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CHAPTER 28 (ESV)

 

3 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. 4 The Philistines assembled and came and encamped at Shunem. And Saul gathered all Israel, and they encamped at Gilboa. 5 When Saul saw the army of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart trembled greatly. 6 And when Saul inquired of the Lord, the Lord did not answer him, either by dreams, or by Urim, or by prophets. 7 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 En-dor.”

 

8 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. And he said, “Divine for me by a spirit and bring up for me whomever I shall name to you.” 9 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?” 10 But Saul swore to her by the Lord, “As the Lord lives, no punishment shall come upon you for this thing.” 11 Then the woman said, “Whom shall I bring up for you?” He said, “Bring up Samuel for me.”

 

REFLECTION:

1. The Old Testament forbids the use of sorcery, divination, or other occult practices (Lev 19:31, Deut 18:10-11). Saul himself had tried to rid the land of occult practitioners. Yet Saul’s long disobedience and David’s steady rise had taken their toll and he was at the end of his rope. Out of touch with God and out of touch with his true self, Saul grasped at anything, even a woman medium.
2. This is a sad chapter in Saul’s life. It shows us that even though we have the anointing of God, our hearts can be far from him. It is possible for a person to wander so far from God that there is no way back to the place of blessing.
3. Where am I along this spiritual journey? How close or far am I from God?
4. What “great stress” in my life have I been seeking God’s will in earnest? Where am I looking for answers? Whom am I consulting? Do I ever read my horoscope, seek out a fortuneteller, and other such practices? Is that acceptable to God?

 

PRAYER:

Find a private space for 5-10 minutes. Lie face down on the floor. Listen to what God wants to tell me and have a conversation with Him. End the time with a prayer of dedication by reciting Ro 12:1-2 or reading:

 

“Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you. (the MSG)”.