1 Samuel 10:6, commentary and pictures

The promise was given to Saul when he was anointed leader of Israel, with signs foretold along his way home to strengthen his faith so that when they happened he would act as the occasion required in trust that God was with him. It was fulfilled at Gibeah when he met the company of prophets and, under the Spirit's influence, spoke fluently and wisely of divine truth with them, to the astonishment of those who knew him. To be turned into another man was to be given another heart, becoming a converted man whose temperament, thoughts, aims, and desires were renewed, who saw his standing before God and the beauty of holiness, understood salvation and duty more clearly, and received courage and wisdom for his place. The Spirit was thus given as guide and helper to qualify him for the kingship awaiting him, so that by humble reliance on divine wisdom rather than his own judgment his good qualities would grow and his evil tendencies would lose power. That enlightening and softening work left him free to obey and did not remove the effects of early habits of insubmission, so when he later followed his own judgment presumptuously he failed; the same refining grace is offered to all who consecrate themselves to God, molding mind and character beyond inherited and learned tendencies when it is cultivated in humility, trust, and obedience, but it is never forced.

Saul's Change at Gibeah

The promise was given when Saul was anointed captain over Israel, with specific events on his journey home foretold to strengthen his faith for the leadership to which God had appointed him. When those signs occurred, including his prophesying with the prophets, he was to act as the occasion required, trusting that God was with him. The transformation promised would qualify him for the position awaiting him.

It was fulfilled when he met the prophets at Gibeah as he came under the influence of the school of the prophets, and the Spirit of the Lord came upon him. He joined their praise and prophesied with them with fluent, wise speech and earnest participation, astonishing those who knew him. This sign confirmed the prediction and showed that God's Spirit equipped him for the change and calling before him.

To prophesy with them meant being enabled to speak with fluency and wisdom about divine truth, a striking transformation from an untaught husbandman that qualified him for the station awaiting him. The verse connects with the prophetic companies whose teachers and students received the Spirit's endowment. Their example shows students receiving the Spirit of God when taught by God, an influence the schools of the prophets sought, establishing a living connection between earth and heaven.

To be turned into another man means to be given another heart by the Spirit of the Lord, becoming a converted, different man. His natural temperament was changed by God's power as he entered his responsibility as Israel's king under the Spirit's molding, so he was not left alone to struggle with his old tendencies. The inward renewal brought new thoughts, aims, and desires, along with spiritual knowledge of God. Among the prophets he saw his moral condition before God and the beauty of holiness, understood the plan of salvation and his duty more clearly, and was given courage and wisdom for his position. He was shown that his strength and grace came from God, an enlightenment meant to bind his will to God's will, bring thoughts into harmony with God's will, restore God's moral image in humanity, and establish a living connection between earth and heaven.

His change came from God by the Spirit of God and was meant to reform and save, unlike a change produced by harmful influences or by the influence and example of others, which is not necessarily from God. The Spirit's help enlightened his understanding and softened his heart but left him free to obey the light he had received. It did not erase the effects of habits formed in youth, and because he had not learned early to submit to God, he remained ready to rebel against divine authority.

Enabled for Leadership Service

The Spirit coming upon Saul was the gift of the Holy Spirit as guide and helper to qualify him for the station awaiting him as king. The inward change of heart was accompanied by a visible change in spirit that set him in his work and gave him influence with the armies of Israel. By that endowment he was enabled to develop the qualities needed to rule.

Success and honor in those duties depended on continuing humble reliance on divine wisdom rather than on his own strength and judgment. Under divine grace good qualities would grow stronger while evil traits and tendencies lost their power. Although thus changed and set in his work, he later failed when he presumptuously followed his own judgment.

The same work of grace is offered to those who consecrate themselves to God and to men entering the ministry. God places the humble and teachable where they can learn, reveals their defects, and gives strength to correct them. The Spirit works on mind and character to refine and ennoble, molding character beyond inherited and learned tendencies when a person seeks full conformity to God's will, resists natural inclinations, and cultivates its influence with humility, fear of God, trust, and obedience. That change is not imposed irresistibly, and those who refuse its counsel and keep their defective traits are not fitted for sacred ministry.