BibleProject | One Story That Leads to JesusSample

A young man from the territory of Benjamin heads out to the hill country to find his father’s lost donkeys—and ends up Israel’s king. Along the way, he’s honored at a stranger’s dinner, anointed as king by an old man, and caught up in a prophetic frenzy with traveling musicians. Meanwhile, the donkeys return home without him.

And so we meet Saul, Israel’s first king. At first glance, he looks like a great candidate for the job. He’s a strapping young man from a wealthy family who towers above everyone else. But as you’ll learn in the video, this seemingly minor detail about Saul’s height hints at a character flaw: pride. Saul often trusts his own judgment over God’s, without realizing the damage it causes.

At first, though, pride isn’t the problem. He’s struggling with fear. Saul is so hesitant he hides during his coronation! However, when the Ammonites attack, he rallies Israel’s troops and wins a decisive victory.

God has given the people what they asked for: a king to fight their battles. Still, some Israelites worry they’ve made a mistake. Samuel reassures them that Yahweh’s blessing remains, as long as both king and people remain faithful. The choice is theirs. What will they choose?

Reflection Questions

• Meditate on key characters you’ve encountered in the biblical story so far. What have you learned about their motives from their words and actions? How have the consequences of their decisions helped you evaluate their behavior? Which characters do you relate to most?
• When in the biblical story have you seen the dismemberment of a corpse and Israelites sending pieces of the body around to other tribes? (Hint: Review the concluding chapters of Judges.) What impression does this hyperlink give you about Saul?