Join Tim and John as they talk about life and study on 1 Samuel 28

Theme: https://uppbeat.io/t/northwestern/a-new-beginning and https://uppbeat.io/t/pecan-pie/halloween-time

Transition Song: https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/

Introduction: Saul’s Spiritual Collapse

There are few stories in Scripture as haunting as King Saul’s final descent into darkness in 1 Samuel 28. Once anointed by God and filled with promise, Saul’s life becomes a tragic tale of spiritual compromise, fear, and disobedience. As the Philistine army gathers against Israel, Saul finds himself alone—abandoned by the God he once professed to serve, and desperate for answers.

But rather than turning to repentance, Saul turns to the very evil he had once banished from the land. In a moment of fear and rebellion, he seeks out a medium—the Witch of Endor—to summon the prophet Samuel from the grave.

This moment marks the lowest point of Saul’s spiritual journey. His collapse is not sudden, but the culmination of a life lived in partial obedience and prideful independence. When God went silent, Saul did not ask, “What have I done?”—he asked, “Who else can I talk to?”

This chapter challenges us to examine our own spiritual posture:

• What do we do when God feels silent?
  
• Do we turn back in repentance, or reach for forbidden solutions?
  
• What happens when we seek guidance outside the boundaries God has set?
  

As we study Saul’s final night, we’ll discover both a warning and a lesson—a reminder that spiritual compromise often begins in fear, grows through pride, and ends in destruction. But we’ll also be reminded of the grace of God, who desires repentance over ruin.

Let us learn from Saul’s collapse, so that we may stand firm in our faith—even in silence, even in fear.

Section 1: Desperation in Silence

Text: 1 Samuel 28:5–7 (ESV)

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.”

Explanation:

Saul was filled with fear as the Philistine army prepared for war. In his panic, he sought direction from the Lord, but received no answer—no dreams, no prophetic voice, no guidance through the priestly Urim. God was silent.

That silence was not arbitrary. It was the result of Saul's long pattern of rejecting God's word and misusing his authority. Having distanced himself from God in times of prosperity, Saul found himself alone in crisis.

In his desperation, Saul broke his own law and violated God’s commands (see Deuteronomy 18:11) by seeking out a medium in Endor. This act of rebellion further revealed the spiritual erosion in Saul’s life.

Reflection/Application:

• Silence from God is not a license to pursue forbidden answers.
  
• When we repeatedly ignore or disobey God's Word, we risk spiritual deafness—unable to hear Him when it matters most.
  
• A life built on disobedience cannot demand divine guidance in a moment of panic.
  

Key Question:

Do we seek God only in crisis, or are we listening daily—when He speaks and even when He doesn’t?

Section 2: The Forbidden Conversation

Text: 1 Samuel 28:8–14 (ESV)

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.” 12 When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out with a loud voice. And the woman said to Saul, “Why have you deceived me? You are Saul.” 13 The king said to her, “Do not be afraid. What do you see?” And the woman said to Saul, “I see a god coming up out of the earth.” 14 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 he bowed with his face to the ground and paid homage.

Explanation:

Despite having outlawed mediums (v. 3), Saul now disguises himself and travels under cover of night to consult one. This is not just hypocrisy—it’s a spiritual collapse. Instead of repenting and waiting on God, Saul doubles down on rebellion by violating divine law (Deuteronomy 18:10–12).

The medium, expecting a routine demonic summoning, is shocked when a true prophetic figure actually appears. Her startled reaction (v. 12) suggests she wasn’t expecting a real manifestation of Samuel, which implies this event was not her doing—but a sovereign act of God.

Saul asks what she sees, and based on her description—a robe-clad old man—he assumes it is Samuel. Scripture confirms it by referring to the figure as “Samuel” and recording his message without qualification or illusion.

Reflection/Application:

• God may permit extraordinary means to deliver truth—but not to validate sin.
  
• Consulting the occult is never excused in Scripture; Saul’s actions reflect desperation, not discernment.
  
• The witch’s surprise shows us that God, not the medium, was in control of what happened.
  

Key Questions:

Are we trying to “disguise” our rebellion while still demanding answers from God?
Do we turn to worldly or forbidden means when we feel God is distant?

Section 3: The Final Prophetic Judgment

Text: 1 Samuel 28:15–19 (ESV)

15 Then Samuel said to Saul, “Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?” Saul answered, “I am in great distress, for the Philistines are warring against me, and God has turned away from me and answers me no more, either by prophets or by dreams. Therefore I have summoned you to tell me what I shall do.” 16 And Samuel said, “Why then do you ask me, since the Lord has turned from you and become your enemy? 17 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. 18 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. 19 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.”

Explanation:

The figure identified as Samuel speaks with clarity and divine authority, affirming prior prophecies:

• The Lord has departed from Saul (v. 16).
  
• The kingdom is given to David (v. 17).
  
• Saul is judged for his disobedience, especially concerning the Amalekites (v. 18).
  
• Tomorrow, Saul and his sons will die (v. 19).
  

This is not new revelation—it is confirmation. Saul had ignored Samuel when he was alive; now he seeks him in death. But Samuel gives no comfort—only truth.

This chilling moment reveals the danger of seeking answers without repentance. Saul wanted guidance without surrender. What he received was a sentence.

Theological Insight:

• God’s Word is consistent. Samuel does not change his message in death—it aligns with everything God had already said.
  
• Judgment is final. Saul’s rejection of God leads to God’s judgment being sealed.
  
• Suffering without repentance only deepens the fall.
  

Application:

• Don’t wait for a crisis to seek God—seek Him while He may be found (Isaiah 55:6).
  
• Confirmation of judgment is not the same as guidance.
  
• True repentance submits to God’s word instead of attempting to manipulate outcomes.

Section 4: Saul’s Final Meal and Fallout

Text: 1 Samuel 28:20–25 (ESV)

20 Then 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. 21 And 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 have listened to what you have said to me. 22 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.” 23 He refused and said, “I will not eat.” But his servants, together with the woman, urged him, and he listened to their words. So he arose from the earth and sat on the bed. 24 Now the woman had a fattened calf in the house, and she quickly killed it, and she took flour and kneaded it and baked unleavened bread of it, 25 and she put it before Saul and his servants, and they ate. Then they rose and went away that night.

Explanation:

Saul collapses—physically and spiritually. The weight of divine judgment overwhelms him. Though he had not eaten all day, the deeper hunger was spiritual—and it remained unmet.

The medium, showing surprising compassion, prepares a final meal for Saul. It is solemn and symbolic: this is not a meal of victory or hope. It is a death meal. Saul eats and departs into the night, toward his doom the next day (see 1 Samuel 31).

This meal marks the end of Saul’s reign and illustrates the tragic loneliness of rebellion.

Theological Insight:

• Judgment comes without fanfare. There are no thunderclaps—just quiet dread and solemn resignation.
  
• Even the wicked may show mercy. The medium offers food and comfort—ironically more than Saul receives from his own God. But her kindness cannot save him.
  
• Final meals point to final choices. Saul had feasted with Samuel in better days (1 Sam. 9). Now he eats apart from God, in defiance and despair.
  

Application:

• There is no peace apart from God—even if your table is full.
  
• Seeking comfort without repentance leads only to delay, not deliverance.
  
• God gives space for repentance—but there comes a point when the consequences are in motion.
  

Conclusion: The Tragedy of a King Who Refused to Listen

1 Samuel 28 is one of the darkest and most sobering chapters in Scripture—not because of ghosts or sorcery, but because of a man who once knew God and chose to walk away.

Saul’s journey in this chapter is not just a political fall—it’s a spiritual collapse:

• He ignored God’s Word when it was given through the prophet Samuel.
  
• He silenced the prophets and expelled mediums outwardly, but when desperate, he returned to sin to soothe his fears.
  
• He experienced divine silence, not because God was powerless, but because Saul’s repeated disobedience had closed his ears to heaven.
  
• He sought answers from the dead when he should have repented before the living God.
  

God allowed Samuel to appear—not to offer hope, but to pronounce final judgment. This was not guidance—it was confirmation that the door had closed. Saul, once anointed, ends up isolated, fearful, spiritually bankrupt, and walking into his death without peace.

Key Lessons for Us Today:

• God’s silence is not His absence—it’s often a signal to return, repent, and realign with His will.
  
• Desperate times do not justify sinful decisions—no matter how dark life gets, turning to forbidden paths only compounds destruction.
  
• Spiritual compromise corrodes leadership—and leads not just to personal collapse, but the downfall of those around us.
  
• There is still time to listen—unlike Saul, we can humble ourselves today and seek God with a heart of repentance.
  

“Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts…” — Hebrews 3:15