1 Samuel 10

Messiah

Messiah — the Anointed One

Then Samuel took a vial of oil, and poured it upon his head, and kissed him, and said, Is it not because the LORD hath anointed thee to be captain over his inheritance? 1 Samuel 10:1

Saul is the first king anointed with oil, so he is the Lord's 'anointed' (mashiach). The rite teaches what 'Messiah' and 'Christ' mean: the King the Father anointed to rule and save His people.

• a type of what is in Acts 10:38 — 'God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power'.
• a type of what is in Luke 4:18 — Jesus: 'The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me'.

Savior

And said unto the children of Israel, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I brought up Israel out of Egypt, and delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all kingdoms, and of them that oppressed you: 1 Samuel 10:18–19

Samuel speaks for Jehovah, the God who personally saved Israel from Egypt and every trouble. Jehovah is the Savior; asking for another savior-king meant rejecting Him.

How we know: Jehovah is the premortal Christ (Abraham 1:16; D&C 110:3–4)

• the same title in Isaiah 43:11 — 'I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour'.

Despised anointed one

But the children of Belial said, How shall this man save us? And they despised him, and brought him no presents. But he held his peace. 1 Samuel 10:27

The newly anointed king is doubted and despised and answers with silence. It is a faint echo of the Messiah who was 'despised and rejected of men' (Isaiah 53:3) and who 'held his peace' before His accusers (Matthew 26:63).