Sermon for Sunday morning, September 1, 2024 at Unionville Presbyterian Church, BPC
Old Testament reading:
[Lev 20:6-9 ESV] 6 “If a person turns to mediums and necromancers, whoring after them, I will set my face against that person and will cut him off from among his people. 7 Consecrate yourselves, therefore, and be holy, for I am the LORD your God. 8 Keep my statutes and do them; I am the LORD who sanctifies you. 9 For anyone who curses his father or his mother shall surely be put to death; he has cursed his father or his mother; his blood is upon him.
New Testament reading:
[Act 16:16-24 ESV] 16 As we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners much gain by fortune-telling. 17 She followed Paul and us, crying out, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation.” 18 And this she kept doing for many days. Paul, having become greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And it came out that very hour. 19 But when her owners saw that their hope of gain was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace before the rulers. 20 And when they had brought them to the magistrates, they said, “These men are Jews, and they are disturbing our city. 21 They advocate customs that are not lawful for us as Romans to accept or practice.” 22 The crowd joined in attacking them, and the magistrates tore the garments off them and gave orders to beat them with rods. 23 And when they had inflicted many blows upon them, they threw them into prison, ordering the jailer to keep them safely. 24 Having received this order, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.
Gospel reading:
[Jhn 3:16-21 ESV] 16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. 19 And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. 20 For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. 21 But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”
Scripture reading:
[1Sa 28:1-25 ESV] 1 In those days the Philistines gathered their forces for war, to fight against Israel. And Achish said to David, “Understand that you and your men are to go out with me in the army.” 2 David said to Achish, “Very well, you shall know what your servant can do.” And Achish said to David, “Very well, I will make you my bodyguard for life.” 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.” 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.
Introduction
We have an account today of the prophet Samuel returning from BEYOND THE GRAVE and giving one final prophecy of God’s judgment upon King Saul. And so startling is his appearance that even the medium whom Saul employed “cried out with a loud voice” when Samuel appeared.
This reminds me of another “back from the dead” or “not back from the dead” story.
In the 1980s a musician named Blaze Foley was tragically killed in an altercation in Austin, Texas. And his friend, a fellow musician, later spoke of Blaze in one of his concerts.
He said “I think about old Blaze. I call him my LATE friend Blaze Foley. But I think about it, he was late his whole life. So I don’t particularly think he’s gone; I just figure he’s still late.” … But … “if he shows up tonight, it will be a WHOLE different ball game.”
indeed eople don’t just come back from the dead. Not by the power of man anyways. Only by the power of God.
I. Saul is without guidance when the Philistines gather to attack Israel. (v. 1-6)
Well, let us recap.
Recall that David is living in Ziklag in the territory of the Philistines by permission of King Achish of Gath. And he has been lying to Achish about his own attacks of foreigners to the south in the desert of the Negev. David has been indicating that he is fighting against Israel, when in reality he is fighting against the enemies of Israel, like the Amalekites upon whom God had called for destruction.
Now, Achish is setting up for war against Saul and all of Israel and Achish wants David to join on his side for the battle.
This is really a predicament for David. Fight against Israel? Impossible. He cannot do it. But if he doesn’t go along with Achish, that could be trouble too. So David says he is Achish’s servant, and Achish calls him “his bodyguard.” But it won’t be until the next chapter that we find out how David gets out of this predicament.
As for this chapter, the text focuses on Saul.
With the army of the Philistines encamped near Israel, Saul is worried. He is afraid. “His heart trembled greatly.”
And so, what does Saul do?
Well, he is an opportunist. Though he doesn’t want to be subservient to God, he’d gladly take God’s help. So he “inquires of the Lord” for assistance.
He does it three ways, failing each time to get a response.
1. He hopes that God will give him knowledge of what to do in a dream. But it doesn’t happen.
2. Hopes that God will answer him by “Urim.” Now, he had previously killed the priest under Ahimelech at Nob. So who had the Urim? And the Thumin? Who had these stones which indicated the will of God? Maybe Saul had elected a new priest. But why exactly the Urim didn’t give him an answer isn’t clear. Usually they would put out a black stone or a white stone; the answer would be yes or no. Yes I should go to battle, or no I should retreat. Perhaps it worked like that. Whatever the details were, God does not respond by Urim.
3. Then he does not respond by prophets. Again, you have to wonder what prophets Saul had with him. Were the only prophets with David? If so, they Saul is left with men who are only “prophets” in name. And God does’t give any prophecy to these “prophets.”
So Saul is WITHOUT GUIDANCE as the Philistines come near for battle.
In the first section of this chapter we also have two bits of information that foreshadow or prepare the reader for what is coming next.
1. It tells us that Saul had put the mediums and necromancers of the land.
2. And it reminds us that Samuel had died. This is the second time now that Samuel’s death is noted.
These facts then are mentioned for the purpose of what is coming next. A real SPOOKY story.
So
The Philistines have gathered their forces for war.
We are reminded that Samuel is dead. (He cannot help)
And we are reminded that Saul has kicked the necromancers out of the land.
And Saul is to be credited for that. It is a good thing that the necromancy is not being practiced.
The Scriptures tells us a number of times about the sin of necromancy. For example:
[Lev 19:31 ESV] 31 “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.
[Lev 20:6 ESV] 6 “If a person turns to mediums and necromancers, whoring after them, I will set my face against that person and will cut him off from among his people.
[Exo 22:18 ESV] 18 “You shall not permit a sorceress to live. [See also: Deuteronomy 18:10-12, 1 Chronicles 10:13-14, Isaiah 8:19]
II. Saul seeks out the Witch at Endor. (v. 7-14)
So what does Saul do?
In his desperation he seeks out a medium!
God has not answered, so I’ll try a necromancer!
Though Saul has supposedly kicked out all of the necromancers from the land, he might know more than he is letting on to. He asks for a woman, not a man, who is a medium. Perhaps he knows that this “Witch of Endor” is still there. Saul’s men certainly know. They say, “Behold, there is a medium at En-dor.”
So they all go and find her.
She is often called “the Witch of Endor” though neither our English Standard Version nor the King James Version ever uses the term “witch.”
The terms used in the ESV are “medium” and “necromancer.”
These are similar, but not identical terms.
A medium tries to talk with the dead
A necromancer tries to raise the dead.
The King James Version uses an entirely different term. It speaks of the Witch of Endor (and others like her) as “one who has a familiar spirit.”
That is a strange phrase for us to day. If I say “she has a familiar spirit” you might think she’s friendly and familiar to you. But that is not what it means here.
A “familiar spirit” is from the Latin “familiaris” meaning “a household servant.” To “have a familiar spirit” is to (claim, at least) TO HAVE CONTROL OVER a spirit or demon AS IF IT WERE A SERVANT ready to obey their command.
Now, we must admit, in a sense, that this is possible. Look at the reading from Acts chapter 16. There we find that Paul and his companions met “a slave girl who had a spirit of divination” (or in the KJV “a familiar spirit”). But rather than her having control of the spirit, it seems the spirit had control of her. Fortunately, Paul commanded the spirit to leave her in the name of Jesus Christ and the spirit left. And that upset the slave girls owners and got Paul and Silas thrown into jail.
So all who are mediums and diviners are at best fooling themselves, and are in the worst case, being tricked by demons. No wonder God disallows the practice. But Saul needs an answer. He’s not willing to wait on the Lord. He doesn’t go to the Lord in good faith. So now he goes to the Witch at Endor to summon the dead prophet Samuel for an answer.
The Witch of Endor, of course, is reluctant to say anything. There has been a purge of mediums in the land. It would be quite dangerous to practice that professors. But Saul promises that she’ll be ok. “As the LORD lives, no punishment shall come upon you for this thing.” Wow, is that presumption. Surely he can promise that HE won’t punish her, but Saul is making a big mistake if he thinks that GOD won’t be upset and punish her. In fact, the punishment in the law for necromancy is always DEATH. Saul is truly taking the Lord’s name in vain, in promising “AS THE LORD LIVES no punishment shall come upon you for this thing.”
III. Samuel prophesies from beyond the grave. (v. 15-25)
Well, Saul asks her to “bring up Samuel.” Just then — whether she said anything or not is not recorded — just then “she cried out with a loud voice” afraid at what is happening. She sees an old man, “wrapped in a robe.” This the same description of Samuel as earlier (15:27) in the book.
So the conclusion both the medium and Saul make is that THIS IS SAMUEL.
And this is where there has been a lot of debate over the centuries. Is this actual Samuel?
And I think there are THREE REAL POSSIBILITIES here.
1. This is not Samuel, but a demon pretending to be him.
2. This IS Samuel, and the necromancer has successfully brought him back from the dead (though temporarily).
3. This IS Samuel, and God has brought him back from the dead to give a final prophecy of judgment against Saul.
It is this third position that I take. The women is surprised when Samuel appears. And this isn’t her first rodeo. She is a necromancer. But probably she has just always been a fraud, and nothing like this has ever happened before. SHE didn’t bring Samuel back from the dead. Only God has that power.
And then, the prophecy of Samuel is in line with everything he said before. It is not some demonic prophecy that is against God, but entirely fitting with God’s character as has been revealed in the book previously.
Interestingly, the commentators Keil and Delitzsch say “the fathers (the early church fathers, that is), and the reformed, and the early Christians, with very few exceptions, assumed that there was not a real appearance of Samuel, but only an imaginary one.” (KD 265)
But then, they note, “But the view held by the early church does not do justice to the Scriptural narrative; and hence the more modern orthodox commentators are unanimous in the opinion that the departed prophet did really appear and announce the destruction of Saul, not, however, in consequence of the magical arts of the witch, but through a miracle wrought by the omnipotence of God.” (KD 266)
So this is the position that I take as well. This appearance of Samuel was by the power of God.
And it is not entirely impossible to think that God would do such a thing.
We know that two people — Moses and Elijah — though dead appear with Jesus at his Transfiguration in Matthew 17:3.
So this IS Samuel. And that conclusion is supported by the reaction of the woman “who got more than she bargained for” and by the truth of Samuel’s prophecy, which indeed comes to pass when Saul dies in the final chapter of 1 Samuel. Saul consulted a medium — a capital offense — and within 24 hours he was dead.
With Samuel’s prophesy, God now speaks through him to Saul. And Samuel doesn’t bring help, but judgment. He explains the big sin of Saul. And Saul has had many sins, but the one singled out here is that Saul had not conquered the Amalekites as God commanded (and as David is now doing). Samuel doesn’t bring Saul any advice for the coming battle against the Philistines. Instead he announces God’s judgment on Saul.
Previously, God did not answer Saul.
Now he does. And it is not the answer Saul was looking for.
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.”
The sin spoken of is that of not carrying out God’s wrath against Amalek. But clearly also, consulting demonic forces was against God’s law. Saul deserves death.
The Lord is a God not only of love, but of justice.
And justice is now due upon Saul.
And this to the great blessing of David.
His enemy Saul will no longer be chasing after him seeking to kill him.
We should say “Praise the Lord for his justice.”
It is as is said in Exodus 34:6-7
“The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, 7 keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty.”
So we see God’s JUSTICE in our text today.
And we are to know that that evil that comes against you; it will not last forever. “Vengeance is mind, declares the Lord.” He will take action and deliver us from our enemies. That is much to His praise.
What else can we learn from this text.
1. Against Modern Conjuring
Naturally, it teaches against conjuring, including in modern forms.
There may not be a necromancer nearby for you to consult these days.
But there are various other methods of attempting to reach the dead in our times. And ways supposedly to seek out knowledge that are in fact pernicious dangerous lies. But people seek answers from horoscopes, astrology, tarot card, hand readers, Quija board, and perhaps most of all from psychedelic experiences with drugs.
You are to keep away from all of these things.
And instead go to the Lord. You want knowledge? Read His word?
The rest is empty at best, demonic at worst.
And all of those forms of illegitimate guidance, you will note, seek to to go some other sources than God.
But Christ says, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.”
But, you might ask, DIDN’T Saul TRY this? Didn’t Saul ask of the Lord?
James 4:3 explains
[Jas 4:3 ESV] 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.
Saul was always out for himself; only USING God, not working for God’s glory.
Now, one final thing. One more thing that we should learn from the text. Only God can raise the dead.
2. Only God can raise the dead.
Taking that view, that Samuel truly WAS there, to the surprise of necromancer, and Samuel gave a message of judgment from God, we can recognize that it was GOD WHO RAISED Samuel.
We all know of Jesus Christ being raised from the dead. That is the Easter message, the good news of the resurrection.
But who else was raised from the dead in the Bible? I found this list:
There was the widow of Zarephath’s son in 1 King 17:17-24. (raised by Elijah)
The Shunamnite woman’s son in 2 Kings 4:18-37. (raised by Elisha)
The man raised out of Elisah’s grave in 2 Kings 13:20-21.
The widow of Nain’s son in Luke 7:11-17.
Jairus’ daughter in Luke 8:40-56.
Lazarus in John 11.
Various saints in Jerusalem in Matthew 27:50-53.
Tabitha in Acts 9:36-43.
Eutychus in Acts 20:7-12.
Jesus in Mark 16:1-8.
And to this list we should add Samuel.
And though in some of these instances God used a person to raise the dead, in EVERY INSTANCE it was by his power alone that the dead were raised.
Only God can raise the dead.
People who claim to have the ability to raise the dead, or speak to them, are liars; abominations to God.
Only God can raise the dead.
And since we shall all one day die, our only hope is in Him.
For only God can raise us again to new life.
God has the power to raise the dead. He raised up Christ from the dead, and promises that though we die, we shall yet live again; forever with Him.
So let us seek only Him, let us seek only the Truth of God.
And Let us pray.