The Life Of David
Pt. 16 When You Consult A Witch
1 Samuel 28:1-25

Saul disobeys God to contact GOD
As Saul had gone back on his promise to quit hunting David, he lived among the Philistines and joined Achish, a local Philistine ruler. When the Philistines gathered to war against Israel and Saul knew David joined them, he sought an answer from God. But from years of spiritual rebellion, God refused to answer by dream, Urim (the priest’s gems), or prophecy. Years of not listening to God in the past can lead to God not speaking in the present (Prov. 1:24-33; Micah 3:4). In panic and impatience, Saul sought out a medium to try to contact the prophet Samuel who had been dead for years. Attempts to contact the dead were forbidden by God and those who tried were to be put to death, which Saul knew, as he had driven them out of Israel (Lev. 19:31; 20:27; Deut. 18:9-14). Don’t revive old ways looking for a new future! Despite this, Saul asks about a medium, and one of his men knows one in Endor. Saul desperately sought God in a way God wouldn’t be found. Believers are not to seek mediums, the occult, horoscopes, or magic arts as they don’t need dead people when they have the living God (Is. 8:19, 20)!

Samuel tells Saul he is going to DIE
The Israelites camped near Mt. Gilboa and the Philistines camped a few miles away at Mt. Moreh. Endor was north of Mt. Moreh, so Saul disguised himself and risked his life by going into Philistine territory to visit the medium. When he asks to raise up a spirit, she reminds him of the prohibition, then Saul ironically swears by the Lord she won’t die—though it was the Lord who required it! The worst version of spiritual leadership is using God’s authority to do something God hates! The Hebrew word for a “medium” is ob meaning an empty wine skin or jar and means the medium is an empty vessel manipulated by the spirit or it’s the vessel used to gaze into. Necromancers don’t manipulate the spiritual world but are instead manipulated by it (Eccl. 12:7). When she calls up Samuel, she screams, realizing God allowed the real Samuel to come and Saul had deceived her. Samuel arrives in a robe like the one Saul tore when he was told the kingdom will be given to David. Hoping for encouragement, Samuel gives the same warning as when he was alive but now Saul and his sons will die, and the Philistines will win. Change for God while you still have the time to change!