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THE HISTORY OF THE TWO SAULS

M. Pavlik

1 Samuel 10: 1–12; 2 Corinthians 3: 18; Philippians 3: 8–14,

20, 21

The history of Saul the king, beloved brethren, is especially

precious to me. It reminds me of my own history, of my own

beginnings as a believer, I do not intend to enlarge upon that,

but what is important is that Saul was not seeking the

kingdom; he was seeking something else, but he was given

the kingdom. It was similar with me; I was seeking something

else, but I came to the knowledge of the glad tidings of the

Lord Jesus. As it was with Saul so it was with me; I did not

have the slightest idea of what a wonderful system I was being

brought into connection with. You see something of it in this

chapter. I have read an extensive portion, but do not intend to

dwell on it in detail. I would like to select some points which

show us the excellency of some of the blessed features of the

system Saul was brought into.

He did not have any idea of it, but it was surely wonderful.

Saul was anointed as king over the people of Israel, but what

is for the moment important in my mind is what follows, his

further experiences. I am thinking especially of these three

men whom he met at the oak of Tabor who were going up to

God, to Bethel, then the reference to the hill of God and the

outposts of the Philistines, then the company of prophets, and

finally the point of his being turned into another man, and

getting another heart.

I think, beloved brethren, we have here wonderful references

to the house of God. Those three men were going up to

Bethel, that is, to the house of God. It is of very great

importance, how we come to the house of God. These three

men were going to the house of God; but they did not go there