Chapter 45: Paranoid Disorders
In the life of Job, his so-called friends assumed that fear and anguish had come on him because of his iniquity (Job 4:6). While – in a broad sense – all illness can ultimately be traced to man’s sinful nature, it is wrong to assume that an individual’s loss of contact with reality is a direct consequence of his or her sin. Yet this is precisely what Job’s friends thought (Job 11:11-15). Though there are times when this may be the case, such a direct connection is rarely supported by the facts, at least so far as we humans can determine. Examine the emotional disorder that afflicted King Saul. Draw observations as to the progression of Saul’s mental illness, which in this case is apparently directly related to his rebellion against God. In the verses listed, identify the symptoms of Saul’s disorder.
