1S10-6: The King Is ALWAYS Linked To The Priesthood In God’s Kingdom

“Go on from there, and you will come to the Oak of Tavor. Three men will meet you there on their way up to God at Beit-El. One of them will be carrying three kids, another three loaves of bread and the third a skin of wine.”-1 Samuel 3:10

After Saul’s peculiar experience at Rachel’s tomb, we move onto the 2nd event Samuel predicted would happen.

Saul arrives at a place called the Oak of Tabor.

We know for sure this place is located near BEIT-EL.

But that’s all we know because the specific location has been lost to history.

So if some scholar or academic type tries to tell you he knows for sure where the Oak (or Terebinth) of Tabor (Elon Tavor) is located, trust me, he doesn’t.

Because nobody on this planet knows.

Anyways, onwards.

Now Samuel’s prediction was that Saul would run into 3 men.

One would be carrying some wine.

The other 3 young goats.

And the other 3 loaves of bread.

What will happen is the man carrying the bread will hand over 2 loaves to Saul.

And that will be a sign that Saul’s kinship is legitimate.

What’s going on here?

Was this some form of Middle Eastern hospitality or something?

Not exactly.

Let’s examine the facts.

At this point in Israel’s history, BEIT-EL was a revered holy site for the Hebrews.

The 3 men were either priests or some kind of holy men who were on their way to sacrifice at Adonai’s altar.

And the goats, bread and wine were the normal sacrificial elements used during the sacrifices.

Alrighty, let’s just pause here for a sec.

Are you catching what I’m laying down here?

We have 3 priests or holy men carrying the normal items of sacrifice on their way to sacrifice at the Altar of Adonai…

And then one of the men gives Saul 2 of the sacrificial loaves of bread which he was told to accept.

What’s going on here?

I mean isn’t this whole scene downright weird and strange?!

Actually, it isn’t if we grasp and don’t overlook one simple thing.

Once again, we have Saul being included in a ritual normally reserved only for the priesthood!

In other words, this is simply more evidence that the King of Israel is in some mysterious way connected to the priesthood.

The two offices go hand in hand.

In God’s Kingdom, the king of Israel is not to be an independent lone wolf doing whatever he willy nilly pleases outside of God’s Holy Laws as established and enforced by the priesthood.

And then later, we’ll see this idea reinforced in the Messiah…

Because he’ll be BOTH a King and High Priest at the same time.

Ya feel me?

So ponder the significance and theological implications of that thought.

I gotta run now.