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WisconsinChristianNews.com
Volume 25, Issue 9
Depressed People Of the Bible
King Saul — The King Of Fear
By Jeff Zaremsky February 2025
his desire upon his enemies.” (Psalm 112:4- 8). At the presence of the Lord “the mountains shall be thrown down, the steep places shall fall, and every wall shall fall to the ground.” (Ezekiel 38:20). The Philistines attacked Israel again. Fear gripped Saul again and he made a huge mis- take. The prophet Samuel had died and God was not speaking to Saul through any other means. Feeling fearful and desperate, Saul went to a witch. Saul knew it was wrong. The witch did her thing and an apparition of what they believed to be Samuel came up from the earth. It is clear that it was not Samuel for many reasons. If God was not willing to speak to Saul because of his refusal to give up his sin- ful attitudes, then God would not listen to a witch to have Samuel speak to Saul. Also Solomon told us that the dead have no more part in anything that takes place on the earth (Ecclesiastes 9:6). And Moses told us not to talk to the dead (Leviticus 19:31; 20:6). And the message that came from the apparition was nothing but doom, not a trace of hope for redemption — thus it was not a message from God. This apparition was no doubt a fallen evil angel (a demon) impersonating Samuel. Saul went into battle with thoughts of de- spair. The Philistines killed Saul’s sons and injured Saul. Fearful of what was going to happen to him, Saul killed himself. Fear led to anger and jealousy, and to de- spair and hopelessness. If you are experienc- ing any of those five destructive feelings, surrender them to God. Confess them as sin, as lacking faith in God and His Word. Accept His forgiveness and deliverance and His power to have hope, faith, courage, and strength. Solomon said, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” (Proverbs 1:7). Fear of the Lord is a respect for His awesome power. But more than that, a fear of the Lord is a fear of hurting Him and letting Him down, a fear of crucifying Him afresh. A youth was always being nagged by his mother regarding his drug use. One day he came home stoned. He waited for his mother’s tirade, but she looked at him, started to cry, and ran into her room. That was the last time he did drugs, not because he feared hurting himself or being punished, but he feared breaking his mother’s heart. When we fear the Lord, because of His great love for us, we will not want to sin and hurt Him. When we fear the Lord, we don’t have to fear anything else because He is awesome in power and because He is on our side. He is more than a match for anything that attacks us. Various fears will raise themselves up throughout our lives, but we can remember that, “God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” (2 Timothy 1:7). What a wonderful promise to claim over and over again. Learn more about other depressed people of the Bible, in the book “Depressed People of the Bible,” available where most books are sold. Author’s Disclaimer: The information I will be sharing is not intended for diagnosis or treat- ment of depression. It is a biblical reflection on people throughout the Scriptures who dealt with depression and how God carried them through it to healing and purpose.
When the people wanted to be like the other nations, God granted their wish and had the prophet Samuel anoint Saul to be king. At first Saul shied away from the position, even hiding when his name was called. This action portrays a fear or insecurity. True hu- mility would have accepted the call, all the while knowing it was God who called, God who gave the abilities, and God who gave the successes. Goliath, a nine-and-a-half-foot tall giant, threatened Israel. When Saul heard the words of the Philistine, he was dismayed and
greatly afraid (1 Samuel 17:11). Saul was fearful of being king, then he was fearful of Goliath, no doubt with good reason on both accounts. Life is full of fears, real and imagi-
nary. We cannot let fear incapaci- tate us. Fear is overcome with faith, faith in God that He is more powerful than anything we are fearful of. Young David killed the giant that had Saul paralyzed with fear. When returned from the war the women sang, “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thou- sands.” Saul was very angry, and the saying displeased him. Saul eyed David from that day forward (1 Samuel 18:5-9). Saul was fearful again, this time of David taking his place. This imaginary fear led to jealousy, suspicion, and anger. It is sadly ironic how the people wanted a king to keep them from being afraid. They were pleased to have a strong man who was head and shoulders taller than everyone else. But height and human might are helpless in the face of fear. No matter what we have on this earth to give us a sense of security, only God gives us peace and courage in the face of danger. David, a small youth, feared the Lord, thus he did not fear Goliath. Saul, a big man, trusted in his own abilities, and he was filled with fears. If you are feeling depressed be- cause you feel powerless regarding the situation you are going through, claim these Bible prom- ises (or any similar one), “Do not be
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afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord. …The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.” (Exodus 14:13-14). “Unto the upright there arises light in the darkness; he is gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous. A good man deals graciously and lends; he will guide his affairs with discretion. Surely he will never be shaken; the righteous will be in everlasting remem- brance. He will not be afraid of evil tidings; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord. His heart is estab- lished; he will not be afraid, until he sees
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