"House of David/House of Saul"

by James Jacob Prasch

The kind of war I dread is when you have to fight against your brethren.

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The Jonathan Tragedy

We all know the story of King David and how Saul hated him and tried to kill him. The one sticking point was Jonathan. Jonathan loved David. Jonathan knew that Saul had become corrupt and lost God's calling and blessing. Jonathan knew his father was no good. He knew the house of Saul was under the curse of God. He knew David was right. He knew David was an innocent victim who was being persecuted. He knew David was God's chosen. He knew it all, but Jonathan was too cemented to the house of Saul to make the break.

Jesus said, "He who loves father or mother more than Me, is not worthy of Me" (Mt. 10:37).

That alludes to the situation of Jonathan. Are you part of the house of David or the house of Saul? To be part of the house of Saul does not require you to believe false doctrine yourself. It just means that you are committed to established structures, churches and denominations that have gone into this error. Is your denomination more important to you than what God is saying?

Beginning in the Spirit

Then Samuel took the flask of oil, and poured it on his head, kissed him and said, "Has not the Lord anointed you a ruler over His inheritance?"(1 Sam.10:1).

Remember, different liquids represent the Holy Spirit in different aspects. In this case it is oil, which speaks of the anointing. The Holy Spirit really was poured out on the house of Saul. It was authentic, but if something ends in the flesh, it does not matter if it began in the Spirit or if it was always in error to begin with.

I do not doubt for one second that thirty years ago there was a genuine outpouring of God's Spirit.

I know that was true, but I am just as convinced that it went into the flesh a long time ago. Every single Charismatic movement in the history of the church has ended the same way. The Montanists, experiential theology, Muenster Anabaptists and early Pentecostals, crazy doctrines, Quakers, inner light – It is always the Spirit and the Truth. But they said, "Give us the Spirit, we don't want the Truth." The word of God tells us what is flesh and what is Spirit.

Ending in the Flesh

As you did not obey the Lord and did not execute His fierce wrath upon  Amalek, so the Lord has done this thing to you this day. Moreover the Lord will also deliver Israel along with you into the hand of the Philistines, therefore tomorrow you and your sons will be with me. Indeed the Lord will give over the army of Israel into the hands of the Philistines (1 Samuel 28:18).

Saul lost his anointing. He started out with the calling, with the anointing, but God rejected him.

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Scripture taken from the New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation.