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the families of the tribe of Benjamin? wherefore then speakest thou so
to me?”
Samuel conducted the stranger to the place of assembly. At the
prophet’s direction, the place of honor was given to Saul, and at the
feast the choicest portion was set before him. The services over,
Samuel took his guest to his own home and there communed with him,
setting forth the great principles on which the government of Israel
had been established, thus seeking to prepare him for his high station.
When Saul departed next morning, the prophet went with him.
Having passed through the town, he directed the servant to go forward.
Then he bade Saul stand still to receive a message sent him from God.
“Then Samuel took a vial of oil, and poured it upon his head, and
kissed him, and said, Is it not because Jehovah hath anointed thee to
be captain over His inheritance?” He assured Saul that he would be
qualified by the Spirit of God for the station awaiting him. “The Spirit
of Jehovah will come mightily upon thee, and thou ... shalt be turned
into another man. And let it be ... that thou do as occasion shall serve
thee; for God is with thee.”
As Saul went on his way, all came to pass as the prophet had said.
At Gibeah, his own city, a band of prophets returning from “the high
place” were singing the praise of God to the music of the pipe and
the harp, the psaltery and the tabret. As Saul approached them, the
Spirit of the Lord came upon him also, and he joined in their song of
praise and prophesied with them. He spoke with great fluency and
wisdom and joined earnestly in the service. Those who had known
him exclaimed in astonishment, “What is this that is come unto the
son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?”
A great change was wrought in him by the Holy Spirit. The light
of divine holiness shone in upon the darkness of the natural heart. He