King Saul had a terrific start to his ministry – and, yes, it was a ministry. (Israel’s demand of God for a king was finally granted, but it was always going to be a far different model of kingship than conventional ideas experienced by other nations). As I said, King Saul did very well to begin with. He was, actually, quite impressive as a leader and warrior. He began carefully under the tutelage of the prophet Samuel.
But Saul became proud. He started to get cocky and become like the kings of other nations who did whatever they liked whenever they liked. He also became careless. This was not the kind of king God allowed Israel to have. Samuel warned Saul several times to pull his head in and stay in his own lane, so to speak. But, somehow, Saul could not do that. He seemed, at times, to mean well but simply could not follow the Lord’s instructions exactly. Which is always important. There were times when he just did what he thought best. In other words he did God’s will, so he thought, but in his own way, and this displeased the Lord, and Samuel, too. There finally came a point where Saul was commanded by God, through Samuel, to attack the Amalekites and, basically, wipe them off the map because of their sin and their savagery against Israel when she had come up out of Egypt. Saul’s instructions were very specific – there was no margin for misinterpretation.
So, Saul and his army of 200,000 plus, attacked the Amalekites completely overwhelming them. But instead of completing the task fully, as God had specifically commanded, (see 1 Samuel 15), he didn’t, and he decided to keep the Amalekite king, Agag, alive along with some choice livestock. God said to Samuel …
1 Samuel 15:11 (NRSV) "I regret that I made Saul king, for he has turned back from following Me, and has not carried out My commands." Samuel was angry; and he cried out to the LORD all night.
This was the beginning of the end for Saul. It was painful for Samuel to watch – and yet, the Lord commanded him to go and anoint a new future king which, as we know, was David, a shepherd boy. But the end had not yet come for Saul, even though God had lifted His anointing from him (1 Sam. 16:14), and an evil spirit was allowed to come and torment him. And torment Saul, it did. It caused great mental and spiritual distress, so much so that Saul’s servants and key leaders could see it. They urged him to have someone come and play music for him, as a ministry to him, to help alleviate the torment. One of these servants had heard David, now a warrior, play the harp with great skill and clearly under the anointing of the Lord such that it affected everyone who experienced it.
1 Samuel 16:18 (NRSV) One of the young men answered, "I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite who is skilful in playing, a man of valour, a warrior, prudent in speech, and a man of good presence; and the LORD is with him."
Saul sends for David, and so, …
1 Samuel 16:23
“David played his harp, and the evil spirit tormenting Saul departed.”
There are so many fascinating spiritual insights available to us as we meditate on these scenes given us in 1 Samuel 15 & 16. But I want to focus on just one here. When David came and played his harp for the King, it was a ministry to Saul – a ministry. David was not playing AC-DC, or rock and roll, or heavy metal to entertain and distract the king for a bit. He was ministering. By now, David had written many of his psalms. For all we know he could have played and sang Psalm 23 to Saul. We don’t know.
But we do know this: that evil spirit departed from Saul. Why?
Why, indeed? Look at the facts in the account. David played his harp (lyre) with anointing. The presence of God was “with him”. Everything David had been doing thus far was under that anointing of God’s presence with him. And it was so strong, so beautiful and powerful that night that the evil spirit ended up being the tormented, and not the tormentor. Though it might have wanted to, it could not bear to be in the same place where the anointing of the Lord was operating. It had to leave!
Our worship team at ReChurch are not just making music and singing songs in our worship services, dear friends. No! They are not entertaining us or momentarily distracting us from our troubles. They seek to minister with the anointing of the Lord, which is beyond the lyrics and notes played. Without the anointing, that’s all these elements are. Our worship teams spend much time in prayer and personal preparation – each one - consecrating themselves so that God is pleased to release anointing upon them so that Holy Spirit can minister in that worship space. And I love them and appreciate them so much for that! Our teams seek to minister to us and, as they do so, there is powerful effect in that worship space. In a very real sense, they are God’s instruments used to create sanctuary – a very special space and environment where no evil spirit, or demon can bear to stay, let alone dare to stay.
Although the primary purpose of our corporate worship is to focus our whole selves, as one people, on God, and praise Him and magnify Him in our worship space, God loves to presence Himself with us when our worship is acceptable to Him. Our worship teams are very aware of this, and so, worship songs are very carefully and sensitively selected, each team member very carefully prepares themselves, the teams together, carefully listen for the heart of God and are quick to make changes on the fly to be able to go with Holy Spirit. Why? Because they want the presence of God with them as they minister, they are not performing, so to speak.
In that “sanctuary” place, this sacred, holy place, God’s people come to worship, of course, but God wants to be present to minister, too. This is probably, for me anyway, a key reason we should come to worship even when we don’t feel like it. In that sanctuary place, as Saul experienced, there is relief, renewal, refreshment, restoration, refocus, release, reassurance - and rest. We don’t ever “come to church”, no, no, we the church come to worship to minister to the Lord for He is so worthy of that ministry … and, in the process, we receive from the Father far more than we could ever possibly offer Him.
It is therefore very important that we as individuals come as properly prepared and as consecrated as our worship teams do. We are intentionally ministering to the Lord – not just turning up and being entertained, though the corporate worship of God’s people is a blessed experience. We should come into the house of the Lord properly consecrated and ready to contribute to the creation sanctuary – we all need to take time to do that. All of us … not always coming exhausted, wasted and hungover from the week’s goings on. What kind of worship do we bring then? And this kind of worship should be a key priority for God’s people – a 3rd commandment priority …
Exodus 20:8 (NRSV)
“Remember the sabbath day, and keep it holy.”
Nothing should interfere with, or compete with worship (and I am not talking about workers, for example, who have little say in their work rostering, and such!). But when we do have a choice between worship and something else, worship, according to God’s word, is THE priority. And, as further preparation and focused attitude, we need to do all we can to be on time each Lord’s day, too.
And, David, played his harp …
Think on these things.
Ps Milton