Lies Told By Men of God? #6: God’s Advice to Samuel
A similar case is a lie told by the prophet Samuel, again on God’s orders. When God sent Samuel to Bethlehem to anoint one of Jesse’s sons instead of Saul, who God has rejected, Samuel expresses his fear that Saul (an enemy within their ranks) might slay him. Because of his fear and reservations about going, God tells the prophet to adopt a deceptive plan. Again, 2 Samuel 22:27 reads:
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to the pure you show yourself pure, but to the devious you show yourself shrewd.New Living Translation
To the pure you show yourself pure, but to the crooked you show yourself shrewd. English Standard Version New American Standard Bible |
Paul would tell Christians in Ephesus, recorded in Ephesians 4:25, to speak the truth because they were members of one another. No evil intent is present with the hearer. They are members of one another. This does not give the license to lie to anyone. However, we might not be as open, clear, and sharing with those who do not share the same principles of truth.
So, God tells Samuel to “take a heifer with you, and say: ‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord’ ” (1 Sam. 16:2). As in the previous case, the real purpose of the act is concealed, but there is no direct, explicit lie, because a sacrifice will indeed be offered. It may be a secondary purpose, while the major purpose is hidden but it is a purpose and offering it as a reason is within the realm of truth (1 Sam. 16:1-5). If Saul was interested in the things of God, he would have been granted the clear and full purpose for the visit.