1 Samuel 28:1–7

Now it happened in those days that the Philistines gathered their armies together for war, to fight with Israel. And Achish said to David, “You assuredly know that you will go out with me to battle, you and your men.”

So David said to Achish, “Surely you know what your servant can do.”

And Achish said to David, “Therefore I will make you one of my chief guardians forever.”

Now Samuel had died, and all Israel had lamented for him and buried him in Ramah, in his own city. And Saul had put the mediums and the spiritists out of the land.

Then the Philistines gathered together, and came and encamped at Shunem. So Saul gathered all Israel together, and they encamped at Gilboa. When Saul saw the army of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart trembled greatly. And when Saul inquired of the LORD, the LORD did not answer him, either by dreams or by Urim or by the prophets.

Then Saul said to his servants, “Find me a woman who is a medium, that I may go to her and inquire of her.”

And his servants said to him, “In fact, there is a woman who is a medium at En Dor.”

Saul is getting the silent treatment from the LORD. He’s scared—he should be—so he inquires of the LORD every way he can think of. And … nothing. Remember, Saul doesn’t even have the real Urim. He lost that when he slaughtered the priests back in Chapter 23.

When Abiathar the son of Ahimelech had fled to David to Keilah, he had come down with an ephod in his hand. — 1 Samuel 23:6 (ESV)

But Saul has gotta be Saul. So, he seeks the advice of “a woman who is a medium.” He doesn’t give a rip about his earlier expulsion of all such people from Israel. That’s why the text mentions this expulsion—to highlight Saul’s hypocrisy. He expelled them to look good, not because he was righteous.

“And the person who turns to mediums and familiar spirits, to prostitute himself with them, I will set My face against that person and cut him off from his people.” — Leviticus 20:6

Saul is embarking on major sin. “Mediums” are either complete frauds or worse.

If they have any real connection, it’s with evil.

Saul’s other sins can be explained by weak faith combined with pride and/or panic under pressure—but not this one. Saul seeking advice from a medium is more than just a reversal of a previous policy.

It’s completely incompatible with any level of faith.

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These weekday DEEPs are written by Mike Slay. The Saturday ones are written by Matt Richardson. To subscribe to the DEEP click here: https://www.ailbe.org/resources/community

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Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.