Please read the whole chapter and feel free to post a reply even before you read my thoughts. If you don't have a Bible with you, you can follow this link to the passage: 1 Samuel 10
Verse 6: "Then the Spirit of the LORD will rush upon you, and you will prophesy with them and be turned into another man." This is an amazing verse, that I have never noticed before. In the scheme of things, Saul's experiences seem like a brief prologue to the story of David, and yet he is not merely an aside in God's story of Salvation. He receives God's Spirit, and not just in a token way. He is changed "into another man." Now we may be skepticle about this change if we know how Saul's story ended, or we may react against the idea of becoming someone else entirely. "Wait a second God, you mean you don't just love me the way I am?" And yet, Saul's experience in a way is God's promise to us. Not to turn us into automatons, but to make us the individuals we were meant to be.
Throughout Old Testament prophecy and New Testament promise, we are told that God will give us a new heart and make us new people. In Christ we have our identity. The old sinful Adam in us is destroyed and the new man, Christ, rises from the dead. Sometimes, this causes us to scratch our heads, but sometimes, especially in our times of identity crisis, it is a strong word of hope.
Israel had one true King, and it was God. But, the people of that nation wanted (demanded) another. Can you imagine wanting someone (a human) other than God to be your guide through life? Men and women have rejected God through out history. Like myself, many continue to do so today. I often catch myself replacing God and acknowledging someone, or something else as my "king." I am reminded to learn from the stories of Israel's leaders not to push God away with other forms of worship.
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