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撒母耳记上［第9章］|Book of 1st Samuel 9

【因驴而蒙恩的扫罗】

主讲: 谭天恩弟兄

18/07/2023


引言：塞翁失马，焉知非福！

一、从命定看拣选（9:1-17）

1. 家世背景出于神（V1-2）

基士到底有什么样的身分？ 传统译本把基士形容为「大能的勇士」，但新国际本译为「有地位的人」或者是「财主，有钱的人」。再看扫罗「健壮」：「青年人」、「年轻男人」的意思。「身体比众民高过一头」：原文是「他的肩膀以上高过众百姓」。这里描述扫罗的家世不凡，身材、体魄、容貌都很不错。扫罗的外貌和身材正符合当时君王外貌的标准。

我们与生俱来所拥有的一切，都是命中注定。不管好与坏、丑与美，富与穷，都是上天的命定，没有选择。但是未来的人生要怎么活？如何变？这就在乎各人的选择。

2. 有神参与坏变好（V3-17）

从以上的经文可以看到：人生的机遇在于神。扫罗只是做了一件尊荣父亲的事，要找回父亲的几头驴子，却没有想到会有那么多事情发生：遇到撒母耳。在遇到撒母耳之前遇到几位热心少女给扫罗指引道路。

我们时常觉得人生掌握在自己的手里，（所以有了人定胜天这个成语）。然而我们要留下空间让神做事，不要总想让所有的事情按着自己的心思意念和计划来发生。

如果我们的人生观是密封式的，我们就做该做的。然而经文告诉我们，人生是一个开放的局，一切都在神手里，神会带领我们走进命定里，所以不要为眼前的事沮丧，神总是知道事情会怎样发生。这就是一个有神的人生观。我们将自己放在神的手中，走入神的时间，走入神为我们所预备的机遇里。

当遇到问题的时候要学会首先来到神的面前，先找神再找人。 别人给出意见的时候，不要第一时间拒绝，要谦卑查验，因为我们不能确定这话是否有神的心意。

二、从顺服到祝福（9:18-27）

1. 因寻求相信得到指引（V18-20）

神把扫罗带到撒母耳那里，意思是十分明显。“神掌管一切”。 没有任何人安排撒母耳和扫罗见面。神控制着扫罗的动向，并直接向撒母耳启示，说扫罗就是祂选立为王的人。因此，当两人相遇时，撒母耳已认识扫罗，并且知道怎样使扫罗作王。但在这一章的事件中，扫罗对神的计划仍一无所知：撒母耳只是渐渐让他知道，神在他身上有特殊的计划。

你相信神为你在沙漠中开路吗？
你相信你的一生都在神的手中，只要相信他，在盼望中寻求他的显明就得祝福。

20节说明在上帝使用人之前一定会解决人的难处，让人可以毫无顾虑的跟随神，但是必须要先信神他可以。

2. 因谦卑顺服得到荣耀（V21-27）

（V21）扫罗的回答非常谦卑，因为他认识自己的身分。便雅悯是雅各最小的儿子，便雅悯支派曾经因为内战差点灭族，人口稀少，所以扫罗自称是「以色列支派中至小的便雅悯人」。扫罗的家乡是基比亚，基比亚人曾经行恶引发过内战，名声不好，所以扫罗自称是「便雅悯支派中至小的家」。

平安祭的祭肉原为给祭司的（利七32～33）。撒母耳把祭肉留给扫罗，以示尊敬，也表示他就要成为神的受膏者。

古代以色列的建筑，屋顶平坦，可以用来招待客人睡觉，所以撒母耳让扫罗住在房顶上。而「撒母耳和扫罗在房顶上说话」，可能是为了让城里的人都看在眼里，好在众人面前抬举扫罗。

亚当的后裔「肉体之中，没有良善」，扫罗的谦卑，是因为没有骄傲的机会。
人只要还活在肉体里面，一旦有身分、地位、成就就可能会转变，谦卑会变成骄傲，温柔会变成刚硬。因此，我们需要时时接受十字架的光照，及时反省自己。
同时还要顺服掌权者，尊敬他们，关心他们。因为他们的付出也需要我们的回馈。

总结：

扫罗出门是为了寻找他父亲失去的驴子，却在无意中找到了王位。 撒母耳正在为百姓寻找一位合适的王，却找到一个完全不关心政治、被人「藐视」的基比亚人。

这一切后面，都是神的安排，因为神「拣选了世上卑贱的，被人厌恶的，以及那无有的，为要废掉那有的，使一切有血气的，在神面前一个也不能自夸」（林前一：28-29）。

1 Samuel 9 Saul who was blessed due to the donkey
GK611 Morning Devotion
18/7/2023
The Morning Devotion Speaker: Brother Bezalel Tan

Introduction: It is a blessing in disguise though the man lost his mare!

1. Election from the perspective of destiny (9:1-17)

(1) Family background comes from God (V1-2)

What kind of identity does Kish have?
Traditional translations describe Kish as a "mighty warrior", but the New International Version translates it as "a man of position" or "a rich man, a man of wealth". Look again at the meaning of Saul's "strong": "youth" and "young man". "His body is higher than all the people by one head": the original text is “from his shoulders upward he was taller than any of the people”. Saul’s family background is described here as extraordinary, and his figure, physique, and appearance are very good. Saul's appearance and stature were in line with the appearance standards of the kings of his day.

Everything we are born with we are meant to be. No matter good or bad, ugly or beautiful, rich or poor, it is the fate of God, there is no choice. But how to live in the future life? How to change? It depends on everyone's choice.

(2) With God's involvement, bad becomes good (V3-17)

From the above scriptures, we can see that the opportunities in life are in God. Saul just did one thing to honour his father, and wanted to get back his father's donkeys, but he didn't expect so many things to happen: he met Samuel. Before meeting Samuel, he met several helpful girls who showed Saul the way.

We often feel that life is in our own hands (hence the idiom that man can determine their own destiny). However, we need to leave room for God to do things, and don’t always want everything to happen according to our own thoughts and plans.

If our outlook on life is enclosed, we do what needs to be done. However, the scriptures tell us that life is an open situation, everything is in the hands of God, and God will lead us into our destiny, so don’t be depressed about the things in front of us, God always knows how things will happen. This is a godly outlook on life. We put ourselves in God's hands, enter God's time, and step into the opportunities God has prepared for us.

When you encounter problems, you must learn to come before God first, and find God before man. When others give opinions, don’t reject them immediately, but humbly examine them, because we can’t be sure whether these Words have God’s will.

2. From obedience to blessing (9:18-27)

(1) Be guided through believe in seeking (V18-20)

The meaning of God taking Saul to Samuel is very obvious. "God is in control".
No one arranged for Samuel and Saul to meet. God controlled Saul's movements and directly revealed to Samuel that Saul was the one He had chosen to be king. So, when the two met, Samuel already knew Saul and knew how to make Saul king. But in the events of this chapter, Saul remains ignorant of God's plan: Samuel only gradually lets him know that God has a special plan for him.

Do you believe that God made a way for you in the desert?
You believe that your whole life is in the hands of God, as long as you believe in Him and seek His indication, you will be blessed.

Verse 20 states that before God uses man, he will definitely solve man’s difficulties, so that man can follow God without any worries, but he must first believe that God can do it.

(2.) Glory through humbleness and obedience (V21-27)

(V21) Saul's answer was very humble, because he knew his identity. Benjamin is the youngest son of Jacob. The tribe of Benjamin was almost wiped out due to civil war, and the population was sparse. So, Saul claimed to be "the smallest of the tribes of Israel". Saul's hometown was Gibeah. The people of Gibeah had done evil and caused civil wars, so they had a bad reputation, so Saul called himself "the smallest of the tribes of Israel".

The sacrificial meat of the peace offering was originally given to priests (Leviticus 7:32-33). Samuel gave the sacrificial meat to Saul as a sign of respect and that he was about to become God's anointed one.
The buildings in ancient Israel had flat roofs, which could be used to entertain guests and sleep, so Samuel let Saul live on the roof. And "Samuel spoke with Saul on the top of the house" may be to make the people in the city see it, so as to raise Saul in front of everyone.

The descendants of Adam "that in me nothing good dwells;", and Saul's humbleness is because there is no opportunity for pride.
As long as people still live in the flesh, once they have identity, status, and achievements, they may change. Humbleness will become pride, and gentleness will become hardness. Therefore, we need to always accept the illumination of the cross and reflect on ourselves in time.
At the same time, obey those in power, respect them, and care for them. Because they need our response for their efforts.

Conclusion：

Saul went out in search of his father's lost donkey and unintentionally found the throne. Samuel was looking for a suitable king for his people but found a completely apolitical and "despised" Gibeathite.

Behind all this is God's arrangement, for "the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence.” (1 Corinthians 1:28-29).

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