Once Saul discovered that David was staying with the prophet Samuel, he didn’t hesitate. His mania to capture the man he considered to be a threat to his throne was so great that he sent three sets of men to arrest him. But the first group of them had been overwhelmed by the Spirit of God, becoming completely helpless, and able to speak only the words that God put into their mouths. And the same thing happened to the second group. And to the third.

So it should have been obvious to Saul that God didn’t want any of his messengers to accomplish their mission. Moreover, Saul had already gone through exactly the same sort of experience himself. Right after Samuel had anointed him with oil, telling him that he would be King over the Lord’s people, Saul himself had met a group of prophets and “the Spirit of God came upon him mightily, so that he prophesied among them” (10:10).

Yes, Saul really should have known that he couldn’t possibly stand up to the power of God. And he should have known that David would be the next king of Israel, not just because God had overwhelmed his three groups of messengers, but because Samuel had made it clear that God had rejected not only Saul’s dynasty (13:14) but Saul himself as king (15:26), preferring instead “a man after His own heart,” one who was “better” than Saul.

But even though Saul himself became completely helpless in the presence of God, unable even to keep his clothes on, and even though God once again permitted him only to speak what God expressly told him to say (19:24), Saul would not abandon his rebellion against God. He would not forsake his own desires and surrender to God’s will. And as a result, he would eventually not only be restrained but destroyed.

It’s a frightening story, and a warning to all who would follow Saul’s example, to all who would stubbornly defy the power and authority of the living God. May we all choose a better way today, clinging only to the cross of Christ, turning away from our sin and embracing His will for every part of our lives. Instead of insisting on having everything our own way, may we honestly and earnestly pray the prayer that Jesus offered to the Father in the Garden of Gethsemane: “Not my will, but thine be done” (Luke 22:42).

For if we trust Christ to such an extent, we will not only be assured of the Lord’s mercy and pardon. We will also be filled with His Spirit, and enabled to speak His Words of grace and truth – not because we are forced to, but because we want to. Isn’t that a better path than the one Saul chose to take?

I Samuel 19:18-24 (NASB)

18 Now David fled and escaped and came to Samuel at Ramah, and told him all that Saul had done to him. And he and Samuel went and stayed in Naioth.
19 And it was told Saul, saying, “Behold, David is at Naioth in Ramah.”
20 Then Saul sent messengers to take David, but when they saw the company of the prophets prophesying, with Samuel standing and presiding over them, the Spirit of God came upon the messengers of Saul; and they also prophesied.
21 And when it was told Saul, he sent other messengers, and they also prophesied. So Saul sent messengers again the third time, and they also prophesied.
22 Then he himself went to Ramah, and came as far as the large well that is in Secu; and he asked and said, “Where are Samuel and David?” And someone said, “Behold, they are at Naioth in Ramah.”
23 And he proceeded there to Naioth in Ramah; and the Spirit of God came upon him also, so that he went along prophesying continually until he came to Naioth in Ramah.
24 And he also stripped off his clothes, and he too prophesied before Samuel and lay down naked all that day and all that night. Therefore they say, “Is Saul also among the prophets?”