What connections exist between 1 Samuel 9:24 and God's anointing of leaders elsewhere? The Setting in 1 Samuel 9:24 “Here is the portion that was set apart for you. Eat it; for it has been kept for you until the appointed time, when I said, ‘I have invited the people.’ ” Reserved Portion, Reserved Person - A “set apart” cut of meat signals a “set apart” man. - Samuel does not yet pour oil on Saul, yet the meal itself functions as an initial, symbolic anointing. - Similar “reserved” language marks other leaders: • Jeremiah – “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you” (Jeremiah 1:5). • Cyrus – “I have called you by name” (Isaiah 45:4). • David – “I have provided for Myself a king” (1 Samuel 16:1). Advance Preparation Before Public Recognition - Saul’s private honor at the table (9:22–24) precedes his public anointing with oil (10:1). - Moses spends 40 years in Midian (Exodus 3) before facing Pharaoh. - David is anointed in Bethlehem (1 Samuel 16:13) long before he sits on the throne. - Jesus lives in obscurity at Nazareth until His baptism and Spirit-anointing (Luke 3:21-22; 4:18). Meal as Covenant Sign - Sharing a sacrificial portion seals fellowship between God, prophet, and future king. - At Sinai the elders “ate and drank” before God after Israel’s covenant (Exodus 24:9-11). - Jesus institutes the Lord’s Supper—another covenant meal—on the eve of His messianic enthronement (Matthew 26:26-29). God Chooses, Then Confirms with Symbolic Acts - Portion for Saul → oil on Saul (1 Samuel 10:1). - Ram caught in the thicket → oath on Abraham (Genesis 22:13-18). - Mantle on Elisha → later Jordan crossing and Spirit-endowment (1 Kings 19:19; 2 Kings 2:13-15). Visible Tokens, Invisible Grace - The thigh “kept” for Saul points to grace already stored up (Ephesians 2:10). - Anointing scenes consistently combine a tangible token (oil, mantle, meal) with a spiritual reality (Spirit empowerment). Key Takeaways - God sets apart leaders before they—or anyone else—know it. - He often signals that choice with a concrete, memorable act. - 1 Samuel 9:24 stands in line with every divine anointing: preparation in secret, sign in the present, purpose for the future. |
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