Example #8 – “An Evil Spirit from the Lord Troubled [ Saul]” 1Sa 16:14

There are two prominent Sauls in scripture. Both were God’s rejected anointed. Both were popular with the rejected people of God. Both persecuted the true people of God, and both were predestinated to destruction. That’s right – King Saul and Saul of Tarshish were destined for destruction. There is, of course, one major difference. King Saul died in the flesh, while Saul of Tarshish died ‘to the flesh’. But once again both by God’s sovereign design and for our admonition.

Four times in this one chapter we are told

•The spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and AN EVIL SPIRIT FROM THE LORD troubled him” (1Sa 16:14).

• “And Saul’s servants said unto him, Behold now, an evil spirit FROM GOD troubleth thee [ the extent of God’s sovereignty apparently used to be common knowledge.

• “…and it shall come to pass, when the evil spirit FROM GOD is upon thee, that he [ David] shall play with his hand, and thou shalt be well” (1Sa 16:16).

• “And it came to pass when the evil spirit FROM GOD was upon Saul, that David took an harp and played with his hand” (1Sa 16:23).

Twice more in I Samuel we are clearly and straightforwardly told “the evil spirit from God came upon Saul” (1Sa 18:10) and “the evil spirit from the Lord was upon Saul as he sat in his house…” (1Sa are told the function of evil spirits is to work the counsels and the purpose of God. Maybe we really don’t wrestle against flesh and blood! (Eph 6:12)

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