A question is often thought, can “bad things, especially evil, come from God?” In I Samuel 16:14, 16, 18:10, 19:9, the Word of God conveys an “evil spirit from God,” and the “LORD” was allowed to make Saul’s life miserable. This further confuses people of what God can do.
“Let our lord now command thy servants, which are before thee, to seek out a man, who is a cunning player on an harp: and it shall come to pass, when the evil spirit from God is upon thee, that he shall play with his hand, and thou shalt be well.” I Samuel 16:16“
And the evil spirit from the LORD was upon Saul, as he sat in his house with his javelin in his hand: and David played with his hand.” I Sam. 19:9 Also: I Sam. 18:10.
In over 100 verses, God is referred to as “Holy.” According to Noah Webster (American Dictionary of the English Language, 1828), “holy” is “… perfect in a moral sense… free from sin and sinful affections….” The Bible clarifies that He will never lie (Heb. 6:18). God is pure and holy.
“For I am the LORD your God: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I am holy: neither shall ye defile yourselves with any manner of creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.” Leviticus 11:44 Also: Lev. 11:45, I Peter 1:16.
The Bible also makes it clear that God will not tempt anyone with evil. So, if God does not sin or tempt anyone, how can an evil spirit come from God (I Sam. 16:16)? Is this a mistake in the KJV? No, it is not!
“Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:” James 1:13
Later, in I Samuel, the question about God sending an evil spirit is answered. I Sam. 18:12 relates that God’s helping hand was withdrawn from Saul. Without God’s protecting intervention, an invading evil spirit was given the reins to cause havoc in Saul’s life.
“And Saul was afraid of David, because the LORD was with him, and was departed from Saul.” I Sam. 18:12 Also: I Sam. 16:14, I Sam. 28:15.
Matthew Henry also explains that God did not send an evil spirit to plague Saul:
“Here Saul made a terror to himself (I Sam. 16:14): The Spirit of the Lord departed from him. He, having forsaken God and his duty, God, in the way of righteous judgment, withdrew from him those assistances of the good Spirit with which he was directed, animated, and encouraged in his government and wars… This was the effect of his rejecting God and evidence of his being rejected by him. God took his mercy from Saul for when the Spirit of the Lord departs from us, all good goes. When men grieve and quench the Spirit, by willful sin, he departs and will not always strive. The consequence of this was that an evil spirit allowed by God troubled him. Those that drive the good Spirit away become prey to the evil spirit…” God is always in control, but he can allow evilness to have its way in one’s life.
“And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.” Ephesians 4:30 Also: I Thes. 5:19.
When one grieves the Holy Spirit of God, salvation is not lost, but He will be silent, and the surrounding evilness will not be thwarted. God’s protection may be withdrawn.
Abimelech also experienced God’s wrath after his cruelty to the sons of Jerubbaal. Again, God’s guidance and protection were restrained, and an evil spirit took advantage of the opportunity and caused grief in Abimelech’s life.
“Then God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech:” Judges 9:23
Although not because of sin, the hand of God allowed evil Satan to be used to test and eventually bless righteous Job. Again, it is seen that sometimes God gives the wicked one permission to cause havoc on a person. Ultimately, it is intended to strengthen the righteous, or should, as later Job was greatly blessed.
“Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought? 10 Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land… 12 And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD.” Job 1:9-12
God is Holy and hates sin. He would never commit iniquity. Our God is the one power that can keep man from sin’s harm. However, at times, for His reasons, the Lord’s hand of protection can be withdrawn. The hating Satan and his evil “devils” may seize the opportunity to fill the void and lack of godly protection with temptation and sin.
“Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.” Psalm 51:11
“If your ‘Holy Spirit’ just makes you run, dance, and holler in church but doesn’t help you live Holy, then it is not the Holy Spirit that is leading you. You have been deceived.” — Unknown
