1 Samuel 16

Was David’s experience of the Spirit the same as that of the believers on the day of Pentecost? (see Acts 2:1–4). Certainly the Spirit was the same Holy Spirit in both cases. But it is best to think of David’s experience as a foreshadowing of the experience of the New Testament Christians. For Christians, the filling of the Holy Spirit is a much deeper and broader experience than that described in the Old Testament. In David’s case, the Spirit came upon him mainly to equip him for leadership and to inspire him as a psalmist. In our case, the Holy Spirit comes upon us to give us new life (John 3:3,5), to enable us to imitate Christ and manifest the Spirit’s fruit (Galatians 5:22–23), and to make it possible for us to enjoy intimate fellowship with God the Father. For us, the Holy Spirit doesn’t just “come upon” us; He lives within us (John 14:16–17). For the Holy Spirit to live within believers in this way, Christ first had to die (John 16:7); such an experience, therefore, was not available to the Old Testament saints.

Having said all this, however, we must affirm that the Holy Spirit was indeed vitally active throughout Old Testament history, empowering Israel’s leaders and inspiring her poets and prophets. Let us not suppose that the Holy Spirit only began His work at Pentecost!

David in Saul’s Service (16:14–23)

14 Meanwhile, the Holy Spirit departed from Saul; no longer did the Spirit come upon Saul in power as He had before. Instead, an evil or injurious spirit from the LORD began to torment him.

This “evil spirit” may have been a demonic spirit (see Judges 9:23). Evil spirits, like everything else, are under God’s control, and He can use them to accomplish His purposes just as He sometimes uses evil men. Even Satan himself is under God’s control (see Job 1:12; 2:4–6).

It is also possible that the spirit tormenting Saul was not demonic but rather was an “injurious” spirit-in particular, a spirit of anxiety. In either case, the power Saul had been experiencing was now replaced by torment.

15–23 One of God’s purposes in sending the evil spirit to Saul was to bring David into Saul’s service. Saul’s servants suggested that David’s harp playing could ease Saul’s torment, and Saul agreed to it. Thus unwittingly Saul brought into his service the very person who had been anointed to replace him as king! The servants even recognized that the Lord was with David (verse 18)even as He was no longer with Saul.

In the remainder of the book of 1 Samuel, we shall see how God prepared David for leadership. Samuel, the aged prophet, no longer plays center stage. His mission tolead Israel from the rule of the judges to the rule of David had largely been accomplished.