Study 11: 1 Samuel 10:1-13 Trent Evans

This sermon focuses on the unfolding of God’s purpose in Saul’s life as seen in 1 Samuel 9–10, offering a rich study of how God prepares, calls, and empowers individuals for His assignments. The message highlights the transition of Israel from a theocracy to a monarchy, emphasizing Saul’s anointing as king, not for personal glory but to fulfill God’s assignment. Through Saul’s encounters with Samuel, we see how God provides confirmation, changes the heart (lab—mind and will), and supplies the power needed for the task. Listeners are encouraged to seek stillness before God, study His Word diligently, and recognize His work of preparation and empowerment in their own lives. This podcast invites believers into a deeper reflection on Scripture’s call to obedience, readiness, and trust in God’s plan.

Sermon Outline

Chapter 1: Introduction and Context

⏱️ Timestamp: 0:00 – 3:20

🔑 Key Points:

• The Book of Samuel marks the transition from the period of judges to the monarchy in Israel.

• Israel moves from a theocracy (God as King) to a monarchy (human kings under God’s direction).

• Context of Saul’s introduction: son of Kish, a Benjamite on a mission to find lost donkeys.

📖 Scripture: 1 Samuel 9:25–27

Chapter 2: The Call to Know God and His Word

⏱️ Timestamp: 3:20 – 6:21

🔑 Key Points:

• Urgency for believers to know God’s Word deeply in challenging times.

• A people of the Word are equipped to carry out God’s assignments.

• Scripture shapes understanding and guards against being led by human ideas.

📖 Scripture: General call to study the Word (Psalm 46:10 referenced later in the sermon)

Chapter 3: Samuel’s Private Conversation with Saul

⏱️ Timestamp: 6:21 – 14:48

🔑 Key Points:

• Samuel engages Saul personally, on the roof of his house, symbolizing intimacy and mentorship.

• Cultural note: rooftops were common places for prayer and fellowship.

• Saul stays the night, illustrating trust and preparation for what God will reveal.

📖 Scripture: 1 Samuel 9:25–10:1

Chapter 4: The Anointing and Marking for Kingship

⏱️ Timestamp: 14:48 – 23:36

🔑 Key Points:

• Samuel anoints Saul, marking him (Mashiach = to smear or mark) for God’s assignment.

• The anointing is for the role, not Saul’s glory.

• God sets Saul apart for the task of leading His people.

📖 Scripture: 1 Samuel 10:1

Chapter 5: God’s Confirmations to Saul

⏱️ Timestamp: 23:36 – 32:40

🔑 Key Points:

• Three confirmations from God:1️⃣ Donkeys found (God the problem-solver).2️⃣ Receiving bread (God the provider).3️⃣ Meeting prophets and prophesying (God the empowerer).

• God gives Saul reassurance and evidence of His calling.

📖 Scripture: 1 Samuel 10:2–5

Chapter 6: Empowerment for the Assignment

⏱️ Timestamp: 32:40 – 36:35

🔑 Key Points:

• The Spirit of the Lord comes upon Saul, empowering him for kingship.

• This is distinct from New Testament indwelling of the Spirit (compare to Judges, Joel 2, Acts 2).

• God equips for specific assignments by His Spirit.

📖 Scripture: 1 Samuel 10:6, Joel 2:28–29

Chapter 7: The Changing of Saul’s Heart

⏱️ Timestamp: 36:35 – 44:49

🔑 Key Points:

• God changes Saul’s lab (heart/mind/will), aligning him with the assignment.

• Transformation from donkey-seeker to king-designate.

• Saul’s mindset shifts as he accepts God’s direction.

📖 Scripture: 1 Samuel 10:6, 9–10

Chapter 8: Faithfulness and Obedience in the Assignment

⏱️ Timestamp: 44:49 – 50:30

🔑 Key Points:

• Saul is told to wait for Samuel (a test he will later fail).

• God addresses Saul’s future struggles before they arise, offering protection through obedience.

• Faithfulness in the assignment is key to God’s continued empowerment.

📖 Scripture: 1 Samuel 10:7–8

Chapter 9: The Cost of God’s Call

⏱️ Timestamp: 50:30 – 52:20

🔑 Key Points:

• Following God’s call can result in rejection and criticism from others.

• Personal testimony of surrender to God’s assignment despite opposition.

• Encouragement to remain steadfast in the face of pushback.

📖 Scripture: 1 Samuel 10:11, reflections on Saul’s rejection by some

Chapter 10: Reflection, Challenge, and Communion

⏱️ Timestamp: 52:20 – end

🔑 Key Points:

• Each believer has an assignment; the Spirit empowers us to fulfill it.

• We are responsible for our God-given tasks — no excuses.

• Call to examine our hearts and commit to the assignment God has given.

📖 Scripture: Application call; communion focus

Scripture References

📖 1 Samuel 9:25–27

⏱️ 00:00 – 03:20

Used to set the scene where Saul and Samuel share an intimate conversation on Samuel’s rooftop after sacrifice and worship. This begins Saul’s introduction to his divine assignment.

📖 1 Samuel 10:1

⏱️ 14:48 – 23:36

Describes Samuel’s anointing of Saul with oil, marking him (Mashiach) for kingship. This is the physical act of setting Saul apart for his God-given assignment.

📖 1 Samuel 10:2–5

⏱️ 23:36 – 32:40

Details the three specific confirmations Saul would encounter: finding the donkeys (God as problem-solver), receiving bread (God as provider), and meeting prophets (God as empowerer). These confirmations reassure Saul of God’s calling.

📖 1 Samuel 10:6

⏱️ 32:40 – 36:35

The Spirit of the Lord will come powerfully upon Saul so that he will prophesy and be changed into a different person — showing God’s empowerment for the assignment.

📖 Judges references (e.g., Othniel, Gideon, Samson)

⏱️ 32:40 – 36:35

Used to illustrate how God’s Spirit came upon leaders in the past to empower them for specific tasks, drawing parallels to Saul’s experience.

📖 Joel 2:28–29

⏱️ 32:40 – 36:35

Clarifies the distinction between Saul’s temporary empowerment and the future promise of the Spirit poured out on all people (fulfilled in Acts 2).

📖 1 Samuel 10:7–8

⏱️ 44:49 – 50:30

Emphasizes obedience — Saul is instructed to wait for Samuel at Gilgal before offering sacrifices, a command that prefigures Saul’s future failure in this area.

📖 1 Samuel 10:9–10

⏱️ 36:35 – 44:49

Describes God changing Saul’s lab (mind/heart/will), aligning him with his assignment. Saul follows through with the confirmations as a result.

📖 1 Samuel 10:11

⏱️ 50:30 – 52:20

Mentioned in the reflection on how people reacted to Saul’s transformation, questioning if he was truly among the prophets. Highlights how God’s call can lead to skepticism and rejection by others.

📖 Psalm 46:10

⏱️ 18:45 – 19:22

“Be still and know that I am God.” Used to encourage believers to quiet themselves before God to hear and receive personal revelation and direction.

📖 1 Samuel 9:21

⏱️ 42:28 – 43:04

Saul’s response of humility and sense of inadequacy when Samuel first speaks of God’s plan for him — “Am I not a Benjamite...?” This contrasts with the change God brings about in Saul’s thinking.

📖 Acts 2 (implied via Joel reference)

⏱️ 32:40 – 36:35

Linked to Joel’s prophecy, showing the fulfillment of God’s promise of His Spirit in the New Testament, distinguishing it from Saul’s temporary empowerment.Word Study

Word Study

1️⃣ Anointed / Mashiach

🔹 Language: Hebrew (Old Testament)

🔹 Original Word: מָשִׁיחַ (mashiach)

🔹 Strong’s Number: H4899

🔹 Pronunciation: maw-shee'-akh

🔹 Simple Definition:Anointed one; someone set apart, consecrated for a specific purpose by God.

🔹 Extended Definition (Lexicon):Properly means “anointed;” often refers to one who has had oil ceremonially poured or smeared on them as a sign of divine selection. Used for priests, kings, prophets, and ultimately the Messiah.

🔹 Synonyms:

• qadash (H6942): to consecrate, sanctify

• nazar (H5144): to dedicate, separate

🔹 Antonyms:

• chalal (H2490): to profane, defile

🔹 Key Bible Usage:

• Leviticus 4:3 — “If the anointed priest sins…” (refers to priests)

• Psalm 2:2 — “The kings of the earth set themselves... against the LORD and against His Anointed.”

• Daniel 9:25 — Prophecy of “Messiah the Prince.”

🔹 Reflection:In this sermon, mashiach represents God marking Saul not for personal glory but for a divine task: leading Israel as king. The word reminds us that God’s anointing carries responsibility and purpose aligned with His will, not human ambition.

2️⃣ Heart / Lab

🔹 Language: Hebrew (Old Testament)

🔹 Original Word: לֵב (lēb)

🔹 Strong’s Number: H3820

🔹 Pronunciation: labe

🔹 Simple Definition:Inner man; mind, will, and understanding.

🔹 Extended Definition (Lexicon):Refers to the center of human thought, will, emotion, and moral character — more about the mind and volition than modern emotional associations.

🔹 Synonyms:

• nephesh (H5315): soul, inner being

• ruach (H7307): spirit

🔹 Antonyms:

• qasheh lev (hard heart; Exodus 7:3 — God hardened Pharaoh’s heart)

🔹 Key Bible Usage:

• Deuteronomy 6:5 — “Love the Lord your God with all your heart...”

• Proverbs 4:23 — “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”

• Jeremiah 17:9 — “The heart is deceitful above all things…”

🔹 Reflection:The sermon emphasized that God changed Saul’s lab — his thinking and inner inclination — to align with his kingly assignment. It illustrates how true transformation for service begins with a change of will and understanding, not just external actions.

3️⃣ Spirit / Ruach

🔹 Language: Hebrew (Old Testament)

🔹 Original Word: רוּחַ (ruach)

🔹 Strong’s Number: H7307

🔹 Pronunciation: roo'-akh

🔹 Simple Definition:Breath, wind, or spirit; divine force or presence.

🔹 Extended Definition (Lexicon):Represents God's empowering force or presence; can refer to the Holy Spirit, human spirit, or even wind depending on the context. In Saul’s case, it is the Spirit of God that empowers him for kingship.

🔹 Synonyms:

• neshamah (H5397): breath of life

• qodesh (H6944): holy, sacred (when referring to the Holy Spirit as Ruach haQodesh)

🔹 Antonyms:

• ruach sheqer (spirit of falsehood; Micah 2:11)

🔹 Key Bible Usage:

• Genesis 1:2 — “The Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.”

• Judges 6:34 — “The Spirit of the Lord came upon Gideon…”

• Isaiah 11:2 — Prophecy of the Spirit resting upon the Messiah.

🔹 Reflection:The sermon highlighted ruach as God’s empowering presence that enabled Saul to fulfill the assignment of king. It reminds believers today that God’s Spirit provides the power for the calling, not our own strength.

Reflection Questions

🔹 God’s Calling and Assignment

1️⃣ How do you see God’s hand at work in preparing Saul for his assignment? What does this teach you about how God prepares you for His purposes?

2️⃣ What might prevent you from recognizing or accepting God’s assignment in your life? How can you overcome these barriers?

3️⃣ Saul was chosen unexpectedly — not because of his qualifications, but because of God’s plan. How does this challenge or encourage your view of calling?

🔹 Obedience and Trust

4️⃣ Saul received specific instructions (wait, listen, follow confirmations). Why do you think obedience to small details matters in God’s bigger plan?

5️⃣ Have you ever struggled with waiting on God, like Saul did later at Gilgal? What helps you wait with trust rather than act in haste?

6️⃣ Reflect on a time when following God’s directions led to confirmation or growth in your faith. What did you learn through that experience?

🔹 God’s Empowerment

7️⃣ The Spirit of the Lord came upon Saul to empower him for his task. Where in your life do you feel you need God’s empowerment today?

8️⃣ How do you seek God’s Spirit daily to guide and strengthen you in your responsibilities or ministry?

🔹 Handling Criticism or Pushback

9️⃣ Saul experienced skepticism and rejection even after his transformation. How do you handle criticism or rejection when you step into God’s calling?

🔟 What can you learn from Saul’s example (both his strengths and his failures) about staying faithful to your God-given assignment despite opposition?

🌿 Final Reflection

✨ If God were to give you a specific assignment today, what would it take for you to say “yes” with full trust?