Jealousy and pride are terrible taskmasters. Such things distort reality and cloud our perception. Today, I’m going to continue my examination of King Saul in 1 Samuel 22 and share some of my thoughts with you.

In Matthew 6:23, Jesus says something I’ve often wondered about. 

But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!

Matthew 6:23 (NIV)

How can light be darkness? 

In verse 22, Jesus states that “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light” (Matthew 6:22 NIV). 

We’re looking at a metaphor here. We use our eyes like lamps to be able to see. When it’s dark, we use a lamp to pierce the darkness. The lamp of the body is the Spirit. We either have the Holy Spirit, or we don’t. When we have the Holy Spirit, he will lead us and guide us into all truth. When we have the Holy Spirit, we are healthy, and our bodies are full of light. This is how we can walk by faith and not by sight. 

However, if we don’t have the Holy Spirit, then we are in the dark. We cannot see the truth, and therefore everything we see is shrouded in darkness. Isaiah had this to say about those people walking in darkness:

Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who turn darkness to light and light to darkness, who replace bitter with sweet and sweet with bitter.

Isaiah 5:20 (NIV)

I’m also reminded of something Paul said to Titus.

To the pure, all things are pure, but to those who are corrupted and do not believe, nothing is pure. In fact, both their minds and consciences are corrupted.

Titus 1:15 (NIV)

This is why the world calls things that are good, evil, and things that are evil, good. This is why there’s so much confusion in the world. Let’s look at an example from the Bible of the distortion that comes when the light within is darkness.

Is that why you have all conspired against me? No one tells me when my son makes a covenant with the son of Jesse. None of you is concerned about me or tells me that my son has incited my servant to lie in wait for me, as he does today.”

1 Samuel 22:8 (NIV)

King Saul was full of jealousy and pride. The same man who once had the Spirit of God on him now walked without it. Therefore, he saw everyone around him as an enemy except for those who were eager to also do evil things. 

But Doeg the Edomite, who was standing with Saul’s officials, said, “I saw the son of Jesse come to Ahimelek son of Ahitub at Nob. Ahimelek inquired of the Lord for him; he also gave him provisions and the sword of Goliath the Philistine.”

1 Samuel 22:9-10 (NIV)

Doeg the Edomite wanted to be in Saul’s good grace. Therefore, he told Saul that Ahimelek helped David. This infuriates Saul, who orders the priests of the Lord to be executed. However, we are told, “the king’s officials were unwilling to raise a hand to strike the priests of the Lord” (1 Samuel 22:17 NIV). The only person who was willing to lay a hand on the priests was Doeg the Edomite. He killed 85 of them and then put the entire town of Nob to the sword, killing all of the “men and women, its children and infants, and its cattle, donkeys and sheep” in the town (1 Samuel 22:19 NIV). I’m not sure if Saul wanted the entire town of Nob put to the sword, but to those walking in darkness, these evil deeds didn’t look like evil deeds. 

I will leave you with this Scripture today. 

There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death.

Proverbs 14:12 (NIV)

I pray that you rejoice in this day that the Lord has made! Thanks for stopping by!

Do you know God? God knows you, and he loves you. He sees you as significant because you are. No one is insignificant to Him. He’s with you today, and he wants you to know him. Jesus died for your sins and mine so we could be free of guilt, be free from death, and live eternally with him. Eternal salvation is just a prayer away. 

Pray this prayer with me to accept the gift of salvation today:

Lord Jesus, forgive me for all my sins. I repent from my ways. Wash me in your blood and cleanse me from all unrighteousness. I believe that you died on the cross, were buried, and on the third day, God the Father raised you from the dead. Right now, Lord Jesus, I open the door to my heart, and I receive you into my heart as my Lord and personal Savior. Amen.

If you prayed that prayer, then congratulations! You are on the first step of a brand new life. Allow me to be the first to welcome you to my family, the family of God. There are abundant resources available online for new Christians. You can visit here for more information on what to do next. You can also leave me a comment, and I’ll do my best to help you on the next step of this incredible journey.

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