1 Samuel 28:1-25: Saul Consults a Medium

1 Samuel 28:1-25: Saul Consults a Medium

We’ve been working our way passage by passage through the book of 1 Samuel, and today the next passage we come to is 1 Samuel 28:1-25, so I’ll be reading a selection of verses from that passage. Hear now the words of the Living and True God:

¹ In those days the Philistines gathered their forces for war, to fight against Israel…. 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.” 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. 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.”…

May God bless the reading of his Word.

 Let’s pray: Father, we’re gathered around this text of Scripture today because we want to hear from you. And we want to hear from you because we want to know you more and love you more and be more conformed to your image. So, please, bless our efforts and glorify your name. It’s in Jesus’ name we pray, amen.

A major study that was released a few months ago by Pew Research Center found that about 30% of American adults consult a fortune teller, tarot cards, or a horoscope at least once per year. Regarding tarot cards in particular, let me read to you what one market research firm writes about recent trends in the tarot card industry: “The tarot card industry is seeing a spectacular comeback as more people look for spiritual direction and opportunities for exploration. Tarot cards have changed from being seen mostly as fun to vital instruments for mindfulness and meditation, eventually becoming a recognized method of self-examination. Their popularity in popular culture, the increasing acceptance of spiritual practices, and the rise of digital innovation are some of the reasons for its new beginning. As a result, the tarot card market is poised for significant growth….[S]ales of tarot decks [in the US] have doubled over the last five years. According to recent figures, 51% of Americans between the ages of 13 and 25 practice tarot or fortune telling, with 17% doing so daily. Although tarot has always been linked with women, more males are becoming interested in its offerings, and the community is growing more inclusive.” Again, that’s written by a company that specializes in market research.

And there are plenty of other statistics I could cite as well that demonstrate the rapid increase in the popularity of the occult—including the recent surge in crystal sales, the significant rise in consumer spending on Halloween over the past several years, and plenty of other quantifiable data demonstrating popular interest in the occult. And of course, I imagine that all of this data merely confirms what many of us have probably been sensing already—that people are becoming increasingly interested and willing to engage in various occult practices.

In fact, just a few years ago, I was on the board of directors for the Brentwood Library, and one of the other board members suggested that an upcoming library fundraising event include free palm readings for those in attendance. And the rest of the board thought that was a great idea. It wasn’t too long afterwards that I decided that maybe being on the board of that library wasn’t the best use of my time. But the reason I mention their inclusion of palm readings in their fundraising event is simply to demonstrate how various occult practices are becoming increasingly mainstream. Of course, I imagine many people who engage in them don’t take them all that seriously and probably just view them as forms of harmless entertainment. But that doesn’t change the fact that practices like these are becoming more accepted and practiced in mainstream American culture.

And that raises the question of just how dangerous occult involvement is. Are we really putting ourselves in significant spiritual danger by consulting a horoscope every now and then or by having crystals in our house that are said to promote spiritual wellness or by dabbling in some of the darker elements commonly associated with Halloween? Are there actually spiritual realities and spiritual forces behind these things, or are they—as is commonly claimed—simply harmless forms of entertainment? These are some of the questions our study of 1 Samuel 28 will lead us to consider this morning.

To review the context of this passage, Saul was appointed by God as the king of Israel but had disobeyed God on several important occasions, resulting in God informing him through the prophet Samuel that he had rejected Saul as king. And verse 1 of this chapter informs us that the Philistines have now gathered their forces to make war against Israel. This appears to have been a much larger mobilization of the Philistines than on most previous occasions. We’re even told in subsequent verses that Saul trembles with fear at the sight of the massive Philistine army.

So, in his desperation, Saul does something rather shocking for a king of Israel to do. He actually consults a medium. And it’s through this medium that Saul learns what the consequences of his disobedience will be. And that’s the main idea of this passage: In desperation, Saul consults a medium and learns what the consequences of his disobedience will be. Even though Saul went to the medium looking for guidance that would be helpful in battle, he instead only receives a devasting prediction about his imminent death.

So, let’s look first at verse 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.” Now, the prophet Samuel’s death was already recorded back in chapter 25, but we’re reminded of it again here in verse 3. We’re also told that Saul had expelled “the mediums and necromancers” from the land of Israel. Scholars tell us that both of these terms refer to people who claimed to be able to make contact with the dead. This might involve either speaking on behalf of the dead or rousing the dead to speak for themselves.

And it’s important to note that the Old Testament law explicitly prohibited the Israelites from engaging in this kind of activity. In Leviticus 19:31, God says, “Do not turn to mediums or necromancers; do not seek them out, and so make yourselves unclean by them: I am the Lord your God.” God then says in Leviticus 20:27, “A man or a woman who is a medium or a necromancer shall surely be put to death. They shall be stoned with stones; their blood shall be upon them.” And Deuteronomy 18:10-12 states, ¹⁰ There shall not be found among you anyone who burns his son or his daughter as an offering, anyone who practices divination or tells fortunes or interprets omens, or a sorcerer ¹¹ or a charmer or a medium or a necromancer or one who inquires of the dead, ¹² for whoever does these things is an abomination to the Lord…. And to his credit, Saul recognized this and therefore, we’re told in verse 3 of our main passage, “put the mediums and the necromancers out of the land.” However, as we’re about to see, Saul’s desperation leads him to engage in a consultation with a medium that he knows is forbidden.

Look at verses 4-6: 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.  

The fact that God doesn’t answer Saul tells us a lot about the state of Saul’s relationship to God. It’s somewhat comparable to how a wife might respond when her husband asks her how she is. If she says everything’s “just fine,” you know it’s bad. But if she doesn’t even answer, you know it’s really bad. So, the fact that Saul inquires of God but doesn’t receive any answer is a pretty clear indication of where Saul stands with God. And we know from previous chapters that the reason for this is that Saul’s disobeyed God on numerous occasions. 

Likewise, for us today, sin separates us from God with the result that God refuses to hear our prayers. Isaiah 59:1-2 states, ¹ Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear; ² but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear. If you have sin in your life that you haven’t dealt with, don’t expect God to hear your prayers. The only prayer you should expect God to listen to from you is a prayer of repentance.

Then, back in our main passage, when Saul prays but receives no answer, he does something very foolish. Verse 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.” So, we see here that Saul’s so desperate for guidance that, when his efforts to obtain guidance from God prove unsuccessful, he resorts to consulting a medium. One commentator puts it well when he writes that “[Saul’s] decision to seek help from a medium is a measure of his moral exhaustion, his despairing faith, [and] his failed life.”

Saul’s decision to consult a medium also illustrates a phenomenon that occurs on a much larger scale in societies as a whole: when Christianity ceases to be the principal and leading influence within a society, other religious philosophies will inevitably come in to fill that void. The modern idea of a secular society really isn’t possible for any significant length of time. Society might briefly feel like it’s secular, but it’ll never remain secular for long. Other religious philosophies will always come in and fill the void.

You might compare it to a commercial property that becomes vacant. When the store or restaurant that was occupying the property moves out and the property isn’t maintained, nature quickly moves in. It’s amazing how quickly weeds start growing in cracks in the parking lot and how rapidly bushes get out of control. It only takes a few months for the property to look radically different than it did when it was occupied.

Similarly, when Christianity stops being the leading influence in society, it creates a void. Yet that void never lasts for long. Almost before you even know what’s happening, other religious philosophies take the place of Christianity. And I believe that’s what we’re seeing in our society right now. As Christianity has receded, other religious philosophies and spiritual practices have quickly taken its place. These include the occult practices that are our main focus today.

We then read in verses 8-10, 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.”

Isn’t it something that Saul swears to this medium in the name of the Lord, using God’s sacred name “Yahweh” in his oath? A more literal translation would be, “But Saul swore to her by [Yahweh], ‘As [Yahweh] lives, no punishment shall come upon you for this thing.’” One piece of ancient rabbinic literature compares Saul’s oath in this verse to a woman who’s cheating on her husband with another lover and swears to this other lover by the life of her husband. It’s just really messed up.

After that, we’re told in verses 11-14, 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.

So, when the woman sees Samuel, she suddenly becomes aware that the person who’s inquiring of her is Saul. It’s not clear whether she somehow deduces this from the fact that Samuel is brought up or whether Samuel says something that’s not recorded in the text indicating Saul’s identity. Nevertheless, this woman is understandably quite afraid of what Saul will do to her after witnessing her “bring up” Samuel from the dead.

And that leads us to perhaps the most intriguing question about this passage, and that is, was this really Samuel whom the woman “brought up”? And that, of course, leads to an even larger question of whether it’s actually possible to communicate with the spirits of the dead.

Now, to be clear, there’s been plenty of debate about whether this was actually Samuel or not. Many have suggested that it was more likely an evil spirit posing as Samuel. However, the simple fact is that the biblical text clearly identifies this spirit as the spirit of Samuel. So, I personally think it’s probably best for us to just take the text at face value. In addition, verse 14 tells us not merely that Saul “believed” it was Samuel but rather that he “knew” it was Samuel. Moreover, in the subsequent verses, we’re about to see this spirit making very specific references to previous interactions Samuel had had with Saul and also delivering a prophetic prediction about Saul’s future that ended up being absolutely accurate. So, I think we should conclude that this was actually the spirit of Samuel.

Now, this doesn’t mean that this medium had some sort of power over Samuel or that mediums today have any power over the dead or ability to summon the dead. Instead, I think it’s entirely possible—and even probable—that God acted in a unique way here and gave this medium the ability to do something on this particular occasion that she wouldn’t normally be able to do—and that is to actually engage in genuine communication with someone who had died. So, we have to be very careful about using this passage to form conclusions about the abilities of mediums today, especially when it comes to communicating with the dead.

However, I do think we can confidently say that there’s genuine power at work in many occult practices—and, I should add, a very dark and dangerous power. The Bible’s clear that demonic spirits do exist and are very willing to interact with us. Ephesians 6:12 states, “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” Our battle against evil spirits that are seeking to cause us spiritual harm is all too real. So, the last thing we should want to do is willingly open ourselves up to these evil spirits by engaging in occult practices.

And when I say, “occult practices,” I mean any kind of practice that has any spiritual overtone that isn’t explicitly Christian. This includes possessing or interacting with objects such as horoscopes or other astrological charts, tarot cards, Ouija boards, crystals said to have any kind of healing powers or spiritual energy, dreamcatchers, or other magical charms, amulets, or talismans. It also obviously includes practices such as palm readings or consulting psychics or mediums. And it also includes engaging in yoga as a spiritual practice or engaging in transcendental meditation.

Even though these objects and practices are commonly viewed as harmless forms of entertainment or, in some cases, as practices that can actually be helpful for our mental wellness, the reality is that they all open us up to demonic oppression. As we’ve said, the spiritual world is very real. And so, if we open ourselves up to these spirits, we shouldn’t be surprised when they oppress us and wreak havoc in our lives in all sorts of ways. In reality, it’s probably safer for us to start messing around with a snake or a hornet’s nest than it is for us to start messing around with any of these things. These are things that Christians should have nothing to do with.

Also, especially since we’re entering into fall, it’s important for us to think very carefully about Halloween. Now, there are plenty of quality Christian resources describing the dark spiritual origins of Halloween, so I don’t think it’s necessary for me to spend a lot of time describing those origins. Suffice it to say that Halloween’s origins involve pagan spiritual practices that unquestionably have ties to the demonic. So, I’d say that, at the very least, a Christian shouldn’t engage in any overt celebration of Halloween—and I’m using that word “celebration” very deliberately. And I really don’t think it’s appropriate or wise for Christians to associate with any of the darker elements of Halloween—and that includes any kind of spooky decorations or scary costumes. 

Now, as to the question of whether it’s okay for children to dress up as Superman or a princess or something like that and go door-to-door asking for candy, that’s a more difficult question to answer. At the end of the day, different Christians parents are going to come to different conclusions about that. I personally don’t think that kids dressing up in innocent costumes on October 31 necessarily qualifies as celebrating Halloween, but there’s certainly plenty of room for disagreement about that.

So, perhaps the best guidance I can give for how Christians should relate to Halloween is simply to quoteEphesians 5:7-11, which says, ⁷ Therefore do not become partners with them [speaking of those living in disobedience]; ⁸ for at one time you were darkness,  now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light ⁹ (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), ¹⁰ and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. ¹¹ Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. So, that’s our directive for Halloween: “Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness”—whatever that means for the way you approach October 31. At the end of the day, we as Christians are called to celebrate light and life rather than darkness and death.

Then, moving on in our main passage, we read in verses 15-19 about what happens after the medium brings up the spirit of Samuel from the dead. It says, 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.”

So, this is devasting news. Samuel first confirms that the kingdom of Israel has indeed been torn away from Saul—just as Samuel had previously prophesied. Samuel also informs Saul that Israel will be given into the hands of the Philistines and that Saul and his sons are going to die tomorrow. Samuel states, “tomorrow you and your sons shall be with me”—and that means “be with me” in the grave or Sheol.

Samuel also makes clear in verse 18 the reason for this severe punishment, “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.” This demonstrates a very important reality—namely that actions have consequences. Actions have consequences.

Perhaps the clearest place where we see this principle taught in the Bible is in Galatians 6:7, where Paul writes, “Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.” Now, why do you think Paul begins this verse by telling his readers, “Do not be deceived”? Why might he say something like that? Could it be because this is an area in which people are often deceived? That seems like a pretty safe assumption. When people are able to disobey God’s commands and rebel against his authority and not immediately experience any significant consequences for their actions, it’s very easy for them to be deceived into thinking that there won’t ever be any consequences for their rebellion. Yet, that’s just not true. As Paul reminds us, “God is not mocked.”

People often “mock” God by thinking they can sin all they want to without ever having to face any serious consequences. They think they can openly rebel against the way God’s told us to live and be immune from God’s punishment and in that way make a mockery of God. Yet, as Paul says, God won’t be mocked in that way.

Paul then states, “for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.” The seeds you plant today will be what you’ll end up harvesting tomorrow. After all, I don’t think anyone in this room has ever planted tomato plant seeds in their garden and returned several weeks later to find pine trees growing. I also don’t think anyone’s planted watermelon seeds and returned to discover that they’ve produced pumpkins. Instead, whatever kind of seeds you sow now are what you’ll inevitably end up with in the future. That’s just the way things work. 

And the ultimate culmination of this principle is the eternal punishment in hell that God will bring upon those who have lived in rebellion against him. And I’ll acknowledge that’s one of the most difficult teachings of the Bible for many people to come to terms with. Yet I’m convinced that one reason why so many people have such a hard time accepting what the Bible teaches about hell is because they don’t really understand what the Bible teaches about God and the holiness of God and how worthy God is of worship.

You know, people will sometimes ask how finite sin could possibly warrant infinite punishment. And the answer is because of who sin is committed against. For example, let’s say you invited someone over to your house and they got really mad about something and punched a hole in your wall. That would be very inappropriate, and you’d probably expect them to pay to have that hole repaired, and you probably wouldn’t invite them over to your house ever again. And yet, as inappropriate as them punching a hole in your wall would be, it’s not the end of the world.

However, let’s say someone punched a dog. That’s more serious than punching a wall, right? I imagine there’s probably a law about animal cruelty that might result in the person facing some more serious consequences—such as a big fine or even something more than that. But let’s say someone totally lost their mind and punched a baby. That would be something else entirely, right? I have no doubt that punching a baby would result in some serious jail time—as it should.

And that illustrates how the seriousness of an offense is determined not just by the offense itself but also by what or who that offense is committed against. So, when it comes to our sin against a God who’s infinitely holy and infinitely worthy, that deserves infinite punishment. 

However, the good news of the gospel is that Jesus bore that punishment for us when he died on the cross. Jesus endured the punishment our sins deserved so that we wouldn’t have to face it. Isaiah 53:5 states that “he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.” Our sins had to be dealt with. God couldn’t just sweep them under the rug and pretend they didn’t exist. He’s righteous and therefore doesn’t do things like that. So, someone had to pay. Kind of like if some kids are throwing a baseball and break a window. That window isn’t going to just fix itself, is it? Somebody has to pay for it. Yet Jesus made that payment when he died on the cross. Our sins were placed on his shoulders so that he died for them instead of us. 

You know, in our main passage, we’ve read about God turning away from Saul because of Saul’s sin. As Samuel says to Saul in verse 16, “Why then do you ask me, since the Lord has turned from you and become your enemy?” And that’s essentially what Jesus experienced on the cross. As he was dying, Jesus cried out to the Father, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”—quoting one of the psalms. Yet, unlike Saul in our main passage, Jesus experienced this alienation from the Father not because of any sin of his own but because of our sin. Jesus was then raised from the dead with the result that he now stands ready to rescue us from our sin—provided that we turn from our sin and put our trust in him alone for that rescue. And that’s how we can have hope for eternity.

You know, if you read the ending of 1 Samuel 28, it records Saul responding to the devastating prediction of Samuel in a way that just about any of us would. Verse 20 tells us, “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.” The rest of the verses in the chapter record Saul finally being convinced to eat some food but nevertheless departing from the medium in a state of utter hopelessness. However, because of Jesus, our story doesn’t have to end that way. Our story can be one of joyful hope and confident expectation of spending eternity with God.