Introduction

Recap & Context

We’re] skipping C27 for now, because it’s part of the story we’ll look at next week. But the short version that’s important for now is that David decides that he’s had enough close calls with Saul, it’s time to try something different. So he takes all his men and all their families, and they move to Philistine territory and become friendly with the King of Gath—somehowow David convinced him that he had recovered from that mental breakdown he’d clearly been having when he showed up before!

That situation works out well enough for a while, until all five Philistine kings decide that they’ve also had enough of messing around with the Israelites—it’s time to make a statement. This time they’re going to muster every last one of their soldiers into one giant army and take the battle to Israel.

And this time, not in the hill country that the Israelites army knew so well, but in the plains, where the Philistines’ tactical superiority in chariots, armor, and weaponry will be most effective.

C28 takes us forward in the timeline, all the way to the night before the Philistines attack. And that’s where we pick up Saul’s side of the story, and get some insight into his…

Saul’s State of Mind

Big shocker… it’s not good, and for good reason! The author lays out three major factors that lead Saul to the place of desperation we find him in:

1. The Presence of the Philistines

When Saul saw the Philistine camp,
he was afraid and his heart pounded.

1 Samuel 28:5

Saul had fought the Philistines successfully before, pretty much his entire reign. What’s so different about this time?

2. The Absence of Samuel

By this time Samuel had died, all Israel had
mourned for him and buried him in Ramah, his city…

1 Samuel 28:3a

Samuel’s been dead for years at this point, and even before that, they weren’t on speaking terms. But early on, in the better years of his reign, Samuel was there to guide him in moments like this.

3. The Silence of God

He inquired of the Lord, but the Lord did not answer
him in dreams or by the Urim or by the prophets.

1 Samuel 28:6

The Urim was a means for the priests to receive guidance from God. So of course God wasn’t speaking to him that way anymore—
he slaughtered almost all the priests when he destroyed Nob.

So needless to say, Saul’s mental state is not good. He’s backed into a corner militarily, he’s lost spiritually. He’s desperate for some guidance, some answers.

We’ve all been in that place at one time or another, when it feels like the whole world is closing in on you.

Fear has dominated Saul’s life. But it makes sense, because fear is one of the defining characteristics of anyone living apart from God. You have every reason to fear!

At that time you were without Christ…
without hope and without God in the world.

Ephesians 2:12

Saul is going to serve as an example for us today… an example of what not to do when you’re desperate.

Saul then said to his servants, “Find me a woman who
is a medium, so I can go and consult her.”

His servants replied, “There is a woman
at En-dor who is a medium.”

1 Samuel 28:7

“Listen, if I can’t find an answer from heaven, let’s try hell.”

Alistair Begg

Saul & the Medium

There’s a few problems with this plan (other than the obvious!):

  1. The Philistine army is between them.
  2. So is the Israelite army!
  3. He had outlawed mediums.

The author told us that little tidbit back in verse 3…

Saul had removed the mediums
and spiritists from the land.

1 Samuel 28:3

…and now we find out why that’s relevant.

It’s sad because it reminds us of Saul’s better days, how far he’s fallen. He had done the right thing by removing those who practice such things from the kingdom… Now he’s going to have to break his own law in order to get what he wants.

Saul disguised himself by putting on different clothes and set out with two of his men. They came to the woman at night, and Saul said, “Consult a spirit for me. Bring up for me the one I tell you.”

1 Samuel 28:8

Darkness is appropriate for what’s going on here.

He’s got to wear a disguise, because nobody can know who he is. Not the Philistines, not his own soldiers, and not the woman either. So he takes off his kingly robes, most likely never put them back on again.

But the woman said to him, “You surely know what Saul has done, how he has cut off the mediums and spiritists from the land. Why are you setting a trap for me to get me killed?”

Then Saul swore to her by the Lord: “As surely as the Lord lives, no punishment will come to you from this.”

1 Samuel 28:9–10

The incongruity of swearing an oath by God’s name for this act of deep rebellion against Him seems to be lost on Saul.

“Who is it that you want me to bring up for you?” the woman asked.

“Bring up Samuel for me,” he answered.

When the woman saw Samuel, she screamed, and then she asked Saul, “Why did you deceive me? You are Saul!”

But the king said to her, “Don’t be afraid. What do you see?”

“I see a spirit form coming up out of the earth,” the woman answered.

Then Saul asked her, “What does he look like?”

“An old man is coming up,” she replied. “He’s wearing a robe.” Then Saul knew that it was Samuel, and he knelt low with his face to the ground and paid homage.

1 Samuel 28:11–15

The robe again. Samuel knew what it meant.

Uhh… what about mediums?

There’s a lot we don’t know about this passage, because the Bible doesn’t tell us. But it does tell us everything we need to know.

The plain things are the main things,
and the main things are the plain things.

Alistair Begg

What we do know is that God is clear about this: His people are to have no part in this kind of thing, then and now.

“When you enter the land the Lord your God is giving you, do not imitate the detestable customs of those nations. No one among you is to sacrifice his son or daughter in the fire, practice divination, tell fortunes, interpret omens, practice sorcery, cast spells, consult a medium or a spiritist, or inquire of the dead. Everyone who does these acts is detestable to the Lord, and the Lord your God is driving out the nations before you because of these detestable acts. You must be blameless before the Lord your God.

Deuteronomy 18:9–13

When you enter the land, “do not imitate the destable customs” And 1 Peter (among other places) tells us that we are a “holy nation, royal priesthood, a people for his own possession.” We’re already possessed by the Spirit, we don’t need anything more.

How does this work in real life?

We already know the most powerful Spirit, and He is enough for us—we don’t have a reason to look anywhere else.

Samuel’s Final Message

Then Saul knew that it was Samuel, and he knelt low
with his face to the ground and paid homage.

1 Samuel 28:14

How did it happen? Don’t know, but it happened.

If Saul was expecting a different message, he’s sorely dissappointed.

“Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?” Samuel asked Saul.

“I’m in serious trouble,” replied Saul. “The Philistines are fighting against me and God has turned away from me. He doesn’t answer me anymore, either through the prophets or in dreams. So I’ve called on you to tell me what I should do.”

Samuel answered, “Since the Lord has turned away from you and has become your enemy, why are you asking me? The Lord has done exactly what he said through me: The Lord has torn the kingship out of your hand and given it to your neighbor David. You did not obey the Lord and did not carry out his burning anger against Amalek; therefore the Lord has done this to you today. The Lord will also hand Israel over to the Philistines along with you. Tomorrow you and your sons will be with me, and the Lord will hand Israel’s army over to the Philistines.”

Immediately, Saul fell flat on the ground. He was terrified by Samuel’s words…

1 Samuel 28:15–20

Samuel’s kinda grumpy—apparently not a morning person!

  1. I’m God’s prophet—I only ever told you what He wanted me to. If he’s turned away from you, why would you think that I wouldn’t do the same? Why’d you call me, when your problem’s with Him?!
  2. God’s keeping his word.
  3. Here’s where you went wrong. You were to be God’s instrument of judgment on the Amelekites, but now the Philistines are going to be God’s instrument of judgment on you.
  4. See you tomorrow! (never what you
    want to hear from a ghost!)

He conjures up a prophet, and he gets one. Even from the grave, Samuel will not change his tune.

Bob Deffinbaugh

Samuel’s message is basically an
ancient version of “I told you so.”

What does the Father want to say to
his children at Third Baptist today?

B. All sin is rooted in the same heart problem.

Does the Lord take pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices
as much as in obeying the Lord?
Look: to obey is better than sacrifice,
to pay attention is better than the fat of rams.
For rebellion is like the sin of divination,
and defiance is like wickedness and idolatry.
Because you have rejected the word of the Lord,
he has rejected you as king.

1 Samuel 15:22–23

What we’re saying in that moment: “I have more knowledge about how my life should go than God does.”

We may never pray to Satan or visit a witch, but if we compromise in the small areas, we are setting in motion a pattern that will inevitably lead us to more and more compromise.

J.D. Greear, Exalting Christ in 1 & 2 Samuel
  1. All sin is rooted in the same heart problem.

2. God can see through your disguise.

But if you fail to keep your word, then you will have sinned against the Lord, and you may be sure that your sin will find you out.

Numbers 32:23, NLT

Perhaps the greatest hallmark of delusional thinking is the belief that turning to evil will somehow result in good.

Andy Burnham

At first it looks like Saul’s trying to talk to God and get advice from God. What appears to be happening may not be really happening. Just because you go to church doesn’t mean you worship God. Just because you bow your head in prayer does not mean you are praying. Just because you read the Bible does not mean you are listening to God.

  1. All sin is rooted in the same heart problem.
  2. God can see through your disguise.

3. It doesn’t have to end like this.

What if Saul had listened to Samuel that day?

Seek the Lord while he may be found;
call to him while he is near.
Let the wicked one abandon his way
and the sinful one his thoughts;
let him return to the Lord,
so he may have compassion on him,
and to our God, for he will freely forgive.

Isaiah 55:6–7

Saul wants to hear from God, he wants information from God, he wants a solution from God. He just doesn’t want God.

Saul vs Jesus

Saul’s Final Meal

Immediately, Saul fell flat on the ground. He was terrified by Samuel’s words and was also weak because he had not eaten anything all day and all night. The woman came over to Saul, and she saw that he was terrified and said to him, “Look, your servant has obeyed you. I took my life in my hands and did what you told me to do. Now please listen to your servant. Let me set some food in front of you. Eat and it will give you strength so you can go on your way.”

He refused, saying, “I won’t eat,” but when his servants and the woman urged him, he listened to them. He got up off the ground and sat on the bed.

The woman had a fattened calf at her house, and she quickly slaughtered it. She also took flour, kneaded it, and baked unleavened bread.

1 Samuel 28:20–24

Conclusion

Seek the Lord while he may be found;
call to him while he is near.
Let the wicked one abandon his way
and the sinful one his thoughts;
let him return to the Lord,
so he may have compassion on him,
and to our God, for he will freely forgive.

Isaiah 55:6–7

Saul had every opportunity to abandon his ways, to abandon his sinful thoughts and wicked ways… but he wasted every single chance he had. Don’t make the same mistake.

The table is where come to confess, to repent, to turn our hearts away from rebellion and toward the One who prepared this meal before us, invites us in.

See! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and
opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.

Revelation 3:20

That was written to believers, to a church.

Does that meal seem familiar?

We’re all Saul at one point or another, because any kind of “rebellion is like the sin of divination, and defiance is like wickedness and adultery.” We treat God’s word the same way we would a horoscope.

We’re all David, compromising for the sake of safety & comfort.

The question is, will our last supper be like Saul’s, or will it be like the disciples, at Jesus’ feet?