1. Saul Made King
In this passage, God fulfills all of the signs that Samuel listed in the previous passage. Saul meets his uncle, yet he does not inform him that Samuel has anointed him as the leader of Israel. Samuel then gathers the Israelites before the Lord at Mizpah; he reminds them of their rejection of God and their desire for a king to rule over them. He casts lots to determine their new king, and this process culminates in the selection of Saul - who has hidden himself among the baggage. After Saul is revealed to the Israelites, most of them acknowledge him as their king. Samuel writes the regulations of the kingship on a scroll that he deposits before the Lord, and he dismisses the Israelites. Saul returns to Gibeah, yet some of the Israelites reject him as their king.
Clearly Saul was not enthusiastic about his new role and its attendant responsibilities; Samuel reveals his displeasure with the concept of an Israelite king in his speech at Mizpah. Apparently only the Israelites themselves are eager for a king to rule over them.
2. Saul Rescues the City of Jabesh
In this passage, Nahash leads the Ammonites in a siege of Jabesh Gilead. The people of Jabesh Gilead attempt to surrender to them, yet Nahash insists on gouging out their eyes before accepting their offer of peace. The people of Jabesh Gilead then send messengers throughout Israel, requesting assistance. At some point these messengers reach Saul in Gibeah, and they inform him of the plight of the people of Jabesh Gilead; the Spirit of the Lord then comes upon him in power. He slaughters a pair of oxen and sends their remains throughout Israel, spurring a large group of fighting men to join him at Bezek. This force then attacks and routs the Ammonites.
The Old Testament records several instances where the Spirit of the Lord comes upon someone to empower them for a specific task. Of course, since Saul was revealed to be spiritually bankrupt, the Spirit of the Lord did not remain upon him...
3. Saul Confirmed as King
In this passage, the Israelites are ecstatic after their victory over the Ammonites; they then demand the execution of those who initially rejected Saul as their king. Yet Saul rejects their demand, giving glory to God for their victory. Samuel then calls the Israelites to go to Gilgal, where all of them acknowledge Saul as their king. A great celebration ensues.
One must wonder how those Israelites who initially rejected Saul as their king felt after he decisively defeated the Ammonites. Did they still entertain misgivings about his role as their leader, or did his military exploits win them over?
4. Samuel's Farewell Speech
In this passage, Samuel interrupts the Israelites' great celebration at Gilgal with a bracing speech. After confirming his spiritual authority over the Israelites, he reminds them that the Lord has repeatedly rescued them beginning with their bondage in Egypt. Yet he also reminds them that when they saw that Nahash was about to attack them, they rejected the Lord and desired a king who would protect them. Samuel then drives home his main point - Israel has sinned by rejecting the Lord - by asking Him to produce a thunderstorm, which would have been unusual at that time of the year. The Lord obliges, causing the Israelites to ask Samuel to spare their lives. Samuel concludes his speech by exhorting them to follow the Lord wholeheartedly and warning them of the consequences of disobedience.
In verse 12, we see that the advance of Nahash on Israelite territory fueled their desire for a king, implying that they anticipated his assault on Jabesh Gilead. Also, one must wonder how the Israelites felt about Samuel's harsh words during their celebration. Perhaps they dismissed him as being cantankerous...until he jarred them with the thunderstorm.
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