My Bible reading has brought me through the book of 1 Samuel recently. Here's a quick background of the story . . .

Samuel was the prophet of God to the nation of Israel. The Israelites wanted a king, so God gave them one named Saul. Saul was God's man for the job, but that doesn't mean he was a great guy. In fact, he was incredibly prideful, full of rage and jealousy.

God had a king-in-training at this point named David. David was generally an upright man, faithful to God and His ways. David served in Saul's army, and was incredibly popular and well-liked. David had a reputation as someone who served the Lord. Saul was a hard man who at times loved David and at times hated him.

At this particular time, Saul was trying to kill David because the people liked him better than Saul. David was on the run from Saul in an effort to stay alive, and was hiding out at a city called Naioth.

Saul found out where David was and sent troops to capture him. But when they were almost there, they saw the prophet Samuel leading a group of other prophets. When they saw Samuel, the Spirit of God came on them, and they began prophesying. They were essentially incapacitated, unable to bring David back.

This happened with three different sets of troops. All were filled with the Spirit of God and were unable to bring David back because they were prophesying.

Saul heard what happened and decided to find David himself. Big trouble.

But on the way to the city, the Spirit of God came upon Saul and he began prophesying too! In fact, he was so out of his mind that he tore all of his clothes off and sat on the ground prophecying all day!

This is crazy! A man who was completely against God was filled with God's Spirit?!

Think about what would have happened if Saul captured David and killed him: David would never have become king of Israel and lead them back to a way that honored God. Not only that, but through David's descendants, Jesus would never come! If David died in that place, then all the prophecies about Jesus coming from the line of David would have been false. Jesus never would have been born according to the Scriptures, and could not be the Messiah. Everyone in the history of the world would have died and will die in their sins, forced to suffer the eternal wrath of God themselves, and the entire plan of God to redeem those who have faith in Jesus would have been completely ruined! There would be no such thing as Christianity!

The amazing message of this story is that God's plans will not and cannot be changed, usurped, or thwarted. He will accomplish what He desires. He will bring it to pass. His Word will not return void. And even when evil people purpose in their heart to work against God, if that evil would alter God's plan in any way, God will not allow it to happen. He literally and physically incapacitated Saul and his men, because He had chosen David for a specific purpose, and that purpose was vitally important for the plan of redemption.

God is sovereign. He will accomplish His purpose. What an amazing God.

Speak, O Lord, and fulfill in us
All Your purposes for Your glory

Jacob