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When Random Is Not Random (1 Samuel 9) - 11/23/25

  • Tabernacle Baptist Church
  • 1 day ago
  • 2 min read

Intro

  • God is providing the King. Saul is chosen.

  • In their disobedience, God is fulfilling His purpose and will.

  • God’s providence rules over every detail of our lives.

  • God is faithful. He always has a plan for His people. Regardless of our response, He is faithful.

God Is Working in Every Detail – vv. 1–14

Normal life, sovereign God

  • Saul’s family and background (vv. 1–2)

  • Lost donkeys and a long, frustrating search (vv. 3–5)

“Small” moments under God’s hand

  • A servant’s suggestion to see the man of God (vv. 6–10)

  • Meeting the young women on the way (vv. 11–13)

  • Arriving just as Samuel comes out (v. 14)

Nothing in this story is accidental—God is quietly directing every step.

Every Detail Has a Purpose – vv 15–27

God had already spoken

  • “The day before Saul came, the LORD had revealed to Samuel…” (vv. 15–16)

  • “I have seen My people… I have sent you a man…” (v. 16)

God brings His servant to His prophet

  • Samuel recognizes Saul as the man God told him about (vv. 17–19)

  • The donkeys are already found (v. 20)—the “problem” was just the path.

God sets Saul apart

  • Honored place and portion at the feast (vv. 22–24)

  • Private word on the housetop (vv. 25–27)

What Saul thought was about donkeys was really about God’s design.

The Doctrine of Providence — What About Us Today?

Providence is God’s constant, wise, and sovereign care over all things, by which He directs everything to fulfill His purposes in Christ.

Key Truths:

  • God preserves all things – He holds everything together (Hebrews 1:3).

  • God governs all things – He orders events, great and small (Proverbs 16:9).

  • God works through real human choices – even sin, without being the author of sin (Genesis 50:20; Acts 2:23).

  • Rom 8:28–29 “All things” really means all things—frustrations, delays, detours, bad decisions, wounds, blessings.

  • The goal of providence is not just our comfort, but our Christlikeness (v. 29).

The What Now

  • The God who guided Saul through lost donkeys and unseen plans is the same God guiding you today.

  • His providence then is still His providence now—so you can trust Him with every detail of your life.

  • Therefore,

    • Nothing is wasted.

    • Nothing is random.

    • Nothing is outside His control.

    • Nothing can stop His Christ-centered plan for His people.

Sources

  • 1 Samuel: Looking on the Heart (Focus on the Bible, Christian Focus) — Dale Ralph Davis

  • 1, 2 Samuel (New American Commentary, Vol. 7, B&H) — Robert D. Bergen

  • 1 Samuel: Looking for a Leader (Preaching the Word, Crossway) — John Woodhouse

  • ESV Expository Commentary: 1 Samuel–2 Chronicles (Vol. 3, Crossway) — Edited by Iain M. Duguid, James M. Hamilton Jr., and Jay Sklar

  • The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: 1 & 2 Samuel (Vol. 3, Zondervan) — Edited by Tremper Longman III & David E. Garland

  • Written by Pastor Jon Beck (and fine-tuned by “Ezra,” my digital thesaurus and scribe).

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