The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in 1 Samuel 28:7,
"Saul then said to his attendants, 'Find me a woman who is a medium, so I may go and inquire of her.' 'There is one in Endor,' they said."
As Saul faced off with the Philistines at Gilboa, he was terrified when he saw the Philistine army. His response, now expected by us as we read of Saul, was that his circumstances caused him to look elsewhere rather than directly to God for help. Although Saul had earlier expelled the mediums and spiritists from the land, he sought one for himself to inquire of Samuel, who was now dead. He looked for a medium to ask Samuel what it was he should do, verse 15.
Saul had found himself now estranged from God. Living his life of looking to other things, rather than the Lord, the Lord had by now completely abandoned Saul. And, yet again, rather than throwing himself at the mercy of God, he disturbed Samuel from Sheol to ask him what to do.
As the medium called out to Samuel from the dead, she was terrified and cried out at the top of her voice when she saw him. I suspect her terror was due to the actual reality of Samuel presenting himself when she performed her medium's magic. As all who engage in this kind of fakery, she was no more prepared to see anyone really respond from the dead than anyone else. Yet, God made it happen.
Saul was completely right when he expelled all the mediums and spiritists from Israel and completely wrong for later employing one. God had told Moses to tell the Israelites, "I will set my face against anyone who turns to mediums and spiritists to prostitute themselves by following them, and I will cut them off from their people." Leviticus 20:6. This act of Saul to use a medium was yet again another expression of his lack of faith in the Lord.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
"Saul then said to his attendants, 'Find me a woman who is a medium, so I may go and inquire of her.' 'There is one in Endor,' they said."
As Saul faced off with the Philistines at Gilboa, he was terrified when he saw the Philistine army. His response, now expected by us as we read of Saul, was that his circumstances caused him to look elsewhere rather than directly to God for help. Although Saul had earlier expelled the mediums and spiritists from the land, he sought one for himself to inquire of Samuel, who was now dead. He looked for a medium to ask Samuel what it was he should do, verse 15.
Saul had found himself now estranged from God. Living his life of looking to other things, rather than the Lord, the Lord had by now completely abandoned Saul. And, yet again, rather than throwing himself at the mercy of God, he disturbed Samuel from Sheol to ask him what to do.
As the medium called out to Samuel from the dead, she was terrified and cried out at the top of her voice when she saw him. I suspect her terror was due to the actual reality of Samuel presenting himself when she performed her medium's magic. As all who engage in this kind of fakery, she was no more prepared to see anyone really respond from the dead than anyone else. Yet, God made it happen.
Saul was completely right when he expelled all the mediums and spiritists from Israel and completely wrong for later employing one. God had told Moses to tell the Israelites, "I will set my face against anyone who turns to mediums and spiritists to prostitute themselves by following them, and I will cut them off from their people." Leviticus 20:6. This act of Saul to use a medium was yet again another expression of his lack of faith in the Lord.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
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