Bible Study 1 Samuel 16:14

[Blazin Bones]

What are you're thoughts on this verse?

1SA 16:14 But the spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him.

 

[Nocturnal_Principal_X]

Interesting verse.

My New American Standard Bile Life Application Study Bible says the following about 1 Samuel 16:14

“What was the evil spirit the Lord sent? Perhaps Saul was simply depressed. Or perhaps the Holy Spirit had left Saul, and God allowed an evil spirit (a demon) to torment him as judgment for his disobedience (this would demonstrate God’s power over the spirit worldâ€â€1 Kings 22:19-23). Either way, Saul was driven to insanity, which led him to attempt to murder David.â€

 

[evanman]

Saul was more than dpressed he became a paranoid, Bi-polar individual!

 

[Blazin Bones]

I like the point evanman, but the scripture still says this evil spirit was sent from God. I think NPX's explaination is pretty close. This isn't the only case in the Bible God sends evil spirits to people.

In Judges 9:23 it is written

JUD 9:23 Then God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech:

I know what my Old testament professor says. He says that this is Just part of God being in control of all things Good and Bad. I'm looking for how everyone else see's it?

 

[Khristeeanos]

Saul was more than dpressed he became a paranoid, Bi-polar individual!

Saul was guilty of breaking a commandment of God. He went to a spiritualist medium and sought to contact demons of Satan.

He was possesed by an evil spirit. That is why the spirit of the Lord left him.

 

[evanman]

I am not going to disagree with the fact that Saul was a man that rejected God in favour of himself--however the Spirit had already departed him before he went to the witch--it was because of the Spirit departing from him that he went to the witch.

The Spirit departed him after he disobeyed Samuel's words and sacrificed because he couldn't wait on the Lord!

Saul was often tormented, even before the Spirit of God left him--David was able to calm him with his music.

 

[Vice]

I often look at verses like those through the viewpoint of the book of Job. In the book of Job, Job's torment isn't divinely appointed or prescribed by God; rather, God seems to withdraw from protecting Job, and Satan is allowed to have his way within certain parameters. Job's questioning of God's justice throughout the book seem to culminate not with God's response of "Well, Satan asked for permission, so I granted it to him." Instead, God seems to respond with "You are just a man. What do you know about the way I work?" We all know in chapters 1-3 that Satan caused the calamities, but God didn't place the blame on Satan when questioned about it.

In Saul's case, I would say the same. God withdrew, the evil spirit did its damage, and God -- not responsible for the evil spirit's work -- didn't place the blame. Or at least the writer/ recorded didn't place the blame.

In any case, we have to steer away from explaining away the evil spirit as a psychological disorder.

 

[Blazin Bones]

I like the way you put that Vice. That really does make sense. 8-)

 

[Nocturnal_Principal_X]

I have to agree with Vice. Based the context of Samuel 16:14 it makes sense to say it is not a psychological disorder. The evil spirit is just that...an evil spirit.

 

[Khristeeanos]

Thanks for your post, evanman.

I need to study the lives of Saul and David more. I have the Bible on CD now, so I may just start from Genesis and see how far I make it!

 

[liafailrock]

Brutus:

It's best to take that passage and those like it at face value. Some people envision just a loving God, and kind gentle Jesus peacefully carrying a lamb with his staff (to put it humorously) that they cannot imagine the LORD God doing anything "bad" or having any judgment.

Now, I don't know the specifics, whether it is a spirit from the Lord, or (in my opinion) more likely an evil spirit told to plague him, or whatever. The end result is the same no matter what.

 

[serapha]

What are you're thoughts on this verse?

1SA 16:14 But the spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him.

HI there!

:D


The important part of the passage is this, "the spirit of the LORD departed from Saul"... as in the Old Testament before the coming of Christ and pentecost, that the Holy Spirit was not a continually indwelling presence of God, but was sent by God for a specific purpose, in this case as the indwelling presence of God and the infilling presence of God, giving Saul the abilility to do as God commands.

But... without the promise of a constant comforter, when Saul fell into discord with God, the Holy Spirit was removed from him.

"and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him"

While God allows everything that happens, it is not that God sends evil. Without the presence of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit of God, then there is always the possibility of the indwelling presence of a demonic spirit, or as someone already posted of an oppressing spirit of depression.

Again, though, while God allows everything to happen, God doesn't send evil spirits.


~serapha~

 

[Nocturnal_Principal_X]

serapha,

I must say your post was wonderful. Your conclusions seem very logical to me. Again wonderful job. :D

 

[Restin]

Evil spirit....

What are you're thoughts on this verse?

1SA 16:14 But the spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him.

A few more scriptures to go with this.....

• Genesis 3:22 Then the LORD God said,
  "Behold, the man has become like one of Us, knowing good and evil;
  
  1 Kings 22:23 Said by the prophet Micaiah to Ahab, the king of Israel --
  "Now therefore, behold, the LORD has put a deceiving spirit in the mouth of all
  these your prophets; and the LORD has proclaimed disaster against you."
  
  Lamentations 3:37 Who is there who speaks and it comes to pass,
  Unless the Lord has commanded it?
  38 Is it not from the mouth of the Most High That both good and ill go forth?
  
  Ecclesiastes 7:14 In the day of prosperity be happy,
  But in the day of adversity consider--
  God has made the one as well as the other
  
  Isaiah 45:6 I am the LORD, and there is no other,
  7 The One forming light and creating darkness,
  Causing well-being and creating calamity;
  I am the LORD who does all these.
  
  Isaiah 54:16 "Behold, I Myself have created the smith who blows
  the fire of coals And brings out a weapon for its work;
  And I have created the destroyer to ruin.
  
  NASU, w/emphasis supplied

......Restin

 

[videocrafter]

Interesting verse.

My New American Standard Bile Life Application Study Bible says ...â€Â

Hey Nocturnal, I'm looking for Life Application Notes for the computer, where did you get yours? I was thinking about purchasing Quick Verse, but they don't seem to have the NIV version. I love the Life Application Notes, I have them in my NIV study Bible, and also have them on my pocket pc, but would like them on the desktop computer.