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all right you can turn in your Bibles to 1st Samuel chap 28 1st Samuel chapter 28 it's going to take another week or two before we get to the Book of Numbers but that is the plan to get back to our study in the pentat we finished the Book of Leviticus a couple of months ago and then before diving into numbers we did some various various things with the idea that we'd return to numbers in the fall it's going to take a bit of time in terms of background and introductory stuff so usually after we have taken a break from our Wednesday night Bible study I usually give some sort of a message on the necessity of Bible study and often times it's come from 2 Timothy chapter 3 where Paul commends scripture it's God breathed it's profitable for Doctrine for reproof for correction and for instruction in righteousness tonight the importance of Bible study highlighted in the sad and sinful case of King Saul so basically Saul was cut off and as a result cut off by God and as a result there was no word from God for him and it's a very dangerous situation he obviously made many uh sins and acts of rebellion to get to this particular point but I thought it would be instructive as way as by way of reminder for all of us on the necessity of communion with God and diligence in studying the word of God so I'll read 1 Samuel chap 28 try to put it in its context and then look specifically at Saul's uh consultation with this witch from Endor so beginning in chapter 28 at verse 1 now it happened in those days that the Philistines gathered their armies together for war to fight with Israel and aish akish said to David you assuredly know that you will go out with me to battle you and your men so David said to akish surely you know what your servant can do and akish said said to David therefore I will make you one of my chief Guardians forever now Samuel had died and all Israel had lamented for him and buried him in Rama in his own City and Saul had put the me mediums and the spiritists out of the land then the Philistines gathered together and came and encamped at shunan so Saul gathered all Israel together and they encamped at gilboa when Saul saw the army of the Philistines he was afraid and his heart trembled greatly and when Saul inquired of the Lord the Lord did not answer him either by dreams or by urum or by the prophets 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 servant said to him in fact there is a woman who is a medium at Endor 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 seance for me and bring up for me the one I shall name to you 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 and Saul swore to her by the Lord saying as the Lord lives no punishment shall come upon you for this thing then the woman said whom shall I bring up for you and he said bring up Samuel for me 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 and the King said to Hero not be afraid what did you see and the woman said to Saul I saw a spirit ascending out of the earth so he said to her what is his form and he 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 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 sh should do then Samuel said so why do you ask me seeing the Lord has departed from you and has become your enemy and the Lord has done for himself as he spoke by me for the Lord has torn the the kingdom out of your hand and given it to your neighbor David because you did not obey the voice of the Lord nor execute his Fierce wrath upon amalec therefore the Lord has done this thing to you this day 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 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 and the woman came to Saul and saw that he was severely troubled and said to him look your maid servant has obeyed your voice or your maid servant has obeyed your voice and I put my life in my hands and heeded The Words which you spoke to me now therefore please heed also the voice of your maid servant and let me set a piece of bread before you and eat that you may have strength when you go on your way 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 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 so she brought it before Saul and his servants and they ate then they arose or then they Rose and went away that night amen well it's an intriguing chapter and certainly everybody wonders if that's really Samuel there's various opinions concerning the uh Apparition that was brought up by this witch at Endor we'll get to that toward the end of the the lesson tonight but basically in the larger context beginning in chapter 16 at verse one all the way to the end of 1 Samuel it's basically the story of Saul and David you see contrasts along the way you see the righteousness of David not Perfection of David but righteousness of David and the unrighteousness of Saul and Saul's unrighteousness begins back in 1st Samuel 13 he was given very clear instruction by Samuel to wait for him he did not wait for him but rather he sacrificed and though he said it was uh his intentions were right it was nevertheless an infraction it was a transgression God had said wait through Samuel the prophet he did not wait and it was in that context that God had promise that he was going to take the kingdom away from Saul notice in 13:14 he says but now your kingdom shall not continue the Lord has sought for himself a man after his own heart and the Lord has commanded him to be Commander over his people because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you we see this error this sin this Rebellion replicated in chapter 15 Saul is tasked with killing AAG and the amalekites eliminating them decimating them completely so they go into combat instead of decimating the king and decimating all of the various uh persons and the livestock he rather takes the the livestock brings it back and then basically tries to tell Samuel or convince Samuel that he'd accomplished the task well of course he had not accomplished the task and it's in this context again that we see the reiteration of God cutting off Saul notice specifically in 1st Samuel 15 at: 22 has the Lord as great Delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the Lord behold to obey is better than sacrifice and to heed than the fat of Rams for Rebellion is as the sin of Witchcraft so interestingly it begins with this act of rebellion here and in Chapter 13 and ends in full-blown witchcraft in chapter 28 so we see the downfall of Saul very clearly relative to the word of God he's disobedient he transgresses he lacks Conformity to God's revealed will so Rebellion is as the sin of Witchcraft and stubborn Ness is as iniquity and idolatry because you have rejected the word of the Lord he is also or he also has rejected you from being King and then there is that statement following verse 28 Samuel said to him the Lord has torn the Kingdom of Israel from you today and has given it to a neighbor of yours who is better than you and thus We Begin the David narrative in 1st Samuel chapter 16 it's where David is identified God doesn't look at men the way that men does God rather looks at the heart David is set aside to be the king to be the successor of King Saul so going back to chapter 28 there is a word we ought to make concerning uh uh uh chronology so basically the chronology of chapters 27-31 271 to 282 is actually followed by 29 to 30 now again I think it's a back and forth contrast between what you have in David and what you have in Saul so when we finish chapter 28 at verse 30 or at verse 25 that part of the story is picked up in chapter 31 so there's a bit of an interlude a bit of an inter a mission before we get back to what happens to Saul dying on the field of battle again I think there is this contrast being set up by the author to show The Obedience and the righteousness of David and how he navigates out of a particular dma or how God does navigate him out of a particular dilemma and how God basically leaves Saul to his own devices so chapter 28 is a parenthesis as the writer leaves us in suspense concerning David's Dilemma which he will not deal with until chapter 29 now note in verses 1 and 2 in chapter 28 this is David's Dilemma he had sought solace in Philistine territory because Saul is trying to murder him Saul is trying to to kill him Saul is hunting him like a dog and so David Goes to be with the Philistines well of course David is a mighty warrior a battle uh proven Soldier so the Philistines enlist him and employ him and they go on several raids and they are victorious but the Dilemma comes here in 281 now it happened in those days that the Philistines gathered their armies together for war to fight with Israel well certainly David doesn't want to have to fight against Israel he's not to keen on Saul at this particular point and Saul's desire to eliminate David but nevertheless he doesn't want to go against his country and to fight with Israel so there is a genuine dilemma here for David it will be resolved in chapter 29 the Lords of the Philistines are not happy with Aisha's decision and so basically they exclude David from any further campaign so it's the Philistines minus David that face Saul and his sons and the armies of Israel on the field the battle in chapter 31 so that's just kind of the context and where we're at with reference to this particular instance of Saul's sinful Rebellion against God so we'll look first at the occasion of Saul's decision in verses 3-6 secondly the nature of Saul's request in verses 7 to4 and then finally the consultation with Saul's medium or which in verses 15 to 25 so notice first the death of Samuel now Samuel had died previously it's recorded in chap 25 at verse 1 but it's necessary information for understanding chapter 28 both in the absence of the prophetic word for Saul and in whatever it is that appears to to to the witch with reference to this Apparition so there is this reminder in verse three that Samuel had died and all Israel had lamented for him and buried him in Rama in his own City and Saul had put the mediums and the spirit IR ists out of the land now the law of God required capital punishment the death penalty for spiritists and for mediums do not uh allow a witch to live do not permit a witch to live any contact with spiritists uh spiritists or necromancers those who communicated with the dead was very much forbidden by God you see it in Deuteronomy 18 you see it in Leviticus 19 you see it in Leviticus 20 one commentator David samura says the very need for such prohibitions is an indication that the problem of necromancy and of religious practices related to the dead was widespread in ancient Canaan so again God forbids it in Deuteronomy 18 and I think it's important for us to understand he doesn't forbid it because it doesn't work he forbids it because it's wicked Davis says we must remember that scripture describ such practices not as futile but as Pagan Yahweh forbids Israel to use these means not because they do not work but because they are wicked and so something happens here in 1 Samuel 28 I'm of the of the opinion that it wasn't actually Samuel but she did see something and again we'll deal with those options toward the conclusion of the lesson tonight so Saul has uh we're reminded that Saul had put these mediums and spiritists out of the land now as we move on we'll notice that this does not prevent Saul from invoking spiritists and medium when he needs a word from on high now the Philistines had gathered together with the specific intention to engage in combat with Israel so Saul this is the night before I believe that's what the text is teaching us this is the night or the eve before they meet the Philistines in chapter 31 for the battle that will ensue so Saul not you know completely to his discredit wants something outside of himself in order to get some Assurance before he goes into battle it's kind of like the judge baric and the prophetes Deborah A lot of people see it as Bar's weakness when he wants the woman Deborah to to go with him into battle it wasn't weakness it was strength Pro Deborah was a prophetes and baric wanted that word of God before he goes into battle against the enemies of the Lord and so and on the one hand Saul is doing a a right thing but he's doing it in a very wrong manner now notice in Verses 4 to 5 the ver uh the Philistine threat then the Philistines gathered together and came and encamped at shuna so Saul gathered all all Israel together and they encamped at gilboa when Saul saw the army of the Philistines he was afraid and his heart trembled greatly if you turn back for just a moment to 1st Samuel chter 17 we'll see that this is not a unique situation in the life of of King Saul I'm not suggesting that every military commander has to have nerves of Steel but that the author or the narrator tells us that indicates that there's something wrong in Saul's heart when we have that instance of the the the champion Goliath in the valley of alah we know that the champion comes out to taunt the armies of the Living God and we see Saul's response specifically in chapter 17 at verse 11 when Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine they were dismayed and greatly afraid now David again is a contrast here in chapter 17 when David hears about the threat posed by this Philistine giant he says who is this uncircumcised giant or this uncircumcised man taunting the armies of the Living God David's like let me at him and then David says I don't need all this armor I just need five five smooth stones and I need my sling here's a man that walked with God he knew the presence of God and therefore he did not fear the Philistine threat so back to chapter 28 we see that Saul again is operating from a place of fear and so these references are very important when you look at the at the map you can see the movements of troops Philistines into a particular area Israelites into another area and you'll see as well why Saul had to disguise himself that was to hide himself from the from the the witch but as well going in the cover of night the the the narrative when it picks up with Saul it's from night to night he goes because he would have been detected by the the the the Philistines probably would have been not gunned down but speared down or arrowed down or whatever they would have done to get him down and so the Philistines are the threat and Saul does recoil In Fear And so that fear evokes from him this desire again from something external to himself such that he can get some reassurance before he faces the Philistines in battle the the the similar instance uh in uh First Kings 22 with Ahab when he wants to go into battle and he wants to take uh um I can't the the name is escaping me jeos Jehoshaphat that's right and so Jehoshaphat wisely says is there a Prophet here who can give us some guidance and basically Ahab says yeah they all basically tell me what I want to know and want to hear but there is this one pesky prophet he doesn't always tell me what I want to hear and that was Mya so of course Ahab Jehoshaphat presses they hear from Mika Mika says yeah sure going to battle he was being ironic you're going to die in battle Ahab um so what we have here is this right desire but a wrong way to fulfill it so notice the particular inquiry that Saul makes of his men verse six and when Saul inquired of the Lord the Lord did not answer him either by dreams or by urum or by the prophets so this idea of Dreams direct Revelation from God urum would have been the priests they were responsible to interpret those stones with reference to the to the mind of God or by the prophets and this is the contrast with David again David's not a perfect man when you read through 1 and 2 Samuel you don't come away saying wow David is without blemish but David is a righteous man he is a faithful man he has access to the prophetic word he has access to the priesthood so Saul has been cut off so Saul inquires of the Lord the Lord does not answer him either by dreams or by urum or by the prophets so with reference to this he's in a bad State he understands this he knows this he knows the Philistines are are ready for battle and he has this fear about facing them so that then brings us to the nature of Saul's request in verses 7 to4 he first speaks to the servants and then he speaks to the medium notice the servants in verses 7 and 8 there is this request for a medium verse 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 Davis again says yahweh's silence did not silence Saul's Terror hence he wrongly turned to what he had rightly prohibited he asked his men to locate a woman skilled in necromancy perhaps a word from the dead would help him Face Tomorrow that underscores or illustrates or shows us that there is this innate desire built into us by God where we want a word from outside of ourselves where we want something or some contact or access some some direction or guidance and as the people of God we have the word of God and we're told to trust in the Lord with all our hearts to lean not on our own understanding but in all our ways to acknowledge Him trusting that he'll direct our paths again I think that Saul underscores here the the futility of trying to meet a particular need in a way that is condemned by God and by implication we want to meet that particular need in a way commended by God seek him out in his word seek to be faithful if you sin then confess it forsake it you'll find Mercy there is forgiveness with thee that thou mayest be feared Saul did not have that relationship with the Living God so in 1st Samuel 13 1st Samuel 15 we see him constantly disobeying and rebelling against the Lord all the while trying trying to plead his own innocence trying to plead the the the victim card in 1st Samuel 15 he blames the people it was the people that wanted to spare egg it was the people that wanted to spare the livestock it was the people that wanted to take the booty he's always trying to pass the bck Brethren that's not the way for the people of God to live we to be humble or to be contrite we to be those who tremble at the word of God and when we sin we have an advocate with the father even Jesus Christ the righteous trying to cover sin trying to hide our sin trying to blame others for our sin is not a good tactic that's one of the things again by way of contrast that you see in 2 Samuel 11:12 David did hide his sin I'm not going to lie to you David hid his sin with bath Sheba and then tried to cover it up with the murder of Uriah so there was a time period where David did hide it he speaks of it in the Psalms he says when I kept silent about my sin my my my bones achd there was a there was an effect upon his person but when the prophet Nathan rebukes him tells him that parable about the man who had the ulam and the other rich man who basically took it and barbecued it you see that David says uh uh he's outraged by that Nathan says Thou Art the man convinces him of his sin and then David just simply says I have sinned against the Lord he doesn't shift the blame he doesn't pass the bach he doesn't say well the problem's all about Sheba she shouldn't have been bathing naked on a roof that night he doesn't blame his upbring bringing he rather accepts responsibility and in a very short but a very pointed confession simply says I have sinned against the Lord Brethren be a David versus a Saul don't Harden your heart against the word of the living and true God rather if you are in sin repent forsake and you will find Mercy that's the promise of Proverbs 28:13 it's the promise of 1 John 1 if we confess our sins he's faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness trying to evade the reality of our sin trying to cover or hide our sin puts us back with Adam and Eve in the garden making those cloths to cover ourselves hiding amongst the trees and actually suspecting that God doesn't know God knows all that we have done all that we've uh uh uh engaged in against him so the pathetic or sad case of Saul he knows he needs some guidance he knows he needs Direction but he's going about it in the absolutely contrary way notice as well that the servants knew exactly where to find one it's kind of intriguing isn't it as a matter of fact yeah there there is a woman who is a medium at Endor it's kind of an interesting side note how'd you guys know weren't they supposed to be you know D well she was put out of the land but but they happen to know where she was outside of the land of Israel we won't wonder why or how that was but but but nevertheless he then goes on to meet the medium in verse 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 notice there in verse 8 by night and at the end of verse 25 then they arose and went away that night again for him to skirt the Philistines he would need the cover of Darkness for him to not be found out by the Philistines he basically needed to go around them a little bit and he as well disguises himself because this witch at Endor as we see in the narrative understood all too well what the plan and policy was in Israel relative to persons of her sort and class she understood that the the the the nation of Israel had a firm policy against practicing witchcraft in Israel so he goes to that particular medium and that cover of night as well evokes something or at least should suggest something that you see in the prophet Isaiah in Isaiah 8 : 19 to 22 when they say to you seek those who are mediums and wizards who whisper and mutter should not a people seek their God should they seek the dead on behalf of the living to the law and to the testimony if they do not speak according to this word it is because there is no light in them they will pass through it hardpressed and hungry and it shall happen when they are hungry that they will be enraged and curse their King and their God and look look upward then they will look to the Earth and see trouble and darkness Gloom of Anguish and they will be driven into darkness again verse 8 verse 25 brackets by at night for the Strategic purpose to evade the Philistine armies but for from an ethical sort of standpoint similar to what John the the the Apostle does in the in the Gospel of John Darkness at times represents sin it represents Rebellion it represents evil it is the contrast with white it is that which which is the absence of light and the presence of wickedness so there's a lot going on here so then notice the spec or vano before I move on the commentator says this is the same sort of Gloom and darkness found in 1st Samuel 28 this is his his comment on F on Isaiah 8 it is the darkness of the absence of God it is the darkness of the absence of God I think that's a very perceptive comment and I think that should cause us to reflect as we move through this now note then the Quest put to the medium we see first of all her fear of consequences so he presents his ask the end of verse 8 please conduct the Seance for me and bring up for me the one I shall name to you that a sitting king in Israel who had had who had participated in putting out such people from the kingdom is nevertheless now reduced to this point where he's seeking her out under the cover of Darkness having disguised himself shows how far this man had Fallen he had been cut off the kingdom had been stripped from him there is no remedy at this particular point then the woman says to him look you know what Saul has done how he has cut off the mediums and the spiritist from the land why then do you lay a snare for my my life to cause me to die and then Saul gives her Assurance but first he blasphemes notice in verse 10 Saul swore to her by the Lord by Yahweh of Israel saying as Yahweh lives no punishment shall come upon you for this thing the degradation that sin promotes is pretty rapid and it's pretty whole this man is in a bad condition it starts with good intention in 1st Samuel 13 I I didn't think you were going to make it back in time so I I took it unto myself to go ahead and sacrifice to the Lord 1 Samuel 15 why why would we engage in a policy of extermination or genocide we we'll let egag live we'll let some of the people live we we'll Co-op their goods their livestock their things surely my my intentions are right no your intentions aren't right well it was it was their fault so so you see sin typically doesn't just die and go away sin usually is compounded we build on it you see it in David as well when David sins with ba Sheba he he doesn't come clean he doesn't confess his sin to God he doesn't sayl forgive me for engaging in that wretchedness he compounds it further by enlisting Uriah to come back to try to get him you know to lay with his wife get him drunk to lay with his wife all of these things are futile they're vain because Uriah is an upright man but David compounds sin this is the problem with sin we think that we can just deal with it a little bit and then it'll be okay no that's not the way it works and I think Saul is a textbook illustration of that with reference to the blasphemy vanoi again says Saul blasphemously used the name of the Lord to guarantee the woman that she could violate the law of the Lord with impunity as the Lord lives go ahead and break the Lord's word as the Lord lives go ahead and sin against the Lord Davis says the reader must not miss the irony Saul swears The Oath by Yahweh by yahweh's life as he seeks help from a source that Yahweh has condemned it's degradation it is sinful plunge and then notice he gives this assurance to the woman at the end of verse 10 no punishment shall come upon you for this thing then notice the specific request in verse 11 he's mentioned that he wants a seance he wants her to bring up the one that he names to her so that brings us to verse 11 then the woman said to to uh then the woman said whom shall I bring up for you and he said bring up Samuel for me again he wants the word of the Lord the prophet dies according to chapter 25 and verse one Saul has inquired of the Lord but there's no message from the Lord neither by Dream by urum or by uh uh uh uh the uh the prophet and so he wants the prophet bring the prophet up I I'd like to hear whether I'm going to be successful going into battle or not so the woman asks for specifics the King asks to speak with Samuel and then note what happens with reference to verse 12 when the woman saw Samuel she cried out with a loud voice which indicates to some that she was startled which may indicate to some that she could have been a fake she could have been a fraud I don't think that every corner house that says you know crystal ball reader has probably got a Divine line I think there's probably a lot of fakes out there the fact that she's startled indicates that maybe she's you know just at this for a bit of bit of pocket change but she is startled 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 she knew at this point whether he was disguised or not whether it was nighttime or not she understood all too well what was going on at this particular Point Saul wants to speak to Samuel the fact that she is startled May indicate that her Services as a medium up to this point had been a fake now she really sees something and she's convinced not necessarily of Samuel's identity but of Saul's identity she knows all too well and you can understand why she's startled if she's a fake the fact that she's actually brought up an apparition but the fact that she's brought up an apparition indicates that she could die for her Venture Maybe this is entrapment maybe he's working for the FBI maybe he's a CIA agent maybe he's the Mad maybe she's going to go to jail for her services rendered so that she's startled that she's upset is probably pretty legitimate in her condition notice then in verses 13 and 14 the king well before we get to verse 13 I think it was uh uh Davis that points out note the lack of detail concerning any ritual the lack of Det detail concerning any ritual doesn't say she took the eye of N and threw it into her big cauldron and sort of stirred it about and lit some candles and put up a pentagram and you know pronounced the magic words and and ponied up The Apparition and I think why he points that out is to discourage the reader from going thou and doing likewise if you ever get into a bit of a bind and you're not hearing from the lord well just take Saul's approach find yourself a nice witch duplicate her particular ritual and you'll get every lesson you've ever wanted I think the Bible is very specific in these matters the the fact that it is but not how to get it the fact that it's there but you shouldn't pursue it the fact that it's a reality but we want to make sure that you don't follow likewise so the fact that she saw a spirit and it was covered with a mantle and then the conclusion of Saul so verse 13 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 so he said to her what what is his form she said an old man is coming up and he is covered with a mantle that's what the prophet would wear and so of course Saul concludes in verse 14 Saul perceived that it was Samuel and he stooped with his face to the ground and bowed down now for those of you who've heard me say there's several options in terms of whether this was Samuel or not you're going to look at the text and say but the says it's Samuel but I think there's some compelling reasons to believe it wasn't Samuel specifically it wasn't Samuel it was a demonic Spirit sent for a particular reason so at any rate we see this particular situation and now we have this consultation with Saul's medium so basically we have now Saul and this Apparition in verses 15 to 25 now Samuel said to Saul why have you disturbed Me by bringing me up 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 now he acknowledges and confesses what we already know 1st Samuel 13 1 Samuel 15 the choice of David in 1 CH Samuel chapter 16 the last several chapters where Saul's trying to destroy David David is on the Run David is obviously God's man so he acknowledges and confesses that 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 so acknowledges the problem but it's in response not to the real solution what should be his bigger concern that God has Departed from me not the presence of the Philistines the presence of the Philistines indicates that Saul is using religion or using the Nether world simply for his own gain for his own needs people do this right I I prayed or I tried to pray or I prayed and then this particular thing happened it's as if God is simply a genie to answer their wishes God is simply a benevolent a benefactor to give them whatever it is they're after you see examples of this all through scripture you you see examples of this probably in your own life I know I've had it in my own life where we look at God as a means to an end rather than God being the end himself so the information that Saul is seeking indicates that he doesn't want God he doesn't want restoration of relationship he doesn't want communion with the Living God he just wants God to get him out of a difficult situation wherein the Philistines are going to launch an attack upon the the nation of Israel and again and you know better times and other Seasons That's not necessarily a bad thing if you're a general going into battle Yeah pray keep your powder dry and pray definitely seek the face of God Almighty but again I think the author is showing us something here he only wants God or he only wants external help he only wants Divine Aid in so far as it saves his own bacon and this is a problem Davis again says if anything Saul's Quest should have been to face Yahweh not to seek Samuel his need was not for information but communion not so much to prepare for battle but to recover God's presence Saul it seems wanted the results of God's favor more than he wanted God's favor it's a very subtle but a very real distinction do we want God's favor or or uh he wants the results of God's favor more than he wanted God's favor again subtle but it's a a distinction there so it's not just results that we're after it's God it's communion with Father Son and Holy Spirit it's comfortable dependence Upon Our Triune God it is walking with him it is leaning on him it is relying on his word it is going to his word it is seeking to maintain open lines of communication through prayer and the reception of God's word Saul again is a wonderful textbook illustration of everything forfeit by a man who's engaged in Disobedience and plung plunges headlong down in sin so then notice the response that we find in verses 16 to 19 first the fact of God's departure verse 16 then Samuel said so why do you ask me seeing the Lord has departed from you and has become your enemy it's a terrifying passage right there remember Paul's words in Romans chapter 8 if God is for us who can be against us this is the contrary application of this if God is against us who could possibly be for us if the Lord God most high has departed from you you are his enemy effectively and if you think that language is Harsh or strong or a little bit too much over the top read James 4 sometime adulterers adulteresses do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God the Lord opposes the proud but he gives grace to the humble and so he is arrogated to himself or put himself in this position where he is now not the friend of God and I don't ever think he was saved and lost his salvation but he had in terms of office and function a measure of the spirit to enable him to administer the kingdom that's gone God is no longer on his side God is his enemy so this Apparition this Samuel does affirm that notice secondly the Fulfillment of God's word verse 17 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 I bet Saul didn't like that phrase your neighbor David in 1 Samuel 15 he says somebody better than you so God is not hiding his disapproval of Saul God is affirming his disapproval of Saul this is fulfillment of scripture notice the reason for God's action according to verse 18 because you did not obey the voice of the Lord nor execute his Fierce wrath upon amalec therefore the Lord has done this thing to you this day it's another thing that seems to escape the minds of Sinners when God promises that you're going to be judged you're going to be judged what does he think he can turn back the clock does he think that this spiritist or this medium or this which bringing up this Apparition is going to blot out the very wrath and fury and judgment and righteousness of God almighty this is the Fulfillment of all that had preceded everything predicated of Saul is because of his uh Disobedience to God and then the Judgment of God upon Saul is threatened specifically in verse 19 moreover the Lord will also deliver Israel with you into the hand of the Philistines and tomorrow this is why I said it's the eve of chapter 31 1 so chapter 29 and 30 returns to David and then chapter 31 returns to Saul so that's kind of the way the chronology flows here so on the night before the battle Saul seeks out this information so 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 so basically you're going to be decimated Saul you and your sons are going to die on the field of battle and as a result of your failed leadership and your rejection and Rebellion against the living and true God the very armies of Israel are going to fall as a result think about Jonathan Jonathan was the air parent to the king uh to the king Kingdom he was the the successor of Saul well according to 1st Samuel 13-5 when Saul sins what does he do he sacrifices or gives up a dynasty Jonathan and David remain great friends but Saul Bas or Jonathan was basically jipped out of the Kingdom by a Godless father that didn't listen to the word didn't obey the word didn't do what God Said and then the aftermath it's intriguing we see verse 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 and basically we have the S suggestion by the witch in verses 21 and 22 and then the compliance by Saul in verses 23 to 25 but a very sad tale of very sinful man and one that I think stands on the pages of scripture to contrast with David who is a righteous and faithful man but to serve as an admonition and a warning the Apostle Paul tells us these things were written for our admonition upon whom the end of the ages has come other words we're supposed to learn from passages like these in 1st Samuel 13 you're supposed to get from that I should always listen to the word of God even if my intentions suggest otherwise 1st Samuel 15 I should always listen to the word of God even if my desires suggest otherwise and I should always accept responsibility for my actions in trying to BL instead of trying to blame shift to the people that that made me the very king of Israel spare the livestock we need to follow the examples that we have in the Bible both the positive and the negative and Saul is a negative one in Spades well in conclusion just a couple of things first the appearance of Samuel and in my notes I have quotes first some suggest the medium engaged in deception and told Saul what he already expected to hear there was no Apparition there was no real activity she knew what Saul wanted to hear so she basically played into his hand but Perkins makes the point neither could this be a bare illusion for he plainly foretold Saul's destruction which an ignorant woman could not know right there's a pretty sure word there in verse 19 concerning Saul concerning his sons and concerning the armies of Israel I mean that would have been a great guess on the part of this particular woman so the thought that there was nothing at all that happened and that the woman just con concocted the entire story is probably not the way it goes now the second option is that the medium really made contact with the Departed spirit Spirit of Samuel the text reads that way not going to lie to you verse 15 speaks of samuel: 16 to 19 as a rehearsal of what Samuel had already told Saul however God refused to speak to Saul which we see over and over again why in the world would God speak to Saul in a way that God forbid why would God do something contradictory in that way God says no not going to talk to Saul but I'm going to give him this one last lesson I'm G to give him this one last message and I'm GNA do it through a particularly nasty thing that I've banished from the land that doesn't seem logical the third option this is the one where I saw it and Brethren if you differ that's okay good men disagree on this particular interpretation the activity was produced by a demonic spirit that surprised and manipulated the media so again the idea that God would use something he condemned to speak to Saul is unlikely that if he's not going to speak by D by urum or by Prophet then why is he going to speak through media if the absence of God is on Full display here it would be odd that God is you know the one speaking to him the statement of Samuel concerning Saul and his sons in verse 19 look at what the text says 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 I don't think Saul and his sons went to heaven so Samuel's in heaven right Jonathan went to heaven so so note the text tomorrow you Saul and your sons will be with me so Saul and his Godless sons are going to heaven hell not where Samuel resides when Jonathan dies he goes to heaven where Samuel does reside listen to Matthew Henry as I said good men disagree I'm going to lean on a couple of good men who I agree with the Spectre or Apparition pers uh personating Samuel asks why he is sent for 1st Samuel 28:15 to us this discovers that it was an evil spirit that personated Samuel for it is not in the power of witches to disturb the rest of good men and to bring them back into the world when they please nor would the true Samuel have acknowledged such a power in magical Arts but to Saul this was a proper device of Satan's to draw veneration from him to possess him with an opinion of the power of divination and so to rivet in the devil's interests it is cold comfort which this evil spirit in Samuel's mantle gives to Saul and is manifestly intended to drive him to Despair and self murder had it been the true Samuel when Saul desired to be told what he should do he would have told him to repent and make his peace with God right that that's what we would expect we we would expect the true Samuel to do that and recall David from his banishment and would then have told him that he might hope in this way to find Mercy with God but instead of that he represents his case as helpless and hopeless serving him as he did Judas to whom he was first a tempter and then a Tormentor persuading him first to sell his master and then to hang himself Perkins a lot briefer says it remaineth then that this Samuel was a mere illusion of Satan again good men disagree and differ I think that seems to be the one that I makes the most sense out of the narrative but again the overarching theme is the absence of God the absence of God in the case of Saul it's easy to see we just did a quick thumbnail sketch if we went through 1st Samuel 13 and follow and and remember Saul started well right he was God's choice Head and Shoulders above every other man he was selected by God appointed by Samuel for that particular task he was killing ammonites by during till the heat of the day I mean he had victory at J bash Gilead he he really did present himself initially very well but it's not the initial presentation of oneself very well well it's the perseverance to the very end and that's precisely what he didn't have when it comes to 1st Samuel 13 1 Samuel 15 for him it was better to cut corners for him it was better to take into his own heart those things which he wanted to do so the absence of God in the life of Saul I would suggest that as Christians we need to make sure that we are not like Saul we need to make sure that we are in the spirit of Proverbs 3 and in the spirit of 2 Timothy chap 3 leaning on the word of God this is probably a better message for the beginning of Summer make sure you read your Bibles during the summer time but I think it's a good fall message a good spring message a good summer message a good year round message close communion with God dependence upon God being that man of Psalm 1 being that man of Psalm 119 trying to not be this man in 1 Samuel 28 and it shows as well the lengths to which Sinners will go if you don't get what you want in a particular area you're going to busy yourself trying to find that which is ultimately going to satisfy sounds like a lot of work it's better just to do what God calls us to do and to be faithful to him just be persevering seek to be in his presence through his word and through prayer the professing Christian must not ever turn to the occult in order to seek guidance we are inundated in our culture with demonism and godlessness and wretchedness and some would probably take you know exception well no no that was you know Antiquated and barbaric we're we're far beyond that now I would suggest we're not I would suggest that Ephesians 6:12 remains a reality we don't wrestle against flesh and blood but against principalities and Powers 1 Peter 5 the Devil roams about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour I don't think Peter would say well except in the 21st century except in North America except in Canada there's not demonism there's no competing theories out there there's no sort of competing uh efforts to to get you to follow them instead of the living and true God the people of God need to resist and reject those things and again I'll quote Davis we must remember that scripture describe such practices not as futile but as Pagan Yahweh forbids Israel to use these means not because they do not work but because they are wicked and then ultimately the believer who senses is kind of you know feels charismatic say feel so we'll say senses uh Silence from God there's great example in the Salter of what men do when they sense Silence from God they don't run to the witch at Endor they seek God earnestly they give him no rest till he makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth they are earnest with reference to the throne of grace read the Psalms read the the the the prophets read the the word of God if you seek or or rather sense Silence from God don't be content with that search the scripture and be in Earnest to pray don't miss church don't say well you know I've had enough or I've got Brethren the means of Grace are given by God to us for our good not for our are bad he's not trying to destroy us through participation in church he's not trying to destroy you through Bible reading he's not trying to get you because he calls you to pray these are all things calculated for the growth in Grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ so let us dare to be David's and refuse to be Saul's well let us pray our gracious God and Father we thank you for your sure word we thank you that we have both the Old and the New Testaments we have God speaking through the law the prophets the writings the apostles our Lord Jesus Christ we give thanks to you that you've blessed us so richly in this way we ask you would help us as well to be Earnest in prayer to to give you no rest as it were to to knock to ask to seek to knock and to seek faithful communion and obedience to you we ask that you'd bless our church I pray that you would cause us all to grow in that Grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ and to be faithful and persevering and whatever may come in our generation to just know that you are there with us even in the midst of the trial the Affliction the hardships and the difficulties we have tried and proven and seen your faithfulness you have preserved us thus far we have every reason to believe you will preserve us to the very end and we give glory to you as a result and we pray these things now through Jesus Christ Our Lord amen well any questions or comments you sure that wasn't Samuel any at all no all right I think it was Samuel you think it was Samuel okay they have a specimen right there it's an option