How does 1 Samuel 10:20 connect with God's choice of David later? Verse Focus “Then Samuel had all the tribes of Israel come forward, and the tribe of Benjamin was selected by lot.” (1 Samuel 10:20) The Lot and the Lord’s Sovereignty • Casting lots looked random, yet “the lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord” (Proverbs 16:33). • 1 Samuel 10:20 publicly confirms God’s private anointing of Saul in 10:1. • By guiding the lot, God shows He alone enthrones and dethrones (cf. Daniel 2:21). Why God Allowed a Benjamite King First • Israel demanded “a king to judge us like all the other nations” (1 Samuel 8:5). • Granting Saul satisfied the people’s desire while exposing the bankruptcy of trusting appearances and stature (Saul was “head and shoulders above all the people,” 1 Samuel 9:2). • Choosing the smallest tribe (Benjamin) highlights divine grace rather than tribal greatness (cf. Deuteronomy 7:7–8). Bridge to David’s Selection • Saul’s disobedience (1 Samuel 13:13–14; 15:22–23) prompted God to announce, “The Lord has sought out a man after His own heart.” • When Samuel arrived at Jesse’s house, he was told, “Do not consider his appearance or height… The Lord looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7). • Thus, the lot for Saul sets up a deliberate, heart-based choice for David. Key Contrasts • Method – Saul: impartial lot still under God’s hand. – David: direct prophetic revelation. • Criterion – Saul: outward impressiveness, matching Israel’s cultural ideals. – David: inward devotion, matching God’s eternal plan. • Tribe – Saul: Benjamin, temporary concession. – David: Judah, fulfilling Genesis 49:10 that “the scepter shall not depart from Judah.” Prophetic and Messianic Thread • By moving from Benjamin to Judah, God realigns the monarchy with earlier messianic prophecy. • David’s line culminates in Christ, “the Root of David” (Revelation 5:5). • 1 Samuel 10:20, therefore, is not an accident but a step in the unfolding redemption narrative. Takeaways Today • God may allow what we clamor for, yet He sovereignly steers history toward His promise. • Outward success never substitutes for wholehearted obedience. • Every leadership shift—lot-cast or hand-picked—demonstrates a Lord who governs both chance and choice for His glory and our ultimate good. |
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