The dark days of Israel. All 3 main characters were not there or in trouble.
a. David would almost be the bodyguard for Achish from now on v.2 and fought against his own people.
b. Samuel had died v.3a
c. Saul v.3b-25
(1) 28:5 When Saul saw the camp of the Philistines, he was absolutely terrified.
Therefore, he thought he sought the words from God and then he would be alright. He even violated his own laws and consulted the medium so that he could talked to Samuel. However, Samuel's words were not what he expected.28:19 The LORD will hand you and Israel over to the Philistines! Tomorrow both you and your sons will be with me. The LORD will also hand the army of Israel over to the Philistines!”
As a result , he was more afraid before he came to talk to Samuel.
28:20 Saul quickly fell full length on the ground and was very afraid because of Samuel’s words. He was completely drained of energy, not having eaten anything all that day and night.
(2) He did not need to ask for Samuel, the end had already told him in 15:28. The result of the consulting the medium was the same as not consulting.
v.6, v15 掃羅求問耶和華，耶和華卻不藉夢，或烏陵，或先知回答他。
v.16 撒母耳說：“耶和華已經離開你，且與你為敵，你何必問我呢？
Asking Samuel did not change the fact.
28:18 Since you did not obey the LORD and did not carry out his fierce anger against the Amalekites, the LORD has done this thing to you today.
(3) from v.20-25 Saul was given 1 more day, but he did not repent. He was just afraid but not repent.
Reflections:
Saul was still in a dream and thought that God would help him through Samuel. However, Samuel labeled him as the enemy of God v.16. Do we spend time before God and confess our sins? Are we in good terms with God?
Saul always thought that David was the one who endangered his throne. If he got rid of David then he would be safe. However, according to Samuel, David was not the problem. He himself was the problem. He had disobeyed God before David was anointed. He caused the lost of his throne. Instead of blaming others, do we consider our own fault in damaging our fellowship with God? Or instead of blaming other do not come to church's meeting, do we consider our own fault in own fellowship with God?
Audrey
2024
v.1-12
B:
1. Questions.
a. Is there any relationship btw the death of Samuel and the removal of the mediums and magicians v.3?
b. Saul's motive of inquiring the LORD was just bc he was afraid of the P v.5. God did not answer this kind of inquiry. Why?
2. When the LORD did not answer Saul turned to the medium to inquire Samuel v.7. In other words, no matter the LORD, or Samuel (via the medium) they were only a tool of Saul. He did not worship them, but he only used them. That could also be seen in his oath to the woman v.10. She did not need to be afraid that she had violated the law of the king bc the king himself did not really worship God and prohibit the worshipping of Satan.
R: Do I just use God when I need help? To escape from things that I am afraid of? When I need to do something and God did not help, will I just turn to another god or even Satan for help?
v.13-25
B:
1. Bringing up Samuel was totally not necessarily because what Saul wanted to know had already been told to him.
16-18 Samuel said, “Why are you asking me...The LORD has done exactly as I prophesied! The LORD has torn the kingdom from your hand and has given it to...David! Since you...did not carry out his fierce anger against the Amalekites, the LORD has done this thing to you today.
2. When a person just wanted to use God and wanted to hear favorable answer from God, Saul could not handle the truth.
v.19b Tomorrow both you and your sons will be with me...20 Saul quickly fell full length on the ground and was very afraid because of Samuel’s words. He was completely drained of energy...
That was the truth he tried to avoid since 13:13-14 and it finally came. For so many years, he chased after David and tried to kill him, but now he would face the final outcome: he would be killed by the P and D would be the next king.
R: Saul's enemy was not D, nor the P. He had disobeyed God and God was against him. He was wrong all these years. When a person disobey God it did not matter how they pray. God would not listen and would not help them. Our life would only be a total waste of time. Do I want my life to be like that? In what area have I disobeyed God?
Excursion: Did the mediums able to bring back the death?
yes: 15 Samuel said to Saul, “Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?”
| לָ֥מָּה | הִרְגַּזְתַּ֖נִי | לְהַעֲל֣וֹת | אֹתִ֑י | |||
| לְ · מָה | רגז · אֲנִי | לְ · עלה | אֵת · אֲנִי | |||
| * · why | have you disturbed · me | [obj] · by bringing up1 | [obj] · me | |||
| P · I | VcP2MS · RS1-S | P · VcF---C | PO · RS1-S |
Van der Merwe, C. (2004). The Lexham Hebrew-English Interlinear Bible (1 Sa 28:15). Lexham Press.
Bringing=Hiphil
Samuel said it was Saul who brought him up. He was the one who asked the woman to use her ritual pit to conjure up Samuel for them v.8. Therefore, the medium or her ritual worked in bringing up a death person.
no: v.11b He said, “Bring up for me Samuel.” 12 When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out loudly. The woman said to Saul, “Why have you deceived me? You are Saul!”
(BKC) Drawing on the demonic powers of necromancy (Deut. 18:10–11), she called up the apparition of Samuel. So startled was she by Samuel’s appearance that she immediately realized that the work was of God and not herself and that her disguised nocturnal visitor was King Saul. This implies that she did not really expect to raise up Samuel but only a satanic imitation
Question:
1. Is crying out=being surprised?
(BDB)utterance of horror, anxiety, alarm, distress, sorrow, etc.
Someone being afraid not necessarily was being surprised. She was afraid of Samuel who was the prophet of God, or "a divine being v.13," while she was the medium.
(EBC) “The incident does not tell us anything about the veracity of claims to consult the dead on the part of mediums, because the indications are that this was an extraordinary event for her, and a frightening one because she was not in control” (Baldwin, p. 159).
2. How did she know that the one who asked her to bring up Samuel was Saul? What was the relationship between that?
If she was not the one who brought up Samuel, she would not have any power to suddenly realize that the visitor was Saul. Anyone in Israel who wanted to inquire Samuel would be possible. As a matter of fact, she did not realize it was Saul right after Saul asked her to bring up Samuel v.11.
If she was the one who brought up Samuel, the force of Satan which enabled her to bring up the death would also been the force to tell her that the visitor was Saul.
(EBC)At the very least the woman must have been clairvoyant (a person who claims to have a supernatural ability to perceive events in the future or beyond normal sensory contact.), because while in her trancelike state she was able to penetrate Saul’s disguise and recognize him (cf. KD, p. 262)
Jesus' story about Lazarus and the wealthy man did not back up either one choices here:
Luke 16:27 So the rich man said, ‘Then I beg you, father—send Lazarus to my father’s house 28 (for I have five brothers) to warn them so that they don’t come into this place of torment.’ 29 But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; they must respond to them.’ 30 Then the rich man said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’ 31 He replied to him, ‘If they do not respond to Moses and the prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’ ”
Ab did not send L back to the rich man's brother because he knew that it would not help them, but God did sent J back to world. Could Ab have sent L back? We do not know.
From J's story we knew why Samul said Saul had disturbed him, because he was by the side of Ab and being comforted there (Luke 16:22, 25). And both Samuel and Ab said the same thing about there is no use to bring up the dead. God had already given us His words.
Questions:
5 When Saul saw the camp of the Philistines, he was absolutely terrified. 6 So Saul inquired of the LORD, but the LORD did not answer him
I prayed that God would use the Fall festival and more kids will come to church. Only 1 new family came, plus couple kids who came irregularly came that day. I felt lost that day. But then that 1 new family continue to come.
2. She fell into the disguised dress and denied their request
9 But the woman said to him, “Look, you are aware of what Saul has done; he has removed the mediums and magicians from the land! Why are you trapping me so you can put me to death?”
Saul was "successful," but he did not hear what he wanted to hear at the end.
3. 12 When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out loudly. The woman said to Saul, “Why have you deceived me? You are Saul!”
The disguised failed when she was given power by Satan.
4. 15 Samuel said to Saul, “Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?”
16 Samuel said, “Why are you asking me, now that the LORD has turned away from you and has become your enemy? 17 The LORD has done exactly as I prophesied! The LORD has torn the kingdom from your hand and has given it to your neighbor David! 18 Since you did not obey the LORD and did not carry out his fierce anger against the Amalekites, the LORD has done this thing to you today. 19 The LORD will hand you and Israel over to the Philistines! Tomorrow both you and your sons will be with me. The LORD will also hand the army of Israel over to the Philistines!”
20 Saul quickly fell full length on the ground and was very afraid because of Samuel’s words. He was completely drained of energy,
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