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Open Theism Discussion Board > Public Forums > Theological Q&A > (No Subject)
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Pat_Iverson
Registered Member
Date Joined Oct 2001
Total Posts : 4
| Posted 10/27/2001 5:59 AM (GMT -6) |   | 1 Samuel 19 speaks of "an evil spirit from God" which came over Saul so that he wanted to hurl his javelin at David. This is not the only biblical reference to "an evil spirit from God". I am puzzled and need input! I have found no real help from commentaries on this one. Here is scriptural reference to God being in cahoots with and even sending "evil"! Please comment!
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Mephi2K
Registered Member
Date Joined Jun 2001
Total Posts : 713
| Posted 10/27/2001 7:19 AM (GMT -6) | | Very quick response
Judges 9:22-24
After Abimelech had governed Israel three years, God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the citizens of Shechem, who acted treacherously against Abimelech. God did this in order that the crime against Jerub-Baal's seventy sons, the shedding of their blood, might be avenged on their brother Abimelech and on the citizens of Shechem, who had helped him murder his brothers.
1 Samuel 16:14-23
Now the Spirit of the LORD had departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD tormented him. Saul's attendants said to him, "See, an evil spirit from God is tormenting you. Let our lord command his servants here to search for someone who can play the harp. He will play when the evil spirit from God comes upon you, and you will feel better."
So Saul said to his attendants, "Find someone who plays well and bring him to me." One of the servants answered, "I have seen a son of Jesse of Bethlehem who knows how to play the harp. He is a brave man and a warrior. He speaks well and is a fine-looking man. And the LORD is with him." Then Saul sent messengers to Jesse and said, "Send me your son David, who is with the sheep."
So Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread, a skin of wine and a young goat and sent them with his son David to Saul. David came to Saul and entered his service. Saul liked him very much, and David became one of his armor-bearers. Then Saul sent word to Jesse, saying, "Allow David to remain in my service, for I am pleased with him." Whenever the spirit from God came upon Saul, David would take his harp and play. Then relief would come to Saul; he would feel better, and the evil spirit would leave him.
Meph:
Ok. Some things to point out. I placed the Judges passage here just to show that 1 Samuel is not the only spot that we have this problem. (I haven't placed the scriptures referring to the "lying" spirit sent out by God) In both spots, we seem to have God sending spirits whose main intent are to bring evil upon people. Now, let's dig a bit deeper into the 1 Samuel passage. Looking at verse, 1 Samuel 16:14 it's interesting to note something. God's spirit LEAVES Saul before the evil spirit comes. The least that this says is that the Spirit of God and this "evil" spirit are NOT the same spirit. Next, the text is VERY clear that the evil spirit was FROM God. Particularly verse 14. If there was any doubt of this, verse 23 takes care of it. It becomes PERFECTLY CLEAR that the evil spirit comes from God.
The way I take this is simply that God sent an evil spirit to do what the Scriptures say he did. God has the ability to limit and command evil spirits to do what he wishes. This squares with Job and everything, right? This is just my humble opinion.
There is much more to be said...
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MrIndifference
Registered Member
Date Joined Jun 2001
Total Posts : 144
| Posted 10/27/2001 7:36 AM (GMT -6) | | Personally, I would relate this to when God gives man over to his evil ways. Saul turned his back on God, so God removed his spirit from him. This could be for a couple different reasons. First, God could see that Saul was not going to return to Him willingly, so he had to let him Go. Secondly, by sending a tormenting spirit, I believe that God was trying to help break Saul so he would see how far he had fallen and eventually come into repentance.
I am not sure how I would interpret the part of God sending an evil spirit... Is it that He literally commanded an evil spirit to torment Saul, or by removing His spirit, He was stating that Saul was a free for all. Any evil spirit could attack that wanted to. Either could work in this situation.
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Pat_Iverson
Registered Member
Date Joined Oct 2001
Total Posts : 4
| Posted 10/28/2001 3:58 AM (GMT -6) | | Thank you, Meph, for replying with the two other scriptures. That one from 1 Sam 16 really elaborates what I am struggling with. Also appreciate MrIndifference's comments. The only explanation offered is from the traditional viewpoint, or is kind of "liberal" ... that the Hebrew people's "thought was in process" so that "at the time of the OT" they pretty much attributed everything to God ultimately, so that is why they worded it that way. The other explanation that I like better ... is that God may have sent this evil spirit in order to accomplish His purposes of getting David and Saul together. As Saul's mad behavior was emphasized, those in the court could see clearer who God's choice might be for the next king. Sending the evil spirit on Saul was at least one good way of getting David exposed to the royal court so he would be able to rule better later. ....... So .......... what do you think???????
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