1 Samuel 28:1-25

Responding to Fear and Desperation

Introduction (vv.1-4) - The Philistines preparing for a massive war against Israel.

David and Achish - Will David fight the Israelites (the Lord’s people) under the banner of Achish? (a tragedy when it happens). This is what happens when God’s chosen servant loses focus on his destiny. Achish wishes to make David his “bodyguard” - a guard for my head. (David cut of Goliath’s head)

Samuel died - a recollection to remind the readers.

All mediums removed - remember this because this is very important.

The armies Camped Shunem and Gilboa (v.4) - North, near Saul’s territory.

Problem (vv.5-6) - The Lord rejected Saul’s cry for help!

Saul saw the massive army of the Philistines and he was very afraid and terror filled his heart!

The Lord did not answer Saul’s inquiry for guidance how to defeat the Philistines (v.6). Saul’s disobedience and constant hardness of the heart created a barrier in which God does not communicate with Saul.s

He could no longer consult Samuel because he is dead and he does not have a high priest - he killed all of them at Nob!

Panic happens when you are on your own.

The presence of God brings comfort. His absence brings desperation.

It is a fearful thing when God no longer communicates to you.

Rising Action (vv.7-11) - Saul’s despair drove him to seek help from a necromancer

Saul went to a spirit medium despite the ban - this shows desperation!

Saul committed blasphemy when he vowed to her by the LORD “no punishment shall come upon you for this thing” (v.10) - though he know it was a sin, still he swore in the name of God! Saul did not learn his lesson of disobeying God.

This event here is considered perhaps the darkest moment in Saul’s life. He committed a capital offense (Lev. 20:6) and in less than 24 hours after, Saul died. The Lord’s punishment was swift and sure for those who violate his divine word!

Climax (vv.12-15) - Samuel appeared to Saul

The necromancer saw a “divine being (god-elohim) coming out of the earth”

Samuel’s first words: Why have you disturbed me?

Saul’s desperation - God has departed from me and no longer answers me, therefore I have called you for you to tell me what I should do!

Falling Action (vv.16-19) - Saul

Samuel reminded Saul of the Lord’s judgment (vv.17-18)

Samuel prophesied Israel’s defeat and Saul’s death (v.19)

Sinning against a Holy God is not a minor thing. It has consequences.

God is the most dangerous adversary!

Clarification: Did the the spirit medium (necromancer) actually make contact with the spirit of the dead?

What is really Samuel?

We observed here: 1. She saw Samuel, 2. the spirit medium reacted to Samuel’s appearance as thought it was genuine and terrifying experience- she cried out with a loud voice! (v.12) Her strong reaction also suggests that Samuel’s appearance was unexpected; perhaps this was the first time she had ever actually succeeded in contacting the dead. 3. Samuels speech (v.19) was a repeat of what he said earlier in Chapter 15. Only the real Samuel can say them because only he knows them.

the Torah prohibits necromancy not because it is a hoax but because it promotes reliance on supernatural guidance from some source other than the Lord..

it was not the skill of the medium but rather a unique act of God that brought Saul into contact with Samuel. The medium did not possess the capacity to disturb a dead saint; but God, as “a sign of his grace,”151 permitted Saul to have one last encounter with the prophet who had played such a determinative role in the king’s career.

Conclusion: (vv.20-25)

Saul was very afraid and he fainted. It was too much for Saul.

The spirit medium fed Saul and his men - a comparison to Abigail who fed David and his men.

Saul went home, felling all the more helpless and hopeless.

What: The author is contrasting David and Saul’s direction - David towards assuming the throne of Israel as a fulfillment of God’s promise while Saul towards the path of destruction/death because of his disobedience to God fueled by his pride and self-glory. David and Saul were both in a desperate situation. David was required to fight his people (the Israelites) while Saul was required to lead the Israelites in fighting the massive army of the Philistines. Since God did not respond to Saul’s inquiry, Saul was overcome by his desperation / hopelessness that he tried to resort into using sinful way in order to win or survive. This shows the Saul did not really learn from his past mistakes and now will suffer the consequences.

Why: This story should resonate with the exiles, for they too have experienced the consequences of sin and the outworking of God’s decree of judgment. But the Lord is about to open the door of restoration, and they need to make sure they do not repeat the mistakes of the past. They need to repent of their sins and obey God to avoid painful consequences.

Where is God? God did not say anything but God did something.

God allowed Samuel to appear to Saul to give the final prophecy of judgment to Saul - Saul’s death in the battle field. We see here the justice of God fulfilled.

What the story teaches us is that:

1. Disobedience creates a communication barrier between God and the sinner. (Sin hinders prayers).

Psalm 66:18 (NET 2nd ed.) 18 If I had harbored sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.

James 5:16 (NIV) The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.

2. God’s unconditional decrees are reliable. When God announces judgment unconditionally, the fulfillment of the decree is certain.

Reflecting on this, like Saul, we too have sinned against God, we have hardened our hearts and we experienced the consequences of sin and the pain and the desperation that goes with it as a result. And like Saul, we tried solving our problems by with another problem.

Since God is a holy God and we can’t have communion with Him with sin in our hearts.

I. Immediately repent of your sins to avoid hardening of the heart. Don’t wait for the consequences.

II. Learn from your past mistakes.

- Do not resolve your desperation not with another sin.

Proverbs 3:5–7 (NIV) 5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. 7 Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil.

III. Take accountability with seriousness. Do not take God’s commands lightly.

You are accountable to believe or to not believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. You need to understand that you need Jesus to remove the punishment of sin - eternity in Hell!

The Gospel:

Praise God that Jesus will never depart from us even if we sin. When we repent, he is willing and able to cleanse us and purify us from all unrighteousness. His love endures forever! His blood secures my eternity with Jesus!

Praise God that we don’t need a spirit medium in order to talk to Jesus! We have the Bible and we have the Holy Spirit who lives in us to teach us, guide us, and direct us to the right path, the God-pleasing and God-exalting path to take.