The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in 1 Samuel 19:23-24,
"So Saul went to Naioth at Ramah. But the Spirit of God came even on him, and he walked along prophesying until he came to Naioth. He stripped off his garments, and he too prophesied in Samuel's presence. He lay naked all that day and all that night. This is why people say, 'Is Saul also among the prophets?'"
The Lord decided to remove Saul as king over Israel due to his faithless focus on circumstances rather than the Lord. The Lord chose David to succeed him on the throne and Saul sought to kill him. David fled to tell Samuel and the two went to Naioth.
The above verses follow three previous attempts by Saul in sending men to capture David at Naioth. On each occasion the Spirit of God came upon Saul's men and they began to prophesy with Samuel and the prophets together with him. So, Saul himself went and he too began to prophesy as he went to Naioth.
Here is what I find to be a fascinating employment of a special ability the Lord gave as he protected his chosen successor to the throne. Saul went to kill and wound up having the Holy Spirit come upon him in a way that caused him to prophesy.
What did Saul and his men prophesy about? We are not told. However, I can't help but think it may have been along the lines of what God was doing in deposing Saul and choosing David as his successor. Just speculation here...
What is not speculation, however, is the use of a very distinct spiritual gift given by the Holy Spirit to a man (and others) rejected by God and on his way to do evil against his chosen one. The use of this gift of prophecy by God was to facilitate David's escape from Saul.
The assumption today that anyone who has a special "spiritual gift", a special enablement from the Holy Spirit, must be "in good" with God is not necessarily well-founded. God does the amazing, and at times, the very unusual, and he doesn't check in with us first to see what we think about it or if it agrees with our preconceived theology. God simply does what he wants in the way he wants.
"So Saul went to Naioth at Ramah. But the Spirit of God came even on him, and he walked along prophesying until he came to Naioth. He stripped off his garments, and he too prophesied in Samuel's presence. He lay naked all that day and all that night. This is why people say, 'Is Saul also among the prophets?'"
The Lord decided to remove Saul as king over Israel due to his faithless focus on circumstances rather than the Lord. The Lord chose David to succeed him on the throne and Saul sought to kill him. David fled to tell Samuel and the two went to Naioth.
The above verses follow three previous attempts by Saul in sending men to capture David at Naioth. On each occasion the Spirit of God came upon Saul's men and they began to prophesy with Samuel and the prophets together with him. So, Saul himself went and he too began to prophesy as he went to Naioth.
Here is what I find to be a fascinating employment of a special ability the Lord gave as he protected his chosen successor to the throne. Saul went to kill and wound up having the Holy Spirit come upon him in a way that caused him to prophesy.
What did Saul and his men prophesy about? We are not told. However, I can't help but think it may have been along the lines of what God was doing in deposing Saul and choosing David as his successor. Just speculation here...
What is not speculation, however, is the use of a very distinct spiritual gift given by the Holy Spirit to a man (and others) rejected by God and on his way to do evil against his chosen one. The use of this gift of prophecy by God was to facilitate David's escape from Saul.
The assumption today that anyone who has a special "spiritual gift", a special enablement from the Holy Spirit, must be "in good" with God is not necessarily well-founded. God does the amazing, and at times, the very unusual, and he doesn't check in with us first to see what we think about it or if it agrees with our preconceived theology. God simply does what he wants in the way he wants.
Folks who neglect the Old Testament Scriptures like these deprive themselves of learning of the rich heritage Israel and we have with the Lord, as well as the many fascinating things he reveals of himself in them.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
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