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SAUL AND THE MEDIUM AT ENDOR (II)

I Samuel 28:13-25

Victor M. Eskew

 

1.      Outline:

 

i.                    SAUL INQUIRES ABOUT THE SPIRIT (I Sam. 28:13-14)

ii.                  SAMUEL INTERACTS WITH SAUL (I Sam. 28:15-19)

iii.                SAUL INDISPOSED WITH FEAR  AND WEAKNESS (I Sam. 28:20)

iv.                WITCH INSISTS FOR SAUL TO EAT (I Sam. 28:21-25)

 

2.      What words of comfort did Saul give to the woman who saw Samuel? (I Sam. 28:13)

 

And the king said unto her, Be not afraid…

 

A.    He told her not to be afraid.

 

B.      Two things of which she could have been afraid.

1.      The spirit who was before her

2.      The king who had exposed her as a medium because the penalty was death

 

3.      What answer did this woman give to Saul’s question when he asked:  “…for what sawest thou?” (I Sam. 28:13)

 

…for what sawest thou?  and the woman said unto Saul, I saw gods ascending out of the earth.

 

A.    She said she saw “gods” ascending out of the earth.

 

B.      gods (Hebrew, Elohim)

1.      Strong (430):  gods in the ordinary sense

2.      BDB:  rulers, judges, angels, gods, divine ones, godlike ones

3.      K&D say that the word here simply means a celestial being, a heavenly being.

 

C.     The woman could tell that this individual was not just an ordinary man.  He was a man of power.  He was a ruler, a judge, or a dignitary.

 

4.      What was Saul’s second question to the woman? (I Sam. 28:14)

 

And he said unto her, What form is he of?...

 

A.    Note first of all that Saul was not able to see this spirit with his eyes.  He was only seen by the medium.

 

B.      Form

1.      Strong (8389):  outline, that is, figure, appearance

2.      BDB:  shape, form, outline, figure, appearance

 

C.     Saul had asked for Samuel.  He was hoping this is who had appeared.  He thought a description of the spirit would confirm this was Saul.

 

 

 

5.      What was her answer? (I Sam. 28:14)

 

…And she said, An old man cometh up; and he is covered with a mantle.

 

A.    An old man covered with a mantle

 

B.      Samuel was old when he died.  Some estimate his age at death as 110.

 

C.     Samuel also wore the mantle of a prophet (I Sam. 15:27).

 

6.      What did Saul do when he perceived it was Samuel? (I Sam. 28:14)

 

And Saul perceived that is as Samuel, and he stooped with his face to the ground, and bowed himself.

 

A.    He stooped with his face to the ground and bowed.

 

B.      Saul was personally acquainted with Samuel.  He knew him as both a priest and prophet.  Now that he was present, Saul bowed in respect for him.

 

7.      What question did Samuel ask Saul? (I Sam. 28:15)

 

And Samuel said to Saul, Why hast thou disquieted me, to bring me up?

 

A.    Why hast thou disquieted me, to bring me up?

 

B.      Disquieted

1.      Strong (7264):  to quiver

2.      BDB:  to disturb

 

C.     In the account of the rich man and Lazarus, Lazarus died and was carried by angels into the bosom of Abraham.  There, he was comforted (Luke 16:25). 

1.      Samuel was in that place of comfort and rest.

2.      While in that place, Saul disturbed him.  It was as if he shook him and called him into action.

 

8.      How did Saul answer Samuel? (I Sam. 28:15)

 

And Saul answered, I am sore distressed; for the Philistines make war against me, and God is departed from me, and answereth me no more, neither by prophets, nor by dreams…

 

A.    I am sore distressed

1.      Strong (6887):  to cramp

2.      BDB:  to bind, be narrow, be in distress, to be straitened, to be hard pressed upon

3.      This word is described by the word “sore” which means vehemently.

 

B.      The Philistines make war against me.

 

C.     God is departed from me and answereth me no more.

 

 

 

 

9.      T – F    Since the Lord had departed from Saul, Samuel understood why Saul called for him. (I

Sam. 28:16)

 

Then said Samuel, Wherefore then dost thou ask of me, seeing the Lord is departed from thee, and is become thine enemy?

 

A.     False

 

B.      He may have understood, but he asked as if he did not.

1.      Samuel was a priest of God and a prophet of God.

2.      If God opposed Saul, why did he think he should call someone on the side of God?

3.      NOTE: 

a.      Saul had already tried to consult with live prophets.  Why would a dead prophet be any more inclined to give him revelation from God?

b.      Too, Saul was attempting to contact Samuel through a means condemned by God.  Why would a prophet of God violate the will of God and appear through a witch?

 

10.  T – F    Samuel reminded Saul that the Lord did as He had promised regarding the kingdom. (I

Sam. 28:17)

 

And the Lord hath done to him, as he spake by me:  for the Lord hath rent the kingdom out of thine hand, and given it to thy neighbor, even to David.

 

A.    True

 

11.  What did Samuel say was the reason the Lord did not answer Saul regarding his battle with the Philistines? (I Sam. 28:18)

 

Because thou obeyedst not the voice of the Lord, nor executedst his fierce wrath upon Amalek, therefore hath the Lord done this thing unto thee this day.

 

A.    Because he disobeyed God and did not allow himself to be used as an instrument of God’s fierce wrath upon Amalek.

 

B.      Two lessons:

1.      Disobedience is a horrible thing in the sight of God.

a.      Yet, we minimize it.

b.      We also have a tendency to justify and rationalize it.

2.      God can be a God of fierce wrath.

a.      This aspect of God is often forgotten or minimized.

b.      God is just as much a God of wrath as He is a God of love.

 

12.  T- F      Samuel told Saul that he would win the battle the next day. (I Sam. 28:19)

 

Moreover the Lord will also deliver Israel with thee into the hand of the Philistines…

 

A.    False

 

13.  Where would Saul be after the battle? (I Sam. 28:19)

 

…and tomorrow shalt thou and thy sons be with me:  the Lord also shall deliver the host of Israel into the hand of the Philistines.

A.    He would be with Samuel.

 

B.      This was Samuel’s way of saying that he would be dead.  He would not be in the same region of the Hadean realm as Samuel, however.

 

C.     LESSON:  One person’s disobedience can have an impact on many.

1.      Saul would die.

2.      His sons, including Jonathan, would die.

3.      Israel would be defeated by the Philistines.

 

D.    NOTE:  This could be a passage used by those who believe in “once-saved, always-saved.”

1.      A poem by C. Wesley as quoted by K&D in e-sword.

 

What do these solemn words portend?

A ray of hope when life shall end.

Thou and thy sons, thou slain, shall be

To-morrow in repose with me.

Not in a state of hellish pain,

If Saul with Samuel do remain:

Not in a state of damn’s despair,

If loving Jonathan be there.

 

2.      K&S:  “Saul had committed the sin unto death – the sin to be visited with a violent death, while tile (sic) mercy of God was extended to the soul.  Thus say my faith, my hope, and my charity; and doth not the mercy of God say the same?” (e-sword).

3.      If this is true, then what individuals have said about “once-saved, always saved” is true.  After a person is in a relationship with God, it does not matter how he lives because God will save him in the end.  Sam Morris would have been right.

 

He wrote: "We take the position that a Christian's sins do not damn his soul. The way a Christian lives, what he says, his character, his conduct, or his attitude toward other people have nothing whatever to do with the salvation of his soul... All the prayers a man may pray, all the Bibles he may read, all the churches he may belong to, all the services he may attend, all the sermons he may practice, all the debts he may pay, all the ordinances he may observe, all the laws he may keep, all the benevolent acts he may perform will not make his soul one whit safer; and all the sins he may commit from idolatry to murder will not make his soul in any more danger... The way a man lives has nothing whatever to do with the salvation of his soul... The way I live has nothing whatsoever to do with the salvation of my soul." (Do A Christian's Sins Damn His Soul?, Sam Morris, First Baptist Church, Stamford, Texas).

 

14.  How did Saul react to the word of Samuel? (I Sam. 28:20)

 

Then Saul fell down straightway all along on the earth, and was sore afraid, because of the words of Samuel…

 

A.    He fell down straightway on the earth.

 

B.      F.P. Meyer:  “From the lips of the prophet came no words of comfort nor hope. Nothing could avert the descending avalanche of destruction. As Saul had sown, so must he reap; as he had fallen, so must he lie” (e-sword).

 

C.     K&D:  “Thus was the last hope taken from Saul. His day of grace was gone, and judgment was now to burst upon him without delay” (e-sword).

15.  Why didn’t Saul have any strength in him? (I Sam. 28:20)

 

…and there was no strength in him; for he had eaten no bread all the day, nor all the night.

 

A.    He has not eaten all day or night

 

16.  Who was immediately concerned for Saul and addressed his situation? (I Sam. 28:21)

 

And the woman came unto Saul, and saw that he was sore troubled…

 

A.    The medium

 

B.      This woman responds in natural sympathy for a hurting man as most women would do.

 

17.  What did she tell the king that would give her the right to make request of him? (I Sam. 28:21)

 

…and said unto him, Behold, thine handmaid hath obeyed thy voice, and I have put my life in my hand, and have hearkened unto they words which thou spakest unto me.

 

A.    Because she had obeyed his voice and had put her life on the line, he should now harken unto her.

 

18.  What did she want the king to eat? (I Sam. 28:22)

 

Now therefore, I pray thee, hearken thou also unto the voice of thine handmaid and let me set a morsel of bread before thee; and eat, that thou mayest have strength, when thou goest on thy way.

 

A.    She asked him to eat a morsel of bread

 

19.  T – F    Saul was grateful to the woman and immediately ate the bread she offered. (I Sam.

28:23)

 

But he refused, and said, I will not eat.

 

A.    False

 

B.      Question:  Why would Saul so stubbornly refuse to eat?

1.      He was still overcome with Samuel’s words.

2.      He did not want to put the woman out.

 

20.  Who finally compelled Saul to eat? (I Sam. 28:23)

 

…But his servants, together with the woman, compelled him; and he hearkened unto their voice…

 

A.    His servants along with the woman

 

21.  “So he arose from the earth and sat upon the bed” (I Sam. 28:23).

 

22.  What two things did the woman with the familiar spirit prepare for Saul to eat” (I Sam. 28:24)

 

And the woman had a fat calf in the house; and she hasted, and killed it, and took flour, and kneaded it, and did bake unleavened bread thereof.

A.    A calf and unleavened bread

 

23.  T – F    After the food was prepared, Saul still refused to eat. (I Sam. 28:25)

 

And she brought it before Saul, and before his servants:  and they did eat…

 

A.    False

 

24.  T – F    Saul and his men left the woman’s house before sunrise. (I Sam. 28:25)

 

…Then they rose up, and went away that night.

 

A.    True

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE PHILISTINE PRINCES REJECT DAVID

I Samuel 29:1-11

Homework

Victor M. Eskew

 

1.      Outline:

 

i.                    I SAMUEL 29:1-2

ii.                  I SAMUEL 29:3-5

iii.                I SAMUEL 29:6-7

iv.                I SAMUEL 29:8

v.                  I SAMUEL 29:9-10

vi.                I SAMUEL 29:11

 

2.      Where did the Philistines and Israelites encamp prior to doing battle against each other? (I Sam. 29:1)

 

A.    Philistines:

 

B.      Israel:

 

3.      T – F    The Philistines had hundreds of fighting men for this battle. (I Sam. 29:2)

 

4.      Where were David and his men at this time? (I Sam. 29:2)

 

5.      What did the Philistine princes initially ask Achish? (I Sam. 29:3)

 

6.      How did Achish answer the princes? (I Sam. 29:3)

 

7.      T – F    The princes were glad that Achish brought David to the battle. (I Sam. 29:4)

 

8.      Why did the princes want David to leave the battle? (I Sam. 29:4)

 

9.      How did they think David might reconcile himself to Saul? (I Sam. 29:4)

 

10.  What did the princes remind Achish that had been said of David? (I Sam. 29:5)

 

11.  When Achish approached David about this matter, what three things did he first say to David? (I Sam. 29:6)

 

A.

 

B.

 

C.

 

12.  “…nevertheless the lords ________________ thee not” (I Sam. 29:6)

 

13.  “Wherefore now _________________, and go in __________________, that thou _______________ not the lords of the Philistines” (I Sam. 29:7)

 

 

14.  T – F    David said nothing to Achish, but simply returned to the land of the Philistines. (I Sam.

29:8).

 

15.  What was David’s argument for allowing him to remain and fight in the battle? (I Sam. 29:8).

 

16.  To what did Achish compare David? (I Sam. 29:9)

 

17.  T – F    Achish was going to side with his princes rather than David in this matter. (I Sam. 29:9)

 

18.  When was David commanded to leave? (I Sam. 29:10)

 

19.  T – F    David refused to leave the field of battle. (I Sam. 29:11)

 

20.  To which place did David return? (I Sam. 29:11)