Title: 13
Author: JBG
Last saved by: PJ D
Company: GDC

David’s Heir		13‐04‐21‐B.ES13‐12 /

David’s Heir: Saul Loses Enduement & Is Affected by Demon Influence Associated with Divine Discipline, 1 Sam 16:14; Suffering from Depression, Saul Seeks Comfort from David’s Prowess on the Lyre vv. 16, 18
1 Samuel 16:14 -	Now the Spirit of the Lord [ enduement ] departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord terrorized him.
21.	This “evil spirit” does not refer to demon possession but to Saul’s mental attitude which solicited a divine imposition of demon influence.  
22.	That the Lord would incorporate demons into his management of divine discipline causes one to question the accuracy of this translation however, such was not unusual as this analysis reveals:
As the ordainer and preserver of the moral order, it is absolutely necessary for God to punish sin, no matter how much love and compassion He may feel toward the sinner.
In Saul’s case, he had knowingly flouted the law of God—first, by performing priestly sacrifice at the Lord’s altar contrary to the divine command (1 Samuel 13:12–13), and second, by sparing King Agag and some of the cattle of the Amalekites after he had been ordered to put them all to death (15:20–23).  Moreover, in 1 Samuel 18:8 it is stated that Saul became insanely jealous of young David because of the public praise he had received for his prowess in slaying Goliath and the Philistines.  By these successive acts of rebellion against the will and law of God, King Saul left himself wide open to satanic influence.  (p. 179)
Insofar as God has established the spiritual laws of cause and effect, it is accurate to say that Saul’s disobedience cut him off from the guidance and communion of the Holy Spirit that he had formerly enjoyed and left him a prey to a malign spirit of depression and intense jealousy that drove him increasingly to irrational paranoia.  Although he was doubtless acting as an agent of Satan, Saul’s evil bent was by the permission and plan of God.  We must realize that in the last analysis all penal consequences for sin come from God, as the Author of the moral law and the one who always does what is right (Genesis 18:25).  (pp. 179–80)

Gleason L. Archer, New International Encyclopedia of Bible Difficulties (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1982), 179–80.

23.	Stage 1 of reversionism is “Reaction and Distraction”: rejection of authority, hypersensitivity, bad decisions, self-fragmentation, and preoccupation with self which develops into psychosis.
24.	Saul’s servants observe this and suggest that a nice concert might calm his nerves:
1 Samuel 16:16 -	“Let our lord now command your servants who are before you.  Let them seek a man who is a skillful player of the harp [ roNK! (kinnor): lyre ]; and it shall come about when the evil spirit from God is on you, that he shall play the harp with his hand, and you will be well.

“A stringed instrument with a built-in acoustical chest or board” (Warren Baker and Eugene Carpenter, The Complete Word Study Dictionary: Old Testament [Chattanooga: AMG Publishers, 2003), 512 (3658).

25.	The person they had in mind was the shepherd boy from Bethlehem.  One servant speaks up and gives Saul a summary of David attributes:
1 Samuel 16:18 -	“Behold I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite who is a skillful musician [ accomplished: proficient as a result of practice and training ], a mighty man of valor [ courageous ], a warrior [ trained in the art of war ], one prudent in speech [ student of Scripture ], and a handsome man [ a stud muffin ]; and the Lord is with him [ enduement ].”
26.	We learn from this that David had invested enough time in practicing the lyre that he reached the level of virtuoso.  This means that he had an interest in music and not only pursued it, but also learned its structure.  He learned technique, instrumentation, interpretation, and melody.  He was an accomplished composer, lyricist, and vocalist.
27.	It may be said that David was an accomplished musician in all areas of the skill—a virtuoso; an expert.  Were his achievements the result of talent, practice, or both?
28.	Talent and practice are obviously required for advancement, but no one becomes a virtuoso unless he is interested and submits to the process. 
29.	Saul took the advice of his council and ordered that David be brought to him.  It is evident that Saul knows David is a shepherd for he indicates they will find him “with the flock” (v. 19).
30.	Verses 20–22 describe a sequence of events that placed David in the presence of Saul.  Saul is suffering from what present-day psychologists refer to as a bipolar disorder.  This is a mental condition that causes a person to exhibit two sets of personality traits characterized by mood swings that vary from euphoria, called mania, and depression.

© 2013 by Joe Griffin Media Ministries.  All rights reserved.	www.joegriffin.org