A Journey Through The Old Testament - Elmer Towns

the name David. If this was the intent of Matthew in recording the genealogy in this way, verse
17 of the passage alone stresses the relationship between Christ and David.
But ten years before the birth of David, Israel was insistent on receiving from God what
He had intended to give them as a blessing. This was at least the third time Israel had demanded
a king before God was ready to give them a good king. The people had asked Gideon to be their
king, but Gideon refused and intruded into the office of the priesthood, reintroducing the practice
of idolatry into the national life of the nation. Later, at least part of the nation made Abimelech,
one of the sons of Gideon, their king; but his three-year reign ended violently with the
destruction of Shechem and Thebez, and the death of Abimelech at the hands of a woman. Now
this was the third time they demanded a king, and what God had intended to give the nation as a
blessing was about to become a curse.
Everything was wrong in their demanding and receiving a king in the person of Saul, the
son of Kish. Saul was from the wrong tribe, Benjamin rather than Judah. He was followed by the
people for the wrong reason: his physical appearance rather than his spiritual relationship with
God. The criterion which led to his choice in the first place was wrong, that the nation should
become like other nations rather than remain unique in their covenant relationship with God. The
timing of his selection was wrong-a generation too early. And because everything rises or falls
on leadership, everything went wrong under his leadership.
Israel would have three kings before a civil war would result in the division of the
kingdom. Ironically, each of these kings would complete a reign of forty years. The number forty
often appears in Scripture representative of a period of judgment or evaluation. What are
considered the forty-year reigns of the first three kings of Israel are described fully enough in
Scripture to indicate God’s evaluation of each king and his accomplishments.
THE SELECTION OF SAUL AS KING OF ISRAEL
(1 Sam. 9:1-12:25)
From all appearances, Saul was the ideal choice of the people for king. The Scripture’s
first description of him states he was “a choice and handsome young man. There was not a more
handsome person than he among the Children of Israel. From his shoulders upward he was taller
than any of the people” (1 Sam. 9:2). He first met Samuel the prophet while searching for the lost
asses of his father. Commenting on this, F. B. Meyer suggested, “He was called while seeking
his father’s straying asses... and there was a good deal of the wild-ass nature about Saul.” Later,
God would warn Samuel about making character judgments based solely on one’s outward or
physical appearance. Saul was a textbook example of one who was physically attractive and
could make a good first impression, but in character where it really counts, he lacked a deep and
meaningful relationship with God.
As Saul and one of his servants looked for the lost asses, they traveled throughout much
of central Palestine. About the time their supplies had run out, they came into the vicinity of
Samuel’s home. As they discussed their situation, Saul proposed going home and giving up on