16:17). Yet shortly thereafter, Peter spoke so carnally about the Lord's Passion that the Lord reprimanded him, saying, “Get thee behind me, Satan; thou art a temptation unto me: for thou thinkest not what is divine, but what is human” (Matthew 16:23). To those with deeper understanding, there is a parallel between Peter’s initial divine revelation that Jesus is the Son of God and his subsequent fear of Christ’s suffering, akin to the distinction in the visions experienced by Saul– first inspired by God's revelation, then tormented through his interaction with the malign spirit.
When we consider why even an evil spirit can be referred to as a spirit of God, the interpretation aligns with the idea presented in the statement, "The earth is the Lord's" (Psalms 23:1), which signifies that all creation lies within His dominion. However, if this analogy does not suffice since the earth is not inherently evil—"every creature of God is good" (1 Tim. 4:4)—we can look to Saul himself, who became wicked, unholy, and ungrateful towards David, even turning into a fierce persecutor, yet was still regarded as the Lord's anointed. This title was reaffirmed by David as he mourned Saul’s death (2 Sam. 1:14-15). It seems the evil spirit that afflicted Saul is termed the spirit of the Lord because his actions were permitted under God's hidden judgment. The Lord employs even malevolent spirits to execute judgment on the wicked and to test the righteous, albeit in different ways for each.
Although an evil spirit may seek to harm out of his wicked intent, he can only act within the confines of God's authority, which governs everything according to a just order of merit; no malevolent will originates from God, but all power is derived from Him (Romans 13:1). While one may hold the capacity to desire, they cannot compel another to share that desire or experience it at their hands. Even the Son of God, preparing to endure suffering, humbly acknowledged to His accuser, “You would have no power over Me, if it had not been given to you from above” (John 19:11). In a similar vein, He sought permission from God, asserting that the hand ascribed to the Lord granted the authority He was prepared to accept. The Lord’s assertion to His disciples, “This night Satan asked to sift you as wheat” (Luke 22:31), reinforces this understanding.
Thus, the malevolent spirit is termed the evil spirit of God because it served God's purpose by afflicting Saul according to the decrees of the divine Judge. This spirit did not operate in alignment with God’s will, which is inherently good, but is still recognized as God's creation and as one acting under divine authority. As Scripture states: “And Samuel arose, and departed to Ramah; and the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord seized him, and oppressed him. And the servants of Saul said unto him, Behold, the evil spirit of the Lord troubled thee” (1 Sam. 16:13-15). Here the description of the spirit as “the evil spirit of the Lord” is clarified, signifying that it desired to cause harm, yet was only capable of doing so by the allowance of divine justice.
When God justly avenges, He may hand individuals over “to the lusts of their hearts” (Rom. 1:24); therefore, it is not startling that, with equal justice, He may also allow wicked spirits to entrap those intent on harm. Throughout this process, God's righteousness remains inviolable. When the phrase “the Spirit of God” is used without qualifiers, it typically refers to the good Spirit of God. This leads us to contemplate whether this Spirit should be understood as the Holy Spirit, consubstantial with the Father and the Son. Notably, when the term “the Spirit of God” appears without qualification, it is generally inferred to be good. This distinction suggests that the good spirit is labeled as the Spirit of God by its nature, while the evil spirit is identified by its function.
Furthermore, we might question whether “the spirit of God” refers specifically to the Holy Spirit, the third person in the Trinity, of whom it is written, “Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty” (2 Cor. 3:17), or “But to us God has revealed Himself by His Spirit” (1 Cor. 2:10), along with “Neither knoweth any man the things of God, except the Spirit of God” (1 Cor. 2:11). There are numerous biblical instances where the Spirit of God is implied to refer to the Holy Spirit without the need for additional descriptors, as the context usually clarifies the reference.
Therefore, while it remains questionable whether other interpretations arise from places where “the Spirit of God” is used without clarifications, there is no compelling evidence to assert that it implies anything other than the Holy Spirit. When “the Spirit of God” is mentioned in Scripture without any modifiers, whether it refers to the consubstantial Holy Spirit or a created spiritual entity, it is imperative that it is not taken to signify anything evil unless explicitly stated. Given that God utilizes an evil spirit for the fulfillment of His judgments and to instruct or test His faithful, such a spirit can also be regarded as associated with God’s purpose.
THEOSIS