Insightful Musings on the Scriptures

by

Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67

Well, how are you this morning, dear ones?

If you don’t answer in the next hour I’ll drop you off the list. Just kidding. But neither is that a big threat, I’m sure.

Interesting morning already. When I was in the house early and made mention of a jog, Kaden said, “I want to go!” Nicholas heard Kaden and said, “Me go!” And Bimbo heard all the exchange and, in his own way, said the same thing. So, what was I to do? I succumbed to taking that gang of three along the road, turning in to a forest track that goes down to the creek and the kids had fun throwing rocks again. Bimbo went nuts with the freedom to bound all over the place off his tether. Fun…but not much aerobic exercise.

Time to get on with other things. Spring seems to be escalating things.

Blessings. Love. Dad/Ray.

These chapters show the psychological development of an evil dictator—a deranged tyrant—a pathological narcissist who is so in love with himself and his power that he will kill or order killing at the drop of a hat, exterminating anyone who gets in the way of his absolute rule. And lest we think Saul’s kind of mindset is only reserved for ancient history, let’s think again. Besides our ability to point to some recent examples, such a one is yet to come onto the stage of world government with a scope of diabolical power and control like none before him—the antichrist (the “beast” of Revelation 13). Do you see the signs that would prepare the way for his emergence? From my perspective, they are glaring.

What secular history and analysis will not report is the spiritual component behind these ugly accounts. In the Biblical account of Saul, we are told clearly that “the Spirit of the LORD had departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD tormented him” (16:14). I take that to mean that when Saul made deliberate choices to disobey what he knew was right before God, refusing heart-level confession and repentance, he unwittingly slammed the door shut to the Holy Spirit and opened the door to another spirit NOT from God. I hope you will agree that this is very scary business indeed!

Notice the cunning secrecy of Saul’s heart (psychology). He was able to hide from his own son, Jonathan, his sinister plot to eliminate David, with whom he apparently conferred regularly (20:2). It wasn’t till David and Jonathan put together a plan to call Saul’s hand that his secret plot was revealed. Was it ever! In an insane-like fit of rage, he demeaned not only David, but Jonathan and his mother as well (20:30-31). Saul even attempted to skewer Jonathan with a spear (20:33). Good grief! That took Jonathan back and ignited in him a responding storm of “fierce anger” (20:34)—an anger of a more noble kind.

In my short passage through life, I’ve learned a thing or two about this kind of thing. For example, “as a rule of thumb,” whenever you encounter someone who becomes hostile against those who love them most, you are beholding a psychological disorder that, more than likely, has roots in spiritual rebellion against God.

Is there anything more edifying, supportive, and safe among humans than close friendship? Jonathan and David are certainly role models (20:42). Although they made a covenant of friendship between themselves it really wasn’t necessary. True friends don’t need that—where there is no place for competition, jealousy, betrayal, or distrust. Sadly, many people, if not most, never find a true friend—mainly because they are so preoccupied with themselves that they never take time to be a true friend. Sadly, many married couples allow themselves to be two rivals more than true friends.

Ponder the words of Jesus—“Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you” (John 15:13-16).