1samuel 10:1-27life-pattern of Saul, think about and picture the similar pattern that played out in Jesus’ life.

READ ACTS 2:1 - 13

The Holy Spirit acting upon men with such profound effect as to make them speak in ways that didn’t seem possible, or to see things they couldn’t possibly see, certainly happened in the New Testament, but it also happened centuries earlier in the Old Testament era.

I’d like to end today’s lesson with some food for thought. We have spent this time together exploring how we ought to consider Saul and his life in a much broader context and how (as our study of the books of Samuel continues) Saul will compare and contrast with the ideal king of Israel and the divine savior (both of which most of the Hebrews rejected). So let’s take an abbreviated look at just how eerily similar Saul’s life pattern compares to Yeshua’s, with the glaring difference being that the former is but a natural flawed man, while the latter is the incomparable, the perfect, the divine God/man.

As I list this life-pattern of Saul, think about and picture the similar pattern that played out in Jesus’ life.

1. He was born into a small family in a small village...
2. He was humble, agreeable, and very conscious of his family duties.
3. As an adult, he is given the mission to search for his father’s lost possessions and bring them home.
4. He runs into a strange seer/prophet out in a remote location; one who had been expecting him.
5. The seer/prophet recognizes the man as the one God has chosen to be king over His people
6. The seer/prophet anoints the chosen one, in a private and simple ceremony.
7. The Holy Spirit of God then descends upon him.
8. Now empowered by the Holy Spirit the chosen one begins to prophecy and profess God’s Word and do mighty deeds.
9. He is taken to a high place and there finds his arch enemy (in Saul’s case, the Philistines).
10. Some mysterious Men of God minister to him at this high place called the Hill of God.
11. Until the right moment the chosen king hides his new identity from the public at large and refuses to openly acknowledge that God has anointed him as king
12. Few of the Hebrews have any faith in him and don’t believe that this man can possibly save them.

Add to this the several references we looked at today of Saul being given the Priests’ portion and being anointed as a priest is anointed for holy consecration and we see that just as Yeshua is king and priest, so is Saul honored as king and priest.

The ultimate contrast between the failed Messiah (King Sha’ul) and the successful Messiah (King Yeshua) is that Saul is the first physical king of Israel and Yeshua will be Israel’s last physical king. But in an even larger picture we see a historical circle completed: the divine God of Israel is their original king and deliverer, then because of the people’s rebellion they demand that one of their own race become their king and deliverer, and then after an inevitable series of failures (finally as history comes to a close) the divine God of Israel appears, wrests back control from the corrupt and failed earthly ruler, and once again the Lord becomes the perfect king and deliverer for Israel.

We’ll continue in 1st Samuel chapter 10 next time.

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