What significance do the "three men" and their gifts hold in this verse? Setting: Saul’s Anointing and the Sign at the Oak of Tabor “When you get to the Oak of Tabor, three men going up to God at Bethel will meet you there. One will be carrying three young goats, another three loaves of bread, and another a jug of wine. They will greet you and give you two loaves of bread, which you will accept from their hands.” Who Are the Three Men? • Ordinary worshipers—neither priests nor dignitaries—on their way “up to God” at Bethel. • Living proof that God can use common people to confirm His call (cf. 1 Corinthians 1:26–29). • A triple witness; Scripture requires “two or three witnesses” to establish a matter (Deuteronomy 19:15). God graciously gives Saul three. Symbolic Weight of Their Three Gifts 1. Three Young Goats • Goats were regular sin offerings (Leviticus 4:27–31). • They underscore atonement—Saul’s kingship must rest on forgiveness and covenant faithfulness. • Ultimately foreshadows Christ, “the Lamb of God” who takes away sin (John 1:29; Hebrews 10:4). 2. Three Loaves of Bread • Bread of Presence pointed to constant communion with God (Exodus 25:30). • Bread given to Saul shows God’s tangible provision for the new king (Psalm 23:1). • Anticipates Jesus, the true “bread of life” (John 6:35). 3. A Jug of Wine • Wine accompanied many sacrifices as a drink offering of joy and covenant blessing (Numbers 15:5–10). • Signals that Saul’s reign should overflow with joy in the LORD (Psalm 104:15). • Looks ahead to Christ’s blood of the new covenant (Matthew 26:27-28). Why This Sign Matters for Saul • Validates Samuel’s earlier private anointing (1 Samuel 10:1). • Shows that God will supply everything needed—sacrifice (goats), sustenance (bread), and celebration (wine). • Encourages immediate obedience; Saul receives the bread “from their hands” just as he must accept the kingship from God’s hand. Broader Theological Threads • God confirms His word through ordinary people and ordinary means—yet those means teem with sacrificial, priestly, and royal symbolism. • The trio of goats, bread, and wine forms a miniature picture of the whole sacrificial system, all fulfilled perfectly in Jesus Christ (Hebrews 10:1-14). • Saul’s failure later in life underscores the depth of grace offered here at the outset—grace he could have lived in all his days (1 Samuel 15:22-23). Take-Home Reflections • God’s confirmations are as trustworthy as His initial call. • Provision, atonement, and joy are inseparable gifts of covenant life. • Every sign in Scripture ultimately directs our eyes to the perfect King, Jesus, whose body (bread) and blood (wine) secure eternal forgiveness (goat-like sacrifice) for all who believe. |
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