1. When on a certain occasion the Philistine host came against Israel, how was King Saul affected? "And the Philistines gathered themselves together, and came and pitched in Shunem: and Saul gathered all Israel together, and they pitched in Gilboa. And when Saul saw the host of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart greatly trembled." (1 Samuel 28:4-5)
2. To whom did he seek for guidance? "Then said Saul unto his servants, Seek me a woman that has a familiar spirit, that I may go to her, and enquire of her. And his servants said to him, Behold, there is a woman that has a familiar spirit at Endor. And Saul disguised himself, and put on other raiment, and he went, and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night: and he said, I pray you, divine unto me by the familiar spirit, and bring me him up, whom I shall name unto you." (1 Samuel 28:7-8)
3. How had Saul previously treated such people? "And Saul had put away those that had familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land. ... And the woman said unto him, Behold, you know what Saul has done, how he has cut off those that have familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land: wherefore then do you lay a snare for my life, to cause me to die?" (1 Samuel 28:3,9)
4. By what authority had he done so? "You shall not suffer a witch to live." (Exodus 22:18) "A man also or woman that has a familiar spirit, or that is a wizard, shall surely be put to death: they shall stone them with stones: their blood shall be upon them." (Leviticus 20:27)
5. Why had the Lord given such instruction concerning the diviners, consulters of familiar spirits, etc.? "There shall not be found among you anyone that makes his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that uses divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. For all that do these things are an abomination unto the Lord: and because of these abominations the Lord your God does drive them out from before you." (Deuteronomy 18:10-12)
6. With what people were such abominations common? "When you are come into the land which the Lord your God gives you, you shall not learn to do after the abominations of those nations. ... For these nations, which you shall possess, hearkened unto observers of times, and unto diviners: but as for you, the Lord your God has not suffered you so to do." (Deuteronomy 18:9,14)
7. What had the Lord said it would be the result to those who should seek after such persons? "Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I am the Lord your God." (Leviticus 19:31)
8. Since Saul had obeyed the Lord in putting away those who had familiar spirits, why did he now consult one? "And when Saul enquired of the Lord, the Lord answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets." (1 Samuel 28:6)
9. When he went, for whom did he ask? "Then said the woman, Whom shall I bring up unto you? And he said, Bring me up Samuel." (1 Samuel 28:11)
10. Why did he not go directly to Samuel? "Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had lamented him, and buried him in Ramah, even in his own city." (1 Samuel 28:3)
11. What can you say concerning the part which the dead are able to act in earthly affairs? "For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten. Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun." (Ecclesiastes 9:5-6)
12. Give other Scripture testimony concerning the state of the dead.
13. Then could it indeed have been Samuel himself who carried on the subsequent conversation with Saul?
14. Was Saul at this time in favor with the Lord? "And when Saul enquired of the Lord, the Lord answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets." (1 Samuel 28:6)
15. Why had the Lord rejected Saul? "And Samuel said, Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He has also rejected you from being king. (1 Samuel 15:22-23)
16. When people reject the word of the Lord, what are they left to believe? "And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness." (2 Thessalonians 2:11-12)
17. Then since Saul had rejected the word of the Lord, what must his supposed interview with Samuel have been?
18. Who is the author of the illusions and lies? "You are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father you will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it." (John 8:44)
19. Whom did he then worship? "The things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that you should have fellowship with devils." (1 Corinthians 10:20)
20. When the Israelites turned from the Lord, whom did they worship? "They provoked Him to jealousy with strange gods, with abominations they provoked Him to anger. They sacrificed unto devils, not to God; to gods whom they knew not, to new gods that came newly up, whom your fathers feared not." (Deuteronomy 32:16-17)
21. Then what sort of a spirit was it which Saul consulted?
22. How is the devil able to make himself appear? "And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light." (2 Corinthians 11:14)
23. If he can appear as an angel light, would it not be easy for him to assume the appearance of persons who have died?
24. How could Saul have kept from being deceived?
Note:
The lesson this week is based on the account of Saul's visit to the witch of Endor, recorded in the 1 Samuel 28. In order to keep the connection, the entire chapter should be carefully read. It may not be amiss to say that many good people suppose that Samuel did really come and talk with Saul, and thus they are strengthened in their belief of the conscious existence of the dead. We shall follow the subject in the order of the questions in the lesson, and see what we find.
The scene opens with the Philistine host prepared to fight against the Israelites. So great was the number of the Philistines, as compared with that of the Israelites, that Saul was very much alarmed. As it is forcibly expressed in the text: "His heart greatly trembled." (1 Samuel 28:5)
When David was surrounded by enemies, he said to the Lord, in his prayer: "What time I am afraid, I will trust in You." (Psalm 56:3)
But Saul was in a pitiable condition, for when he would seek the Lord, he received no answer. In his extremity he had his servants find a woman that had a familiar spirit, and, disguising himself, he went to her for information. It was necessary for him to disguise himself, else he could not have gained admittance to the witch's abode; for in time past, "Saul had put away those that had familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land." (1 Samuel 28:3)
This was in accordance with the command of God, and does not mean simply banishment, but death. Thus: "You shall not suffer a witch to live." (Exodus 22:18) "A man also or woman that has a familiar spirit, or that is a wizard shall surely be put to death." (Leviticus 20:27)
In Deuteronomy 18:9-12 we learn that witchcraft, and consulting with familiar spirits, was very common among the heathen that inhabited Canaan and before it was conquered by the Israelites. Under direction from the Lord, Moses said to Israel: "When you are come into the land which the Lord your God gives you, you shall not learn to do after the abominations of those nations. There shall not be found among you anyone that makes his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that uses divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. For all that do these things are an abomination unto the Lord; and because of these abominations the Lord your God does drive them out from before you." (Deuteronomy 18:9-12)
The woman at Endor was one who had, by some means, escaped the proscription.
In order to a perfect understanding of this incident, it is very necessary to know the relation that existed between Saul and the Lord. Why would not the Lord listen to Saul? The answer is founded 1 Samuel 15. The Lord had given Saul a commission, and he had not fulfilled it. He deliberately disobeyed the Lord. And this was only one of a long series of disobedient acts. So the prophet Samuel announced the will of the Lord, in these words: "For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He has also rejected you from being king." (1 Samuel 15:23)
From that time, we learn that Samuel came no more to see Saul. So we see that Saul's rejection by the Lord was due to the fact that he himself had first rejected the Lord.
When Saul came to the witch, he said: "Bring me up Samuel." (1 Samuel 28:11)
Why did he not seek directly to the prophet himself? Because: "Samuel was dead, and all Israel had lamented him, and buried him in Ramah, even in his own city." (1 Samuel 28:3)
In response to this request the woman told him that she saw an old man, covered with a mantle, coming up out of the earth. "And the king said unto her, Be not afraid: for what did you see? And the woman said unto Saul, I saw gods ascending out of the earth. And he said unto her, What form is he of? And she said, An old man comes up; and he is covered with a mantle. And Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and he stooped with his face to the ground, and bowed himself." (1 Samuel 28:13-14)
The reader will notice that in this case Saul did not seek the apparition at all, but "perceived that it was Samuel," from the woman's description. Notice, also, that the pious Samuel was called "up," and came up "out of the earth," instead of down from heaven. Saul knew nothing about the doctrine of the good going to Heaven at death, and the heathen, one of whom he was consulting, had all souls, good and bad alike, in the lower world--in Hades.
Now what reasons have we for saying that Samuel did not converse with Saul on that occasion, and was not there at all?
1. It is not reasonable to suppose that, if Samuel would not during his life-time listen to Saul, whom he loved, when personally urged do so, he would come to him after death, at the solicitation of a despised heathen.
2. It is the height of absurdity to suppose that God, who had rejected Saul, and had refused to answer him in His own appointed way,--by dreams, by Urim, or by prophets,--would communicate with him through one whom He had said should be put to death as an abominable thing.
3. That which settles the matter beyond all controversy, is the word of inspiration: "The living know that they shall die; but the dead know not anything. Also their love, and their hatred, and there envy, is now perished. ... Whatsoever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, where you go." (Ecclesiastes 9:5-6,10) "[Man's] breath goes forth, he returns to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish." (Psalm 146:4)
Satan has the power of death; but the Lord alone has life. Satan can seize men, and shut them up in his prison house, the grave; but Satan cannot liberate them; Christ alone has the keys of the grave; He alone can set Satan's captives free. For these reasons, we say we know that Samuel had no more to do with the occurrence narrated in 1 Samuel 28, than the stones under their feet. "If Samuel was not there, who personated him so successfully as to deceive Saul?"
Satan, or one of his evil angels. And this also is susceptible of Bible proof. First, we learn that: "Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light." (2 Corinthians 11:14)
It was as an angel light, his true form and character concealed, that he came with his temptations to Christ in the wilderness. Had he come as the chief of the powers of darkness, he could not have hoped to make any impression on the Saviour. He hoped to deceive Jesus into thinking that he was an angel sent with a message from heaven. The Lord, however, saw through the disguise at once. But the point is, if Satan may appear as an angel light, how much more may he not personate a human being? To successfully personate another is nothing more than many man are able to do.
Second, Saul had put himself on the devil's ground. Long before, he had first cast off, and then been cast off by the Lord. Now there is no neutral ground between the Lord and Satan. As soon as Saul was entirely out from under the influence of God, he passed under the influence of Satan. His frenzied attacks on the innocent David showed the influence under which he had fallen.
Then what more natural than that he, being under the influence of the devil, should go to the devil for help? A "familiar spirit" is: A demon or evil spirit supposed to attend the call.--Webster
"Witchcraft" is: Intercourse with evil spirits.
See also the definition of "sorcery," and "enchantment." This was what the heathen practiced. Their worship was devil worship. "But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils." (2 Corinthians 10:20)
Whenever the Israelites forsook the Lord, they engaged in devil worship. "They provoked Him to jealousy with strange gods, with abominations they provoked Him to anger. They sacrificed unto devils, not to God; to gods whom they knew not, to new gods that came newly up, whom your fathers feared not." (Deuteronomy 32:16-17) "They did not destroy the nations, concerning whom the Lord commanded them: But were mingled among the heathen, and learned their works. And they served their idols: which were a snare unto them. Yea, they sacrificed their sons and their daughters unto devils." (Psalm 106:34-37)
No wonder that they were an abomination to the Lord. Therefore, since Saul had voluntarily put himself under the devil's power, we are forced to conclude that the devil deceived him in this instance. Deceived him, indeed he did; for if space permitted, we could show that Saul did not die on the morrow, as was intimated to him. "How could Saul have kept from being deceived?" By heeding the word of the Lord. "Strong delusion, that they should believe a lie," (2 Thessalonians 2:11) is not sent to men until they reject the truth. And in that case, how could it be otherwise? If a man does not believe the truth, what is there but lies for him to believe? Remember, also, that it is "an evil heart of unbelief" (Hebrews 3:12) that first leads men away from God, and under the devil's power. And now we will give a sure rule for detecting all evil spirits. "To the law and to the testimony; if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them." (Isaiah 8:20)
Christ at once detected Satan's attempted imposture because he acted contrary to the written word. So when we hear of men who pretend to communicate with the dead, we may know that there is no light in them, because the Bible says: "The dead know not anything." (Ecclesiastes 9:5)
If we strictly adhere to God's word, we cannot be deceived; if we cast any portion of it aside, we need not hope to stand.--Signs of the Times, December 11, 1884--Lesson for the Pacific Coast - January 3--Subtitle: Saul and the Witch--1 Samuel 28
E.J. Waggoner