1 Samuel 28:6 KJV
“And when Saul enquired of the LORD, the LORD answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets”
Bible study yesterday featured the concluding part of our series on Hearing the voice of God. The focus of the study was on the consequences of hearing, but not obeying God’s voice. One of the case studies was the result of King Saul’s disobedience to God’s voice regarding the total destruction of Amalek. We’ve also learnt various ways a believer can hear from God in the previous studies.
In today’s chapter, Saul’s desperate attempt to learn the future on the eve of battle introduces the medium of En Dor in scripture. The medium, a mere prop on history’s stage, set the scene for Saul’s final disobedience to God, which ended in judgement (1 Chron 10:13-14).
During Saul’s time, the term “medium” meant one who consulted the dead on behalf of the Living. Witchcraft flourished in the Canaanite nations Israel had been commanded to expel during the conquest of the Promised Land. All forms of witchcraft had been condemned by God ( Exo 23:18, Lev 19:32, Deut 18:10-12; Saul himself had exercised civil authority and driven mediums from the land. Yet this medium was still in Israel, and her presence was known.(1 Sam 28:7). The medium of En Dor stands as an example of one who, while doing good in practicing human kindness, did evil in disobeying God and sinned in so doing. She was an accomplice to Saul in his personal disobedience to God.
Things such as tarot cards, palm readers, horoscopes and Ouija Boards are modern attempts to practice forms of spiritism. They have dangerous links to the demonic, even if undertaken in a spirit of fun. Christians should have nothing to do with occultist arts or practices.
Being faced with probably the darkest7 days of his life as the unrelenting Philistines set the battle in array at Shunem, Saul was desperate to learn what he should do to get out of the mess he was in. His uneasiness progressed from fear to terror, culminating in sheer panic. Saul needed to do something drastic! Unfortunately, the Lord did not answer him.
When we reject the word of the LORD we can still be comforted by the fact that He speaks to us. As we continue to reject His word He may stop speaking to us – and we will lose even that comfort.
When we close our ears to God, He will find unusual – and perhaps uncomfortable – ways to speak to us. “That Samuel did appear to Saul, there can be no question, but he did not come in response to the call of the medium. He was sent of God, for the express purpose of rebuking Saul for his unholy traffic with these evil things, and to pronounce his doom (1Samuel 28:15-18).
Essentially, Samuel confirmed what God already said to Saul. The message of the LORD to Saul is consistent, no matter which strange way God chooses to bring the message. The test for any “spirit encounter” or “angelic revelation” is therefore, its faithfulness to the Biblical message. It doesn’t matter how impressive that encounter may be.
