Youth STS Lesson 225 – Saul Consults a Witch at Endor

MEMORY VERSE: “Then said Saul unto his servants, Seek me a woman that hath 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 hath a familiar spirit at Endor” (1 Samuel 28:7).

TEXT: 1 Samuel 28:1-25

David, in the course of seeking safety from Saul, employed deceptions so as to be accommodated in the land of the Philistines. Few months after settling down there, there was a battle between the Philistines and Israel. David volunteered to join the army of the Philistines to fight against Israel, but he was rejected by their lords. However, King Achish still believed that David and his men would be of much help to them in the battle against Israel.

At the time of this battle, Saul had killed the priests in the land (1 Samuel 22:18,19), Samuel, the only prophet that could hear from God and give direction on how to fight the battle was dead (1 Samuel 28:2). “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).

Question 1: Why did God refuse to answer Saul?

“Because thou obeyedst not the voice of the Lord, nor executedst his fierce wrath upon Amalek, therefore hath the Lord done this thing unto thee this day” (1 Samuel 28:18). The major reason God refused to answer him was his failure to obey His instruction. The Scripture says, “Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded; Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me” (Proverbs 1:24,28).

Also read: Youth STS Lesson 224 – David’s Deception and Rejection | Book of 1 Samuel: Full Summary and Themes

1. SAUL’S DESPERATION BEFORE WAR

(1 Samuel 28:1-6; Proverbs 1:24-28; 1 Chronicles 10:13,14; Isaiah 55:6,7; 1:15-20)

“And the Philistines gathered themselves together, and came and pitched in Shunem: and Saul gathered all Israel together, and they pitched in Gilboa” (verse 4). Achish, the king of the Philistines, having David in his camp, was confident of victory over Israel. Saul was facing the war which ended his life and reign. The thirty-eight years of his rebellion against God after he had been rejected was coming to a close. Saul mustered his forces and prepared to engage the Philistines. “And when Saul saw the host of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart greatly trembled” (verse 5). Saul became desperate to hear from God whom he had forsaken for a long time. “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). Such is the life of a backslider. When a Christian youth strays from the path of righteousness, God will hide his face and privileges but deal with such as a heathen.

Question 2: What can youths learn from Saul’s relationship with God before the battle?

One, God gave him no direction on what to do. Two, there was no word of encouragement. Saul could not consult prophets because he hated them, neither could he receive answer by Urim because he had killed the high priest and other priests in the land. He did not answer by dreams because he had sinned and was disobedient to the Lord that chose him. Sinners and backsliders are admonished to “Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon” (Isaiah 55:6,7).

2. SAUL’S DISCOURSE WITH THE WITCH AT ENDOR

(1 Samuel 28:7-14; Deuteronomy 18:9-12; Leviticus 19:26; Ephesians 5:11,12; 2 Thessalonians 2:11,12; 2 Corinthians 11:14,15)

Saul decided to seek a witch at Endor because God did not answer him. Instead of humbling himself in repentance and perseverance in seeking God, “Then said Saul unto his servants, Seek me a woman that hath 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 hath a familiar spirit at Endor” (1 Samuel 28:7). Saul kept adding to his sins as he consulted with the witch at Endor. By this action, he disobeyed the injunction of the Lord not to have anything to do with witches, wizards and those who have familiar spirits (Deuteronomy 18:9-12). Saul, like other backsliders, built again the things he once destroyed. “And the woman said unto him, Behold, thou knowest what Saul hath done, how he hath cut off those that have familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land: wherefore then layest thou a snare for my life, to cause me to die” (1 Samuel 28:9).

Question 3: What are other sources of power that present-day youths depend on apart from God?

“Ye shall not eat any thing with the blood: neither shall ye use enchantment, nor observe times. Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am the Lord” (Leviticus 19:26,28). Many youths today, like Saul, seek for different medium to aid them. Some join cult groups while others are ignorantly drawn into spiritism through ungodly marks like tattoos and through the use of fetish rings, wigs and clothes.

The warning from God against such things is very clear. Anyone who indulges in these evil practices is an abomination to the Lord and he shall not enter heaven except he repents. “When thou art come into the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations. For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD: and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee” (Deuteronomy 18:9,10).

Saul disguised himself and came to the woman by night to bring up Samuel because it was unlawful for anyone to enquire of a witch in Israel. God commands believers to have “…no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret” (Ephesians 5:11,12). This act of Saul is called ‘necromancy’ and it is forbidden by the Lord. It is surprising to see Saul who never consulted Samuel when he was alive to be looking for him when he was dead. Men truly do not value what they have until they lose it.

“Then said the woman, Whom shall I bring up unto thee? And he said, Bring me up Samuel. And when the woman saw Samuel, she cried with a loud voice: and the woman spake to Saul, saying, Why hast thou deceived me? for thou art Saul” (1 Samuel 28:11,12). Divination is not of God. Since Saul had decided not to repent and live by the truth of God’s word, He gave him up to strong delusion to believe a lie. “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). When a Christian dies, his spirit goes to the Lord and never remains here. “And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God. And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit” (Acts 7:56,59). The woman used evil power to bring up the likeness of the spirit of Samuel. It was not Samuel but an evil spirit that spoke.

3. SAUL’S DISAPPOINTMENT WITH THE FINAL MESSAGE

(1 Samuel 28:16-25; Matthew 24:35; Hebrews 2:1-3; Psalm 36:1,2; Isaiah 55:6,7)

“Then said Samuel, Wherefore then dost thou ask of me, seeing the Lord is departed from thee, and is become thine enemy? And the Lord hath done to him, as he spake by me: for the Lord hath rent the kingdom out of thine hand, and given it to thy neighbour, even to David” (1 Samuel 28:16,17). Saul thought that he could hear any other message from Samuel through evil spirit other than what he had told him when he was alive. But, he was disappointed that though many years had passed, the message remained the same. Stubborn and rebellious youths should not expect the good counsel or message we have from God to change with time or modernisation. The Lord remains unchanging at all times. “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away” (Matthew 24:35; Malachi 3:6).

Question 4: What are we expected to do with the word of God as Christian youths?

“Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip. For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward; How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him” (Hebrews 2:1-3). Christian youths are to pay constant attention to the word of God and be obedient to it. Saul failed to obey the instruction from the Lord right from the early years of his reign him in the second year of his reign. “The transgression of the wicked saith within my heart, that there is no fear of God before his eyes. For he flattereth himself in his own eyes, until his iniquity be found to be hateful” (Psalm 36:1,2). Youths who live in constant rebellion against God and His words do so to their own destruction for “Though hand join in hand, the wicked shall not be unpunished: but the seed of the righteous shall be delivered” (Proverbs 11:21). Eternal disappointment awaits every youth who refuses to repent and Saul did not repent until every means of reaching God was cut off.

Question 5: What should backsliders and sinners do to avoid eternal disappointment at the end?

“Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon” (Isaiah 55:6,7). The only way of escape is genuine repentance and faith in the Lord Jesus.

“Because thou obeyedst not the voice of the Lord, nor executedst his fierce wrath upon Amalek, therefore hath the Lord done this thing unto thee this day. Moreover the Lord will also deliver Israel with thee into the hand of the Philistines: and to morrow shalt thou and thy sons be with me: the Lord also shall deliver the host of Israel into the hand of the Philistines. Then Saul fell straightway all along on the earth, and was sore afraid, because of the words of Samuel: and there was no strength in him; for he had eaten no bread all the day, nor all the night” (1 Samuel 28:18-20). The message given to Saul paralysed him. This is because all hope was lost as he was to face the final battle of his life. This will put an end to his many years of rebellion and ungodly reign over Israel. It will also usher in the promised reign of David, a man after God’s heart.

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