1 Samuel 28 || An Unlikely Story

1 Samuel 28:3-14
3 Now Samuel had died, and all Israel had mourned for him and buried him in Ramah, his own city. And Saul had put the mediums and the necromancers out of the land. 4 The Philistines assembled and came and encamped at Shunem. And Saul gathered all Israel, 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 prophets. 7 Then Saul said to his servants, “Seek out for me a woman who is a medium, that I may go to her and inquire of her.” And his servants said to him, “Behold, there is a medium at En-dor.”

8 So Saul disguised himself and put on other garments and went, he and two men with him. And they came to the woman by night. And he said, “Divine for me by a spirit and bring up for me whomever I shall name to you.” 9 The woman said to him, “Surely you know what Saul has done, how he has cut off the mediums and the necromancers from the land. Why then are you laying a trap for my life to bring about my death?” 10 But Saul swore to her by the Lord, “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?” He said, “Bring up Samuel for me.” 12 When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out with a loud voice. And the woman said to Saul, “Why have you deceived me? You are Saul.” 13 The king said to her, “Do not be afraid. What do you see?” And the woman said to Saul, “I see a god coming up out of the earth.” 14 He said to her, “What is his appearance?” And she said, “An old man is coming up, and he is wrapped in a robe.” And Saul knew that it was Samuel, and he bowed with his face to the ground and paid homage.

“Our lives are not defined by any one action. Our lives are the sum of our choices.” - Luther Stickell, IMF Agent

Saul has good reason to fear.

Reason #1: The Philistine armies gathered together at Aphek and marched north to Shunem.
Reason #2: Saul attempted to inquire of the Lord but the Lord did not answer him.
Reason #3: Saul is alone.

Reflection Question: When you look in the mirror, what do you see?

Connection to David
“Now Samuel died. And all Israel assembled and mourned for him, and they buried him in his house at Ramah.” (1 Samuel 25:1, ESV)

Connection to Saul
“Now Samuel had died, and all Israel had mourned for him and buried him in Ramah, his own city.” (1 Samuel 28:3a, ESV)

What do we know about Saul?

Saul was a man who had proximity to the Word of God and practiced the Law of God.

Then Saul said to his servants, “Seek out for me a woman who is a medium, that I may go to her and inquire of her.” And his servants said to him, “Behold, there is a medium at En-Dor.” So Saul disguised himself and put on other garments and went, he and two men with him. And they came to the woman by night. And he said, “Divine for me by a spirit and bring up for me whomever I shall name to you.” And the woman said to him, “Surely you know what Saul has done, how he has cut off the mediums and the necromancers from the land. Why then are you laying a trap for my life to bring about my death?” But Saul swore to her by the Lord, “As the Lord lives, no punishment shall come upon you for this thing.” (1 Samuel 28:7-10, ESV)

The Progression of Desperation

Desperation can lead us to places we never imagined we would go.
Desperation can lead us to do things we never imagined we would do.
Desperation can lead us to become someone we never imagined we would be.

Then the woman said, “Whom shall I bring up for you?” He said, “Bring up Samuel for me.” When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out with a loud voice. And the woman said to Saul, “Why have you deceived me? You are Saul.” The king said to her, “Do not be afraid. What do you see?” And the woman said to Saul, “I see a god coming up out of the earth.” He said to her, “What is his appearance?” And she said, “An old man is coming up, and he is wrapped in a robe.” And Saul knew that it was Samuel, and he bowed with his face to the ground and paid homage.” (1 Samuel 28:11-14, ESV)

Then Samuel said to Saul, “Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?” Saul answered, “I am in great distress, for the Philistines are warring against me, and God has turned away from me and answers me no more, either by prophets or by dreams. Therefore I have summoned you to tell me what I shall do.” (1 Samuel 28:15, ESV)

Reflection: Do you ever blame God for the consequences of your actions?

“Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” 12 The man said, “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate.” (Genesis 3:11-12, ESV)

Conditional Obedience

“But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep and of the oxen and of the fattened calves and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them. All that was despised and worthless they devoted to destruction.” (1 Samuel 15:9, ESV)

“Repentance results in obedience - not conditional obedience and not partial obedience. Anything less than this is simply offensive.” - J.D. Greear, Christ-Centered Exposition: Exalting Jesus in 1 Samuel

“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 listen to the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and presumption is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has also rejected you from being king.” (1 Samuel 15:22-23, ESV)

“We tend to resist this lesson because we cherish our little areas of compromise, but rebellion always works this way. We 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 toward more compromise.” - J.D. Greear, Christ-Centered Exposition: Exalting Jesus in 1 Samuel

“What Saul shows us is that every form of idolatry, whether religious or irreligious, pushes us towards the original author of self-worship, Satan. Either God is our God - with no conditions or qualifications - or we are idolaters on the path of Satan. There simply is no middle ground.” - J.D. Greear, Christ-Centered Exposition: Exalting Jesus in 1 Samuel

On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’ (Matthew 7:22-23, ESV)

“Moreover, the Lord will give Israel also with you into the hand of the Philistines, and tomorrow you and your sons shall be with me. The Lord will give the army of Israel also into the hand of the Philistines.” (1 Samuel 28:18b-19, ESV)

Now the Philistines were fighting against Israel, and the men of Israel fled before the Philistines and fell slain on Mount Gilboa. 2 And the Philistines overtook Saul and his sons, and the Philistines struck down Jonathan and Abinadab and Malchi-shua, the sons of Saul. 3 The battle pressed hard against Saul, and the archers found him, and he was badly wounded by the archers. 4 Then Saul said to his armor-bearer, “Draw your sword, and thrust me through with it, lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and mistreat me.” But his armor-bearer would not, for he feared greatly. Therefore Saul took his own sword and fell upon it. 5 And when his armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell upon his sword and died with him. 6 Thus Saul died, and his three sons, and his armor-bearer, and all his men, on the same day together. (1 Samuel 31:1-6, ESV)

So Saul died for his breach of faith. He broke faith with the Lord in that he did not keep the command of the Lord, and also consulted a medium, seeking guidance. 14 He did not seek guidance from the Lord. Therefore the Lord put him to death and turned the kingdom over to David the son of Jesse. (1 Chronicles 10:13-14, ESV)

“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. (John 10:14-15, ESV)

The mystery of the gospel is not that Jesus becomes the greater David, but that Jesus becomes the Saul that lives in each one of us.

And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. (Ephesians 2:1-3, ESV)

For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. 11 More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. (Romans 5:10-11, ESV)

For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:21, ESV)

COMMUNITY GROUP QUESTIONS

Read 1 Samuel 28:3-14

Fearful Creatures

What role does fear play in your life on a daily or weekly basis?
How have you seen fear influence your decision-making this year?
Based on this passage, does Saul have good reason to fear? Why or why not?

The Progression of Desperation
• Desperation can lead us to places we never imagined we would go. 
• Desperation can lead us to do things we never imagined we would do.  
• Desperation can lead us to become someone we never imagined we would be.

Has your fear ever turned into desperation? If so, what do you think about this progression?
Has your desperation led you to places you never thought you would go? To do things you never thought you would do? To become a person you never thought you would become?
In your desperation, have you found yourself wanting to blame God for the consequences of your actions, because he allowed the circumstances? (Genesis 3:11-12)

The Gospel According to Saul?

Read 1 Chronicles 10:13-14

What do you think about this summary of Saul’s life? What charges does scripture bring against him? What warning does this give to us today?
• Big Thought: The mystery of the gospel is not that we can become like David, but that Jesus has become like Saul - so that those who are far from God can draw near through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.
What parallels do you see in the death of Saul and the death of Jesus?
• When Jesus died, all hope seemed lost for the people of God. However, it was by this one act that all the people of God would be saved.
How is it that Jesus’s death so long ago means life for us today?
• Finish by reading Romans 5:10-11. Then pray as a group, praising God that we are no longer enemies of God like Saul, but have become children of God through Jesus Christ our Lord.