1. I Samuel 10:9. When God changes the heart, is it not a permanent thing?

Once saved, always saved, we want to say. At least I want to say that. I have seen enough Scriptures on this side of things to believe that God does indeed choose us unto salvation, and that, once chosen, we will never perish.

Saul’s heart was changed in this passage. By God. But does the text mean to tell us that from that day on Saul lived for God and delighted in God, as his successor David? No, a man’s heart, which is a deceitful thing, can change daily. The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked.

Saul was changed by a miraculous manifestation. But he was not therefore changed to a commitment to obedience. It is the same as we discussed in the last question, and the same as Jesus was speaking of in Matthew 7. There will be many who will claim miraculous manifestations in that day as proof that they are truly His. But Jesus will say He never knew them.

A fine line here, but a very important one.

2. I Samuel 13:13-14. His first mistake, yet the Kingdom is taken from him. What of David’s sins and restoration?

Samuel, via God’s Spirit in Him, already knew the direction of Saul’s heart. Actually, it seems that he was indeed given another chance later in the story, but the same fruit prevailed. Saul was committed to doing things his own way, and this would never work in the Kingdom. God had/has a purpose in this Kingdom, and His purposes must be carried out faithfully and perfectly. David becomes the standard bearer of Kingdom principles when he first gives his young heart to the Lord, and delights in him, even through human weakness.

3. I Samuel 14:37. God did not answer. Then the lot pointed to the wrong person. Then Jonathan is spared by the people. Where is God in all of this?

It would seem here that this entire episode is governed by a deluded man, not by God, except in the sense that God is in all human events. But when God did not answer Saul’s prayers, and Saul has to resort to the casting of lots, why would one want to trust the outcome of that toss? For if God were certainly pointing to Jonathan as the guilty one, He would also have put that knowledge and desire in His people. But His people all favored Jonathan, and indirectly, Jonathan’s assessment of the situation: “My father has troubled the land.” There was the truth. But Saul could not see it.

4. I Samuel 16:1. Why did the Lord not tell Samuel David’s name? Why the more roundabout method?

Perhaps, to fasten the event in people’s minds. To show dramatically that God’s ways are not our own, as even the prophet was surprised at the outcome. Perhaps for the protection of the prophet, who could now in no way be accused of plotting against Saul.

5. I Samuel 16:2. What made Samuel think that Saul would kill him?

Saul was after all, the king. Saul was well aware of the prophecies of Samuel regarding his own future in the Kingdom. Samuel had said that someone better than Saul was going to take his place. And now, here was the Lord sending him to anoint that very person. Besides all this, it was evidently known in the Kingdom that Saul had become bitter, and angry, and dangerous. Samuel, humanly speaking, had every reason to be afraid!

6. 1 Samuel 16:14. How can an evil spirit come “from the Lord?” [blog reprint]

We ask not the question in doubt, as “How in the world could this ever be true?” but simply we investigate the fact that it is true, yet sounds strange to our ears.

We say, Lord, You are holy, and good and righteous. You cannot tempt man to sin, and You cannot sin Yourself. How is it that something unholy, and evil, has been sent forth from Your Presence? We ask in humility and fear, knowing that to demean the glory of God is a serious thing.

Nevertheless the Scriptures are true, as recorded in 1 Samuel 16, 18, and 19. An evil (rah in Hebrew) spirit troubled King Saul to the point of making him want to kill young David, of whom Saul had become wary and jealous. And that spirit is said to have come “from the Lord.” We can dress up rah all we want, but every possible meaning of the word is one which does not match the known character of our God.

Actually this is not the only time that Scripture connects our holy God to what seems to be the work of the enemy. And in tracing these events we get insights into just what is going on in the world and our own personal life. Satan is being used. For God’s purposes.

The oldest of the Bible stories, perhaps, is that of Job. Here we encounter a host of fallen angels, Satan among them, being rounded up by God to do His bidding on righteous Job, whose righteousness needed some enhancement, to put it mildly. Job would need to see beyond all the good things he, Job, had done, to the greatness of the God Who does wondrous things, including justifying man by His grace, not man’s righteousness.

The instrument for this work, initially: Satan. His destructive power. His lust for human flesh. His delight in torment. His choice of friends. And words. Yes, that is Satan’s way. God cannot do this. Where shall He look for help to find one who will bring Job to his spiritual senses? He employs Satan. The work is done. Satan, but under the absolute control of the loving God we serve. So it will be in our own lives.

Then there is the classic story of the lying spirits used by God to infiltrate the wicked prophets surrounding Ahab, the wicked ruler of an apostate Israel. We look on the outside and see an evil man making a wrong decision and losing his life for it. But the inner workings of his mind are being manipulated by thoughts from another world. Two other worlds, if you please. Once more, God-controlled the input of Satanic workings. Though the true prophet speaks the truth to Ahab, the old king is one given to the Liar, and his life ends by believing the lie. So it will be in the lives of all humans who love and believe the multitudinous army of satanic liars in our world today. Justly they will go to their punishment forever. But those liars were given their permission by Holy God, make no mistake.

God is able to stop a Saul or an Ahab or an evolutionist or an abortionist! Is He not Almighty God? But if men love their lies this much, they must perish with them. And God has found a people who love the Truth – Jesus – more than lies. He has infiltrated their hearts with His love, and they have reciprocated, and will do so for eternity.

Yes, evil spirits have been commissioned by the Lord in every generation, every nation. Satan gets his permission, thinking that by winning over the vast majority of humanity he will eke out some victory at the end. But the victory is won, was won, at Calvary, when the Father commissioned His Son to come and die, and commissioned His servants to go and preach and find the sheep that are lost but will be found, and commissioned His own Spirit to dwell within these humans to be sure the work is completed. His own will be saved, but that vast majority of Earthlings will be legally sent to wherever Satan winds up. He’ll have his “kingdom” in the pit of Hell and fire and darkness forever.