spiritual battle, Seer vs Prophet (1 Sam. 9-10)

Samuel was getting older, and his sons were not obedient priests, so the people asked Samuel for a king to lead them.  Even though they were rejecting God as their King, God allowed them this - with fair warning.  And Saul was the one who was chosen...

(1 Samuel 9:1-5)  Now there was a man of Benjamin whose name was Kish the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Becorath, the son of Aphiah, the son of a Benjamite, a mighty man of valor. 2 He had a son whose name was Saul, a choice and handsome man, and there was not a more handsome person than he among the sons of Israel; from his shoulders and up he was taller than any of the people.

3 Now the donkeys of Kish, Saul’s father, were lost. So Kish said to his son Saul, “Take now with you one of the servants, and arise, go search for the donkeys.” 4 He passed through the hill country of Ephraim and passed through the land of Shalishah, but they did not find them. Then they passed through the land of Shaalim, but they were not there. Then he passed through the land of the Benjamites, but they did not find them.

5 When they came to the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant who was with him, “Come, and let us return, or else my father will cease to be concerned about the donkeys and will become anxious for us.”

Interestingly, it is the servant who suggested that they go see the man of God for guidance.  Saul is not opposed to this idea at all, but thought they needed to bring a payment of some sort. 

Notice that the Bible itself explains that people used to call a prophet a "seer" - but this was eventually changed.  We've already seen scripture where we are told NOT to go see seers, fortunetellers, etc.  So God would have changed the title to "prophet" so there would not be any confusion...

(1 Samuel 9:6-10)  He said to him, “Behold now, there is a man of God in this city, and the man is held in honor; all that he says surely comes true. Now let us go there, perhaps he can tell us about our journey on which we have set out.” 7 Then Saul said to his servant, “But behold, if we go, what shall we bring the man? For the bread is gone from our sack and there is no present to bring to the man of God. What do we have?” 8 The servant answered Saul again and said, “Behold, I have in my hand a fourth of a shekel of silver; I will give it to the man of God and he will tell us our way.” 9 (Formerly in Israel, when a man went to inquire of God, he used to say, “Come, and let us go to the seer”; for he who is called a prophet now was formerly called a seer.) 10 Then Saul said to his servant, “Well said; come, let us go.” So they went to the city where the man of God was.

In this way, God led Saul to Samuel...

(1 Samuel 9:15-20)  Now a day before Saul’s coming, the Lord had revealed this to Samuel saying, 16 “About this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin, and you shall anoint him to be prince over My people Israel; and he will deliver My people from the hand of the Philistines. For I have regarded My people, because their cry has come to Me.” 17 When Samuel saw Saul, the Lord said to him, “Behold, the man of whom I spoke to you! This one shall rule over My people.” 18 Then Saul approached Samuel in the gate and said, “Please tell me where the seer’s house is.” 19 Samuel answered Saul and said, “I am the seer. Go up before me to the high place, for you shall eat with me today; and in the morning I will let you go, and will tell you all that is on your mind. 20 As for your donkeys which were lost three days ago, do not set your mind on them, for they have been found. And for whom is all that is desirable in Israel? Is it not for you and for all your father’s household?”

Saul was very humble (at the start of his kingship), and a little bit like a deer caught in the headlights;  so Samuel, being a true prophet, told him things that were going to happen in order to give Saul confidence.

When Saul had approached Samuel, he had asked about the seer, and Samuel had said, "I am the seer..."  But now notice that Samuel very purposefully used the term "prophet"...

(1 Samuel 9:21-27)  Saul replied, “Am I not a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel, and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? Why then do you speak to me in this way?”

22 Then Samuel took Saul and his servant and brought them into the hall and gave them a place at the head of those who were invited, who were about thirty men. 23 Samuel said to the cook, “Bring the portion that I gave you, concerning which I said to you, ‘Set it aside.’” 24 Then the cook took up the leg with what was on it and set it before Saul. And Samuel said, “Here is what has been reserved! Set it before you and eat, because it has been kept for you until the appointed time, since I said I have invited the people.” So Saul ate with Samuel that day.

25 When they came down from the high place into the city, Samuel spoke with Saul on the roof. 26 And they arose early; and at daybreak Samuel called to Saul on the roof, saying, “Get up, that I may send you away.” So Saul arose, and both he and Samuel went out into the street. 27 As they were going down to the edge of the city, Samuel said to Saul, “Say to the servant that he might go ahead of us and pass on, but you remain standing now, that I may proclaim the word of God to you.”

(1 Samuel 10:1-16)  Then Samuel took the flask of oil, poured it on his head, kissed him and said, “Has not the Lord anointed you a ruler over His inheritance? 2 When you go from me today, then you will find two men close to Rachel’s tomb in the territory of Benjamin at Zelzah; and they will say to you, ‘The donkeys which you went to look for have been found. Now behold, your father has ceased to be concerned about the donkeys and is anxious for you, saying, “What shall I do about my son?”’ 3 Then you will go on further from there, and you will come as far as the oak of Tabor, and there three men going up to God at Bethel will meet you, one carrying three young goats, another carrying three loaves of bread, and another carrying a jug of wine; 4 and they will greet you and give you two loaves of bread, which you will accept from their hand. 5 Afterward you will come to the hill of God where the Philistine garrison is; and it shall be as soon as you have come there to the city, that you will meet a group of prophets coming down from the high place with harp, tambourine, flute, and a lyre before them, and they will be prophesying. 6 Then the Spirit of the Lord will come upon you mightily, and you shall prophesy with them and be changed into another man. 7 It shall be when these signs come to you, do for yourself what the occasion requires, for God is with you. 8 And you shall go down before me to Gilgal; and behold, I will come down to you to offer burnt offerings and sacrifice peace offerings. You shall wait seven days until I come to you and show you what you should do.”

9 Then it happened when he turned his back to leave Samuel, God changed his heart; and all those signs came about on that day. 10 When they came to the hill there, behold, a group of prophets met him; and the Spirit of God came upon him mightily, so that he prophesied among them. 11 It came about, when all who knew him previously saw that he prophesied now with the prophets, that the people said to one another, “What has happened to the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?” 12 A man there said, “Now, who is their father?” Therefore it became a proverb: “Is Saul also among the prophets?” 13 When he had finished prophesying, he came to the high place.

14 Now Saul’s uncle said to him and his servant, “Where did you go?” And he said, “To look for the donkeys. When we saw that they could not be found, we went to Samuel.” 15 Saul’s uncle said, “Please tell me what Samuel said to you.” 16 So Saul said to his uncle, “He told us plainly that the donkeys had been found.” But he did not tell him about the matter of the kingdom which Samuel had mentioned.

From this we see:
- people want to be like other people, doing things the world's way
- it is so easy to use phrases and sayings that the world uses
- the Holy Spirit will change us

Personal experience:  besides frivolously using God's name, or slightly altering how the different names of God are said (which is the world's way of taking God's name in vain), I do try to avoid saying things like: holy cow, cross my fingers, knock on wood, it's all in the stars...

These might be considered "just" well known "idioms" to some people because they do not know where these sayings come from.  But a lot of people DO know what they actually mean and take these sayings very seriously, because these terms are based on superstition, other religions, as well as the occult.

Just a few months ago, I had flippantly ended a statement with, "It's all in the cards."  It suddenly hit me!  NO!!!  WRONG!!!  Scratch that!!!  Please forgive me!!!  I don't know why I had never connected the dots on that saying before, but it is based on tarot card reading.  I DO NOT believe in this.  I avoid this.  Why would I ever use this saying as an idiom?

Today's takeaway:  it is all in God's hands!!!  THAT is what I do believe.  That is what I should say instead.  When we give something to prayer, He is faithful to answer!!!  It has nothing to do with cards or stars or knocking on wood or - anything else!  God alone is holy, set apart, above all, and in control!...

(Psalm 115:1-3)  Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to Your name give glory because of Your lovingkindness, because of Your truth. 2 Why should the nations say, “Where, now, is their God?” 3 But our God is in the heavens; He does whatever He pleases.

(Proverbs 16:9)  The mind of man plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.

(Proverbs 19:21) Many plans are in a man’s heart, but the counsel of the Lord will stand.

 (Isaiah 45:1-25)  Thus says the Lord to Cyrus His anointed, whom I have taken by the right hand, to subdue nations before him and to loose the loins of kings; to open doors before him so that gates will not be shut:
2 “I will go before you and make the rough places smooth; I will shatter the doors of bronze and cut through their iron bars.
3 “I will give you the treasures of darkness and hidden wealth of secret places, sSo that you may know that it is I, the Lord, the God of Israel, who calls you by your name.
4 “For the sake of Jacob My servant, and Israel My chosen one, I have also called you by your name; I have given you a title of honor though you have not known Me.
5 “I am the Lord, and there is no other; besides Me there is no God. I will gird you, though you have not known Me;
6 That men may know from the rising to the setting of the sun that there is no one besides Me. I am the Lord, and there is no other,
7 The One forming light and creating darkness, causing well-being and creating calamity; I am the Lord who does all these.

8 “Drip down, O heavens, from above, and let the clouds pour down righteousness; let the earth open up and salvation bear fruit, and righteousness spring up with it. I, the Lord, have created it.

9 “Woe to the one who quarrels with his Maker— an earthenware vessel among the vessels of earth! Will the clay say to the potter, ‘What are you doing?’ Or the thing you are making say, ‘He has no hands’?
10 “Woe to him who says to a father, ‘What are you begetting?’ Or to a woman, ‘To what are you giving birth?’”

11 Thus says the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, and his Maker:

“Ask Me about the things to come concerning My sons, and you shall commit to Me the work of My hands.
12 “It is I who made the earth, and created man upon it. I stretched out the heavens with My hands and I ordained all their host.
13 “I have aroused him in righteousness and I will make all his ways smooth; He will build My city and will let My exiles go free, without any payment or reward,” says the Lord of hosts.

14 Thus says the Lord,

“The products of Egypt and the merchandise of Cush and the Sabeans, men of stature, will come over to you and will be yours; they will walk behind you, they will come over in chains and will bow down to you; they will make supplication to you: ‘Surely, God is [r]with you, and there is none else, no other God.’”
15 Truly, You are a God who hides Himself, O God of Israel, Savior!
16 They will be put to shame and even humiliated, all of them; the manufacturers of idols will go away together in humiliation.
17 Israel has been saved by the Lord with an everlasting salvation; You will not be put to shame or humiliated to all eternity.

18 For thus says the Lord, who created the heavens (He is the God who formed the earth and made it, He established it and did not create it a waste place, but formed it to be inhabited),

“I am the Lord, and there is none else.
19 “I have not spoken in secret, in some dark land; I did not say to the offspring of Jacob, ‘Seek Me in a waste place’; I, the Lord, speak righteousness, declaring things that are upright.

20 “Gather yourselves and come; draw near together, you fugitives of the nations; they have no knowledge, who carry about their wooden idol and pray to a god who cannot save.
21 “Declare and set forth your case; indeed, let them consult together. Who has announced this from of old? Who has long since declared it? Is it not I, the Lord? And there is no other God besides Me, a righteous God and a Savior; there is none except Me.
22 “Turn to Me and be saved, all the ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other.
23 “I have sworn by Myself, the word has gone forth from My mouth in righteousness And will not turn back, that to Me every knee will bow, every tongue will swear allegiance.
24 “They will say of Me, ‘Only in the Lord are righteousness and strength.’ Men will come to Him, and all who were angry at Him will be put to shame.
25 “In the Lord all the offspring of Israel will be justified and will glory.”