9:14
Surely enough, as they entered the town Samuel was on his way up to the high place. Later on “high places” were associated with idol worship, and the failure of Israel to remove them was a constant failure, but at this stage the temple had not been built, and it seems they were allowed to worship God at the high places.
9:15,16
Samuel was not surprised by the encounter, for the Lord had told him beforehand. He was told that a Benjaminite would meet him, and that this was the man that Samuel was to anoint as “ruler over Israel”. God also revealed to Samuel that Saul would deliver Israel from the hand of the Philistines. “I have looked on my people, for their cry has reached me”. Even though Israel was so unfaithful and disobedient, God still had compassion on them. Today there are some who take an anti-Israel view citing their rejection of God. Now it is true that Israel as a whole still rejects Christ (and therefore God), and that their society is in many ways very atheistic (i.e. they are much the same as most western nations!). All this is true, but the gospel is based on grace, and I fully expect God to be gracious to Israel at some point.
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