1 Samuel 28 Bible Study (Saul and the Medium of En-dor) | Pastor Daniel Batarseh

Nothing is more powerful than singing doctrine, truth. And, I just praise God that, this is a church that loves to sing the Bible. And not just to sing the Bible, but to read the Bible and study the Bible, and that's what we're going to do right now. And so meet me in first Samuel 28. You and I are coming to the closing chapters of this wonderful, wonderful book.

And I'll only continue in the second second book of Samuel, but we still have much to learn in this chapter, especially because it is a very unique chapter. Very unique for many reasons, but before we get into these verses, let us consider and be reminded of the previous chapter. Our last study together explored the decision of a discouraged David who made the foolish decision to move with his family and his followers into the land of the Philistines. And it's in first Samuel 27 where we learn that David was warmly greeted and welcomed by the Philistines, and he was even given a town called Ziklag. And this town became somewhat of a headquarters for him and his band of men because they would make secret raids against Israel's enemies and come back with, plunder and and possessions.

And it seemed like things were going very well because he was prospering and he was at peace, and there seemed to be a wonderful adaptation for David. But it would quickly turn sour for this man. It It would quickly go south because one day, Ahish, the king of the Philistines, would approach David and call him and his band of men to join him in a battle against his own people. You will fight with me against Israel. And look at the first two verses of chapter 28 to see the response of David.

In those days, the Philistines gathered their forces for war to fight against Israel. Nahish said to David, understand that you and your men are to go out with me in the army. David said to Ahish, very well you shall know what your servant can do. And Nahish said to David, very well I will make you my bodyguard for life. When you read that, you should be concerned.

Because it seems like David is entertaining the possibility of doing what he said he would never do, and that is touch the Lord's anointed. And now all for a sudden, when the invitation presents itself, David seems to give an answer that he's willing to participate in this. Now there's debate about David's response because it seems ambiguous. Right? It seems like it is open for different interpretations, but here's the main point.

David's David's lodging in the Philistine land caused them to be placed in this very uncomfortable situation. To even be tempted in this way is an uneasy thing in itself. And the point is this, that no matter what kind of gain he thought he might have acquired in disobedience, whatever profit he thinks that he has made, all of that was suddenly interrupted by a hefty bill. Because sin has wages. And no matter how much we think we might enjoy or prosper or feel replenished or whatever the case may be concerning our engagement with sin, there will be a bill to pay.

And David was experiencing that here. Even though he thought that he escaped the pestering pursuits of Saul, and even though he thought he was getting away getting away with so much while living behind enemy lines, he was now forced to compromise in a in a way that he never thought he would. And masterfully, the author, the Holy Spirit, yes, leaves us with a cliffhanger. Because for the rest of chapter 28, we don't deal with David. We don't see him until the next chapter.

We're actually now returning to Saul. The scene shifts to the king of Israel. And what we see is that this portion of Scripture is very important concerning Saul because it is the last in-depth look that you and I will have of this man before he dies in chapter 31. And what we see here are really his final moments. Yes, they are his final, final moments, but this is really this is really the lowest point that Saul is going to arrive at before he ultimately experiences God's chastisement.

So what do we have to learn in this chapter very much? So let us pay careful attention. Verse three. Now Samuel had died, and all Israel had mourned for him and buried him in Ramah, his own city. And Saul had put the mediums and the necromancers out of the land.

The Philistines assembled and came and encamped at Shunem. And Saul gathered all Israel and they encamped at Gilboa. When Saul saw the army of the Philistines, he was afraid and his heart trembled greatly. And when Saul inquired of the Lord, the Lord did not answer him either by dreams or by Urim or by prophets. Then Saul said to his servants, seek out for me a woman who is a medium, that I may go to her and inquire of her.

And his servants said to him, behold, there is a medium at Endor. Let's examine these verses carefully. Verse three we read, that Samuel had died and that all Israel had mourned for him. Is this the first time that we are told that Samuel had died? No.

This is the second time. And there's a reason why we were told the second time of something that we already know. The first time that we were told that Samuel had died is because it it was meant to connect to David. In other words, Samuel was a great pillar of support to David. And the first time we are told that he was gathered to his people, we're supposed to feel what David must have felt.

A sense of loss, a sense of perhaps even despair maybe, at least the temptation of it. We don't know. But the whole point is that David is David, he felt as though this whole trial is gonna be much more difficult with the loss of a voice in his life like Samuel. And when it is brought up again, the second time as we see here, it is not meant to connect to David, it's meant to link to Saul. It's meant to bring about a reaction from Saul.

And not just a reaction, but how it would play out for his predicament. How Saul, or rather Samuel's death influenced Saul's life at this particular pivotal time. Why? Because for this prophet to have died means that there is no voice for divine counsel. There is no sense of guidance that Saul could have received.

Additionally, what did Saul do with all the priests of Israel? He slaughtered them. He slaughtered them except for one, Abiathar, who ran away and escaped and went to David. But essentially, what he did by doing that is he cut off another source of communication of of being mediators between the people and God, only adding to the silence from heaven for Saul and the people of Israel, bring him to a very, very vulnerable point as we are reading now. Saul is getting desperate and that's the reason why we're told of Samuel's death.

And we're gonna see just how desperate he becomes. But interestingly, what do we read here in the the same verse of verse three? Look at the second part. For some reason, we're told that he had put the mediums and the necromancers out of the land. This may surprise us, but this is a favorable thing.

This is a favorable light concerning Saul's character. Why? Because Saul doing this meant that Saul was obeying God. That's what he was doing. Because throughout the the the Pentateuch, throughout the law, God over and over especially in Leviticus had instructed that there would be no necromancers, no communicators with the dead, no sorcerers, no witches, no warlocks.

In fact, it was a sin punishable by death. And Saul, we are told here, drove them out. He dealt with these outlaws. Now I believe and I'm sure you would agree that this commentary of Saul's obedience was early on in his reign. It's very difficult to reconcile this as a present act of obedience because Saul was just losing it.

Saul was under demonic oppression. Saul was in total sin, and he's approaching apostasy. Why is this verse important to consider? Because you you heard it when we read. He's actually gonna call for a medium.

He's gonna call for a witch for guidance. And the point of this is this, that whatever honor was left in Saul's testimony is gonna be very much eclipsed by a form of disobedience that he has never entertained before and it is in the arena of witchcraft. Remember his rebellion against God when he didn't kill the Amalekites? What, what were we told about that? That his rebellion was as what?

Witchcraft. And now he's actually going into witchcraft. And the idea here is that his strong stance in this area, this strong conviction would be abandoned later on in life. Giving us a sobering lesson of what? Of how lost someone can be when they are disconnected from a consistent walk with the Lord and his word.

What we once held as a non negotiable conviction can quickly become something that we are so willing to compromise at another point in life. You know, you know how that happens? It's a very simple formula. It's a very simple formula. Choose to remove yourself from the anchoring power of a discipline of being in God's word and in his presence and time.

That's all you need. And there is no telling how the strong winds of strange doctrines will toss somebody into a direction that they never thought they would even explore, even doctrines that they once stood against at one point in their lives. It is very scary. It is very scary how we are easily influenced when we remove ourselves from the protection of being under God's authority and his word and his people and his presence on a daily basis. This is the fruit of long term disconnection from God.

From a daily fellowship with him, daily obedience to him, you end up doing things that you once said you would never do, once preached against and told others not to do. Now you're willing to embrace so closely to your bosom. So what happens here? Verse four, we're told that the Philistines assembled and he realized here that he's in trouble. They have so infiltrated in the land that he knows that he is he is outnumbered.

He is outstrengthened. He is going to be killed. He feels that fear. And the separation between Saul's conviction and his current compromise is indeed a tragic sight, but we're about to be told something that's much more horrific. Even more horrific than the fact that the army of the Philistines are right at his front door.

Something is told here. His low point is so low that as he calls out to God, there's no answer. At first glance, look what it says here. It says here in verse six that when he inquired of the Lord, that's a good sign, isn't it? Prayer is good.

Seeking God is good. At first impression, that might seem so because we are so familiar with the wonderful mercies and promises of God that when we call upon him, he will hear us. And when we seek him, we will find him. And when we humble ourselves, he's willing to manifest himself. So this is good for Saul until we realize that he received no answer.

Not only that, look how strong this language is. The Lord did not answer him either by dreams or by Urim or by prophets. That's another way of saying that God slammed every door in Saul's face when he heard his voice. Saul refused, rather God refused to answer him by any avenue possible. And all he received was deafening silence from heaven.

How? What about those wonderful promises in prayer? What about other kings throughout first and second kings who are very wicked, very, very evil, but in a moment of humility, paused and sought the Lord and God, God answered them and he provided a measure of grace when they learned about their fate because of their evil. It seems like that is totally unavailable to Saul. And we have to understand why.

Saul's case is unique, but it is very possible for it to be repeated today, and it has been replicated throughout history. Do you want to see something even more, perhaps confusing? Go to first Chronicles in your bibles and look at chapter 10. Look at the commentary of Saul in that book. And to the skeptic and to the unbelieving, this would be a text to prove a contradiction in the bible, but to the believing, they would realize that this is a text that's gonna provide great, great revelation.

You're going there. Right? First Chronicles chapter 10 verse 13. I would love for you to see it in your own bibles. Look what it says here as the author reminds us of this man's death.

So Saul died for his breach of faith. He broke faith with the Lord in that he did not keep the command of the Lord and also consulted a medium seeking guidance. We know that, but look at the next part. He did not seek guidance from the Lord. Hold on.

Are you sure? Does anybody's translation say something else? Verse 14 says very plain and clear, he did not seek guidance from the Lord. Therefore, the Lord put him to death and turned the kingdom over to David, the son of Jesse. Oh, you just read it.

Verse six of first Samuel 28. And when Saul inquired of the Lord Well, which one is it? Did he inquire or did he not? Contradiction? No.

A setup for great insight. Why didn't the Lord answer Saul? That's the first question. Here it is. Because God doesn't answer all prayer.

He doesn't. In fact, God doesn't even hear all prayer, never mind answer. The scripture tells us that. In Proverbs twenty eight nine, if one turns away his ear from hearing the law Pay attention. If one turns away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer is an abomination.

Even his prayer, that sacred act, that that that posture of humility is regarded as you know what an abomination is? That is a very serious word. God uses that word for specific gross vile sins. And yet, the Holy Spirit ascribes abomination to prayer when it is done in a certain way. Why didn't God listen to Saul?

Because Saul didn't listen to God. It's as simple as that. Throughout all of Saul's life, main his and mainly his la the latter part of his ministry, actually most of his ministry, God had extended mercy, rebuke, chastisement, sparing of his life, and all Saul did every single time was swat away God's hand and want nothing to do with him and only continue in his stubbornness. And so there was a deliberate turning away from God's word. He knew what God's will was and over and over he despised it, rejected it, tried to manipulate it.

And when it came to the time for him to ask God, God said, why should I? Why should I? Now, we hang on there because because that might seem like God doesn't respond to brokenness and desperation, but that's not Saul's attitude, is it? Is there any sign of of of a penitent heart here? Is there any sign of repentance here?

Absolutely not. Absolutely not. All we see Saul here is asking God for some supernatural favor for the sake of self preservation. Saul is seeking the Lord with no intention of changing. No intention of being conformed.

No intention of being reproved. No intention of becoming a different man. Saul just wanted some transcendent assistance so that he can be spared, and that he can continue to live on the way he was living. So then when you connect that understanding to first Chronicles ten thirteen where we are told that Saul did not seek guidance from the Lord, you know what the spirit of God is saying through that? Saul's prayer was such an abomination to God that it's as though he didn't pray at all.

Saul's seeking of God was was such a hopeless cause, it's as though he didn't even do it. That's how deaf God's ear was to Saul's prayer. And I want to tell you something, I don't know about you, that's more frightening to me than standing before an army who's against me. But that's unfortunately where he's at. The fact that he goes and seeks a witch afterwards shows that he is not a man who's concerned about God's righteous will.

He wants God to perform his will. And when he didn't get it from God, I'm gonna get it from someone else. And that proves that he was a man that did not concern himself with God's ways. And you and I can be assured that if we deliberately disobey something and God convicts us and he shows us and he reveals it to us, we cancel any privilege in prayer. We forfeit it.

I can we can spend the next half an hour going verse after verse throughout the whole Bible of how this principle is true, But we don't wanna be that kind of person. We can be assured that we have an open heaven throughout our lives if we but simply do one thing and that is tremble at God's word. Tremble at his word and obey everything that he has to say and to submit ourselves in every aspect of life. We will then inherit something glorious, and that is God's ear towards our cry. Let me prove that to you.

There is a king who cried out to God, and God heard him because he cried out to him in a specific way. That king is one of my favorite kings, King Josiah. Israel was so bad at that time that when Josiah had the priest come into the house of God to clean it, they found a book. It was the book of the law. But they were so far from from walking in God's ways that they didn't even recognize it.

And so they come up to the king and they said, we found a book. Can you imagine that? Can you imagine a Bible being so ignored that apparently a church sees a Bible? They're like, what is this? That's how bad it was for Israel.

And as they read out the law, Josiah rips his robes. In great humility, he he he just breaks before God and before God's people. And look how the Lord answers Josiah. I want you to just hear this. It's in second Kings twenty two nineteen.

Look what the Lord says about Josiah in second Kings twenty two nineteen, and compare it to Saul. Because your heart was penitent and you humbled yourself before the Lord, when you heard how I spoke against this place and against its inhabitants, that they should become a desolation and a curse, and you have torn your clothes and wept before me, I also have heard you. Do you see? I also have heard you, declares the Lord. The way you responded to my word determines how I will respond to your word.

That is the order. It was true then, it is true today. Your attitude and your reverence towards the word of God will affect your prayer life. It will. It will reflect and affect how you experience the goodness of God through prayer.

And so when you say people say, I love to pray but I don't love the Bible, that's a dangerous thing to entertain because God has conditions and there are certain things in his word that he requires before prayer can even be a possibility. Saul was a man who proved otherwise and we can spend the rest of this Bible study exploring that, but let's continue let's continue on. Verse seven in first Samuel 28. He said to his servants, seek out for me a woman who is a medium, that I may go to her and inquire of her. What a sad place to be, man.

This is extremely disappointing. But what's more disappointing is the insight in the following part of the verse. And his servant said to him, behold, there is a medium at Endor. What does that reveal? Does anybody does anybody have an idea what that shows?

Yeah. The servants themselves showed no hesitation in Saul's request to actually inquire of a medium. That's that's a very concerning thing. Anything else? He wasn't a special religion to put the Ah.

So we were told earlier that he put the mediums and the necromancers out of the land. How did the servants know where are witches in the land? Did Saul do what he was supposed to do in cleansing the land? You can argue yes, you can argue no. But what I see here, and those are great answers, is that these men, by revealing where the witch is, prove their own spiritual condition.

And it's actually an indictment against Saul's leadership. Why? Because these men are only imitating what they have seen over the years. These men are only the product, really, of observing partial obedience in their leader, and so what do you expect from them? It's no surprise that they don't fully obey themselves.

That shows me that even though Saul enforced this law throughout the land, the servants knew where to find a witch, which tells me that you're either entertaining that sin, or you you tolerated that sin. And I believe these servants saw a man who didn't truly follow God, didn't truly fear God in every aspect, and so they themselves thought it was okay. It was okay to entertain. Just just a just a sliver of it. And Saul's inconsistency is so severe here that there is no reaction to him based on the fact that these men know where to find a medium.

He's unmoved. He's like, whatever. Here's the point that I wanna make. The greatest power for discipleship is not preaching, it's not enforcing, it's not pointing, It's modeling the thing that you say others should obey. It's as simple as just being a consistent follower of Christ by the grace of God and letting others watch you and then imitate what they see being lived out before them.

And there is nothing more destructive to whatever laws you might impose on others or on yourself if that is not fully kept or it is not kept in another area. And Saul is seeing that. And I would say these servants are not completely off the hook. They're not just victims of poor leadership. They themselves should have proven their loyalty to God by standing up against the king and saying, what are you thinking?

This is not what God asks of us. This is goes directly, flies in the face of what God demands from us. But no such thing. No such thing. So Saul is even suffering from the product of his own leadership because now these servants are telling him and encouraging him to sin.

Be careful who you get counsel from. What happens? Look at verse eight. So Saul disguised himself and put on other garments and went, he and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night. They came to the woman by night.

And he said, divine for me by his spirit and bring up for me whomever I shall name to you. So Saul here changes his clothes. He disrobes himself from his royal garments. And although that may seem like a shady strategy, it actually says more. It speaks of the shift in his identity.

Saul now has crossed a line that he's never crossed before. Yes, he was disobedient, rebellious, inconsistent, but now he is becoming an apostate. He is denying the truth in one of the most abominable ways possible. He is seeking guidance from a supernatural force who is not God, and that is a violation to God's character and his prerogative. And so he disguises himself.

And what he's about to find out is no matter how much he thought that he can hide himself from this witch because what It wouldn't help if he came in as as the king. She knows that he he put everyone to death for doing such a thing. So he wants to hide himself. He wants to disclose his identity. But what's so funny is that in this very same scene, he's gonna be discovered.

You can't hide. You can't hide. No matter what you do, no matter where you do it, no matter what time of the night it is, no matter what layers you put on, no matter what kind of screen you're behind, you and I cannot hide. God is a master at hide and seek. And no matter how clever you and I think we may be, he will always find us out.

Always. And he goes by night. How telling. Right? Evil loves darkness.

Evil loves darkness. There's no wonder why crime intensifies during the night hours. It's not just because you are more able to hide your identity, it's because it also parallels the spiritual darkness that people love. They hate the light, not just physical light, but spiritual light because it exposes their deeds of darkness. And so Saul clothes himself and he comes at night, and he comes to this unnamed woman, and he makes a request.

Bring up a spirit for me. And look what she says, verse nine. The woman said to him, surely you know what Saul has done, how he has cut off the mediums and the necromancers from the land. Why then are you laying a trap for my life to bring about my death? I have a question for you.

Is this woman righteous? Good. Why? Why? Well, she's not sinning, she doesn't wanna sin, she's showing hesitation not to sin, so why isn't she righteous?

Very good. The motivation. What is her fear? What is her fear? That her life would be cut off.

That Saul would discover her and that she would be put to death. Punishment, judicial punishment has been instituted by God because in his wisdom he knows that in order for life to be livable and to put a restraint on wickedness being rampant in society, sinners need to fear. Sinners need to be afraid. And so God, even from Genesis, has established certain laws, and he established capital punishment. That might conflict with some people's political views.

But what's the idea there? The idea there is that he must enforce drastic consequences, lest our culture becomes so overwhelmed by the sins of people that you wouldn't even be able to step out of your front door at night, or even during the day. But fear of punishment is not God's ultimate desire for us to uphold righteousness. That's not God's ultimate goal. That's not there is a greater, there is a greater motivation and it is inspired by the work of the Holy Spirit.

One of the differences between a Christian and an unbelieving person, in their dealing with sin is that when the Holy Spirit comes in to a blood washed, born again child of God, that individual will be motivated not to sin even though there is no threat to their reputation, to their resources, or to their relationships. Do you understand what I'm saying? The Holy Spirit provokes something so great within the child of God that even though that person could sin and seem to get away with every consequence and be untainted by any punishment, they would still not do it. If they're spirit filled, at least. Why?

Because that's the miraculous consequence of the new birth. The Holy Spirit so transforms a heart, making a believer slow to sin for the sole reason that they do not want to make their savior sad. That's the sole reason. Believer, if your only reason not to sin is because you don't want to pay a consequence in this life, whether, again, it's with your reputation, your resources, or your relationships, you and I are no different than the witch from Endor. That make sense?

There are sinners who don't sin. There are unbelieving people who don't do certain things. They have a form of goodness, but what's the motive for it? The distinction is not just whether somebody sins or not. It's why?

Why? And Joseph, pre 10 commandments, pre indwelling of the Holy Spirit, could say in the secrecy of a room with a beautiful woman, how can I do this evil against who? God. Now if that man could come to that conclusion before the new covenant, how much more you and I? I really believe when Jesus said that the road is narrow, I really believe he meant it.

This woman here is not choosing to do wrong, but for the wrong reason. If you and I do not have that supreme desire, if there is no hesitation to our temptation that points to how can I do this against my Lord, we have to ask ourselves some serious questions of the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives? Something interesting is about to happen though. Saul falsely assures her in verse 10. He swore to her by the Lord, as the Lord lives, no punishment shall come upon you for this thing.

Then the woman said, whom shall I bring up to you? You can just feel the suspense of this moment. I'm curious to know, has anybody never read this chapter? Just lift your hand. There's no shame.

I just wanna know. It's fine. Everybody else here has read this chapter? Okay. So you know what's coming.

When the woman, verse 12, saw Samuel, she cried out with a loud voice. And the woman said to Saul, why have you deceived me? I love that. Like the first thing that she says is, you're Saul. We don't know how that came about.

I don't know if Samuel said something to her and we didn't have it recorded. But she discovered it. You're Saul. He doesn't care. The king said to her, do not be afraid.

What do you see? And the woman said to Saul, I see a God coming out of the earth. He said to her, what is his appearance? And she said, an old man is coming up and he is wrapped in a robe. And Saul knew that it was Samuel.

And look at this, he bowed with his face to the ground and paid homage. Kind of late, don't you think? Why didn't you do that while he was alive? When he was alive, you ripped his robe. And now that he's dead, you want to bow before him and show respect?

It's really a picture of how people will bow before Christ when it's too late. They will not bow out of adoration, they will bow because they have to. And that bowing at that time that has been prophesied in Isaiah and Philippians will mean nothing concerning their spiritual condition and their eternal destination just like Saul. It's too late. There's gonna be a little debate here because this text is highly controversial.

It seems to suggest some theological ideas that are difficult to grasp. And the main debate is around the idea of whether or not the spirit that this woman summoned was in fact Saul or someone else or something else. I'm curious to know where you stand. Who would say here that this is not Saul? This is an impersonation.

This is a hallucination. This is something or someone other than the real person. Who would say, yeah. K? This is not a salvation issue, so you don't have to be scared, nor is it a membership qualification.

Who believes that this is actually Samuel? Previous Bible study where we talked about this briefly. Great minds, great men of God have argued about this, and they still do. But I want to give you three reasons why I believe it is actually Samuel. First, look at the reaction of the woman.

Verse 12, when the woman saw Samuel, she cried out with a loud voice. Notice, only later on do you realize it wasn't because she saw Samuel, because she couldn't identify Samuel. She didn't even know it was Samuel. Saul had to ask for the description, the sketch of the man, and then only after she described it did Saul affirm that it was in fact Samuel. She was startled by the fact that someone showed up.

Strange reaction to someone who claims to be in contact with the dead. Don't you think? On a regular basis, if that's your business and you react like that, I'm questioning if you're the real thing. She's a fraud. She's a fraud.

This is a hoax. And it could be that like many people, she just plays tricks and she's a great actress. It could be. I'm not nullifying the fact that people can tap into demonic spirits and communicate with them. But this is very, very revealing.

The fact that she cries out in this way in total shock. Why are you so shocked? Aren't you supposed to expect this? If I make a request, that's why I came here. And so why are you so startled?

This eliminates the argument that this is a hallucination, like some would claim. This eliminates that she is pretending to see somebody and she's just playing a game with Saul. That is not the fact of the matter. Secondly, this is not the strongest point, but it's a point to consider. Notice here the appearance of Samuel described and acknowledged by Saul.

So once he asks for what she sees, she gives a description and he receives the affirmation that he needs that this is in fact the man that he knew throughout his life. Specifically that robe. That robe, that unique robe that a prophet would wear, and maybe it was the same robe that he even had a hand on and ripped a piece off. Now again, I don't think that's the strongest argument because I wanna make a point here. Demons can impersonate.

They can replicate. They can pair it. And I believe that's what's going on with much of what we see with these spiritists and these TV shows and all these things where people try to get into contact with dead family members. It's demonic. Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.

He can he can look like something else. And I believe demons can can do that. They study humanity. They observe. They listen.

And so what makes us think that it's so difficult for a demon to appear to somebody who's obviously tapped into the wrong spiritual realm and to appear in a certain way for what purpose? Well, to do what demons do, lie and deceive. Well, what advantage is that? What what advantage is it if I seek a spiritist and say, I've missed my grandpa so much. Can you ask and see if he's okay?

Now that sounds silly, but I wanna tell you how damning it can be. And so here's a spiritist who does what she does or what he does and channels and then describes something, a characteristic of what this person would only know concerning grandpa. Following with this, your grandpa is in a good place and he wants to let you know he's at peace. And grandpa never gave his life to Jesus Christ. What kind of false hope is that?

Here's a person who walks away thinking that they're in a better place because some demon appeared to lie to somebody, skewing their understanding of what's awaiting us when we die. And so again, that I bring that up to say that the visualization and the description of the person may not be the strongest case, but it's connected to the third point. It's what it's what Samuel says. Let's read it briefly, shall we? Yes.

Hang tight, great observation. We're gonna see the answer to how this happened in a moment. Look at verse 16. And Samuel said, why then do you ask me since the Lord has turned from you and become your enemy? The Lord has done to you as he spoke by me for the Lord has torn the kingdom out of your hand and given it to your neighbor David.

Because you did not obey the voice of the Lord and did not carry out his fierce wrath against Amalek, therefore the Lord has done this thing to you this day. Moreover, the Lord will give Israel also with you into the hand of the Philistines, and tomorrow you and your sons shall be with me. The Lord will give the army of Israel also into the hand of the Philistines. Does that sound like a deceptive spirit? Does that sound like I mean, just ask the question.

What would Satan or any of his minions, what kind of advantage would they have by saying what they just said? It's only a confirmation of what was said while Samuel was alive. It was a pronouncement of judgment. It was in fact a prophetic word that was fulfilled the next day. And so the very content, the very the very monologue here, I believe proves furthermore that this is in fact Samuel.

How? Does mere mortal have the ability to disrupt those who have passed on into the next realm, which our dear sister pointed out? And the question is a legitimate one, and the answer, I hope, is understandable. No. There's only one who has the keys to death.

What's happening here is that God made an exception. It was a unique instance. And this is not the only time where the Lord has brought the righteous from the other world into this world. Can you think of a of a time in the gospel of Matthew? Man of transfiguration.

Who was there with Jesus? Very good. Very good. And so God in his wisdom and unique instances has justifiable reasons why he would do what only he can do. No man has the ability, no witch has the ability, that's why she was so shocked, to actually bring the righteous from their rest.

If that was the case, imagine that happening all the time. I can imagine it happening all the time. Imagine somebody who was connected to the devil could reach and deal with those who have passed on in such a way. The very fact that this woman responds in this way shows that she realized that this is a divine act. He appears.

For what reason? We just read it. To pronounce judgment upon upon Saul. And not just that, I believe it is a veiled act of mercy. A veiled act of mercy.

How so? Well, if you were told that you were gonna die tomorrow and you were not in a good place with God, wouldn't you think that that heads up would help you prepare to meet with your God? You would hope so. You would hope that the fact that this actually occurred, that this actually came about would cause would cause Saul, though his fate has been sealed, to spend whatever waking moment he had to be broken before God and to make sure that no matter how much he has messed up throughout his life, he would be ready to meet the one that he has disobeyed but was willing to forgive. And guess what?

He doesn't. He doesn't. It makes you wonder if that rich man in Jesus' teaching about hell had this story in mind when he requested Abraham and Lazarus who was in his bosom. Would you, would you just send someone from the dead to tell my brothers to repent? And what did Jesus say?

If they won't listen to Moses and the prophets, they won't listen to anybody who rises from the dead. And funny enough, a man by the name of Lazarus rises from the dead and guess what the Pharisees wanted to do? Kill him. Are you saved today? Praise God for that miracle in your life.

Because even if somebody comes from the dead, we can be so harbored in sin, so proud, so arrogant that we would still not even choose to give our hearts to Christ. It's a frightening sight. And so if you disagree with my analyzation of this being actually Samuel, debate about it afterwards. Argue righteously. If you have questions, come see me, but we must move on.

Samuel appears, look at Saul's reaction in verse 20. And Saul fell at once full length on the ground filled with fear because of the words of Samuel and there was no strength in him, for he had eaten nothing all day and all night. I almost feel bad for the man. He just slips out of his seat and lays there like a little child, realizing that he's going to die tomorrow. If you knew you were gonna die tomorrow, would you slip out of your chair, or would you be ready?

Look Look what the woman does. She like turns from a witch to like a mother. The woman came to Saul and when she saw that he was terrified, she said to him, behold your servant has obeyed you. I have taken my life in my hand and I have listened to what you have said to me. Now therefore, you also obey your servant.

Let me set a morsel of bread before you and eat that you may have strength when you go on your way. He refused and he said, I will not eat. But his servants together with the woman urged him and he listened to their words. So he rose from the earth and sat on the bed. And what does she do?

She feeds him. He receives some strength. He takes these men with him and they go back into that black night. Who knows what was running through his mind? You could only imagine that it was sheer terror.

But what I'd like to point out from here is that the witch, the witch who obviously saw a man who realized his dreadful destination, attempted to console him, but it was a failure. Why? She saw the physical need, but she didn't realize the spiritual one. And so what did she do? She saw the temporary, and she ministered to that.

Saul's ultimate need wasn't another meal. It was to be renewed in a spirit. It was to be transformed. It was to be forgiven. It was to be restored and reconciled to God.

This witch who couldn't even understand that this was Samuel when she saw him, shows you how disconnected she was from the righteous while Samuel was alive, also could not perceive what Saul actually needed in this moment, and that was salvation. And if she really, really had a hint of righteousness, she would not have made the food a priority, she would have made spiritual food a priority. As one preacher said, it's better to have one restless night with conviction than a thousand restless nights and sleepless nights in hell. And I would borrow that and say, it's better for Saul to go hungry and to get right with God than to go where most people believe he went after he died and share that thirst with the rich man who just wanted a drop of water on his lips. She's a picture of the world.

The world is not concerned about your eternal state. The world is not concerned about where you go after this life. All they offer you is morsels of bread for today and for tomorrow. All they offer you is satisfaction for the moment. All they offer you is replenishment, strength for the brief sixty, seventy, eighty years, if that, as you journey through this life.

But they will never do what only Jesus can do and they never offer what only Jesus can offer. And there was a time where there were people who loved Jesus because he he gave them some physical bread. And as I read this, my mind raced to John six twenty seven, where Jesus looked at this crowd of people who wanted him to be king because they thought, man, if we make him king, we never have to buy anything. We don't have to go to the grocery store. We don't have to worry about nothing.

We want you to be king. And Jesus says, do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you, for on him God the Father has set his seal. You want bread? I didn't come here to to bake. I didn't come here to make you more financially comfortable.

I came here to offer you a food that only the Son of Man can give. Would you ask for it? Saul's pathetic condition here is just like the world. They go to those who claim to have answers, even answers from another world, and all they receive is a meal for the night when they will face a thousand years, ten billion years, empty and suffering. So tonight I wanna ask you in close of this bible study, if you've received the bread from Jesus and not the bread of this world.

Have you determined within yourself that you're satisfied in Jesus Christ alone, that you sought him for a bread that does not perish, that does not fail you the next day and you need another, another load? Something that just deals with you once and for all. If not, it's free. It's actually free. You can walk out of here full in a way that can even overshadow whatever emptiness you feel physically, even actual physical hunger.

You can so know a joy in Christ like Jesus knew in serving the Father. That when he was actually hungry and the disciples came to give him food, he just finished evangelizing a woman and she went to go and is about to spread revival. And they said, hey, there's food for you. He goes, I'm actually not hungry. Serving God can be so fulfilling that it even, even can eclipse physical hunger at times.

Some of you have known that. That's how powerful this joy is, this rest is. And if you don't have it, Christ alone can give it. Christ alone can offer it. And maybe you're not a Christian in this place.

I would ask you to talk to the Lord, your Lord, and ask him, Lord, I I'm empty. I know that what this man is speaking about, I don't have and I need it. And you get it by repenting and trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ. You get it by admitting, not like Saul, claiming you have a prayer life, but not repenting, not conforming to the word of God. You admit that you've broken God's law, that you have disobeyed him, that you will stand before him guilty, and you say, Lord, I realize at the same time that you've forgiven me on that cross, and I ask that you would forgive me and wash me afresh.

And Lord, give me this bread that you spoke about, and you'll give it. You'll never hunger again. Can I tell you something encouraging? I ate that bread ten years ago. I'm still full.

I'm still full. Ten years ago. Before that, I was in the buffet of the world, trying this and trying that. And it tasted good for the moment, but just like much junk, it tends to turn its back on you later on. One day there was that bread from heaven, Christ himself, and there was such a desperation in my life and I smelt that righteousness and that holiness and that purity and that love.

I want this bread. And I ate it by God's grace, and I'm still full. You can know the same. I can't give it. Pastor Daniel Bennett can't give it.

The worship team can't give it. Your dad can't give it. Your mom can't give it. Your girlfriend, boyfriend, fiancee. None.

Christ himself. Go directly to him and he will come and deal with that emptiness in your heart. Let's pray. Well, we thank you for the living word of God. We feel fed by your grace.

We ask, oh, Lord, that these things would not be forgotten. They would be remembered. They would be remembered for the sake of obedience, not for the sake of parroting truths. Deal with us and to transform us. Well, we thank you for this wonderful lesson.

We pray that it would be more than a lesson. It would be a life altering power in our lives. We thank you, oh God, that you hear us even now. You hear those who tremble at your word, and we tremble tonight. Lord, for those who might not know you in this place, let this evening be the turning point.

And may they know this bread from heaven who is Jesus. May they know that fulfillment that only comes by faith in him. And Lord, we just pray that as we heard before the service even began, the bible study, that all of us who came in here in a certain way would leave healed, replenished, comforted, encouraged, built up, and perhaps even convicted if necessary, do that work in each of us. We believe, oh God, that you've each of us. We believe, oh God, that you've spoken, but we don't want to leave here.

We don't want to leave here the same way. And so between now and the dismissal of this service, Lord, if there's anything that still needs to be dealt with in our hearts, would you speak to our hearts as we meditate on what we heard? We trust that you will in Jesus' name. Amen.