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suggest that his mind was in some way inflamed and the music had therapeutic value. It may also be said that Scripture says that the evil spirit was from or of God from which we could gather that it was not exactly what we would call a demon or unclean spirit. In the Old Testament we have spirits such as the spirit of sleep referred to (Isaiah 29:10), so from this we can conclude that not all spirits are demons.

Then there was the case of Nebuchadnezzar. He lost his understanding until seven times had passed over him (probably seven years). After that he was restored. However, both in his case and in that of Saul the mental aberrations were brought on by their sins and were God's disciplinefor their behaviour. In the case of Saul it was his disobedience (1 Samuel 15:22/23) and in the case of Nebuchadnezzar it was his pride (Daniel 4:28-33). Madness as a judgement of God is spoken of in Deuteronomy 28:28/29, Isaiah 44:25 and Zachariah 12:4. Blindness it may be noted is allied with madness in the first and last quotation, no doubt because blindness can result in apparently mad behaviour. We may fall into a ditch (Matthew 15:14). Spiritual blindness can also result in mad behavour, so let us beware. Think of what happened at Jonestown and to the Waco sect.

What all this would teach us is that there are often moral issues behind mental problems. God should first of all be turned to in regard of them. However, in the case of Saul music therapy was of some use and we should not shut out the use of means which are placed within our reach and which may be helpful. In the case of Nebuchadnezzar it was the bathing with the dew of heaven which was efficacious in softening his hard, proud spirit (see Daniel 4:15 and Daniel 5:20/21). Similarly, in the case of physical illness, God should first of all be turned to, then medical help may be indicated (compare Isaiah 38:2/3 and 21).

We may not suffer such an intervention of God as Saul and Nebuchadnezzar did, but if we do not look after our bodies we may suffer in them, that is, if we over work them or abuse them by drinking or eating to excess. Similarly our minds need rest and they can also be affected by such things as alcohol and drug abuse. The terrible disease of AIDS affects not only the body but also the mind. God instituted the idea of the six day working week with a sabbath day of rest. Though we may not be legally bound to keep the sabbath (we are not under the Mosaic law) the need for one rest day a week should not be ignored if we want to remain fit and healthy in both body and mind. Christ did not overlook the need for rest when he said to his disciples: "Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place and rest a little" (Mark 6:31).

Apart from actual cases of madness in Scripture there are cases where persons were thought to be mad when in fact they were quite sane. Rhoda was thought to be mad when Peter was at the entry (Acts 12:13-17). Paul was thought to be mad by Festus (Acts 26:24-26) and Christ Himself was said to be raving by some at the feast in John 10:20, so we are in good company if the world by its standards of sanity thinks we are mad when in fact we are not. However, Paul warns the Corinthians that they were in danger of being thought mad if they all spoke in tongues (1 Corinthians 14:23).

There is additionally mad behaviour which is not due to a mental defect but to the foolishness of man. The book of Ecclesiastes makes more mention of this kind of madness than any other book in the Bible. Wisdom would save us from it (Proverbs 9:1-6).

As Christians we should be marked by a sound mind (A quiet, sound, or sober mind - JND note to 2 Timothy 1:7). We may however find as we get older that both our mental and bodily strength begins to fail, but whatever may happen to our minds we should as Christians expect that our inward man will be renewed day by day (2 Corinthians 4:16). See also Psalm 7.

November 2000

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