The people then said to Samuel, “Who was it that asked, ‘Shall Saul reign over us?’ Turn these men over to us so that we may put them to death.


Good morning! Here is today’s word of blessings for you.
1 Samuel 11:11-15

11 The next day Saul separated his men into three divisions; during the last watch of the night they broke into the camp of the Ammonites and slaughtered them until the heat of the day. Those who survived were scattered, so that no two of them were left together. 12 The people then said to Samuel, “Who was it that asked, ‘Shall Saul reign over us?’ Turn these men over to us so that we may put them to death.” 13 But Saul said, “No one will be put to death today, for this day the Lord has rescued Israel.” 14 Then Samuel said to the people, “Come, let us go to Gilgal and there renew the kingship.” 15 So all the people went to Gilgal and made Saul king in the presence of the Lord. There they sacrificed fellowship offerings before the Lord, and Saul and all the Israelites held a great celebration.

Today’s title is “God’s Choice Proved”

The people of Israel requested a king. God gave them Saul even though God wasn’t pleased with the request at all. People accepted him as king. But it seems that some people didn’t like God’s choice of Saul. They wanted a king. But it wasn’t Saul. These people, whomever they may be, not only rejected God by asking but also His choice too. These were the people who said “Shall Saul reign over us?’. Such a negative reaction to God’s appointment of Saul as king was perhaps the reason that Saul went back to his hometown and continued his previous work. What do these people want? Probably they wanted proof that Saul can actually lead them as a king. Have you ever run into people like them? I have. I believe there are people like this everywhere. They want proof or credentials for everything. They don’t care if it is God’s will or not. In a way, these people may seem very reasonable and intelligent. But in reality, they aren’t trusting God at all. Such lack of trust often delays the work and breeds dissension among the people. Some of the Israelites must have felt that way. That must be why the people said to Samuel, “Who was it that asked, ‘Shall Saul reign over us?’ Turn these men over to us so that we may put them to death.” when Saul successfully defeated the invader Saul persuaded those angry people not to. He humbly ascribed victory to God. , “No one will be put to death today, for this day the Lord has rescued Israel.” Then Samuel said to the people, “Come, let us go to Gilgal, and there renew the kingship.” They have already proclaimed Saul’s kingship in Mizpah. They did it again for God’s choice was proved right. I chuckled within myself as I read the section. As a pastor, I have encountered a few people who seemed to reject everything asking for reasons and proof. We had to do many unnecessary works just to prove something even after it was verified as God’s will. I do not mean that we do not need careful examination and preparation in doing God’s work. We need to at some point. But once we found that it is in harmony with God’s words, then we need to commit ourselves and do it. In God, we trust. Amen!