Looking for One Thing and Finding Another

Looking for One Thing and Finding Another

(No. 3075)

A SERMON PUBLISHED ON THURSDAY, JANUARY 16, 1908.

DELIVERED BY C. H. SPURGEON,

AT THE METROPOLITAN TABERNACLE, NEWINGTON.

"And the donkeys of KKish, Saul's father, were lost. And Kish said to
Saul, his son, Take now one of the servants with you, and arise, go
seek the donkeys…And as for your donkeys that were lost three days
ago, set not your mind on them; for they are found. And on whom is all
the desire ofIsrael?Is it not on you, and on all your fathers house?" 1
Samuel 9:3,20.

SAUL went out to seek his father's donkeys. He failed in the search,
but he found a crown. He met with the Prophet Samuel, who anointed him
king over God's people, Israel, and this was far better than finding
the obstinate colts. Let us consider this amazing incident. Perhaps,
though it treats of donkeys, it may yield us some royal thoughts.

I. Our first remark shall be–OBSERVE HOW THE HAND OF GOD'S PROVIDENCE
CAUSES LITTLE THINGS TO LEAD ON TO GREAT MATTERS.

This man Saul must be placed in the way of the Prophet Samuel. How
shall a meeting be brought about? Poor beasts of burden shall be the
intermediate means! The donkeys go astray and Saul's father bids him
take a servant and go seek them. In the course of their wanderings, the
animals might have gone North, South, East or West–for who shall
account for the wild will of runaway donkeys? But so it happened, as
men say, that they strayed, or were thought to have strayed, in such a
direction that, by-and-by, Saul found himself near to Ramah, where
Samuel, the Prophet, was ready to anoint him. On how small an incident
the greatest results may hinge! The pivots of history are microscopic.

Hence, it is most important for us to learn that the smallest trifles
are as much arranged by the God of Providence as the most startling
events. He who counts the stars has also numbered the hairs of our
heads. Our lives and deaths are predestined, but so, also, are our
sitting down and our rising up. Had we but sufficiently powerful
perceptive faculties, we would see God's hand as clearly in each stone
of our pathway as in the revolution of the earth. In watching our own
lives, we may plainly see that on many occasions the merest grain has
turned the scale. Whereas there seemed to be but a hair's-breadth
between one course of action and another, yet that hair's-breadth has
sufficed to direct the current of our life! "He," says Flavel, "who
will observe Providences shall never be long without a Providence to
observe." Providence may be seen as the finger of God, not merely in
those events which shake nations and are duly emblazoned on the pages
of history, but in little incidents of common life–yes, in the motion
of a grain of dust, the trembling of a dewdrop, the flight of a swallow
or the leaping of a fish!

II. But that is not the consideration to which we now invite you. Our
drift is this–as Saul went out to find donkeys, but found a crown, so,
IN THE MATTER OF GRACE, MANY A MAN HAS RECEIVED WHAT HE LOOKED NOT

FOR.

That is a remarkable text in Isaiah–"I am found of them that sought Me
not." Sometimes the Sovereign Grace of God is pleased to light on
persons who had no thought about it–who were, to all appearance, quite
unprepared for it–no, even opposed to its Divine operations. These
persons have stumbled on the treasures hid in the field when they were
only thinking of their plow. They have met Jesus at the well when they
only purposed to fill their water pots. They have heard glad tidings of
the Savior when they were only caring for their flocks.

On ground not furrowed the rain of Heaven has fallen. Grace has come
unasked. We have emblems of this in the Scriptures, in the miracles
which were worked by our Lord and His Apostles. There was a young man
dead, carried out to be buried, and around his bier were his weeping
mother and relatives. Jesus, the Prophet of Nazareth, was entering in
at the gate of the city, but we do not read that any of the mourners
sought a miracle at His hands. They had not the faith to expect that He
would raise the dead. The young man, being dead, was far beyond the
possibility of seeking help for

himself from the miracle-working hand of Jesus. But Jesus interposed
and commanded the bearers to stand still–they did so and then,
unsought and unasked, Jesus said, "Young man, I say unto you, Arise,"
and he arose to be delivered to his mother! Many a young man has been
in like plight–he has been dead in trespasses and sins, but Christ's
interposition has not been sought by him. He has not trembled at his
low position. He has not even understood it, being utterly dead and,
therefore, insensible of his ruined state! The Redeemer has sovereignly
interposed. The Holy Spirit has poured light into the darkened
conscience. The man has received Grace and has lived a new and
spiritual life–a life for which he had never sought!

Of a like character was the miracle of casting out devils from the two
demoniacs among the Gergesenes, in which case the unhappy men were
moved by the evil spirits to entreat the Savior to leave them alone.
Such, also, were the miracles of restoring the man with the withered
hand, the feeding of the multitudes and the healing of the ear of
Malchus. Here, swift-footed mercy outran the cry of misery!

Take another case from Apostolic times. A poor beggar, extremely lame,
hobbled one morning up to the Beautiful Gate of the Temple and there
took his daily place and began his incessant cry for a little
charitable aid for a poor paralyzed man. Peter and John came up to the
Temple to pray. Doubtless he looked upon them, but it never entered
into his heart to ask them to heal him. He asked for alms. Drop a few
Roman pennies into his palm and he would be content with the gift. But
Peter and John gave to him what he had not sought for. They bade him,
in the name of Jesus of Nazareth, rise up and walk–and up he leaped,
delivered from his infirmity, without having expected such a
deliverance!

These emblems can be interpreted by kindred facts of Divine Grace.
Christ has often met with individuals and saved them when they have not
been seeking Him. Matthew was not seeking Jesus when the Lord bade him
leave the table at which he was receiving custom and follow Him. The
case of Zacchaeus was similar–he came in the way of Christ's
preaching, but his motive was purely one of curiosity, "he sought to
see Jesus, who He was." He was curious to know what kind of a Man this
was who had set all Judaea on a stir. Who was this that made Herod
tremble, was reputed to have raised the dead and was known to have
healed all manner of diseases? Zacchaeus, the rich publican, is a lover
of sights–and he must see Jesus! But there is a difficulty–he is too
short–he cannot look over the heads of the crowd! Yonder is a sycamore
tree and he will, for once, imitate the boys and climb! Mark how
carefully he conceals himself among the thick branches, for he would
not have his rich neighbors discover him in such a position. But
Christ's eyes detected the little man and, standing beneath that
tree–unasked, unsought, unexpected–Jesus said, "Zacchaeus, make haste
and come down; for today I must abide at your house." And soon these
gracious words were spoken by Christ, also, "This day is salvation come
to this house."

Deeds of Grace have been worked in this Tabernacle after the same
fashion. Men and women have come here out of curiosity–a curiosity
created by some unfounded story or malicious slander of prejudiced
minds. And yet Jesus Christ has called them and they have become both
His disciples and our warm-hearted friends! Some of the most unlikely
recruits have been our most valuable soldiers. They began with aversion
and ended with enthusiasm. They came to scoff, but remained to pray!
These seats could tell many an incident of the "romance of Grace" more
wonderful than the marvels of fiction!

No, Brothers and Sisters, such is the surprising Grace of God, that He
has not only been pleased to save men who did not expect it, but He has
even condescended to interpose for the salvation of men who were
fighting against His Grace and violently opposing His cause. Read yon
story which will never lose its charm, of which the hero is one Saul of
Tarsus! What a singular subject for converting Grace! He had resolved
to hound the saints to death. He would exterminate them if he could.
His blood boiled against the followers of Jesus–he could not speak of
them calmly–he was mad with rage. Hear him rave at them! "What? Will
these men oppose the traditions of the fathers and of the Pharisees? If
they are allowed to multiply, there will be no respect paid to our holy
men or their weighty sentences!" He will persecute them out of
existence, not only in Jerusalem, but in Damascus! Yet, in a few days,
this hater of the Gospel was touched by the Gospel's power–and never
did Christendom gain a braver champion! Nothing could dampen his fervor
or quench his zeal! Persecuted, beaten with rods, ship wreaked
thrice–nothing could stop him from serving his Lord! What a complete
reversing of the engine and yet it was gaining at express speed! When
he was most at enmity against Christ, then was his turning point! As
though some strong hand had suddenly seized by the bridle a horse that
had broken loose and was about to leap down a precipice, and had thrown
it back on its haunches and delivered it at the last moment from the

destruction on which it was impetuously rushing, so Christ interposed
and saved the rebel of Tarsus from being his own destroyer!

Another case arrives before us most vividly. It is that of the jailor
at Philippi. He did not look like seeking the Savior and being
converted. He received Paul and Silas and made their feet fast in the
stocks–a piece of superfluous brutality. They could not have escaped
from the inner prison and it was needless to lay them by the heels. No
doubt he wished to please his masters and felt a contempt for the
Apostles. The jailors in those days had usually been soldiers–and camp
life among the Romans was indeed rough–his nature evidently furnished
very flinty soil for the Gospel to grow in. But an earthquake comes.
The prison quakes. It is a mysterious earthquake, for the prison doors
are lifted from their hinges and the prisoners' fetters are unbound!
The jailor trembles and, to make short work of the story, he believes
in Jesus! He is baptized with all his believing household. He invites
the Apostles to his table, entertains them and becomes one of the first
members of the Church of God at Philippi! What cannot the Gospel do
when it comes in its power? And where may it not come? May it not, at
this moment, visit another prison and save another jailor, though his
thoughts are far otherwise? We have ourselves met with similar cases.
Many old stories are current which we do not doubt are true. There is
one of a man who never would attend a place of worship until he was
induced to go to hear the singing. He would listen to the tunes, he
said, but he would have "none of your canting preaching." He would put
his fingers in his ears. He takes that wicked precaution and
effectually blocks up Ear-Gate for a while. But the gate is stormed by
a little adversary, for a fly settles on his nose–he must brush it off
and, as he takes out his finger to do so, the preacher says, "He that
has ears to hear, let him hear." The man listens! The Word of God
pierces his soul and he is converted!

I remember quite well, and the subject of the story is most probably
present in this congregation, that a very singular conversion was
worked at New Park Street Chapel. A man who had been accustomed to go
to a gin palace to fetch in gin for his Sunday evening's drinking, saw
a crowd round the door of the chapel. He looked in and forced his way
to the top of the gallery stairs. Just then, I looked in the direction
in which he stood–I do not know why I did so, but I remarked that
there might be a man in the gallery who had come in there with no very
good motive, for even then he had a gin-bottle in his pocket. The
singularity of the expression struck the man and being startled because
the preacher so exactly described him, he listened attentively to the
warnings which followed. The Word reached his heart–the Grace of God
met with him–he became converted and today he is walking humbly in the
fear of God!

These cases are not at all uncommon. They were not unusual in the days
of Whitefield and Wesley. They tell us, in their Journals, of persons
who came with stones in their pockets to throw at the Methodists, but
whose enmity was slain by a stone from the sling of the Son of David.
Others came to create disturbances, but a disturbance was created in
their hearts which could never be quelled till they came to Jesus
Christ and found peace in Him! The history of the Church of God is
studded with the remarkable conversions of persons who did not wish to
be converted, were not looking for Grace and were even opposed to it!
And yet, by the interposing arm of Eternal Mercy, were struck down and
transformed into earnest and devoted followers of the Lamb!

III. That fact being established, we may now range our thoughts around
the question. WHAT SHALL WE SAY ABOUT IT?

What shall we say about these acts of Sovereign Preventing Grace? Why,
first, we will say, behold the freeness of the Grace of God. It is like
the dew that comes on the earth which stays not for man, neither waits
for the sons of men. It is like the sunbeam shining into the hovel and
finding its way through grimy windowpanes, more calculated to shut it
out than to admit it! It is like the wind which whistles among the
ropes, whether the mariners desire it or not. God will have mercy on
whom He will have mercy! He will have compassion on whom He will have
compassion–not because of any goodness in the sinner, or because of
any preparedness in the creature–but simply because He wills it, He
visits men with salvation! He is so able to work salvation that He
waits not for any contributory arm, but when the creature is most dead
and most corrupt–then comes in the quickening Grace of God and gets to
itself all the Glory of salvation!

If every convert were brought in through the usual means of Grace, we
would come to regard conversion as a necessary result from certain
fixed causes–and attribute some mystic virtue to the outward means.
But when God is pleased to distribute the blessing entirely apart from
these, then He shows that He can do without means as well as with
means–that nothing is too mighty a work for Him, that His arm is not
shortened at all so that He needs to use an instrument to make up the
length of it–neither has He lost any strength so as to be forced to
appeal to us to make up the deficiency! If it were God's will, He
could, by a word, convert a nation! If so He chose–He is such a master
of human hearts that as readily as the corn waves in the breath of the
summer's wind, so could He make all hearts bow before the mysterious
impulses of His Holy Spirit! Why He does it not, we know not. That is
among His secrets. But when He works in a marked and decided way beyond
all expectation, He does but give us a proof of how He is able to work
as He wills among the armies of Heaven and the inhabitants of this
lower world! Oh, the richness, the freeness, the power of the Grace of
God! The richness of it, that it comes to those who sought it not! The
freeness of it, that it waits not for preparation on man's part! The
power of it, that it makes the unwilling willing when the appointed
hour has come! Brothers and Sisters, let us heartily join together in
adoring this Grace of God which reigns through righteousness unto
eternal life in as many as it pleases the Lord our God to call!

What shall we say further about this? We will gather this consoling
inference from it–if the Lord is thus found of those that seek Him
not, how much more surely will He be found of those who seek Him! If He
has been known to give sight to those who did not ask for it, how much
more will He bestow it upon those who cry, "Son of David, have mercy on
us!" If he saved Saul who hated Him, much more will He listen to him
that cries, "God be merciful to me a sinner." If He called careless,
curious Zacchaeus, much more will He speak to you, my anxious, earnest
Hearers who are saying, "Oh that He would speak to me!" If a man opens
his door and voluntarily calls to a passing beggar, and says, "Here,
poor man, here is relief for you," why, then, the man who begs
importunately will not be sent away unhelped–will he?

If I were in the case of the seeker, I should be mightily encouraged by
the subject before us. I would say, "Does Jesus thus call those who
were not hungering and thirsting and does He bring them to the Gospel
feast? Then, when I, a poor hungry thirsty sinner, come wringing my
hands and saying, 'Oh, that He would give me to drink of the Water of
Life. Oh, that He would let me feed on the blessings of His Grace,'
surely He will receive me!" Be cheered, you humble penitents, the
Lord's heart is too large to permit Him to send you away empty! Be
encouraged, at this moment, to breathe the silent prayer, "O God, the
Lord and Giver of Grace, give Your Grace to us who seek it now!" Why,
dear Heart, you already have Grace, or you would not seek it, for Grace
must first come to you to make you seek Grace! Be thankful, for
salvation has come to your house! Dead men do not long for life. In the
marble limbs of the corpse there is no struggling after life, no pangs
of desire for health. God has looked on you in love–look you to Jesus
and live!

What else shall we say about this Doctrine? There is one other thing we
will say about it–from this time forward we will never despair of
anybody. If the Lord Jesus Christ called Saul of Tarsus when he was
foaming at the mouth with wrath, there are none among the wicked who
are beyond the reach of hopeful prayer! Your boy breaks your heart,
dear Mother. You have wept over him many years. He is far away, now,
and the last you heard of him wounded your soul. And Unbelief said, "Do
not pray for him again." Ah! That is the devil's counsel! He is no good
messenger who bids a mother cease praying for her child while that
child is out of Hell! Have faith in the Divine Power and pray for your
boy! Who knows what the Lord may yet make of him?

There is one living in your parish, a swearer, and everything that is
bad. You did once think of asking him to come and hear the Gospel, but
you said, "It is of no use–he will be sure to turn it into ridicule."
How do you know? It is the very boast of Grace that it shines into the
unlikeliest hearts! God's electing love has, in many cases, selected
great fools and great sinners. At least I know that God's people think
themselves such. I have said never despair of your child, and I will
put it to you again–if you have friends who are infidel, or
persecuting, or profane, yet, as long as you live and they live, it is
your business to labor for their conversion and to weep and pray for
them! O Brothers and Sisters, if the lives of some of us before
conversion had been known, good men might have denied the possibility
of our salvation! If all the secrets of our hearts had been written,
some would have said, "This is a hopeless case." But mercy saved us
and, therefore, it can save anybody Never say of any place, "It is such
a den of iniquity I can do no good there." Never say, "That workshop is
so profane I could not speak of religion there." Oh, you do not
know–you do not know! With God at your back, if it were possible to
save the damned in Hell, you might go and preach there and win trophies
for Christ! Never think any too bad or too vile, but labor on, for God
can work wonders in every case.

IV. We will close when we have noticed, with great brevity, WHAT WE
OUGHT NOT TO SAY ABOUT THESE

THINGS.

We have told you what we should say about these remarkable
conversions–we should behold the freeness and sovereignty of the Grace
of God. We should be encouraged to seek it for ourselves and we should
hope for the conversion

of others. But now, what ought we notto say? One thing we ought not to
say is this–'Then I shall sit still and perhaps the Grace of God will
come to me. I shall not seek, nor pray, nor desire, for if I am quite
unconcerned, Grace may yet visit me." Now, my dear Hearer, if you make
such an excuse as that for your spiritual indolence, you will find the
covering too thin to conceal your nakedness! You know better. A man
suddenly stumbles upon wealth, by a windfall or a speculation. Do you
therefore say, "I shall not keep my shop open. I shall leave business.
I shall not go to work again, for Robinson has found a thousand pounds.
I shall stay at home and perhaps I shall do the same"? No, you know
that all the examples in the world of sudden wealth only go to prove
the rule that he who would gain riches must find them in the appointed
way. So, all the examples of these remarkable interpositions of God
only go to prove the rule that he who would have mercy must seek it.
"Seek you the Lord while He may be found," is the fixed rule–and
though God comes to some who seek Him not, yet the rule still holds
good.

Do you not know that all the while you remain impenitent, your soul is
under condemnation? Some men have run this awful risk and yet have
escaped–is that any reason why you should? I have heard of a man who
took poison, but so rapid was the action of a surgeon in the
neighborhood that by means of a stomach pump the man's life was
preserved. Is that a reason why you, too, should swallow poison?
Because Providence has preserved some while they were running on in
sin, is that a reason why you should continue to rebel against God? I
have heard a story of an English sailor in a foreign port when the
foreigners were manning the yards and performing their maneuvers in
honor of a royal personage. Our countryman, in order to show what an
Englishman could do, climbed to the top of the mast and stood there on
his head! On a sudden the ship lurched and he fell! But, by a happy
Providence, he caught a rope as he fell and descended safely to the
deck. "There," he said, "you fellows see if you could tumble down like
that." Are you surprised that no one accepted the challenge? Who but a
fool would have thought it worth his while to imitate the example?
Because here and there a man who runs solemn risks is, by the
interposition of Divine Grace, saved from the consequences of his
folly, is that a reason why you should run those hazards yourselves?
God does thus interpose, nobody can doubt it. But still, His Sovereign
rule is, "Seek you the Lord while He may be found," and His Gospel
cries daily, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved."
Trust the merits of Jesus Christ and you shall be saved, for our Gospel
is not, "Sit still and wait for Divine interpositions," but, "He that
believes and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believes not shall
be damned."

Moreover, we should never say, " Why use means for saving others? God
can do His own work." Brethren, a man is always in a vicious state of
heart when he speaks so! He knows he talks nonsense and he only does so
as an excuse for his indolence and to quiet his conscience. We are to
labor to win souls, for men are brought to God by instrumentality!
Where God has appeared to save without any means, if you could have the
whole matter before you, you would find that means were used. For
instance, take Saul's conversion. You will ask, "What means were used
in his case?" We do not know, but possibly the dying martyr Stephen,
when he prayed for his enemies, may have been the secondary cause of
the young man's call by Divine Grace. At any rate, he was included in
Stephen's intercession–and that prayer went up to God for Saul–and
was prevalent with Heaven. And then, look again–after Saul had been
arrested from above, Ananias must come in to open his eyes. So that,
even in that case, there was the instrumentality of prayer before and
the instrumentality of instruction afterwards.

So it may be with many an one who has been suddenly converted. There
was a mother, perhaps, in Heaven, who had prayed for the man 40 years
before, for prayer will keep and be fragrant many a year! And let me
say that if neither father nor mother ever prayed for that conversion,
perhaps a grandfather did, for prayer has power for hundreds of years!
And a great-grandfather's prayers may be the instrumentality of the
conversion of his great-grandchildren! There is no end to the efficacy
of prayer. Good Dr. Rippon often used, in the pulpit, to pour out his
soul in prayer that God would bless the Church of which he was the
pastor–and the members at the Tabernacle have been the inheritors of
the blessings brought down by his intercession! Pray on, then. Your
prayers may not be answered for the next five centuries. Those prayers
of yours may be lying by till Christ comes, but they will avail in some
way!

So that you see when we think there is no instrumentality, there really
is an instrumentality if we could but see it. These remarkable cases
must never be used as a reason why we are not to do all that we can to
bring sinners to Christ! God's work, in such instances, instead of
discouraging us, should stimulate action on our part. Because God
works, are we to be still? No, but because God works, let us be workers
together with Him that, through us, directly or indirectly, His
purposes may be fulfilled. Suppose, now, it were known that the events
of a certain battle would depend entirely on the skill of the general?
The two armies are equally balanced and everything must depend upon the
tact of the commander. Would the soldiers, therefore, conclude that
they needed not to load, or fire, or draw a sword because everything
depended on the commander? No, but the commander works and his soldiers
work together with him. So is it with us. Everything depends on God but
we are His instruments. We are His servants and because He is at our
back, let us go forward with courage and zeal. The results are certain,
God being our Helper. I charge you, my Brothers and Sisters, to take
heart from the fact that God works great wonders! Go to your classes,
or wherever else you may be laboring, singing cheerfully the song of
hope and offering the prayer of full assurance. When we feel that we
must have souls saved, souls will be saved! For my part, I cannot be
happy unless sinners are led to Jesus. We must have it! The Holy Spirit
will not let us rest without it! We shall have it–and God shall have
the praise! Amen.

EXPOSITION BY C. H. SPURGEON: 1 SAMUEL 9:1-25; 10:1-8.

1 Samuel 9:1, 2. 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. And he had a son whose name
was Saul, a choice young man, and handsome: and there was not among the
children of Israel a more handsome person than he: from his shoulders
and upward he was higher than any of the people. Here we have the
pedigree of the great king of Israel, Saul, the son of Kish. He was
descended from a noble tribe, though not a very large one, and he
appears to have been endowed with a very notable personal appearance.
"There was not among the children of Israel a more handsome person than
he: from his shoulders and upward he was higher than any of the
people." And to the Israelites of that day, who had got away from
looking up to God and to the more valuable accomplishments of the mind
and the heart, the striking personal appearance of Saul would be a
great attraction and recommendation.

3, 4. And the donkeys of Kish, Saul's father, were lost. And Kish said
to Saul his son, Take now one of the servants with you, and arise, go
seek the donkeys. 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. He was
diligent in his father's service, even though that service meant a
fruitless journey in search of some stray donkeys. As he was then
faithfully discharging the duties of his station in life, he was the
man who was likely to rise to some higher position. He was the son of
"a mighty man of power" or substance, and yet so simple were the
manners of the time that he was sent, with one of the servants, to look
for the lost donkeys. And he appears to have started at once to carry
out the commission which had been entrusted to him. Learn from Saul's
obedience, dear young people, to never despise any duty which falls to
your lot in the ordinary avocations of daily life–you will be
preparing yourselves for some higher position by doing well what you
are called to do now.

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 donkeys, and take thought for us.There was
evidently in Saul, at that time, a great considerateness of spirit. He
wished to save his father from having any painful anxiety concerning
his son and his servant, for Saul put both together when he said, "us."
It is most desirable that young men in the present day should have a
tender regard for those to whom they owe their being, and who have done
so much for them in the years of their tender infancy–and that all
young people should be careful never needlessly to give their parents
one anxious thought on their account.

6. And he said unto him, Behold now, there is in this city a man of God
and he is an honorable man; all that he says comes surely to pass: now
let us go there; perhaps he can show us our way that we should go. In
this case, as in so many others, the servant seems to have had more
Divine Grace than his young master had, for the name of Samuel the
Prophet was not unknown to him and he knew where the "man of God"
lived. And he told Saul a good deal about him and gave him some good
advice as to what they should do. In any case where the servant, but
not the master, knows the Lord, it is well, when occasion offers, and
it can be done prudently and discreetly, for the servant to speak up
and give a good word for the cause of God and truth.

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?He says nothing
about any money that he may have had in his own pocket, and again his
servant has to lead the way.

8, 9. 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. (Beforetime in Israel, when a man
went to enquire of God, thus he spoke, Come, and let us go to the Seer:
for he that is now called a Prophet was beforetime called a Seer). He
was a man who looked further ahead than others could, for, under Divine
Inspiration, he could see into the future.

10. Then said Saul to his servant, Well said; come, let us go. Saul was
willing to be liberal at his servant's expense, and to let him give
"the fourth part of a shekel of silver" to the Prophet for him. And we
have known some other folk who have been very generous in giving away
the money of other people rather than their own!

10-12. So they went unto the city where the man of God was. And as they
went up the hill to the city, they found young maidens going out to
draw water, and said unto them, Is the Seer here? And they answered
them, and said, He is; behold, he is before you: make haste now, for he
came today to the city; for there is a sacrifice of the people today in
the high place. These young maidens were evidently well informed–they
knew where the man of God was, they knew what he was going to do and
they knew the time of the sacrifice or feast. Let us hope that they not
only knew all this, but that they entered into the true spirit of it.

13-19. As soon as you come into the city, you shall straightway find
him, before he goes up to the high place to eat: for the people will
not eat until he comes because he does bless the sacrifice; and
afterwards those who are invited will eat Now therefore, get you up;
for about this time you shall find him. And they went up into the city:
and when they were come into the city, behold, Samuel came out toward
them, to go up to the high place. Now the LORD had told Samuel in his
ear a day before Saul came, saying, Tomorrow about this time I will
send you a man out of the land of Benjamin, and you shall anoint him to
be captain over My people Israel, that he may save My people out of the
hand of the Philistines: for I have looked upon My people, because
their cry is come unto Me. And when Samuel saw Saul, the LORD said unto
him, Behold the man whom I spoke to you of, this same shall reign over
My people. Then Saul drew near to Samuel in the gate, and said, Tell
me, I pray you, where the Seer's house is. And Samuel answered Saul,
and said, I am the Seer. Saul evidently did not know Samuel, and it
appears from this fact that he was not a gracious, religious man. He
had the charm of a fine outward appearance and he probably had many of
the domestic virtues, but he was not one who lived in the fear ofGod.

19-21. Go up before me unto the high place, for you shall eat with me
today, and tomorrow I will let you go, and will tell you all that is in
your heart. And as for your donkeys that were lost three days ago, set
not your mind on them; for they are found. And on whom is all the
desire of Israel? Is it not on you, and on all your father's house? And
Saul answered and said, Am not I a Benjamite, of the smallest of the
tribes of Israel? And my family the least of all the families of the
tribe of Benjamin? Why, then, do you speak so to me?There was a very
becoming modesty about him. He was really surprised and startled that
such an honor should be in store for him. He had many natural virtues
but, alas, the Grace of God was not upon him.

22-24. And Samuel took Saul and his servant, and brought them into the
parlor, and made them sit in the chief place among them that were
invited, which were about thirtypersons. And Samuel said unto the cook,
Bring the portion which I gave you, of which I said unto you, Set it by
you. And the cook took up the shoulder, and that which was upon it, and
set it before Saul The right shoulder of the animal that was offered in
sacrifice was part of the priest's portion, and this shoulder Samuel
now ordered the cook to set before Saul as he sat in the place of
honor!

24, 25. And Samuel said, Behold that which is left! Set it before you,
and eat; for unto this time has it been kept for you since I said, I
have invited the people. So Saul did eat with Samuel that day. And when
they were come down from the high place into the city, Samuel communed
with Saul upon the top of the house. For quietness and seclusion,
Samuel took the young man upstairs to the flat roof of the house and
they walked to and fro, in the cool of the evening, talking about the
high destiny to which Saul was called, and Samuel doubtless giving him
valuable instructions concerning his new and important duties.

1 Samuel 10:1, 2. And they arose early: and it came to pass about the
spring of the day, that Samuel called Saul to

the top of the house, saying, Up, that I may send you away. And Saul
arose, and they went out, both of them, he and Samuel, abroad. And as
they were going down to the end of the city, Samuel said to Saul, Bid
the servant pass on before us, (and he passed on), but stand you still
a while, that I may show you the Word of God [See Sermon #1547, Volume
26–samuel

AND THE YOUNG MAN SAUL.] Then Samuel took a vial of oil, and

poured it upon his head, and kissed him, and said, is it not because
the LORD has anointed you to be captain over His inheritance? When you
are departed from me today. He gave Saul some signs by which he could
confirm the truth of all that he had spoken to him–"When you are
departed from me today."

2. Then you shall find two men by Rachels sepulcher in the border of
Benjamin at Zelzah. It was well for Samuel to send Saul, with brilliant
prospects opening before him, to the sepulcher of the mother of his
tribe. Oh, that we were all wise enough to think often of our last
hours! Communion with the grave might even help us to communion with
Heaven. Samuel said to Saul, "You shall find two men by Rachel's
sepulcher."

2, 3. And they willsay unto you, The donkeys which you went to seek are
found: andlo, your fatherhas left the care of the donkeys, and sorrow
for you, saying, what shall I do for my son? Then shall you go on
forward from there and you shall come to the plain of Tabor, and there
shall meet you three men going up to God at Bethel, one carrying three
kids, and another carrying three loaves of bread, and another carrying
a bottle of wine. Going to offer to God a meat offering and a thank
offering. How could Samuel have known all this if God had not anointed
his eyes and made him a Seer who could see what others saw not?

4. And they will salute you, and give you two loaves of bread; which
you shall receive of their hand. "You shall take from them your first
tribute as a king. They shall give you two loaves of bread, to teach
you to avoid all luxury, and not to be a king who delights in delicate
and dainty fare. You shall fare as the people do."

5, 6. After that you shall come to the hill of God, where is the
garrison of the Philistines: and it shall come to pass, when you are
come there to the city, that you shall meet a company of Prophets
coming down from the high place with a psaltery, and a tabret, and a
pipe, and a harp before them, and they shall prophesy: and the Spirit
of the LORD will come upon you, and you shall prophesy with them. "You
shall speak with enthusiasm about God. Moved with a holy passion you
shall speak like a man inspired."

6. And shall be turned into another man. Note that Samuel did not say
to Saul, "You shall be turned into a new man," for that is what he
never was. He become, for awhile, anotherman–a different man from what
he had been before–but he never became a gracious man.

7, 8. Andlet it be, when these signs are come unto you, thatyou do as
occasion servesyou; for Godis with you. And you shall go down before me
to Gilgal; and, behold, I will come down unto you, to offer burnt
offerings, and to sacrifice sacrifices of peace offerings: seven days
shall you tarry, till I come to you, and show you what you shall do.