The Tucker Carlson Demon – Why Would an Evil Spirit Do God’s Will?

I was talking with my sister about this video where Tucker Carlson mentions being attacked by a demon, which somehow ended up being a good thing for him. So that led us to the big question: Why would an evil spirit something that turns out to be good? Did it even know it was good? Or could it have been a good spirit in disguise?

This whole line of thought reminded me of one of the Bible’s biggest head-scratchers: 1 Kings 22, where God permits an evil spirit to deceive King Ahab’s prophets. I brought up this passage to my sister, and we dove into some deep questions, which led to everything that follows in this blog.

Introduction

In 1 Kings 22, we find a story that stops you in your tracks. It’s the story of King Ahab, a ruler who’s drifted far from God, surrounding himself only with prophets who tell him what he wants to hear. By this point in his life, Ahab’s downfall is looming, and God has a plan to bring it about in a surprising way. The passage offers a rare glimpse into the divine council, where spirits, including an evil one, appear before God to discuss Ahab’s fate. Then, in a twist, an evil spirit steps up, volunteering to deceive Ahab’s prophets and lure him into a battle that will lead to his downfall.

This scene raises some deep questions: Why would God, who is holy and just, permit an evil spirit to operate in this way? Why would an evil spirit agree to do something that ultimately fulfills God’s purposes? And what does it mean for an evil spirit to even be in God’s presence? To unpack this, we need to consider themes like God’s sovereignty, human free will, and the nature of evil itself.

Setting the Scene: Ahab’s Relationship with God

To make sense of this story, we first need to understand Ahab’s situation. Ahab was king of Israel during a time of intense idolatry, much of it encouraged by his wife Jezebel. Ahab ignored prophets of the true God, surrounding himself instead with voices that simply affirmed his own desires. By 1 Kings 22, he’s lost in a self-made world of deceit and self-delusion, blind to God’s reality.

With this context in mind, it’s easier to understand why God might take drastic measures to reach Ahab. God allows this scene to play out with the divine council, where spirits, both good and evil, gather to present options. In this council, a range of spirits propose ideas, and when God asks for a way to entice Ahab into battle, an evil spirit volunteers to be a “lying spirit” in the mouths of Ahab’s prophets.

Why Would an Evil Spirit Work for God?

One of the biggest questions here is why an evil spirit would carry out God’s plan. Evil spirits are usually seen as opposing God, so the idea of one “helping” Him seems contradictory. But perhaps that’s exactly the point: evil spirits are ultimately self-serving. They crave chaos and deception. In offering to deceive Ahab’s prophets, the spirit isn’t motivated by loyalty to God but by its own nature, which delights in lies. It sees an opportunity to deceive and gladly takes it, probably not realizing that it’s being used to bring about a purpose larger than itself.

In this sense, the spirit’s motives remain evil. It’s not cooperating out of submission to God’s goodness but rather out of a desire to cause mischief. Yet, in a paradox that runs through the Bible, even acts intended for harm can serve God’s ultimate plan. This story underscores the biblical theme that God can use even evil intentions to bring about His will, often in ways that evil itself doesn’t fully comprehend.

The Sovereignty of God in the Midst of Chaos

This scene is also a reminder of God’s sovereignty over the spiritual world. The fact that this spirit appears in God’s council shows that all powers, even those opposed to Him, operate under His authority. While God does not endorse evil, He remains in control, able to redirect even malicious intentions toward His purposes. This scene isn’t suggesting that God creates evil, but rather that nothing—even an evil spirit—can operate outside His permission.

In Ahab’s case, God uses the spirit’s deception to accomplish something very specific: to expose Ahab’s blindness to truth. Ahab’s prophets, under the influence of this lying spirit, assure him of success in battle. Yet, if Ahab had truly wanted to hear from God, he could have consulted Micaiah, a prophet who spoke genuine words from God. But Ahab ignored Micaiah’s warnings, choosing the comforting lies of his false prophets instead. So, in a way, the deception only worked because Ahab allowed it to; his own choices led him to believe the lie.

The Role of Free Will in Divine Plans

A fascinating part of this story is the intersection of God’s sovereignty and human free will. While God allows the spirit’s deception, Ahab is not forced to listen to it. He still has a choice. Micaiah, a true prophet, warns him about the danger, even predicting that Ahab will die if he goes into battle. Despite this clear warning, Ahab chooses to believe the flattering lies of his own prophets. This is a pattern in Ahab’s life: repeatedly rejecting God’s truth in favor of his own desires. In allowing Ahab to follow his own path, God respects his free will while also using Ahab’s choices to bring about justice.

In the end, this story serves as a powerful reflection on the complexity of God’s interactions with both good and evil forces, as well as with human choices. It reminds us that while evil and deception exist in the world, God’s ultimate authority remains. Even when things appear chaotic, God is still working behind the scenes, often in ways that are beyond our full understanding.