1 Samuel 28

1 Samuel 28:1

2. Saul’s Doom Foretold (Chap. 28)28:1, 2 Now David’s position became extremely difficult. The Philistines were going to war against Israel, and David was ordered by the king to join them. To this he seemed to agree, although his words in verse 2 are capable of two meanings"You will know what your servant can do to assist you" or “You will know what your servant can do to double-cross you!” Achish chose the first meaning and made David a member of his personal bodyguard. 28:3-8 The rival armies gathered in the northwest of Israel at the plain of Esdraelon (the valley of Armageddon). The Philistines encamped . . . at Shunem, and Israel . . . at Gilboa. When Saul failed to get any response from the LORD, either by dreams or by Urim or by the prophets, he sought out a spirit medium. Earlier he had ordered all the mediums in Israel killed or exiled, according to the law. Now when a medium was located in the nearby town of En Dor, Saul disguised himself and . . . went to her to seek counsel from the dead. 28:9, 10 The medium’s first concern was for her own safety. She reminded her visitor of the king’s edict against mediums and . . . spiritists. How Saul could promise protection in the name of the LORD, who had decreed the death of such persons, or how the medium could be assured of safety by an oath sworn to that God, is an enigma. 28:11-14 Commentators are disagreed as to what actually happened next. Some feel that an evil spirit impersonated Samuel, while others believe that God interrupted the se9ance unexpectedly by allowing the real Samuel to appear. The latter is preferred for the following reasons: The medium was startled by the sudden appearance of Samuel in place of the familiar spirits with whom she was used to dealing. Also, the text specifies that it was Samuel. Finally, the spirit prophesied accurately what would happen the following day. 28:15-19 Saul told Samuel why he had summoned him from the realm of the dead. Samuel’s rebuke must have cut the king deeply. Did he think Samuel could help him when the God whom Samuel served remained silent? Instead, Samuel confirmed Saul’s deepest fears. The kingdom would be taken from him and given to David, as he had been told earlier. The Philistines would defeat Israel the next day, and Saul . . . and his sons would join Samuel in death. This does not mean that they shared the same eternal destiny. If we judge them by their fruits, it would appear that Saul was an unbeliever whereas Jonathan was a man of faith. 28:20-25 All Saul’s sins would be visited on him before another nightfall. With difficulty he was prevailed upon to eat something before he went on his way. The fatted calf was killed, but not for the purpose of celebrating. Shrouded in gloomy silence, the condemned man ate his final meal before disappearing into the night.