The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in 1 Samuel 18:10,
"The next day an evil spirit from God came forcefully on Saul."
Here is an account where God sent an evil spirit. The evil spirit was from God and he sent it to accomplish his intentions. God had decided to replace King Saul with David for the throne. Not wanting a happy atmosphere within Saul's court that might lead to an entrenched establishment of Saul as king, while David did all the dirty work of dispatching Saul's enemies in the ranks of the Philistines, God sent the evil spirit to disrupt things between Saul and David.
We rarely think of the Lord sending an evil spirit, but he certainly did here to accomplish his agenda. James said, "When tempted, no one should say, 'God is tempting me.' For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death." James 1:13-15. Saul would engage in unprovoked attacks on David to eliminate him.
While I certainly believe that what James said is truthful (I believe all the Scriptures are truthful!) , it should be recognized that he was speaking in general terms and not to a specific accomplishment God intends to pursue. As the Lord pursues his agenda, he will use evil. Look at the events that took place in God's court that led up to Job's story, "The Lord said to Satan, 'Very well, then, everything he has is in your power, but on the man himself do not lay a finger.' Then Satan went out from the presence of the Lord." Job 1:12. We also see sinful man used by God to crucify Jesus Christ on the cross.
I suspect the best way to understand what we read in 1 Samuel 18 and Job 1:12 up against James 1:13-15 is in light of Proverbs 16:4, "The Lord works out everything to its proper end— even the wicked for a day of disaster."
Our understanding of the ways of the Lord need to be gained through the full counsel of God found in all sixty-six books of the Bible, and not in just one passage or another. It helps to keep us from misunderstanding what it is we read in the pages of Scripture.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
"The next day an evil spirit from God came forcefully on Saul."
Here is an account where God sent an evil spirit. The evil spirit was from God and he sent it to accomplish his intentions. God had decided to replace King Saul with David for the throne. Not wanting a happy atmosphere within Saul's court that might lead to an entrenched establishment of Saul as king, while David did all the dirty work of dispatching Saul's enemies in the ranks of the Philistines, God sent the evil spirit to disrupt things between Saul and David.
We rarely think of the Lord sending an evil spirit, but he certainly did here to accomplish his agenda. James said, "When tempted, no one should say, 'God is tempting me.' For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death." James 1:13-15. Saul would engage in unprovoked attacks on David to eliminate him.
While I certainly believe that what James said is truthful (I believe all the Scriptures are truthful!) , it should be recognized that he was speaking in general terms and not to a specific accomplishment God intends to pursue. As the Lord pursues his agenda, he will use evil. Look at the events that took place in God's court that led up to Job's story, "The Lord said to Satan, 'Very well, then, everything he has is in your power, but on the man himself do not lay a finger.' Then Satan went out from the presence of the Lord." Job 1:12. We also see sinful man used by God to crucify Jesus Christ on the cross.
I suspect the best way to understand what we read in 1 Samuel 18 and Job 1:12 up against James 1:13-15 is in light of Proverbs 16:4, "The Lord works out everything to its proper end— even the wicked for a day of disaster."
Our understanding of the ways of the Lord need to be gained through the full counsel of God found in all sixty-six books of the Bible, and not in just one passage or another. It helps to keep us from misunderstanding what it is we read in the pages of Scripture.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
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