Day 31, Year 1 Pure or Crooked

“With the pure You will show Yourself pure; And with the devious You will show Yourself shrewd.” (2 Samuel 22:27 NKJV)

Today’s verse, believed to be written by king David of Israel, contrasts the experiences of the Most High God between the pure and the devious or crooked. David might have used these two types of people to contrast himself with his predecessor, king Saul. If this interpretation is correct, purity and crookedness represent two different attitudes toward God’s Word.

David considered himself as having a pure heart, taking God’s Word seriously and striving to obey Him. Hence, he felt that God treated him with purity and divine illumination. He always prayed and sought God’s instructions before making decisions. Even though he sinned in his later years, he did not hide his sins or make excuses. He openly confessed and sought spiritual restoration from God. Thus, he was fully aware of His purity and righteousness.

In contrast, king Saul repeatedly twisted God’s words, obeying them only partially yet lying that he had fully obeyed. When his wrongdoings were exposed, he denied them to maintain his reputation in front of his people. His refusal to acknowledge his faults ultimately resulted in his tragic demise in his last battle with the Philistinian army. Similarly, those who are unwilling to submit to God’s Word might often feel that He is mocking or mistreating them. This is a typical way of how twisting God’s words could cause people to experience Him negatively.

It is noteworthy that after Saul deliberately disobeyed God’s words and refused to repent, He sent an evil spirit to overwhelm and torture him (1 Samuel 16:14). Meanwhile, Jesus once pointed out that only God is good. Then, how could God be shown Himself crooked or even cunning? The answer is clear. Those who distort the words of God have evil spirits with them, and no matter what they claim their faith is, what they believe in reality cannot be a true reflection of the pure God. If this is the case, God’s judgment does not wait until the end time but could begin to manifest soon after people’s choices have been made.

Reflection questions:

1) Do you have the right attitude toward God’s Word? If not, how would you make amendments?

2) How do you feel about the possibility that God might send an evil spirit to overwhelm and even torture those who do not completely obey His words?