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Friday, 10 July 2020
Fear and hope

Question of the day: How is Saul doing? Here's a better question, "How are we doing?"

Answer: Saul is sinking into insanity. Paranoia is more than a punch line to a party joke. It is a real debilitating mental condition. Saul becomes convinced that David is out to get him. There is no evidence this is true, but in Saul's mind that doesn't matter.

At the end of 1 Samuel 22, Saul has 85 priests killed for "conspiring" with David against him, even though there is no evidence that this is true. His own courtiers would not contribute to this crime, so Saul turned to one of his army officers. That man, Eliab, fulfilled his role.

Why am I writing about this? We must ask, what does this mean to us? To answer that question, I want write about the spiritual reality to everything. Yes, everything has a spiritual reality. And in every way that spiritual reality is greater than the physical reality.

The spiritual reality is eternal, while the physical reality is temporal. The spiritual reality is in the fulness of God's realm, while the physical reality is limited to this world. We are just now seeing the beginning effects of the "emotional brokenness" prophesied by scripture.

Luke 21:26 "People will lose heart from fear and anticipation of what is overtaking the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken."

Does this have anything to do with what we are watching happen in our world today? The only thing that will keep us from falling into this fear and despair is our faith. God is still on the throne.

Revelation 12:11 "They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives even in the face of death."

Saul's insanity began with fear. We are living in the most fearful generation since the blitzkrieg (lightening war) when Germany bombed London. This will lead to emotional brokenness, and that emotional brokenness can only be healed by the power and presence of God. Saul did not listen to Samuel. He would not humbly submit to such power and presence. Surrender to the will of God will always bring us into God's healing power by grace through faith in Yeshua's sacrifice.

Psalm 105:3-4 "Glory in His holy Name. Let the heart of those who seek Adonai rejoice. Seek Adonai and His strength, seek His face always."

Posted By Rabbi Michael Weiner, 10:13am Comment Comments: 0