The
Book of First Samuel
Chapter 28
[1]
And it came to pass in those days, that the Philistines gathered their armies
together for warfare, to fight with
[2] And David said to Achish, Surely thou shalt know
what thy servant can do. And Achish said to David,
Therefore will I make thee keeper of mine head for ever.
1) Field of Service (Soldiers) 28:1,2
The Philistines.............. Soldiers
And then there is David Soldier
[3] Now Samuel was dead, and all
[4] And the Philistines gathered
themselves together, and came and pitched in Shunem:
and Saul gathered all
[5] And when Saul saw the host of the
Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart greatly trembled.
[6] And when Saul inquired of the LORD,
the LORD answered him not, neither by dreams nor by Urim,
nor by prophets.
[7] Then said Saul unto his servants,
Seek me a woman that hath a familiar spirit, that I may go to her, and inquire
of her. And his servants said to him, Behold, there is a woman that hath a
familiar spirit at Endor.
2)
Foolishness of Stiff-Necked 28:3-7a
Samuel the Prophet is dead, Saul had cast out
those of the occult
Saul sees the field of battle and the number
of the enemy and he is sore afraid... lost his courage
He begins to seek after the Lord BUT the Lord
won’t speak...the king is in a terrible place.
But, Saul will not
repent.....................Ex 32:9, Acts 7:31- stiff necked
Remember he is king and was stubborn enough
to kill Jonathon his son over honeycomb
He is strong-willed enough to attempt to
murder David his son in law and the Lord’s anointed
Yet he was foolish enough to rebel against
God’s Will, spare Agag and now a witch he seeks out
[8] And Saul disguised himself, and put
on other raiment, and he went, and two men with him, and they came to the woman
by night: and he said, I pray thee, divine unto me by the familiar spirit, and
bring me him up, whom I shall name unto thee.
[9] And the woman said unto him,
Behold, thou knowest what Saul hath done, how he hath
cut off those that have familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land:
wherefore then layest thou a snare for my life, to
cause me to die?
[10] And Saul sware
to her by the LORD, saying, As the LORD liveth, there
shall no punishment happen to thee for this thing.
[11] Then said the woman, Whom shall I
bring up unto thee? And he said, Bring me up Samuel.
3)
Familiar Spirits 28:7a-11
Thou shalt not
suffer a person w/ familiar spirits (a medium) to live Ex22:18,Lev 19:31,
20:6,27
But Saul seeks one out..... a woman
...........his servants knew of one and recommended her
Saul has some things in common with this
woman (the witch --I Sam 15:23)
Saul disguises himself, promises protection
for the witch – aiding & abetting sin
In vs 10 Saul uses
the Lord’s name to swear to a medium and then asks that she bring up
Samuel
Practiced in the occult and tries to bring back the
spirit of one to gain information- Necromancy
The woman conducts a séance which defies the Word of
God Deut 18:11
[12] And when the woman saw Samuel, she
cried with a loud voice: and the woman spake to Saul,
saying, Why hast thou deceived me? for thou art Saul.
[13] And the king said unto her, Be not
afraid: for what sawest thou? And the woman said unto
Saul, I saw gods ascending out of the earth.
4)
Fearful Scream 28:12-13
Witch cries with a loud voice as she is shocked (for
they could not prove the validity of their craft)
She is probably a fraud and most of her
dealings w/ spirit world were tricks, but this is REAL
Somehow she then recognizes king Saul and he
is not afraid... not afraid of sin, out of God’s Will
Saul asks that she look further and she sees
gods ascending out of the earth
[14] And he said unto her, What form is
he of? And she said, An old man cometh 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 himself.
[15] And Samuel said to Saul, Why hast
thou disquieted me, to bring me up? And Saul answered, I am sore distressed;
for the Philistines make war against me, and God is departed from me, and answereth me no more, neither by prophets, nor by dreams:
therefore I have called thee, that thou mayest make
known unto me what I shall do.
5)
Form of Samuel 28:14-15
The woman says an old man cometh up and he is
covered with a mantle
It sounds like the prophet Samuel, looks like
Samuel ........... must be Samuel
Not hallucination, not deception, not
demonic impersonation, but genuinely Samuel
Moses & Elijah appeared at Mt
Transfiguration Mt 17:3
Samuel was not sent because a
medium summoned him, but because God sent him
·
To test any
spiritual experience w/ how it measures up w/ God’s Word (Gal 1:6-8)
When Samuel appears, he asks why do you want
to bring me up? (Note the word up)
Saul says he is in trouble.... the Philistines gather and God won’t speak to me
[16] Then said Samuel, Wherefore then
dost thou ask of me, seeing the LORD is departed from thee, and is become thine enemy?
[17] And the LORD hath done to him, as
he spake by me: for the LORD hath rent the kingdom
out of thine hand, and given it to thy neighbour, even to David:
[18] Because thou obeyedst
not the voice of the LORD, nor executedst his fierce
wrath upon Amalek, therefore hath the LORD done this
thing unto thee this day.
[19] Moreover the LORD will also
deliver
6)
Foreseen Suffering 28:16-19
Samuel says “why do you want to hear from me,
the Lord has departed from you”
Samuel says “you would not hear me when I was
alive, then why hear when I am dead ?”
Samuel confirms what the Lord has
already said “you’re disobedience has taken the kingdom”
We
are to motify our members
The future is then foretold........... tomorrow
you and your sons will die and be with me
[20] Then Saul fell straightway all
along on the earth, and was sore afraid, because of the words of Samuel: and
there was no strength in him; for he had eaten no bread all the day, nor all
the night.
[21] And the woman came unto Saul, and
saw that he was sore troubled, and said unto him, Behold, thine
handmaid hath obeyed thy voice, and I have put my life in my hand, and have
hearkened unto thy words which thou spakest unto me.
[22] Now therefore, I pray thee,
hearken thou also unto the voice of thine handmaid,
and let me set a morsel of bread before thee; and eat, that thou mayest have strength, when thou goest
on thy way.
[23] But he refused, and said, I will
not eat. But his servants, together with the woman, compelled him; and he
hearkened unto their voice. So he arose from the earth, and sat upon the bed.
[24] And the woman had a fat calf in
the house; and she hasted, and killed it, and took flour, and kneaded it, and
did bake unleavened bread thereof:
7)
Fellowship of Sorrow 28:20-25
Saul falls to the ground as he loses all
strength and is in great fear
The wicked woman tries to comfort
Saul............... again both are in rebellion
She would kill a fatted calf and bake
unleavened bread and he and his servants did eat
Like a last meal for a man on death row
[25] And she brought it before Saul,
and before his servants; and they did eat. Then they rose up, and went away
that night.
8)
Forgiveness Sought 28:25b
Saul did not seek repentance, amazingly at
times he spoke of it, but never truly did
Although, after God
pronounced judgment it was probably too late for repentance
“They arose and went away that night”
1 Chr 10:13,14 Don’t try to conduct séances, just wait on the Lord as one day you will be reunited with your loved ones if you and they are saved!