A Small Medium at Large

1 Samuel 28

 - The first part of the chapter we see that David has gained the trust of the Philistine King Achish, even to the point of making David a body guard for life. Although he may well have done this just to keep a close eye on David.

- At this point in time the author reminds us that Samuel was dead and Saul had expelled the mediums and spiritists from the land. My first thought in this statement is why? Why did Saul do this and what was his motivation? The obvious answer would be to quote “Do not turn to mediums or seek out spiritists, for you will be defiled by them. I am the Lord your God.” Leviticus 19:31 I don’t believe Saul all of a sudden started inquiring about the laws and promises of GOD that he was required to follow and help enforce.

Deuteronomy 17: 18-20  tell us that - When he takes the throne of his kingdom, he is to write for himself on a scroll a copy of this law, taken from that of the Levitical priests. It is to be with him, and he is to read it all the days of his life so that he may learn to revere the Lord his God and follow carefully all the words of this law and these decrees and not consider himself better than his fellow Israelites and turn from the law to the right or to the left. Then he and his descendants will reign a long time over his kingdom in Israel.  This certainly wasn’t Saul, he couldn’t even follow Samuel's verbal instructions from the LORD. So back to the question, what prompted Saul to do this if he’s not trying to enforce the law with regard to mediums and spiritists?  

Saul had some difficult and embarrassing times in his hunt for David. David seemed to have inside knowledge in order to avoid Saul at Keliah. In the Desert of En Gedi Saul relieves himself in a cave that David and his men are hiding in, how did David know? Another time David is able to sneak into the camp where Saul and his men were sleeping, at the hill of Hakilah. David stole Saul’s spear and made him and Abner look weak in the eyes of the people. 

- Samuel was dead and the only way David was getting inside information had to be through some supernatural means. Getting rid of mediums and spiritists in Saul’s mind would make David’s job harder if in fact that was how he was getting help to avoid capture. If this is true than Saul’s motivation was for all the wrong reasons and like most things with Saul his follow through was less than diligent and complete. There was a medium at Endor that his own people knew about, but they chose not to get rid of her. She was still a Small, Medium at Large”. Which also begs the question, if there is one was there more?

- Now the Philistines set up camp at Shunem which fills Saul with terror and he tries to inquire of the LORD what he should do about the threat. The LORD did not answer him whether it be through dreams, Urim, or prophets. Remember Saul has access to the High priest, levites, urim and the thummim and prophets and GOD is still not talking, no matter what method of communication Saul tries.

- Saul then thinks his only alternative is to inquire information from the exact way he had already outlawed. Saul doesn’t ask the hard questions of what he needs to do or change so that GOD will talk to him again. Remember the passage from Deuteronomy 17 passage - “follow carefully all the words of this law and these decrees and not consider himself better than his fellow Israelites.” Others were forbidden to ask mediums and spiritists, but because Saul was King and he was desperate for information it was OK in his own mind.

- Saul and a couple of his men go in disguise to Endor and ask the medium to bring up a spirit so they can ask it questions. The woman sensing it was a trap reminded them of the King’s law and if she’s found out it could mean her death. Saul in disguise assures her by   swearing by the Lord that she will be safe, it seems both ironic and blasphemous all at the same time.

- She calls up Samuel and immediately knows that one of the three disguised men is King Saul. Saul reassures her it will be OK and asks her what she sees?

- She tells Saul that she sees a ghostly figure, or better translated an elohim, a spirit. Was this indeed Samuel? I don’t know, but with GOD it is not impossible. It also could have been a deceiving spirit with knowledge of the situation. From the mere description given by the medium, an old man wearing a robe, which really could describe anyone from Samuel to Obi-wan Kenobi, but Saul immediately believes it to be Samuel and bows prostrate to the ground. It is disturbing that Saul seems to have a greater respect for Samuel than he does for GOD.

- Saul pleads with Samuel or the spirit about his distress from the Philistines massing forces and also that GOD won’t answer him or tell him what to do next.

- The spirit, whether Samuel or not explains why the LORD has left him and why and what will happen next. The Philistines will attack and Saul and his sons will be killed and join the spirit where he is now.

- In verse twenty Saul falls to to the ground filled with fear because of what he has just heard. His strength was gone because he had not eaten all day. The medium has compassion on Saul and tries to give him some food, but he refuses. His men and the woman continue trying to change his mind and he finally listens and she makes a meal for them, they eat and leave.

A few take a ways from this :

- the woman even though she was a medium was also a person who showed compassion. (they need Jesus too) GOD doesn’t forbid mediums and spiritists because it won’t work, he forbids the practice because it could work and the only one whom we should be attempting to communicate with is GOD alone. The rebels, and the beings we commonly refer to as demons, unclean spirits, an unclean mixture, the offspring from the union of women and the spirits that didn’t keep their proper dwelling. Jude 6 and Genesis 6:4

They will seize on all opportunities to lead people astray.

- Even knowing what would happen the next day Saul doesn’t try to seek the LORD to ask for mercy for his sons or to offer to step down and let GOD’s new chosen leader to take over. Even to attempt to offer up himself in place of his sons and the people under his protection as King, those who would also die tomorrow because of him.

- Knowing the future doesn’t necessarily mean people will do the right thing.

Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will freely pardon. Isaiah 55:6-7

There is a season Turn, Turn Turn 

Next – Mistrust, Men of Belial, and Mélange