Saul Consults A Medium/David is Spared War

David Becomes Achish’s Bodyguard (28:1-2)

Philistines go to war with Israel. Is it possible that Achish decided to go to war at this time because of the supposed raids that David had been doing? Achish could have thought that the region was already somewhat defeated through David’s work there.

Why would Achish invite David along for this battle?

David was thought to have been trustworthy during his time with the Philistines so far.

He had supposedly been raiding parts of the Israelite territory, which would portray that he had turned his back on Israel at this point.

He was a very skilled warrior and had killed thousands of men in battle.

He was Jew......not just any Jew, but THE JEW who killed Goliath.

“You shall know what your servant can do”

The writer here does a very good job at keeping the readers on their toes. Based upon the language of David, this phrase could possibly mean one of two things.

Is David going to show Achish what he can do for him or against him?

Based upon our previous knowledge of David, how he said he was raiding one territory but in actuality is raiding another, it would seem plausible to think that David is surely not considering fighting against his own people.

“I will make you my bodyguard for life”

This phrase is very interesting. Body guard is a compound word made up of two individual words: body & guard. Guard (shamar) literally means to “keep or guard”. Body (roshe) literally means “head”. Many times it used in reference to “the chief, the captain, etc” the one in charge. So the literal meaning of this word is “The Keeper of My Head”.

David has already kept another head from Gath, Goliath, but only after separating it from his body.

Saul Consults A Medium (28:3-25)

One writer said that this might very well have been the darkest moment of Saul’s life.

In consulting a medium, Saul deliberately violates one of the most serious prohibitions in the Torah

1 Chronicles 10:13 NKJV

13 So Saul died for his unfaithfulness which he had committed against the Lord, because he did not keep the word of the Lord, and also because he consulted a medium for guidance.

Leviticus 20:6 NKJV

6 ‘And the person who turns to mediums and familiar spirits, to prostitute himself with them, I will set My face against that person and cut him off from his people.

Less than 24 hours after he commits this sin, He is dead. This should be a sobering reminder to all of us how seriously God takes sin.

Context (vs. 3-5)

Samuel is dead (vs. 3)

Saul had banished all mediums and spiritists from the land (vs. 3)

People who could contact the dead and serve as intermediaries between the living and the dead.

The Philistines have camped in Shunem, a hillside town overlooking the Via Maris, which was a major trade route that passed through the Promised Land. The Philistines desired to control this route, including the valley of Jezreel, because of the monetary gain they would receive from it.

The Israelites have camped at Gilboa, which was also on a hill overlooking the Via Maris. Once he saw the camp of the Philistines, he was terrified.

Saul seeks the Lord (vs. 6)

The Lord had quit dealing directly with Saul because of Saul’s unfaithfulness.

The Lord did not answer through the Urim, the prophetic breastplate, because it only worked through the means of an Aaronic Priest. Saul killed all of the Aaronic priests except for one, who had fled to the camp of David.

The Lord did not answer through through the prophets because Samuel was dead and he had lost the support of the prophets when Samuel had declared that Saul’s kingship had ended.

Saul’s Desperation (vs. 7-11)

He breaks God’s law and seeks out a medium (v. 7)(v. 3)

Saul disguises himself and travels through the Philistine camp to get to her (v. 8)

Saul speaks on behalf of God (v. 9-10)

Saul’s oath invoked the Lord to grant immunity to one who broke the Lord’s command - it turned God against Himself. Such an oath was not only foolish but actually blasphemous.

Saul Interacts with the medium and Samuel (vs. 12-19)

Naturally, many people have questions regarding the validity of this Text: Did she actually call up a spirit from the dead? Was it actually Samuel?

The original text in Hebrew implies that she did in fact see Samuel.

The medium reacted as if she genuinely saw a spirit: She cried out with a loud voice.

The words attributed to Samuel imply previous conversation between them (vs. 17)

Samuel’s message as a prophet was unchanged and true

Saul is filled with fear (vs. 20-25)

David is exempted from fighting against Israel’s Forces (29:1-11)

Both kings made David their personal bodyguard

Both kings were impressed with David, especially his fighting abilities, yet both ended up removing him from the ranks of their armies.

Both badly misjudged David: Saul thought of David as his worst enemy though he was his most trusted servant. Achish thought of David as his most trusted servant, though he was indeed his fiercest enemy.