2025-07-13 - 1 Samuel 28:1-?
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1 Samuel 28:1-?
1 Samuel 28:1-?
1 Now it happened in those days that the Philistines gathered their armies together for war, to fight with Israel. And Achish said to David, “You assuredly know that you will go out with me to battle, you and your men.”
2 So David said to Achish, “Surely you know what your servant can do.” And Achish said to David, “Therefore I will make you one of my chief guardians forever.”
The MacArthur Bible Commentary 3. David’s Despair and Philistine Refuge (27:1–28:2)
Vs. 2 Achish was expressing considerable trust in David’s loyalty and ability, because chief guardian literally means “keeper of my head.”
The Moody Bible Commentary 8. Saul and the Medium of En-Dor (28:1–25)
These concluding chapters of 1 Samuel show that a life of disobedience to the Lord leads to ruin, and a life of faith and obedience to the Lord leads to blessing.
The Moody Bible Commentary a. David’s Dilemma (28:1–2)
With misguided confidence in David, Achish informed David that he and his men should join the Philistines in battle against Israel. This put David in a dilemma because he did not intend to fight against his own people, Israel. The narrative will revisit David’s dilemma later, in chap. 29.
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3 Now Samuel had died, and all Israel had lamented for him and buried him in Ramah, in his own city. And Saul had put the mediums and the spiritists out of the land.
They were banned and Gods instruction told them they should not be around them.
Leviticus 19:31 “Give no regard to mediums and familiar spirits; do not seek after them, to be defiled by them: I am the Lord your God.”
Saul knew this and dealt with it before, in Vs. 9 we see the witch of Endor reflecting on when Saul had expelled them from the land.
4 Then the Philistines gathered together, and came and encamped at Shunem. So Saul gathered all Israel together, and they encamped at Gilboa.
Shunem was southwest of the hill of Moreh and sixteen miels southwest of the Sea of Galilee. Gilboa, the mountain rang started 5 miles south of Shunem and extended southward along the eastern edge of the plain of Jezreel.
5 When Saul saw the army of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart trembled greatly.
When Saul was selected as King, before the Spirit of God came upon him, he was afraid and didnt come out, he hid. But once God was upon him, he was bold. But once the spirit of God left him, he turned to fear again, and here we see it here as well.
6 And when Saul inquired of the Lord, the Lord did not answer him, either by dreams or by Urim or by the prophets.
Saul sought out God in what he should do, but b/c of his lack of relationship with God and his un-repentant heart in sin, God didn’t speak to Him.
Three ways by which God spoke to them frequently was through Dreams, Urim (the specail objects perhaps stones, that were worn on the priest breastplate, in a pocket kept near their heart, perhaps used like lots, used to seek out Gods will for leaders, . . engagin in war, etc.) Or through prophets.
David had the Urim, so Saul must have had another ephod with a urim made.
David had a prophet with Him, Saul did not. 1 Samuel 22:5 “Now the prophet Gad said to David, “Do not stay in the stronghold; depart, and go to the land of Judah.” So David departed and went into the forest of Hereth.”
David had a priest with him, with an ephod, Saul did’nt. 1 Samuel 23:6 “Now it happened, when Abiathar the son of Ahimelech fled to David at Keilah, that he went down with an ephod in his hand.”
What were about to see next:
Be Successful 1. A Night of Deception and Distress (1 Sam. 28:3–25)
Of all the “night scenes” in the Bible—and there are many of them—this one is perhaps the strangest and most dramatic. The spirit of a dead man returned to announce the doom of a despairing king who can find no way of escape. Samuel and Saul met for the last time, and it was not a happy meeting.
The Law of Moses condemns all forms of spiritism Ex. 22:18, Le. 19:31; 20:6; Deut. 18:9-13
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.” And his servants said to him, “In fact, there is a woman who is a medium at En Dor.”
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. And he said, “Please conduct a séance for me, and bring up for me the one I shall name to you.”
9 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?”
10 And Saul swore to her by the Lord, saying, “As the Lord lives, no punishment shall come upon you for this thing.”
Be Successful 1. A Night of Deception and Distress (1 Sam. 28:3–25)
It was Israel’s darkest hour, but if God had deserted them, it was only because Saul had first deserted God.
Proverbs 1:28–31 “28 “Then they will call on me, but I will not answer; They will seek me diligently, but they will not find me. 29 Because they hated knowledge And did not choose the fear of the Lord, 30 They would have none of my counsel And despised my every rebuke. 31 Therefore they shall eat the fruit of their own way, And be filled to the full with their own fancies.”
SAUL SINNED AND CAUSED OTHERS TO SIN:
Be Successful 1. A Night of Deception and Distress (1 Sam. 28:3–25)
The woman was no fool. She wanted to be sure this wasn’t a trap to catch her and condemn her, for spiritism was a capital crime in Israel. Saul took an oath using the name of the Lord whose law he was breaking, that she would not be prosecuted, so she agreed to cooperate. Saul not only violated the law himself, but he encouraged her to violate it! He asked her to get in contact with Samuel, the man Saul didn’t want to contact when the prophet was alive.
The witch’s shock tells us much about this situation:
Witch’s & Warlocks, Mediums, etc. When they speak to your deceased loved ones, they are talking to Demonic spirits that knew your family well.
This is why she was shocked, b/c she didn’t expect to really see Samuel, whom God willed to actually come back in spirit form.
God used the spirit of Samuel to reveal to Saul, God’s plan and it wasn’t a pretty one.
11 Then the woman said, “Whom shall I bring up for you?” And he said, “Bring up Samuel for me.”
12 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!”
13 And 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.”
14 So he said to her, “What is his form?” 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.
15 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 should do.”
16 Then Samuel said: “So why do you ask me, seeing the Lord has departed from you and has become your enemy?
17 And 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.
18 Because you did not obey the voice of the Lord nor execute His fierce wrath upon Amalek, therefore the Lord has done this thing to you this day.
19 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.”
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.
21 And the woman came to Saul and saw that he was severely troubled, and said to him, “Look, your maidservant has obeyed your voice, and I have put my life in my hands and heeded the words which you spoke to me.
22 Now therefore, please, heed also the voice of your maidservant, and let me set a piece of bread before you; and eat, that you may have strength when you go on your way.”
23 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.
24 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.
25 So she brought it before Saul and his servants, and they ate. Then they rose and went away that night.
