Stripped

O. T. #625  "Stripped"
October 30, 2015
1 Samuel 19-Part 3
And he stripped off his clothes also, and prophesied before Samuel in like manner, and lay down naked all that day and all that night. 1 Samuel 19:24a

LET IT GLOW

Have you ever been stripped of your position or job? I realize looking back on my career that when people wanted me to go along with them and their ways, I could not. I had to follow God's ways and Word instead of theirs. I doing so, there were times that my teaching contract was not renewed. However, God always provided for my family. It was a very humbling and heart breaking experience. I love teaching children and my opportunity to do so was taken away. Today, we read of Saul being stripped. Read on to find out what it was.

We left David in the city of Naioth with Prophet Samuel where prophets were meeting.

It was the quarters where the men in the school of the prophets dwelled because Naioth literally means dwelling. (Falwell)

These prophets were declaring the Word of God, probably with musical accompaniment. (MacArthur)

In the Hebrew, the word take, means carry away, fetch. (Strong's Concordance)

Again, Saul sent messengers to fetch David while he was at Naioth.
What happened in this city of prophets shows the Lord has a sense of humor, to me:

• The Spirit of God came upon the messengers of Saul and they also prophesied. (verse 20)
• Two other times Saul sent messengers to capture David, but they were unable to do so.      (verse 21)

The Spirit of God thwarted the messengers' evil intentions. (Life application Study Bible)

Are we depending upon God to protect us from the evil intentions toward us?


LET IT GROW

How did Saul react to the failures of his men?

• Since Saul's men could not fulfill their task of capturing David, he went to do the job himself.
• As Saul approached Naioth, the Spirit of God came upon him, too. Saul walked along prophesying until he came to the city.
• As Saul entered the city, he stripped off his armor and royal garments, figuratively naked, signifying God's rejection of him as king over Israel. He prophesied in Samuel's presence.
• Saul lay down that way all day and night. This is why people asked if Saul was among the prophets.

Saul was consumed with jealousy over David's growing popularity, but the Spirit of God immobilized him so he was unable to harm David. Although Saul was receptive to the Spirit of God and was caught up in prophesying, his heart and mind were far from loving God and thinking God's thoughts. (Life Application Study Bible)

MacArthur refers this to being the last time the Spirit of the Lord rested on Saul.
Do we know folks who have not obeyed the Lord and He no longer works with them and through them due to their rejection and disobedience? I'm not saying they lost their salvation. He never leaves us nor forsakes us. However, the blessing of the Spirit can be hindered by our sins.

Saul was not only stripped of his throne, but he was stripped of his dignity in the process.
The Lord knows what it takes for us to be humbled before Him. Hopefully, our stubbornness does not take us to that point.
What does God have to strip from us in order to humble us? So we will surrender to do His will?
Let's bow our knees to King Jesus.

LET IT GO

Be alert to the evil intentions of others.

Seek the Lord's will in my situations.

Surrender to God before He has to strip me of something.