Our Rebellion is not an Obstruction to God's Will: 1 Samuel 16:14-23

God is powerful enough to use our rebellion to further His will even when we are determined to give Him no other choice.  We think we know better.  We can dig in our heels and resist.  We can run away like Jonah.  But we cannot prevent God’s will even in our rebellion.

The Spirit of the Lord departs from Saul.  Due to the proximity of the concluding verse from the prior section and the opening verse of this section, care is required.  The Spirit of the Lord came upon David and departed from Saul.  The author of Samuel wants us to draw comparisons between the events, but we need not extend the comparison into causality.

The Spirit of the Lord came upon David because he was anointed.  The Spirit of the Lord entering David did not cause the Spirit of the Lord to leave Saul.  The Spirit of the Lord left Saul because Saul chose rebellion.  The Spirit of the Lord can inhabit many people at the same time.  Look at the story of Pentecost in the New Testament as an example.  Even within the text of Samuel itself, the Spirit of the Lord was with Samuel the whole time the Spirit of the Lord was with Saul and David.  Just because the Spirit of the Lord comes upon David does not imply it had to leave Saul.

One of the primary reasons for the Spirit of the Lord leaving Saul was to make room for a tormenting spirit.  A house cannot have two masters, so when God removes His Spirit, He permits a harmful spirit to enter Saul.  The Bible is clear, however, this tormenting spirit is from God.  The tormenting spirit is a part of God’s plan Saul brought upon himself.

This might feel as though God intentionally brings harm to Saul, but this isn’t the case.  God invited fellowship with Saul.  God asked Saul to obey His ways.  Saul chose rebellion.  God was content giving His Spirit to Saul, Saul was not content obeying God and retaining God’s Spirit.

God uses this spirit to bring David into the picture.  When the spirit enters Saul, Saul’s advisors know something isn’t right.  One of them suggests bringing David into the presence of the king.  David may be a shepherd, but he is a fine musician and entertainer.  As a shepherd, he also has enough experience around weapons to be considered a man of valor.

Saul initially loves David and draws so close to David he makes David his armor bearer.  Saul himself teaches the duties of the king to his own replacement because of the tormenting spirit coming through Saul’s rebellion.  Saul’s rebellion is the impetus for David’s rise to power.  God is powerful enough to use our rebellion to further His will even when we are determined to give Him no other choice.