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Commentary on "Jealousy"
Day 5: Wednesday, March 2, 2011 - Saul's Jealousy of David: Part 2
Overview
We now come to the end of Saul’s life and his final act of rebellion towards God where he visits the medium of En-dor in his misguided desire to contact Samuel who is dead. In Saul’s own words; “I am in great distress, for the Philistines are warring against me, and God has turned away from me and answers me no more”…
Observations
Saul had failed as Israel’s king and was rejected by God prior to any jealousy he had developed towards David. The cause of his jealousy of David was well covered in yesterday’s lesson.
Instead of considering again the nature of his jealousy we will focus on this statement found in today’s lesson:
“He chose, therefore, to consult an evil spirit through a witch, a practice that he himself had abolished. He even bowed down and prostrated himself with his face to the ground before the evil spirit, which was impersonating the deceased Samuel (1 Sam. 28:14).“
First Samuel chapter twenty-eight, verses 8 through 19, clearly states several times over that it was Samuel who was speaking to Saul. Saul received a message from God through the dead prophet Samuel, not an evil spirit. Any other way of interpreting this passage goes beyond and contradicts the simply clear understanding of God’s word.
Summary
- If you believe the bible is the inerrant inspired word of God, then you should believe what it says. It says that it was Samuel who was speaking to Saul. It makes no mention of a demon.
- Furthermore, if you believe a person can receive a message from God that contradicts scripture, then you have no biblical foundation to support your misguided theology.
- Jesus declares that it is the role of the Holy Spirit to personally guide each Christian into all truth, John 16:12-15. It follows then that anyone who contradicts scripture is not being led by the Holy Spirit. When it is not the Holy Spirit who guides our understanding of God’s word, we are vulnerable to any and all false teachings.
Copyright 2011 BibleStudiesForAdventists.com. All rights reserved. Revised February 16, 2011. This website is published by Life Assurance Ministries, Glendale, Arizona, USA, the publisher of Proclamation! Magazine. Contact email: BibleStudiesForAdventists@gmail.com.
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