Sep 13, 2020. I Samuel 28

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MEDIUM MADNESS. I Samuel 28. 9/13/20. #79.

I Samuel 28 [New King James Version]

¹ Now it happened in those days that the Philistines gathered their armies together for war, to fight with Israel. And Achish said to David, “You assuredly know that you will go out with me to battle, you and your men.” ² So David said to Achish, “Surely you know what your servant can do.” And Achish said to David, “Therefore I will make you one of my chief guardians forever.” ³ Now Samuel had died, and all Israel had lamented for him and buried him in Ramah, in his own city. And Saul had put the mediums and the spiritists out of the land. ⁴ Then the Philistines gathered together, and came and encamped at Shunem. So Saul gathered all Israel together, and they encamped at Gilboa. ⁵ When Saul saw the army of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart trembled greatly. ⁶ And when Saul inquired of the Lord, the Lord did not answer him, either by dreams or by Urim or by the prophets. ⁷ Then Saul said to his servants, “Find me a woman who is a medium, that I may go to her and inquire of her.” And his servants said to him, “In fact, there is a woman who is a medium at En Dor.” ⁸ So Saul disguised himself and put on other clothes, and he went, and two men with him; and they came to the woman by night. And he said, “Please conduct a séance for me, and bring up for me the one I shall name to you.” ⁹ Then the woman said to him, “Look, you know what Saul has done, how he has cut off the mediums and the spiritists from the land. Why then do you lay a snare for my life, to cause me to die?” ¹⁰ And Saul swore to her by the Lord, saying, “As the Lord lives, no punishment shall come upon you for this thing.” ¹¹ Then the woman said, “Whom shall I bring up for you?” And he said, “Bring up Samuel for me.” ¹² When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out with a loud voice. And the woman spoke to Saul, saying, “Why have you deceived me? For you are Saul!” ¹³ And the king said to her, “Do not be afraid. What did you see?” And the woman said to Saul, “I saw a spirit ascending out of the earth.” ¹⁴ So he said to her, “What is his form?” And she said, “An old man is coming up, and he is covered with a mantle.” And Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and he stooped with his face to the ground and bowed down. ¹⁵ Now Samuel said to Saul, “Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?” And Saul answered, “I am deeply distressed; for the Philistines make war against me, and God has departed from me and does not answer me anymore, neither by prophets nor by dreams. Therefore I have called you, that you may reveal to me what I should do.” ¹⁶ Then Samuel said: “So why do you ask me, seeing the Lord has departed from you and has become your enemy? ¹⁷ And the Lord has done for Himself as He spoke by me. For the Lord has torn the kingdom out of your hand and given it to your neighbor, David. ¹⁸ Because you did not obey the voice of the Lord nor execute His fierce wrath upon Amalek, therefore the Lord has done this thing to you this day. ¹⁹ Moreover the Lord will also deliver Israel with you into the hand of the Philistines. And tomorrow you and your sons will be with me. The Lord will also deliver the army of Israel into the hand of the Philistines.” ²⁰ Immediately Saul fell full length on the ground, and was dreadfully afraid because of the words of Samuel. And there was no strength in him, for he had eaten no food all day or all night. ²¹ And the woman came to Saul and saw that he was severely troubled, and said to him, “Look, your maidservant has obeyed your voice, and I have put my life in my hands and heeded the words which you spoke to me. ²² Now therefore, please, heed also the voice of your maidservant, and let me set a piece of bread before you; and eat, that you may have strength when you go on your way.” ²³ But he refused and said, “I will not eat.” So his servants, together with the woman, urged him; and he heeded their voice. Then he arose from the ground and sat on the bed. ²⁴ Now the woman had a fatted calf in the house, and she hastened to kill it. And she took flour and kneaded it, and baked unleavened bread from it. ²⁵ So she brought it before Saul and his servants, and they ate. Then they rose and went away that night.

• Unrepentant to the end
  • God had given Saul many warnings:
    • After sacrificing in the place of Samuel
    • Specific instructions to Saul about Amalekites
    • Saving David from multiple attacks by Saul
  • Saul’s list of crimes were many:
    • Illicit sacrifice
    • Saving King Agag and taking the Amalekite livestock
    • His foolish vow
    • Killing the priests and their families (+ Gibeonites)
    • Seeking David’s life on multiple occasions
  • In all his sins and God’s judgment, Saul refused to repent
    • Samuel warned him twice
    • God sent a troubling spirit to torment Saul
    • David could have killed Saul twice
• Saul served medium rare
  • Saul had made sacrifices and killed witches and sorcerers, but he kept some alive just in case (like Jacob burying idols)
  • God turned his back on Saul, refusing to answer him
    • God no long answered using Umim and Thummim
    • Saul should not have been surprised by this
  • Saul shows his hypocrisy and disdain for God again
    • Since God will not answer him, he turns to the devil for answers by consulting a medium
    • He is told that a witch at En Dor still existed
      • They knew where she was, but spared her
      • The Law prescribed death for those who consulted spiritists (Leviticus 19:31; 20:27)
    • Saul disguises himself and seeks answers from med.
  • The medium is fearful, but Saul assures her, that she is safe
• Cave talk
  • Saul is facing a new battle against the Philistines
    • He needs to know what to do and the outcome
    • He asks the witch to bring up Paul from the dead
  • Normally, a deceiving spirit would take the form of the deceased person in order to give a false answer
  • The medium is shocked to see Samuel actually appear
    • She quickly recognizes that Saul has deceived her
    • God allowed Sam. to appear to deliver the message
  • Saul guarantees the medium that she will not be harmed
  • Samuel asks two questions: (1) “Why have you disturbed me? (2) “If God will not answer you, why do you come to me?”
    • God allows Samuel to speak his last prophecy
    • Saul should not have been surprised to be judged
  • Saul provides five nuggets of information:
    • Saul will be killed the next day (a debate as to the meaning of “be with me”—dead or in Paradise)
    • Since Saul didn’t destroy Amalek = God his enemy
    • Saul’s three sons would die with him
    • All of Israel will be given over to the Philistines
    • Saul’s kingdom would be given to another (David)
  • Saul ends up like all of God’s enemies
  • Saul is weak from fasting so the medium and servant feed him
  • Saul is distraught = shouldn’t have expected anything else