Originally posted: 11/27/2019
Then Samuel took the flask of oil, poured it on his head, kissed him and said, “Has not the Lord anointed you a ruler over His inheritance?” (10:1).
And after Saul is anointed, Samuel proceeds to foretell the exact events to follow, and Saul then finds it precisely as Samuel predicted.
I have lots of questions… again, a consequence of knowing how Saul’s story plays out. And again, I am left wondering why He ever chose Saul to begin with. He knew the outcome.
Questions about a changed heart… only to change again. Questions about the anointing of Saul and the confirmation provided for one who would lose the throne.
Questions regarding why the people’s appraisal of their new king was predominantly based on his physical stature, when Jesus, the Anointed Messiah would have no stately form.
He has no stately form or majesty
That we should look upon Him,
Nor appearance that we should be attracted to Him, (Isaiah 53:2).
And in the midst of these questions, an assurance arose; and whether I can explain it or understand it, the Lord God did in fact Authenticate Saul as His Anointed.
Authenticate: to establish as genuine; to make authoritative or valid.
Saul was in need of God’s assurance, and so were God’s people; and in His amazing, unfathomable grace, He Authenticated His Anointed.
Consider Him Who Authenticated His Anointed
- He Authenticated His Anointed through the Prophecy Fulfilled.
- “When you go from me today, then you will find… 3 Then you will go on further from there, and you will come as far as…5 Afterward you will come to…7 It shall be when these signs come to you…” 9 Then it happened when he turned his back to leave Samuel, God changed his heart; and all those signs came about on that day, (10:2, 3, 5, 7, 9).
- He Authenticated His Anointed through the Presence of the Holy Spirit.
- “Then the Spirit of the Lord will come upon you mightily, and you shall prophesy with them and be changed into another man…” and the Spirit of God came upon him mightily, so that he prophesied among them, (10:6, 10).
- He Authenticated His Anointed through the Presentation of the King.
- Samuel said to all the people, “Do you see him whom the Lord has chosen? Surely there is no one like him among all the people.” So all the people shouted and said, “Long live the king!” (10:24).
- He Authenticated His Anointed through the Preservation of His Word.
- Then Samuel told the people the ordinances of the kingdom, and wrote them in the book and placed it before the Lord, (10:25).
How do we respond to Him Who Authenticated His Anointed?
While we may not understand how Saul came into this place of temporary prominence, we can be assured the Lord is Sovereign. He Who Authenticated His Anointed does not change and His plans stand forever.
“For I, the Lord, do not change…” (Malachi 3:6).
The counsel of the Lord stands forever,
The plans of His heart from generation to generation, (Psalm 33:11).
Ultimately, He would Anoint His Son to become our Deliverer and King of all kings. The Father sent His Son as our only acceptable and perfect sacrifice. We can be confident Jesus is the Promised Messiah and Eternal King, for we have the assurance of Him Who Authenticated His Anointed.
- He Authenticated His Anointed, Jesus, through the Prophecy Fulfilled.
- And He said to them, “O foolish men and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and to enter into His glory?” 27 Then beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures… 31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized Him; and He vanished from their sight. 32 They said to one another, “Were not our hearts burning within us while He was speaking to us on the road, while He was explaining the Scriptures to us?” (Luke 24:25-27, 31-32).
- For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that, Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, (1 Corinthians 15:3-4).
- He Authenticated His Anointed, Jesus, through the Presence of the Holy Spirit.
- After being baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and lighting on Him, 17 and behold, a voice out of the heavens said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased,” (Matthew 4:16-17).
- “When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify about Me,” (John 15:26).
- He Authenticated His Anointed, Jesus, through the Presentation of Him as King.
- So Pilate asked Him, saying, “Are You the King of the Jews?” And He answered him and said, “It is as you say,” (Luke 23:3).
- For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father, (Philippians 2:9-11).
- that you keep the commandment without stain or reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 which He will bring about at the proper time—He who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, (1 Timothy 6:14-15).
- He Authenticated His Anointed, Jesus, through the Preservation of His Word.
- In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 14 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth, (John 1:1, 14).
- This is the disciple who is testifying to these things and wrote these things, and we know that his testimony is true. 25 And there are also many other things which Jesus did, which if they were written in detail, I suppose that even the world itself would not contain the books that would be written, (John 21:24-25).
He Has Authenticated Jesus as His Anointed; and in His amazing, unfathomable grace, He has given us His Holy Spirit Who Has Authenticated us, His children, as those who are loved and belong to Him.
…the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us, (Romans 5:5).
For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. 15 For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption, as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!” 16 The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him, (Romans 8:14-17).
May we grow in the assurance of His unfailing love and our eternal security as His adopted children, convinced by Him Who Has Authenticated His Anointed.