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781 Salem Road, Rossville, GA 307411

In 1 Samuel 8 the men of Israel demanded a kingdemanded a king.

God had Samuel warn themwarn them against a king,

But they said, "We willWe will have a king, that we may be like the other nations.

In 1 Samuel 9 we meetwe meet the future king.

November 6, 2011

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1 Samuel 9 1 Now there was a man of Benjamin, whose name was Kish, the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Bechorath, the son of Aphiah, a Benjamite, a mighty man of power.

Kish was a rich and influential Benjamite:

"a mighty man of power."

Therefore Saul was a Benjamite, son of a rich and influential Benjamite.

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Out of what tribewhat tribe were the kings of Israel prophesied to come?

Genesis 49:10 (NIV) (Jacob) The scepter will not depart from JudahJudah, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, until He comes to whom it belongs and the obedience of the nations is His.

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Did Samuel miss Godmiss God when he anointedanointed Saul to be king?

No; the men of Israelmen of Israel missed God when they demanded a king outsideoutside of the Will of God.

When we demand our own wayour own way, live life our own way, contrarycontrary to the Will of God,

What we experience will never be God's Bestnever be God's Best.

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2 And Kish had a son, whose name was SaulSaul, a choicechoice young man, and a goodlygoodly: and there was not among the children of Israel a goodlier person than he: from his shoulders and upward he was higher than any of the people.

Saul was talltall, , darkdark, and, and handsomehandsome.

He was also known to be a good persongood person.

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He lookedlooked like a king.When God sent Samuel to choose and anoint

Saul's replacement for King --

1 Samuel 16:7 (NIV) But the Lord said to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart."

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Saul didn't just looklook like a king, he was a good young mangood young man.

Accepted good counsel from his servant

Persevered in the face of hardship

Obedient to his daddy

Submissive to the man of God

Humble when told he was to be king of Israel

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3 And the asses of Kish Saul's father were lost. And Kish said to Saul his son, Take now one of the servants with thee, and arise, go seek the asses.

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4 And he passed through mount Ephraim, and passed through the land of Shalisha, but they found them not: then they passed through the land of Shalim, and there they were not: and he passed through the land of the Benjamites, but they found them not.

Saul was a faithful sonfaithful son, and he perseveredpersevered in striving to obey his daddy.

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Saul and his servant traveled

far in rough lands.

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5 And when they were come to the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant that was with him, Come, and let us return; lest my father leave caring for the asses, and take thought for us.

It's been three daysthree days.

Saul didn't want his daddy to worryworry about

them.

I am getting a picture here of a good songood son with a

caring daddy.

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6 And (the servant) said unto him, Behold now, there is in this city a man of God, and he is an honorable man; all that he saith cometh surely to pass: now let us go thither; peradventure he can shew us our way that we should go.

Good advice: "Let's ask the man of God."

Do you ever seek counselseek counsel from the man of God?

Or, are you afraid he will tell you the Truthtell you the Truth?

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7 Then said Saul to his servant, But, behold, if we go, what shall we bring the man? for the bread is spent in our vessels, and there is not a present to bring to the man of God: what have we? 8 And the servant answered Saul again, and said, Behold, I have here at hand the fourth part of a shekel of silver: that will I give to the man of God, to tell us our way.

Interesting: Saul had nothing, but the servant had some money.

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9 (Beforetime in Israel, when a man went to inquire of God, thus he spake, Come, and let us go to the seer: for he that is nownow called a Prophet was beforetimebeforetime called a Seer.) 10 Then said Saul to his servant, Well said; come, let us go. So they went unto the city where the man of God was.

It was Saul's decisionSaul's decision to make, but he tooktook the adviceadvice of his servant.

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Proverbs 12 15 The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel (prudence) is wise.

Proverbs 19 20 Hear counsel (prudence), and receive instruction, that thou mayest be wise in thy latter end.

But don't wait until you have made bad decisionsbad decisions or the wrong choiceswrong choices -- and thenthen talk to your

pastor, or an older, wiser Christian.

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Too often people make upmake up their minds, and thenthen seek counsel.

All they wantwant at that point is to have their decision agreed withagreed with.

They are not going to heedheed anything that is contrarycontrary to their premature decision.

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Some people go for marriage counselingmarriage counseling, when they have no intentionno intention of reconciling.

Long term damage

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Whatever decisions you have to make,

slow downslow down and seek godly counsel.

As a young man Saul sought wise counselwise counsel and took heedtook heed to what he was told.

If he had keptkept that mindset, his reignhis reign over Israel might have turned out to be a blessingblessing.

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Christmas program December 18