A servant who deals wisely has the king’s favor, but his wrath falls on one who acts shamefully (Proverbs 14:35).
David was Saul’s wise servant, who should have received the king’s favor. Instead of the king’s delight, he sought on numerous occasions to have David killed.
In today’s video, Rudy Ross, Bruce Kirby, and I discuss Saul’s intentions, Michal’s intervention, and a strange meeting with a band of roving prophets in our YouTube video. My blog article will focus on David and Saul among the prophets.
David and Samuel
After David escaped from Saul’s murderous intentions, he joined Samuel and they both traveled to Naioth to avoid detection.
Now David fled and escaped, and he came to Samuel at Ramah and told him all that Saul had done to him. And he and Samuel went and lived at Naioth (1 Samuel 19:18).
When they reached Naoith, Samuel and David joined a roving band of prophets. Their secret location was quickly discovered by Saul.
And it was told Saul, “Behold, David is at Naioth in Ramah” (1 Samuel 19:19).
On three occasions, Saul sent messengers to take David back to the king, but each time they were thwarted in their efforts by the Holy Spirit.
Then Saul sent messengers to take David, and when they saw the company of the prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as head over them, the Spirit of God came upon the messengers of Saul, and they also prophesied.
When it was told Saul, he sent other messengers, and they also prophesied. And Saul sent messengers again the third time, and they also prophesied (1 Samuel 19:20-21).
I think these “messengers” were probably Saul’s trusted soldiers. They planned to bring David back for his execution.
God had another plan. He disarmed the soldiers through the power of the Holy Spirit.
There are times when the Spirit comes upon someone and gives them divine words of prophecy. In this instance, the Spirit incapacitated the soldiers. Our merciful God could as easily killed the soldiers as sending them into a trance.
Saul Among the Prophets
Saul was a warrior in his own right. He decided to take matters into his own hands and searched for David.
Then he himself went to Ramah and came to the great well that is in Secu. And he asked, “Where are Samuel and David?” And one said, “Behold, they are at Naioth in Ramah” (1 Samuel 19:22).
At this point, God could have easily ended the life of the king. Instead, He granted Saul the same mercy as He did the soldiers who had come to take David captive.
And he went there to Naioth in Ramah. And the Spirit of God came upon him also, and as he went he prophesied until he came to Naioth in Ramah.
And he too stripped off his clothes, and he too prophesied before Samuel and lay naked all that day and all that night. Thus it is said, “Is Saul also among the prophets?” (1 Samuel 19 23-24).
The Nature of a Hardened Heart
Saul helps us understand the nature of a heart that has become hardened toward God. At one time, Saul knew the presence and power of the Holy Spirit, but he took steps that led him away from God.
- He first gave only partial obedience to God.
- Partial obedience led to outright disobedience.
- Saul constructed memorials that featured his accomplishments, rather than giving glory to God, who had achieved the victories for the Israelites.
- Envy and jealousy propelled Saul to seek David’s death.
- Even with a profound experience of God’s Spirit, Saul continued on a path of rejecting God’s direction in favor of his desires.
We will do well to observe how Saul’s heart hardened over time. The last thing we want to do is imitate his behavior.
YouTube Discussion
Rudy Ross, Bruce Kirby, and I discussed this passage on YouTube today.
Real Voices 