Why would God give the gift of prophecy to someone like King Saul, who had already rejected God’s ways?
I started thinking about this when I read 1 Samuel 19 during my daily Bible reading. I wondered why Saul was prophesying and what it really meant. I learned that some people prophesied because they had a good relationship with God, while others, like Saul, prophesied because God was showing His power over them.
I started this journey confused about why Saul prophesied and what it meant. I ended with a clearer picture of not just Old Testament prophecy but also how differently—and more intimately—God works in believers’ lives today through His Holy Spirit.
What is Prophecy in the Bible?
When the Bible talks about prophesying, it means more than just telling the future. Prophesying is speaking God’s messages to people. This could include:
- Telling people what God wants them to know right now
- Sharing what will happen in the future
- Praising God in a special way
- Understanding spiritual things others might not see
Let’s look at how Samuel and Saul prophesied differently and what we can learn from them.
Samuel: A True Prophet
Samuel was one of the most important prophets in the Bible. Here’s what made his prophesying special:
He Had a Close Relationship with God
From when he was a little boy, Samuel knew God’s voice. Remember the story where God called him at night, and he finally answered, “Speak, for your servant is listening” (1 Samuel 3:10)? This shows that Samuel was ready to listen to God and had a real friendship with Him.
He Was Consistent
Samuel didn’t just prophesy once in a while. The Bible says in 1 Samuel 3:19-20: “The Lord was with Samuel as he grew up, and he let none of Samuel’s words fall to the ground. And all Israel knew that Samuel was a true prophet of the Lord.” People trusted Samuel because his prophecies always came true.
He Lived What He Preached
Samuel didn’t just talk about doing the right thing—he actually did it. When he was older, he could honestly ask the people if he had ever cheated anyone, and they had to admit he hadn’t. People listened to him because he practiced what he preached.
His Messages Had Good Purpose
Samuel’s prophecies always helped fulfill God’s plans. Whether he was choosing kings, warning people, or giving directions, his words helped God’s people stay on the right path.
Saul: Prophecy as God’s Control
Saul’s experience with prophecy was completely different. Let’s look at what happened in 1 Samuel 19:18-24:
Saul went to Naioth at Ramah. But the Spirit of God came on him too, and he walked along prophesying until he came to Naioth. He took off his royal robes, and he also prophesied in Samuel’s presence. He lay on the ground naked all that day and all that night. This is why people say, “Is Saul also among the prophets?”
God Was Stopping Saul
In this story, Saul was trying to kill David. But God made Saul prophesy to stop him from hurting David. This wasn’t happening because Saul was spiritual—it was happening because God needed to protect David.
It Was Temporary and Strange
Unlike Samuel’s calm, regular prophesying, Saul’s experience was:
- Only for a short time—just long enough to keep David safe
- Very emotional and dramatic—he even took off his kingly clothes (Not completely naked)
- Without any clear message—the Bible doesn’t tell us what he actually said
Saul Didn’t Have a Good Relationship with God
By this point in the story, 1 Samuel 16:14 tells us that “the Spirit of the Lord had left Saul.” His prophesying didn’t mean God approved of him. It just showed that God could control even a king who had turned against Him.
It Was a Sign, Not a Calling
Saul’s prophesying was like a sign or signal—first showing that God had chosen him as king (1 Samuel 10:10-11), and later showing that God was still in charge even as Saul was losing his kingdom. It wasn’t his job or purpose like it was for Samuel.
The Big Difference: Relationship vs. Control
The main difference between Samuel and Saul helps answer our question: Why was Saul prophesying?
Samuel prophesied because of his loving relationship with God. Saul prophesied because God was showing His power over him. God wasn’t speaking through Saul—He was speaking to Saul, showing him who was really in charge.
How Christians Experience the Holy Spirit Today
A New and Better Way
Understanding Samuel and Saul helps us see how different things are for Christians today:
The Holy Spirit Stays With Us
In the Old Testament, God’s Spirit would come on people for a while and then leave, like with Saul. But Jesus promised something better: “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another helper to be with you forever—the Spirit of truth… you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you” (John 14:16-17).
This means Christians don’t experience the Spirit coming and going. The Spirit lives in us all the time, which is what makes us Christians: “And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ” (Romans 8:9).
The Spirit Changes Us from the Inside
While the Spirit gave Old Testament people power for certain tasks, today the Spirit changes who we are: “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and help you follow my commands” (Ezekiel 36:26-27).
The Spirit doesn’t just give us abilities—He makes us more like Jesus over time.
How We Experience Prophecy Today
All Believers Can Hear from God
The prophet Joel said something amazing that came true at Pentecost: “I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy… Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days” (Joel 2:28-29).
This means all Christians can be sensitive to God’s guidance, not just special leaders. Every believer can hear God through the Bible, prayer, and the Spirit’s leading.
However, not every thought or feeling is necessarily a direct word from God, and believers should test and weigh their thoughts with scripture and wise counsel (1 Thessalonians 5:21).
Some Have Special Gifts
While all Christians have the Spirit, 1 Corinthians 12:7-11 teaches that different people get different abilities from the Spirit. Some Christians might be especially gifted at bringing timely messages from God to encourage or guide others.
Unlike Saul’s experience, these gifts work within a loving relationship with God and are meant to help others, not just show God’s power.
Love Matters Most
The Bible makes it clear that love is more important than any spiritual gift: “If I have the gift of prophecy and can understand all mysteries and all knowledge… but do not have love, I am nothing” (1 Corinthians 13:2).
This is very different from Saul, who prophesied but still wanted to hurt David. Today, true spiritual experiences should show love and the other “fruits of the Spirit” like joy, peace, and kindness.
How God Teaches and Humbles Us Today
The stories of Samuel and Saul also help us understand how God works with believers today when we need correction.
God’s Loving Discipline
Hebrews 12:5-11 teaches us about God’s discipline:
“My son, do not take the Lord’s discipline lightly, and don’t give up when he corrects you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves…”… God disciplines us for our good, so that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.
Here’s what this means for us:
Discipline Comes from Love
Unlike what happened with Saul, God disciplines Christians because He loves us as His children. His discipline isn’t punishment—it’s training to help us grow.
The Goal: To Make Us More Like Jesus
God’s discipline has a good purpose: to make us holy and righteous. This is different from Saul’s experience, where God just stopped him from doing evil without changing his heart.
How We Recognize God’s Discipline
In the Old Testament, prophets like Samuel would directly tell people that God was correcting them. Today, we recognize God’s discipline through:
- The Bible’s teaching (2 Timothy 3:16-17)
- The Holy Spirit’s gentle nudging in our hearts (John 16:8)
- Advice from wise Christian friends and mentors (Proverbs 12:15)
How God Humbles Us
The Bible also talks about God humbling us, which is related to discipline but a bit different:
“Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time” (1 Peter 5:6).
True Humility vs. Saul’s Experience
Saul was humiliated—made to look foolish and lose control—but his heart didn’t change. For Christians today, God’s goal is to develop true humility: understanding who we really are before God and recognizing how much we need His help.
Life Circumstances That Teach Humility
God often uses our struggles, failures, and weaknesses to help us become humble. Paul talked about his “thorn in the flesh”—some problem that wouldn’t go away: “Three times I asked the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, ‘My grace is enough for you, for my power works best in weakness'” (2 Corinthians 12:8-9).
Unlike Saul’s temporary experience, these challenges help change our character as we learn to depend on God rather than ourselves.
Finding Strength by Surrendering
Here’s an amazing difference between Saul and believers today: Saul fought against God’s control and was forced to prophesy. Christians find true strength by willingly surrendering to God: “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up” (James 4:10).
How God Guides Us Today
Saul’s story shows how God can control even someone who opposes Him. So how does God guide believers today?
Through Relationship, Not Force
Unlike with Saul, God doesn’t usually override Christians’ wills. Instead, He works through our relationship with Him: “It is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose” (Philippians 2:13). God’s Spirit helps us want to do the right things.
Through Life Circumstances
God guides us through the events of our lives rather than forcing us to do things. Romans 8:28 promises that “in all things God works for the good of those who love him.” This means God is working behind the scenes to guide our lives toward good outcomes.
Freedom Within Boundaries
Unlike Saul, who felt God’s control as a limitation, Christians find that following God actually gives us true freedom: “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom” (2 Corinthians 3:17). This freedom comes from being in a loving relationship with God, not from doing whatever we want.
From Control to Friendship
The different prophetic experiences of Samuel and Saul teach us an important truth: God would rather work through friendship than through force.
Samuel’s consistent prophesying came from his close relationship with God. Saul’s strange prophetic episodes showed God’s power over him but never changed his heart. This helps us understand the difference between how God worked in the Old Testament and how He works with Christians today.
Today, believers can have the kind of relationship Samuel had—hearing God’s voice, being guided by His Spirit, and participating in His plans. But we experience this relationship even more deeply through Jesus and the Holy Spirit who lives in us forever. We’re not called to just have occasional spiritual experiences but to be changed more and more into people who are like Jesus.
When we find ourselves fighting against God’s plans like Saul did, we can expect God to redirect us. But His ultimate desire isn’t just to control us—it’s to transform us, creating in us hearts that naturally want what He wants.
The question from 1 Samuel 19—”Is Saul also among the prophets?”—reminds us that just having spiritual experiences doesn’t mean we’re truly changed inside. Real prophecy, like all genuine spiritual experiences, grows from and deepens our relationship with God through Jesus. As we follow the Spirit’s leading, we experience God not just as a power controlling our lives but as a Father inviting us to join in His work in the world.
Sources
I used the following tools and resources to help me understand this topic:
