???? In 1 Samuel 19:19-24 we have another incident to study.? Fearing the hand of Saul, David fled and came to Naioth.? Word was then brought to Saul, who sent messengers for the express purpose of arresting David.? They sought to follow out his bidding, and saw a company of prophets who prophesied, and Samuel was standing as one appointed over them.? The word which expresses Samuel position in the group was as one appointed over the prophets may have the meaning of ?one who appointed himself.?? Samuel may have been the only recognized voice of God in these days.?
???? ???When they had seen the body of prophets, the Spirit of God came upon the messengers of Saul, and they also engaged in prophesying.? Here, again, we must emphasize that it was not contact with the company of prophets which produced the condition of prophesying, but rather the coming upon the messengers of the Spirit of God.? When this was made known to Saul, he sent a second group of messengers, and the results were the same, and this was followed by a third group.? Saul determined to go himself!!? The Spirit of God came also upon him, and as he went, he prophesied until he came to Naioth in Ramah.? There is no mention of Saul first meeting the company of prophets and then prophesying.? The purpose of Saul?s going was to arrest David.? The Spirit came upon him, and He constrained Saul to continue the journey, prophesying.? ?
???? Saul stripped off his garments and prophesied before Samuel.? It is implied that all those who prophesied stripped off their garments as they prophesied.? The action is expressive of the ecstatic condition in which the prophets were placed by the overcoming power of the Spirit of God.? Of Saul alone, it is related that he fell down naked all that day and night.? From this we may infer that in this particular act Saul was alone, and that there is a reason why this was so.?
???? It is not without understanding that some of the fake demonstrators in religion have read this account, for they have tried to immolate the actions of Saul in tearing off their clothing.? It was not common for a man to come under the power of the Spirit in that day as it is today.? The seizure of the Spirit was more powerful in the case of Saul than in that of the messengers, for Saul had more stubbornly resisted the will of God.? This tells us Saul was made to recognize that God was far more powerful than man and to resist God?s willed was pointless.? The over whelming influence which came upon Saul was evidently designed to control him so he would not struggle ?against God and so to subdue him and break his hard heart.? ?God was in control!!
???? Samuel had a stronger position as prophet to any other that had been up to this time.? It was during Samuel?s lifetime the sanctuary at Shiloh was removed, the Ark of the Covenant was taken away by the Philistines. ?The only representative of God was Samuel.? With the fall of the sanctuary and the attendant priesthood, there arose a serious situation in Israel.? Idolatry and apostasy made their appearance, and there was need for a strong leadership that would protect God?s rights to this nation.? It was necessary that Israel be brought to know its situation.? No one stood in a place of higher respect as a servant of God than did Samuel and it seems logical that it was he who brought into being the bodies known as ?schools of prophets.?? Although they worked under his direction, he probably did not live with them (1 Samuel 7:17).? When these schools of prophets met it was to prophesy together, not teach each other.? Protected by God, the prophets and their assistants carried on the work of God without interference!!
