Of course, the people responded and saved Jabesh-gilead. Years later, when the Philistines hanged Saul’s decapitated body on the walls of Beth-shan, the men of Jabesh-gilead took it down at night and buried it honorably in repayment.
Study
King Saul did not always obey the word of the Lord, and the prophet Samuel informed him that his kingdom was to be removed from him and his family (1 Sam 15). Therefore, the Lord sent Samuel to anoint a new king in Bethlehem. He examined the sons of Jesse, until the Lord chose the youngest son, David, but not on the basis of his strength, height, or good looks — characteristics that had impressed the historian in regard to Saul, as well as Samuel and the people, and had impressed Samuel about David’s older brothers. Rather, the Lord looked on the heart and designated David, who also happened to be handsome and ruddy in appearance:
Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon David from that day forward. And Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah. Now the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD tormented him. (1 Sam 16:13-14)
Somewhat parallel to the laying of hands on Joshua in the religious assembly, the Spirit of the Lord “rushed upon” David as Samuel anointed him “in the midst of his brothers” during a peace-offering sacrifice. Though the Spirit rushed upon David, no specific attitude or action is described in connection with this gift of the Spirit; his effects will have to be seen as David’s life and reign unfold over the coming years. The text also says that the Spirit of the Lord “departed” from Saul, upon whom the Lord’s Spirit had rushed at the beginning of his reign. Saul is not left in a neutral spiritual state, but an evil spirit has taken the place of the Lord’s Spirit. Like nature, the supernatural does not like a vacuum. The effects of Saul’s evil spirit will be manifest as he tries to kill David, and even his own son.
Even though the Lord did not want the people to have a king with a standing army, military draft, and large government bureaucracy, he nonetheless sent his own Spirit to empower the first two kings to be able to do their missions of leading Israel. Yet the presence of the Spirit of the Lord depended on the fidelity of the king to doing the Lord’s will and avoiding sin. The active role of the Spirit depends on fidelity to God’s moral law, as Saul learns to his chagrin.
Consider
Stop here and read 1 Chronicles 12:16-18 in your own Bible.
The Chronicles retell much of the history of the kings of Israel and Judah, often using the material in the Books of Samuel and Kings, but also drawing on other traditions and records. One interesting notice about the role of the Spirit occurs after Saul had died in battle with the Philistines and after all the tribes assembled at the city of Hebron (meaning “Confederacy” in Hebrew) to anoint David king, not only of Judah but of all twelve tribes. Various warriors assembled to pledge loyalty to David from each of the tribes, including Benjamin, which was the tribe of King Saul. They required special attention because of their natural inclination to remain loyal to Saul, their now dead tribesman and former enemy of David. David meets them with a special offer, that if they have come in friendship, his “heart will be knit” (1 Chron 12:17) to them.
Amasai, the chief of thirty elite Benjaminite warriors, is “clothed” with the Spirit and makes his pledge of loyalty and peace to David and his assistants. This clothing with the Spirit of God makes it possible for these warriors to overcome the natural loyalties of tribe and kinship with Saul so that they can join the new king, David, who had also been endowed with the same Spirit of the Lord at his secret anointing by Samuel.
Study
The political leadership within Israel is understood to be instituted and guided by the Lord’s Spirit from the time of Joshua through the time of the first kings, Saul and David. Because of their sins, their successors are not portrayed as being so filled with the Spirit. In fact, their sins are included in Israel’s royal histories with an honesty rarely seen among their neighboring kingdoms. This history points out that the institution of leadership might be begun with the Spirit, but the sins of the people can make them incapable of sensitivity to his divine influence. Even when someone like Saul has the Spirit rush upon him, he can lose the presence of the Lord’s Spirit because of his disobedience to God’s commands. Human inconstancy is a serious issue in their life of the Spirit, such that sin might block his actions and cut off the life of the Spirit.
Recall the Book of Wisdom on the Lord’s Spirit and judgment of people:
For your immortal spirit is in all things.
Therefore you correct little by little those who trespass,
and remind and warn them of the things wherein they sin,
that they may be freed from wickedness and put their trust in you, O Lord. (Wis 12:1-2)
The Spirit of the Lord works to correct the people of Israel for their national sins, especially of idolatry, and the sins of the kings, especially disobedience. It is not farfetched to think that Wisdom 12:1-2 may be a reflection how individuals and institutions who were inspired by the Spirit of the Lord can go wrong due to human sin, and the same Spirit will bring the correction. Every human, especially those who claim to have Spirit-inspired authority, must stay extra alert to their responsibilities lest their trust in the Lord sour into self-confidence that precedes their downfall, as with Saul and others.
Discuss
1. What differences do you see between the action of the Lord’s Spirit in the Old Testament and the Holy Spirit in the New Testament?
2. How can someone have the Lord’s Spirit for power but not wisdom (see Samson)?
3. What is the relationship between the Spirit and human sin?
Practice
This week, think about how the Holy Spirit acted in the lives of Old Testament figures. What aspects of the Holy Spirit that were shown in the Old Testament can you see in your life or the lives of believers around you? How can you more fully develop the wisdom and power offered by the Spirit in your life? Consider if it is possible that some sin might be blocking the power of the Spirit to work through you.
Session 3
Prophets and the Spirit of God
“Breathe in me, O Holy Spirit, that my thoughts may all be holy. Act in me, O Holy Spirit, that my work, too, may be holy. Draw my heart, O Holy Spirit, that I love but what is holy. Strengthen me, O Holy Spirit, to defend all that is holy. Guard me, then, O Holy Spirit, that I always may be holy. Amen.”
— St. Augustine
A rather odd beginning to the study of the role of the Spirit of God among the prophets is Balaam the son of Beor, the first prophet mentioned in the Bible to have “the Spirit of God [come] upon him” (Num 24:2). What makes this so odd is that Balaam lived “at Pethor, which is near the River, in the land of Amaw” (Num 22:5), which was ancient Pitru on the Euphrates River, twelve miles south of Carchemish, a city in the pagan region of Mesopotamia. In other words, Balaam was a pagan prophet who had been summoned by Balak, king of Moab, to curse Israel (Num 22:2-7).
At first, God forbids Balaam to go, but then, after King Balak sends a second delegation of even more important nobles to plead with him, God does
