3. (1 Sam 28:11-14) To the medium's surprise, Samuel appears
Then the woman said, "Whom shall I bring up for you?" And he said, "Bring up Samuel for me." When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out with a loud voice; and the woman spoke to Saul, saying, "Why have you deceived me? For you are Saul." The king said to her, "Do not be afraid; but what do you see?" And the woman said to Saul, "I see a divine being coming up out of the earth." He said to her, "What is his form?" And she said, "An old man is coming up, and he is wrapped with a robe." And Saul knew it was Samuel, and he bowed with his face to the ground and did homage.
Bring up Samuel for me: Why did Saul want to see Samuel? Considering the times Samuel strongly rebuked Saul (such as in 1 Samuel 15:22-29), we might think that Samuel was the last person Saul would want to see. However, Saul knew Samuel was a man of God. When God is not answering, Saul (like the rest of us) seek out the next best thing--someone on good terms with God. Before Saul slipped deep into sin, Samuel was Saul's mentor and guide. In desperate times, Saul tries to circumvent God by communicating with Samuel via a medium.
When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out with a loud voice: Nothing is more clear from the narration than that the woman of En-dor saw something she had never dreamed of seeing. What ever did appear that night was different from anything she had seen before. Whether or not she was an impostor matters little in the story. On this memorable occasion, the medium was evidently amazed and appalled at the success of her enchantments. Now Samuel really appeared from the world beyond; the medium was completely stunned. In addition, the medium was probably very familiar with the presence of demonic spirits, but the presence of the Holy Spirit was unfamiliar to her. The presence of the Holy Spirit may have seemed terrifying to her.
Why have you deceived me? For you are Saul: There is much uncertainty as to how the medium, who at first did not recognize Saul, now suddenly recognized Saul. It might be possible that Samuel revealed the presence of Saul to the medium. Samuel, being very familiar with Saul, saw straight through Samuel's disguise and talked to Saul as Saul. A similar story is seen with the prophet Ahijah, though blind by age, saw through the disguise of the wife of Jeroboam. ("Jeroboam said to his wife, 'Arise now, and disguise yourself so that they will not know that you are the wife of Jeroboam, and go to Shiloh; behold, Ahijah the prophet is there, who spoke concerning me that I would be king over this people'" (1 Kings 14:2). "When Ahijah heard the sound of her feet coming in the doorway, he said, 'Come in wife of Jeroboam, why do you pretend to be another woman? For I am sent to you with a harsh message'" (1 Kings 14:6).)
I see a divine being coming up out of the earth: The word rendered "divine being" is the Hebrew word elohim. It literally means "gods". It is often used as a name for God. In Hebrew, the plural can be used for the singular to emphasis the huge magnitude of something. When the medium said she saw an elohim, she did not mean that she saw God, and she did not mean that Samuel was deified. Instead, she means she saw some grand supernatural rising out of the ground, which she calls elohim, without attaching any exact meaning to the term.
And Saul knew it was Samuel: This seems to be a genuine, but strange, appearance of Samuel. Some may say it is impossible for Samuel to reappear in some way, coming from the world beyond to this world. However, Moses and Elijah also came back from the world beyond back to this world when they appeared with Jesus at the Transfiguration. ("Six days later Jesus took with Him Peter and James and John his brother, and led them up on a high mountain by themselves. And He was transfigured before them; and His face shone like the sin, and His garments became as white as light. And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him" (Matthew 17:1-3).)
The medium at En-dor had no power over Samuel. Moreover, no incantation can avail over any departed human disembodied spirit. Samuel really came, but it was not because the medium called for him. Samuel appeared because God had a special purpose for it. God allowed this strange appearance because it accomplished two things. It re-confirmed the coming judgment on King Saul. It also taught the medium a powerful lesson about the danger of her occult practice. When we close out ears to God, He will find unusual, and perhaps uncomfortable, ways to speak to us. God warns the disobedient king about his approaching death. This gives Saul an opportunity to make peace with his Maker, if he so chooses to do so.
C. Samuel speaks to Saul
1. (1 Sam 28:15-18) Samuel tells King Saul why the LORD will not speak to him.
Then Samuel said to Saul, "Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?" And Saul answered, "I am greatly distressed; for the Philistines are waging war against me, and God has departed from me and no longer answers me, either through prophets or by dreams; therefore I have called you, that you may make known to me what I should do." Samuel said, "Why then do you ask me, since the LORD has departed from you and has become your adversary? The LORD has done accordingly as He spoke through me; for the LORD has torn the kingdom out of your hand and given it to your neighbor, to David. As you did not obey the LORD and did not execute His fierce wrath on Amalek, so the LORD has done this thing to you this day."
Why have you disturbed me: Samuel's words would be in the mouth of anyone who left the place of comfort and blessing in the world beyond to come back to the earth. Samuel would rather be back where he was. This is an indication to us of the reality of the world beyond. Though Samuel passed from this world, he was in a real place. Properly speaking, Samuel was not in heaven. Jesus explains in the story of the rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31) that before the finished work of Jesus on the cross, the believing dead went to a place of comfort and blessing known as Abraham's bosom.
I am greatly distressed: Saul explains his problems to Samuel. First, the Philistines are making war with Saul. But worse than that, Saul knows that God has departed from him, and God is no longer answering Saul. Saul then reveals why he called Samuel, that Samuel may reveal to Saul what he should do.
Either through prophets of by dreams: It is suggested in the Talmud that Saul omitted all mention of the Urim and Thummin from shame at having murdered the priests.
Make known to me what I should do: Saul is asking for guidance when his course of action is clear--he has to fight the Philistines. What Saul rally wants is reassurance that all will be well and the he will win the battle.
The LORD has done accordingly as He spoke through me: Essentially, Samuel is confirming what God has already told Saul. The message of the LORD to Saul is surprisingly consistent, no matter which strange way God chooses to bring the message. The test for any spirit encounter or angelic revelation is its faithfulness to the Bible's message. It does not matter what kind of encounter one has with a spiritual being..."even if an angel from heaven [or Samuel himself!] preach any other gospel to you...let him be accursed" (Galatians 1:8).
As you did not obey the LORD and did not execute His fierce wrath on Amalek: Samuel called Saul's mind back to what happened in 1 Samuel 15. In that chapter, Samuel told Saul, "The LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today, and has given it to a neighbor of your, who is better than you...For He is not a man that He should relent" (1 Samuel 15:28-29). In the years since the events of 1 Samuel 15, Saul thought that perhaps the LORD would change His mind. However, Samuel reminds Saul that the LORD has not changed his mind at all. God's word to Saul did not change from the time He first said it until the time it was fulfilled. Perhaps Saul thought that time would change God's mind, but time never changes God's mind. one our repentance and turning back to God may change God's mine...but never time.
It is interesting to note that the abundant sin that Saul committed since 1 Samuel 15 (i.e., killing the LORD'S priests and seeking to continually kill David) are not mentioned as reasons for God taking the kingdom from Saul and giving it to David.
When the medium saw Samuel she said he was "wrapped with a robe". The "robe" was probably the mantle which would have identified Samuel as a prophet. In 1 Samuel 15:27, when Samuel announces that God will take the kingdom away from Saul, Saul grabs Samuel's robe in desperation and tears it. The Hebrew word used for "robe" in 1 Samuel 15:27 is meheel the same word used in 1 Samuel 18:24. It might be that when Samuel appeared before the medium and Saul that he wore this same torn robe to remind Saul that "the LORD has torn the kingdom out of your hand and given it to your neighbor, to David."
2. (1 Sam 28:19) Samuel tells Saul about his fate
Moreover the LORD will also give over Israel along with you into the hands of the Philistines, therefore tomorrow you and your sons will be with me. Indeed the LORD will give over the army of Israel into the hands of the Philistines!"
Moreover the LORD will also give over Israel...into the hands of the Philistines: Three cursing judgments, which were to come directly upon Saul, are contained in the prophet's words. 1) Utter defeat of the army of Israel. 2) The violent death of Saul and his two sons in the course of the impeding war. 3) The defeat of Israel's camp.
In 1 Samuel 28:15, Saul asks to know what he should do. Samuel never tells him what to do because it was too late to do anything. All Samuel told Saul was what would happen. God's judgment was already in motion. Before this time, Saul had plenty of time to repent. But now, time has run out. We can never assume that we will have as much time as we want to repent. The desire and opportunity to repent are gifts from God. If we have the desire and the opportunity to repent today, we must seize upon it. One never knows if there will be a tomorrow.
Tomorrow you and your sons will be with me: The Hebrew word rendered "tomorrow" (machar) does not necessarily mean the next day, but it can mean some time in the near future. In saying, "you and your sons shall be with me," Samuel does not pronounce Saul's final judgment. Samuel uses a mild expression applicable to all, good and bad. In Luke 16:19-31, Jesus tells the story about the rich man and Lazarus. They both go to the same place; however, there seems to be a fixed chasm between the place where the righteous and the place where the unrighteous go. Lazarus is safe and secure in Abraham's bosom while Lazarus suffers great torment. By using these milder words, Samuel mildly states Saul's future with death. This encourages Saul to repent while he still has time.
D. Saul's reaction and departure
1. (1 Sam 28:20) Saul reacts with fear and a loss of all strength
Then Saul immediately fell full length upon the ground and was very afraid because of the words of Samuel; also there was no strength in him, for he had eaten no food at all day and night.
Then Saul immediately fell full length upon the ground: Struck to his heart, Saul falls straight to the ground as if the archers of the Philistines had already hit him. It was not just that Samuel told Saul that he would die in battle before the Philistines, but far worse to Saul was the knowledge that the LORD was his adversary. Fighting against the Philistines is one thing, but how can one fight against God? There was no hope for Saul to win his battle against the LORD.
2. (1 Sam 28:21-25) The medium comforts Saul
The woman came to Saul and saw that he was terrifies, and said to him, "Behold, your maidservant has obeyed you, and I have taken my life in my hand and have listened to your words which you spoke to me. So now also, please listen to the voice of your maidservant, and let me set a piece of bread before you that you may eat and have strength when you go on your way." But he refused and said, "I will not eat." However, his servants together with the woman urged him, and he listened to them. So he arose from the ground and sat on the bed. The woman had a fattened calf in the house, and she quickly slaughtered it; and she took flour, kneaded it and baked unleavened bread from it. She bought it before Saul and his servants, and they ate. Then they arose and went away that night.
The woman came to Saul: The story is completed in these concluding verses in the natural and unaffected way. The medium, though a grievous sinner, is struck with a woman's pity for the stricken king. With kind words and still kinder actions, she does her best to help King Saul recover from his death-like swoon. It is a sad note when a practitioner of the occult comforts the King of Israel. But, the two of them wee of the same kind--each lived in rebellion to God, and each was under judgment from Him.
So he arose from the ground and sat on the bed: The "bed" was probably a divan or cushioned seat, which usually runs around the walls of rooms in Eastern dwellings.
Unleavened bread: Like the Israelites fleeing Egypt after God struck down all the firstborn, there was no time to be lost at this meal. In haste, the medium quickly prepares a meal, making unleavened bread because there was no time for the bread to rise.
And they ate: The supper Saul ate that night was like the last meal of a man on death row...a man awaiting execution in the morning.
Then they arose and went away that night: Saul left the En-dor medium resigned to his fate. In twenty-four hours, Saul and his sons would be dead. Although Saul was desperate to find out the future, in the end, knowing what was to come was a crushing blow. God's word stood, and it could not be altered. For many years, Saul had disobeyed God and seemed to have escape punishment. Now, facing a huge Philistine army, Saul knows he will die...and he will bring about the deaths of his sons too. What a sad and tragic ending to a man who once possessed the Spirit of God. As Proverbs 16:18 says, "Pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall." Oh how pride and arrogance greatly destroyed Saul, a man once endowed with Divine gifts which enabled him to become the leader and King of Israel.
Sunday, May 27, 2018
Sunday, May 20, 2018
Feast of Weeks
Introduction
The Feast of Weeks (also known as Shavuot and Pentecost) will be celebrated this year from sundown on Saturday, May 19 to sundown on Sunday, May 20. Described in Leviticus 23, the Feast of Weeks is the second of the three pilgrim feasts which required all Jewish males to travel to Jerusalem to observe (Exodus 23:14-7, Exodus 34:22-23, and Deuteronomy 16:6). The Feast of Weeks derives its name from the fact that it starts seven full weeks (exactly 50 days) after the Feast of Firstfruits. Since the festival takes place exactly 50 days after Firstfruits, it is also known as Pentecost, which means "fifty" in Greek.
Each of the three "solemn feasts" (Feast of Unleavened Bread, Feast of Weeks and Feast of Tabernacles) required all Jewish men to travel to Jerusalem to attend the festival and offer sacrifices. All three of these feasts required that a first fruit offering be made at the temple as a way of expressing thanks for God's abundance. The Feast of First Fruits (celebrated during the eight-day Feast of Unleavened Bread) included the first fruit offerings of the barley harvest. The Feast of Weeks was the celebration of the first fruits of the wheat harvest. The Feast of Tabernacles involved the first fruit offerings of the olive and grape harvests.
Since the Feast of Weeks was one of the harvest feasts, they were to "present an offering of new grain to the LORD" (Leviticus 23:16). This offering was to be "two wave loaves of two-tenths of an ephah" which were made "of fine flour...baked with leaven." The offerings were to be made of the first fruits of that harvest (Leviticus 23:17). Along with the wave offerings, they were also to offer seven first year lambs that were without blemish along with one young bull and two rams. Additional offerings are also prescribed in Leviticus and other passages which outline how this feast is to be observed.
This time of celebration in Hebrew is known as Shavuot, which means "weeks". This is one of three separate terms that are used in Scripture to refer to this important festival. Each name represents an important aspect of this holiday. Besides being called the Feast of Weeks in Leviticus 23, it is also called the "Day of the Firstfruits" (Numbers 28:26) and the "Feast of Harvest" (Exodus 23:16).
Additionally, the festival of Shavuot marks the culmination of the redemption, sometimes call Atzeret Pesach, or the Gathering of Passover. Since the Exodus from Egypt was intended to lead to the revelation of God's words on Mount Sinai, the goal of Passover is the giving of the Torah to the Jewish people. God took the Jews out of Egypt so that they would be His own treasured people, holy and separated from the pagan cultures around them.
According to Jewish scholars: The new moon of Nisan marks the start of sacred time, Passover remembers the sacrifice of the Passover lamb, the first day of Unleavened Bread remembers the Exodus from Egypt, the seventh day of Unleavened Bread remembers the crossing of the Red Sea, the counting of the Omer recalls the days before the giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai, and Shavuot remembers the giving of the Torah exactly seven weeks after the Exodus.
The Biblical background of Shavuot
The book of Exodus tells us how Moses was sent by God to Egypt to be a deliverer of Israel. Pharaoh did not heed Moses' appeals to set the people of Israel free from their slavery. Thus, the stage was set for a showdown between the God of Israel and Egypt's false gods.
After repeated demonstrations of the glory and power of the LORD, God told Moses that He would bring a final harsh plague that would cause Pharaoh to relent and allow the Israelites to leave Egypt. In God's final plague, all the firstborn in the land of Egypt would be killed--except for those who observed what God called the Passover.
The LORD commanded on Nisan 10 that the heads of each household select an unblemished young male lamb to be offered as a sacrifice to the LORD. On the afternoon of Nisan 14, a family member was to slaughter the lamb and smear some of its blood on the sides of the doorframe. The lamb was then to be roasted and eaten with unleavened bread (matzah) and bitter herds (maror). This meal was to be consumed in haste since those observing Passover would quickly leave Egypt the next morning (Nisan 15) as they began their Exodus. The LORD also required that only matzah was to be eaten for a week after the Passover meal (from Nisan 15 to Nisan 21).
At midnight on Nisan 15, the LORD killed all the firstborn who did not place the blood of the lamb upon their door frame. Those who trusted in the LORD were "passed over" from the angel of death. Pharaoh and most of the Egyptians experienced death in their households. They begged the Israelites to leave Egypt. After 400 years in Egypt, 600,000 adult males along with women, children and a mixed multitude departed Egypt with a wealth of gold and silver which the Egyptians had given to them.
As soon as the Jews left Egypt, a fiery pillar of cloud appeared before them, leading them from Rameses to Succoth and then southward into the desert (Exodus 12:20-21). But after the Israelites left, Pharaoh had a change of heart. He decided to summon his army and chase the Israelites to enslave them again (Exodus 14:4). Six days later, on Nisan 21, the Israelites were trapped--they had the Egyptian army behind them and the Sea of Reeds before them. The pillar of cloud moved behind the Israelites and stood between them and the Egyptians. Moses then stretched out his staff before the sea, and it miraculously parted so that the Israelites could walk through it. When the Jews had safely crossed to the other side of the sea, the Egyptians tried to follow after them. However, Moses again stretched out his staff, and the waters came crashing down upon them, drowning the Egyptian army.
After 45 days in the desert, on the new moon of Sivan, the Jews reached the desert of Sinai and camped near the mountain where Moses had first been commissioned (Exodus 19:1). During the previous weeks, the Israelites had become more and more reliant upon the LORD. Therefore, their hearts and minds became more and more ready to receive the instruction (Torah) from God before entering the Promised Land.
Moses ascended the mountain, and there God commanded him to tell the leaders that if they would obey the LORD and keep His covenant, they would be the LORD'S "kingdom of priests" and "holy nation". After delivering this message, the people responded by proclaiming, kol asher diber Adonai na'aseh ("all that the LORD has spoken, we shall do"). Moses then returned to the mountain and was told to command the people to sanctify themselves before the LORD descended on the mountain in three days. The people were to abstain from worldly comforts and not touch (under the penalty of death) the boundaries of the mountain.
On the morning of the sixth of Sivan, exactly seven weeks after the Exodus, all the children of Israel gathered at the foot of Mount Sinai, where the LORD descended amidst thunder, lightning, smoke, fire and the blast of the shofar. The LORD then declared the foundation of moral conduct required of the people, the Ten Commandments.
The sound of the shofar grew louder and louder until terror gripped the hearts of the people. The LORD then uttered, "I am the LORD Your God who took you out of Egypt." As the LORD began speaking the second commandment, the people began falling back in fear. They begged Moses to be their mediator before God. The people then stood afar off while Moses alone drew near to God.
As mediator of the covenant, Moses later reported to the Israelites all the words of the LORD. The people responded in unison, kol hadevarim asher diber Adonai na'aseh ("all the words which the LORD has said, we will do.") Moses wrote down the words of the covenant, built an altar at the foot of Mount Sinai with twelve pillars (one for each tribe of Israel) and ordered sacrifices be made to the LORD. He took the sacrificial blood from the offerings, threw half upon the altar and read the covenant to the people. The people ratified the covenant with the words, kol asher diber Adonai na'aseh v'nishma ("all that the LORD says, we will do and obey"). Upon hearing their ratification, Moses took the other half of the sacrificial blood and threw it on the people saying, "Behold, the blood of the covenant that the LORD has made with you in accordance with all these words" (Exodus 24:8).
Next, Moses, Aaron (and his sons Nadav and Avihu), and seventy elders of Israel ascended Mount Sinai to eat a "covenant affirmation meal" between Israel and the LORD. It was there that the elders beheld the awesome glory of the God of Israel, under whose feet was "a pavement of sapphires, like the very heaven for clearness" (Exodus 24:9-11).
After returning from the mountain with the elders, the LORD commanded Moses to go back up to receive luchot ha'even (the tablets of stone) inscribed with the Ten Commandments (Exodus 24:12). He remained on the mountain for a total of 40 days and 40 nights learning Torah while the Israelites waited for him at the camp below (Exodus 24:13-18).
The Agricultural Background
When the Israelites began to settle the Promised Land, the meaning of Shavuot was transformed into an agricultural holiday that celebrated the LORD'S provision for His people. Exactly seven weeks after the barley harvest is Shavuot, which is the start of the wheat harvest. There are seven species of fruits yielded in Israel: barley, wheat, grapes, figs, pomegranates, olives and dates. As soon as the Jewish farmer saw the first sign of fruit ripening in his field or orchard, he would tie a string or ribbon around it to designate it as the first fruit.
Later, the farmer would pick the fruit, place it in a basket woven of silver and gold (the poor used wicker baskets made from willow branches) and set off for the Temple in Jerusalem to observe either the Feast of First Fruits (for the barley harvest), the Feast of Weeks (for the wheat harvest) or for the Feast of Booths (for the fruit harvest). The baskets would be placed on oxen adorned with garlands of flowers. As the pilgrims neared Jerusalem, the grand procession became a parade with folks singing and dancing.
At the temple, each family would present the basket of first fruits to the priest to be put before the altar while reciting the following passage:
Timeline of Giving the Torah
1. Nisan 1: The start of the sacred year
On the first of Nisan, two weeks before the Exodus, the LORD showed Moses the new moon and commenced the divine lunar calendar. This is called Rosh Chodashim.
2. Nisan 15: Passover
Two weeks later, God was ready to deliver the Israelites from their bondage. Earlier that night, the Israelites ate the Passover meal and covered their doorposts with the blood of the lamb. At midnight on Nisan 15, the LORD sent the last of the ten plagues upon the Egyptians, killing their firstborn.
3. Nisan 20: Pharaoh traps the Israelites
Pharaoh's army traps the Israelites against the Sea of Reeds. The glory of the LORD intervenes and prevents the Egyptians from attacking.
4. Nisan 21: The parting of the sea
The following day, the LORD commands Moses to order the Israelites to march into the waters of the sea. The waters part, and the children of Israel walk across dry land in the midst of the sea. When the Egyptians attempt to follow, the waters rush back and drown them. The Israelites celebrate their deliverance with the Song of the Sea in praise to the LORD (Exodus 15:1-18).
5. Sivan 1: Arrival at Sinai
The Israelites finally arrive at the desert of Sinai (Exodus 19:1) where Moses was first commissioned.
6. Sivan 2: The Day of Distinction (Yom HaMeyuchas)
On this day, Moses ascends Mount Sinai. God tells him to tell the people: "You shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation" (Exodus 19:2-7).
7. Sivan 3-5: Three days of preparation
On Sivan 3, the LORD instructs Moses to set boundaries for the people around the mountain in preparation for giving the Torah three days later (Exodus 19:9-15).
8. Sivan 5: The covenant offered
On Sivan 5, Moses made a covenant with the Jewish people at the foot of Mount Sinai at which the people declare, "All that the LORD has spoken, we shall do and hear" (Exodus 19:8).
9. Sivan 6: The giving of the Torah
On Sivan 6, exactly seven weeks after the Exodus, the LORD reveals Himself on Mount Sinai. All Israel hears the LORD speak the first two of the Ten Commandments. Following this initial revelation, Moses re-ascends Sinai for 40 days to receive the remainder of the Torah. This date coincides exactly with the Feast of Shavuot.
Feast of Weeks and the Messiah
Like all the other feasts, the Feast of Weeks is important in that it foreshadows the coming Messiah and His ministry. Each and every feast signifies an important aspect of God's plan of redemption through Christ Jesus. Jesus was crucified as the Passover Lamb and rose from the grave on the Feast of Firstfruits. Following His resurrection, Jesus spent the next 40 days teaching His disciples before ascending into heaven (Acts 1). Fifty days after His resurrection, Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to dwell within the disciples and empower them for ministry. The Holy Spirit arrived on the Feast of Weeks (Pentecost).
The spiritual significance of the Feast of Weeks are numerous. Some see the two loaves of leavened bread offered during the Feast of Weeks as a foreshadowing of the time when Messiah would make both the Jew and Gentile to be one in Him (Ephesians 2:14-15). This is also the only feast where leavened bread is used. Leaven in Scripture is often referred to symbolically as sin. The leavened bread used in the Feast of Weeks is thought to be representative of the fact that there is still sin within the assembly (body of Messiah) and will be there until Messiah returns.
The Feast of Weeks (also known as Shavuot and Pentecost) will be celebrated this year from sundown on Saturday, May 19 to sundown on Sunday, May 20. Described in Leviticus 23, the Feast of Weeks is the second of the three pilgrim feasts which required all Jewish males to travel to Jerusalem to observe (Exodus 23:14-7, Exodus 34:22-23, and Deuteronomy 16:6). The Feast of Weeks derives its name from the fact that it starts seven full weeks (exactly 50 days) after the Feast of Firstfruits. Since the festival takes place exactly 50 days after Firstfruits, it is also known as Pentecost, which means "fifty" in Greek.
Each of the three "solemn feasts" (Feast of Unleavened Bread, Feast of Weeks and Feast of Tabernacles) required all Jewish men to travel to Jerusalem to attend the festival and offer sacrifices. All three of these feasts required that a first fruit offering be made at the temple as a way of expressing thanks for God's abundance. The Feast of First Fruits (celebrated during the eight-day Feast of Unleavened Bread) included the first fruit offerings of the barley harvest. The Feast of Weeks was the celebration of the first fruits of the wheat harvest. The Feast of Tabernacles involved the first fruit offerings of the olive and grape harvests.
Since the Feast of Weeks was one of the harvest feasts, they were to "present an offering of new grain to the LORD" (Leviticus 23:16). This offering was to be "two wave loaves of two-tenths of an ephah" which were made "of fine flour...baked with leaven." The offerings were to be made of the first fruits of that harvest (Leviticus 23:17). Along with the wave offerings, they were also to offer seven first year lambs that were without blemish along with one young bull and two rams. Additional offerings are also prescribed in Leviticus and other passages which outline how this feast is to be observed.
This time of celebration in Hebrew is known as Shavuot, which means "weeks". This is one of three separate terms that are used in Scripture to refer to this important festival. Each name represents an important aspect of this holiday. Besides being called the Feast of Weeks in Leviticus 23, it is also called the "Day of the Firstfruits" (Numbers 28:26) and the "Feast of Harvest" (Exodus 23:16).
Additionally, the festival of Shavuot marks the culmination of the redemption, sometimes call Atzeret Pesach, or the Gathering of Passover. Since the Exodus from Egypt was intended to lead to the revelation of God's words on Mount Sinai, the goal of Passover is the giving of the Torah to the Jewish people. God took the Jews out of Egypt so that they would be His own treasured people, holy and separated from the pagan cultures around them.
According to Jewish scholars: The new moon of Nisan marks the start of sacred time, Passover remembers the sacrifice of the Passover lamb, the first day of Unleavened Bread remembers the Exodus from Egypt, the seventh day of Unleavened Bread remembers the crossing of the Red Sea, the counting of the Omer recalls the days before the giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai, and Shavuot remembers the giving of the Torah exactly seven weeks after the Exodus.
The Biblical background of Shavuot
The book of Exodus tells us how Moses was sent by God to Egypt to be a deliverer of Israel. Pharaoh did not heed Moses' appeals to set the people of Israel free from their slavery. Thus, the stage was set for a showdown between the God of Israel and Egypt's false gods.
After repeated demonstrations of the glory and power of the LORD, God told Moses that He would bring a final harsh plague that would cause Pharaoh to relent and allow the Israelites to leave Egypt. In God's final plague, all the firstborn in the land of Egypt would be killed--except for those who observed what God called the Passover.
The LORD commanded on Nisan 10 that the heads of each household select an unblemished young male lamb to be offered as a sacrifice to the LORD. On the afternoon of Nisan 14, a family member was to slaughter the lamb and smear some of its blood on the sides of the doorframe. The lamb was then to be roasted and eaten with unleavened bread (matzah) and bitter herds (maror). This meal was to be consumed in haste since those observing Passover would quickly leave Egypt the next morning (Nisan 15) as they began their Exodus. The LORD also required that only matzah was to be eaten for a week after the Passover meal (from Nisan 15 to Nisan 21).
At midnight on Nisan 15, the LORD killed all the firstborn who did not place the blood of the lamb upon their door frame. Those who trusted in the LORD were "passed over" from the angel of death. Pharaoh and most of the Egyptians experienced death in their households. They begged the Israelites to leave Egypt. After 400 years in Egypt, 600,000 adult males along with women, children and a mixed multitude departed Egypt with a wealth of gold and silver which the Egyptians had given to them.
As soon as the Jews left Egypt, a fiery pillar of cloud appeared before them, leading them from Rameses to Succoth and then southward into the desert (Exodus 12:20-21). But after the Israelites left, Pharaoh had a change of heart. He decided to summon his army and chase the Israelites to enslave them again (Exodus 14:4). Six days later, on Nisan 21, the Israelites were trapped--they had the Egyptian army behind them and the Sea of Reeds before them. The pillar of cloud moved behind the Israelites and stood between them and the Egyptians. Moses then stretched out his staff before the sea, and it miraculously parted so that the Israelites could walk through it. When the Jews had safely crossed to the other side of the sea, the Egyptians tried to follow after them. However, Moses again stretched out his staff, and the waters came crashing down upon them, drowning the Egyptian army.
After 45 days in the desert, on the new moon of Sivan, the Jews reached the desert of Sinai and camped near the mountain where Moses had first been commissioned (Exodus 19:1). During the previous weeks, the Israelites had become more and more reliant upon the LORD. Therefore, their hearts and minds became more and more ready to receive the instruction (Torah) from God before entering the Promised Land.
Moses ascended the mountain, and there God commanded him to tell the leaders that if they would obey the LORD and keep His covenant, they would be the LORD'S "kingdom of priests" and "holy nation". After delivering this message, the people responded by proclaiming, kol asher diber Adonai na'aseh ("all that the LORD has spoken, we shall do"). Moses then returned to the mountain and was told to command the people to sanctify themselves before the LORD descended on the mountain in three days. The people were to abstain from worldly comforts and not touch (under the penalty of death) the boundaries of the mountain.
On the morning of the sixth of Sivan, exactly seven weeks after the Exodus, all the children of Israel gathered at the foot of Mount Sinai, where the LORD descended amidst thunder, lightning, smoke, fire and the blast of the shofar. The LORD then declared the foundation of moral conduct required of the people, the Ten Commandments.
The sound of the shofar grew louder and louder until terror gripped the hearts of the people. The LORD then uttered, "I am the LORD Your God who took you out of Egypt." As the LORD began speaking the second commandment, the people began falling back in fear. They begged Moses to be their mediator before God. The people then stood afar off while Moses alone drew near to God.
As mediator of the covenant, Moses later reported to the Israelites all the words of the LORD. The people responded in unison, kol hadevarim asher diber Adonai na'aseh ("all the words which the LORD has said, we will do.") Moses wrote down the words of the covenant, built an altar at the foot of Mount Sinai with twelve pillars (one for each tribe of Israel) and ordered sacrifices be made to the LORD. He took the sacrificial blood from the offerings, threw half upon the altar and read the covenant to the people. The people ratified the covenant with the words, kol asher diber Adonai na'aseh v'nishma ("all that the LORD says, we will do and obey"). Upon hearing their ratification, Moses took the other half of the sacrificial blood and threw it on the people saying, "Behold, the blood of the covenant that the LORD has made with you in accordance with all these words" (Exodus 24:8).
Next, Moses, Aaron (and his sons Nadav and Avihu), and seventy elders of Israel ascended Mount Sinai to eat a "covenant affirmation meal" between Israel and the LORD. It was there that the elders beheld the awesome glory of the God of Israel, under whose feet was "a pavement of sapphires, like the very heaven for clearness" (Exodus 24:9-11).
After returning from the mountain with the elders, the LORD commanded Moses to go back up to receive luchot ha'even (the tablets of stone) inscribed with the Ten Commandments (Exodus 24:12). He remained on the mountain for a total of 40 days and 40 nights learning Torah while the Israelites waited for him at the camp below (Exodus 24:13-18).
The Agricultural Background
When the Israelites began to settle the Promised Land, the meaning of Shavuot was transformed into an agricultural holiday that celebrated the LORD'S provision for His people. Exactly seven weeks after the barley harvest is Shavuot, which is the start of the wheat harvest. There are seven species of fruits yielded in Israel: barley, wheat, grapes, figs, pomegranates, olives and dates. As soon as the Jewish farmer saw the first sign of fruit ripening in his field or orchard, he would tie a string or ribbon around it to designate it as the first fruit.
Later, the farmer would pick the fruit, place it in a basket woven of silver and gold (the poor used wicker baskets made from willow branches) and set off for the Temple in Jerusalem to observe either the Feast of First Fruits (for the barley harvest), the Feast of Weeks (for the wheat harvest) or for the Feast of Booths (for the fruit harvest). The baskets would be placed on oxen adorned with garlands of flowers. As the pilgrims neared Jerusalem, the grand procession became a parade with folks singing and dancing.
At the temple, each family would present the basket of first fruits to the priest to be put before the altar while reciting the following passage:
A wandering Aramean was my father. And he went down into Egypt and
sojourned there, few in number, and there he became a nation, great,
mighty and populous. And the Egyptians treated us harshly and humiliated us
and laid on us hard labor. Then we cried to the LORD, the God of our fathers,
and the LORD heard our voice and saw our affliction, our toil and our oppression.
And the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm,
with great deeds of terror, with signs and wonders. And He brought us into this place
and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey. And behold, now I bring
the first of the fruit of the ground, which You, O LORD, have given me. And You shall
set it down before the LORD Your God and worship before the LORD Your God.
(Deuteronomy 26:5-11)
After the Temple was destroyed in 70 A.D., the agricultural aspect of Shavuot could no longer be observed. The Talmudic sages later re-connected this festival with the giving of Torah at Mount Sinai. Shavuot came to be called "The Season of the Giving of the Torah". To this day, it has become customary to stay up all night studying Torah. While this custom is wonderful, Jewish law prohibits afflicting or torturing yourself on a holiday. So, it you are tired, it is better to go to sleep.
Timeline of Giving the Torah
1. Nisan 1: The start of the sacred year
On the first of Nisan, two weeks before the Exodus, the LORD showed Moses the new moon and commenced the divine lunar calendar. This is called Rosh Chodashim.
2. Nisan 15: Passover
Two weeks later, God was ready to deliver the Israelites from their bondage. Earlier that night, the Israelites ate the Passover meal and covered their doorposts with the blood of the lamb. At midnight on Nisan 15, the LORD sent the last of the ten plagues upon the Egyptians, killing their firstborn.
3. Nisan 20: Pharaoh traps the Israelites
Pharaoh's army traps the Israelites against the Sea of Reeds. The glory of the LORD intervenes and prevents the Egyptians from attacking.
4. Nisan 21: The parting of the sea
The following day, the LORD commands Moses to order the Israelites to march into the waters of the sea. The waters part, and the children of Israel walk across dry land in the midst of the sea. When the Egyptians attempt to follow, the waters rush back and drown them. The Israelites celebrate their deliverance with the Song of the Sea in praise to the LORD (Exodus 15:1-18).
5. Sivan 1: Arrival at Sinai
The Israelites finally arrive at the desert of Sinai (Exodus 19:1) where Moses was first commissioned.
6. Sivan 2: The Day of Distinction (Yom HaMeyuchas)
On this day, Moses ascends Mount Sinai. God tells him to tell the people: "You shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation" (Exodus 19:2-7).
7. Sivan 3-5: Three days of preparation
On Sivan 3, the LORD instructs Moses to set boundaries for the people around the mountain in preparation for giving the Torah three days later (Exodus 19:9-15).
8. Sivan 5: The covenant offered
On Sivan 5, Moses made a covenant with the Jewish people at the foot of Mount Sinai at which the people declare, "All that the LORD has spoken, we shall do and hear" (Exodus 19:8).
9. Sivan 6: The giving of the Torah
On Sivan 6, exactly seven weeks after the Exodus, the LORD reveals Himself on Mount Sinai. All Israel hears the LORD speak the first two of the Ten Commandments. Following this initial revelation, Moses re-ascends Sinai for 40 days to receive the remainder of the Torah. This date coincides exactly with the Feast of Shavuot.
Feast of Weeks and the Messiah
Like all the other feasts, the Feast of Weeks is important in that it foreshadows the coming Messiah and His ministry. Each and every feast signifies an important aspect of God's plan of redemption through Christ Jesus. Jesus was crucified as the Passover Lamb and rose from the grave on the Feast of Firstfruits. Following His resurrection, Jesus spent the next 40 days teaching His disciples before ascending into heaven (Acts 1). Fifty days after His resurrection, Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to dwell within the disciples and empower them for ministry. The Holy Spirit arrived on the Feast of Weeks (Pentecost).
The spiritual significance of the Feast of Weeks are numerous. Some see the two loaves of leavened bread offered during the Feast of Weeks as a foreshadowing of the time when Messiah would make both the Jew and Gentile to be one in Him (Ephesians 2:14-15). This is also the only feast where leavened bread is used. Leaven in Scripture is often referred to symbolically as sin. The leavened bread used in the Feast of Weeks is thought to be representative of the fact that there is still sin within the assembly (body of Messiah) and will be there until Messiah returns.
Sunday, May 13, 2018
1 Samuel Chapter 28 Part One (Verses 1-10)
SAUL AND THE SPIRIT MEDIUM
1. (1 Sam 28:1-2) David takes sides with the Philistines against Israel
Now it came about in those days that the Philistines gathered their armed camps for war, to fight against Israel. And Achish said to David, "Know assuredly that you will go out with me in the camp, you and your men." David said to Achish, "Very well, you shall know what your servant can do." So Achish said to David, "Very well, I will make you my bodyguard for life."
The Philistines gathered their army camps for war: This was a war on a much larger scale than had been carried out previously by the Philistines. This was no ordinary raid of border incursion, which seemed to be the frequent form of attack during King Saul's reign. Since the Philistines' defeat in the Valley of Elah, which followed the single combat between Goliath and David, no such Philistine army had been gathered.
And Achish said to David: As a vassal, David was bound to accompany his lord to war. Achish, supposing that David had on his own accord made war upon Judah, probably assumed that the invitation was one in which David desired. David had lied to Achish, telling him that he had raided the people of Israel. Now, David is forced to live the lie.
You shall know what your servant can do: David's answer is ambiguous. He is placed in a dilemma. It seems as though he must either fight against his own nation or appear false to his lord, Achish.
I will make you my bodyguard for life: It seems Achish had been won over by David's career and generous character. Achish seems to take no notice of David's ambiguity. At once, Achhish appoints David to one of the most distinguished appointments in the army--the King of Gath's bodyguard. In the ancient East, the bodyguard was a highly important position. Often, the king did not carry his own weaponry. Instead, the bodyguard carried all the military equipment and was the person responsible for protecting the king. The bodyguard had to be extremely trustworthy to the king. If the bodyguard decided to flee, the king would be completely unarmed and open for direct attack by his enemies.
A. Saul's distressing situation
1. (1 Sam 28:3-5) Saul's fear at the attack from the Philistines
Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had lamented him and buried him in Ramah, his own city. And Saul had removed from the land those who were mediums and spiritists. So the Philistines gathered together and came and camped in Shunem; and Saul gathered all Israel together and they camped in Gilboa. When Saul saw the camp of the Philistines, he was afraid and his heart trembled greatly.
Now Samuel was dead: In 1 Samuel 25:1, we are first told about Samuel's death. This statement here is repeated to give an introduction to the strange and sad story which follows. Now that Samuel has passed away, there seems to be a spiritual void in Israel.
Saul had removed from the land: Saul's expulsion of the soothsayers he probably did early in his reign, when he was closer to God and following His commands.
Mediums; The Hebrew word is oboth. This signifies the demon or spirit is supposed to speak through the necromancer. It is generally rendered in the Greek Septuagint as "ventriloquist" because the spirit was supposed to speak from the necromancer's belly.
Spiritists: These are more closely connected with wit and wisdom. The exact equivalent of the Hebrew would be "a knowing one". One who is supposed to possess a knowledge of the future by mysterious means.
The Mosaic law concerning these people is clear and decisive. "You shall not allow a sorceress to live" (Exodus 22:18). "Now a man or a woman who is a medium or a spiritist shall surely be put to death. They shall be stoned with stones, their bloodguiltiness is upon them" (Leviticus 20:27).
The Philistines gathered together and came and camped in Shunem: The Philistine army had penetrated into the heart of Israel, marching across the Valley of Jezreel. They took up a strong position on the south-western slope of the mountain range called Little Hermon. Shunem is located about 20 miles north of Aphek, the most northerly Philistine city.
Shunem: This village is located opposite Mount Gilboa. The broad deep valley of Jezreel lays in between Shunem and Gilboa and overlooks the whole western plain of Carmel. Shunem is the home of Abishag, a young girl who became King David's nurse at the end of his life (1 Kings 1:3). It is also the hometown of the woman who entertained the prophet Elisha and whose dead son Elisha raise back to life (2 Kings 4).
Gilboa: Saul's position was only a few miles distant from the camp of the Philistines. From the high ground, Saul and his camp could plainly see the whole Philistine army. Mount Gilboa is the name given to a range of lofty hills, rising 1500 feet above the sea and consist of white chalk.
When Saul saw the camp of the Philistines, he was afraid: There is no doubt that Saul would have been greatly terrified when he viewed his enemy's ranks from afar. They were far more numerous than he had probably expected. But the real reason for his trembling was that God had forsaken Saul. Many of the well-known Israelite warriors had, during recent events, taken service with Saul's dreaded enemy, David. Saul knew that David was now a vassal to King Achish. We might imagine Saul, as he stood on the while chalk hills of Gilboa, gazing on the long lines of the Philistine tents pitched on the opposite hill of Shunem, wondering if his old friend, David, was there with his mighty men following.
2. (1 Sam 28:6) God will not speak to Saul
When Saul inquired of the LORD, the LORD did not answer him, either by dreams or by Urim or by the prophets.
When Saul inquired of the LORD: Many have asked, "how was the inquiry to the LORD made?" since King Saul massacred the priests from Nob. The high priest, or at least the priest in possession of the sacred ephod and the breastplate with the Urim and Thummin was in the camp of David. It has been suggested by eminent Bible scholars that after the murder of Ahimelech and the flight of Abiathar to David, Saul moved the national sanctuary from Nob and established it at Gibeon. It is at Gibeon, during the first year of David's reign, where we find the Tabernacle with the son of Ahitub, Zadok, acting as the high priest. This might account for the frequent reference in the time of David to two priests--Zadok and Abiathar. Zadok might have been the high priest appointed by King Saul and was for a considerable time in charge of the Tabernacle. Abiathar, who fled from Nob with the ephod and Urim was acknowledged by David as the high priest when the kingdom was eventually restored under one king. Zadok and Abiathar seemed to have divided the honors and responsibilities of the high priesthood. (Please see 2 Samuel 8:17, 2 Samuel 15:24, 2 Samuel 15:29, 2 Samuel 15:35, 1 Chronicles 15:11 and 1 Chronicles 18:16 for more details.)
We can imagine Zadok inquired of the LORD for Saul. Some suppose an Urim and Thummin may have been made in imitation of the ancient ones Abiathar possesses. But, as the texts states, Zadok received no answer.
The LORD did not answer him: This silence demonstrates that God will not always answer everyone who seeks him. King Saul had rejected and is currently rejecting God's previously revealed will. Since Saul did not care to obey in what he already knew, God will not give him more to know. At the very least, Saul knew that God did not want him to hunt David, hoping to kill him. Saul had said as much in passages as 1 Samuel 24:16-20 and 1 Samuel 26:21. Yet, Saul disregarded what he knew. If we want God to guide us, we must follow what guidance we already have from Him. When we reject the word of the LORD, we can still be comforted by the fact that He speaks to us. As we continue to reject His word, He may stop speaking to us until we come to accept His will.
B. Saul consults a spirit medium
1. (1 Sam 28:7-8) Saul seeks out a medium
Then Saul said to his servants, "Seek 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 woman who is a medium at En-dor." Then Saul disguised himself by putting on other clothes, and went, he and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night; and he said, "Conjure up to me, please, and bring up for me whom I shall name to you."
Seek for me a woman who is a medium: The determination of Saul to find out the future proves how obstinate and self-willed he was. He wanted an answer, simply to know what was about to happen, and he did not want to receive guidance and counsel from God.
Traditionally, this woman is known as "The Witch of Endor". It be appropriate to call her a witch, but it more accurate to call her a medium or a necromancer--one who makes contact with the dead. The Hebrew word for medium is ob. It has the idea of mumbling or speaking with a strange, hollow sound, as if one were "channeling" with a dead person speaking through them. The Hebrew word has in mind the sound the channel makes as they speak. The English word medium, has in mind the concept of a channel: they stand in-between the world of the living and the dead and communicate between the two worlds.
En-dor: En-dor was only a short distance away from Mount Gilboa. It was on the north of the Hill of Moreh and was accessible despite the Philistine forces close by. En-dor was located four miles northeast of Shunem, and thus, it was dangerously close to where the Philistines were camped.
Two men with him: Jewish tradition speaks of the two men who accompany Saul as Abner and Amasa. It further mentions the medium at En-dor as the mother of Abner. If this is true, it would account for her having escaped the general pursuit of spiritists and mediums mentioned above. Moreover, it would also explain why the medium was so well-known by Saul's servants.
Saul disguised himself: The disguise and the time chosen for the expedition served a double purpose. The king would, he thought, be unknown in the darkness and disguise when he came to the medium's dwelling. Additionally, Saul needed to pass close to the Philistines whose army lay between him and the village of En-dor. A disguise and cover of darkness would prevent Saul from being recognized by the Philistines.
As Saul sought the medium, he brought upon himself a curse. God said in Leviticus 20:6: "And the person who turns after mediums and familiar spirits, to prostitute himself with them, I will set My face against that person and cut him off from his people."
Conjure up to me, please, and bring up for me whom I shall name to you: Saul asks he medium to channel the deceased prophet Samuel. He did this because he wanted to know what God might say to him. Saul is like a man going to a palm reader to hear the will of God.
2. (1 Sam 28:9-10) Saul answers the suspicions of the medium
But the woman said to him, "Behold, you know what Saul has done, how he has cut off those who are mediums and spiritists from the land. Why are you then laying a snare for my life to bring about my death?" Saul vowed to her by the LORD, saying, "As the LORD lives, no punishment shall come upon you from this thing."
You know what Saul has done: The law, enacted by Saul in his earlier days, made the practice of these dark arts a capital offense. Sorcerers and mediums, no doubt, had been often hunted down by informers. Even if the medium was in the company of her near relatives, still the act of summoning the dead was a capital offense. She may, too, by enhancing the peril in which she stood, have sought to extort a larger present from the stranger who ask for her aid.
Saul vowed to her by the LORD: Saul's oath in the name of the LORD reminds us that spiritual rhetoric means nothing. As certainly as the LORD lives, Saul was in complete disobedience and darkness. This is the last time Saul uses the name of the LORD in the book of 1 Samuel, and he uses it to swear to a medium that she will not be punished. Although Saul might have been able to screen the medium from any punishment in this world, he could not prevent her from eternal punishment from violating Torah.
1. (1 Sam 28:1-2) David takes sides with the Philistines against Israel
Now it came about in those days that the Philistines gathered their armed camps for war, to fight against Israel. And Achish said to David, "Know assuredly that you will go out with me in the camp, you and your men." David said to Achish, "Very well, you shall know what your servant can do." So Achish said to David, "Very well, I will make you my bodyguard for life."
The Philistines gathered their army camps for war: This was a war on a much larger scale than had been carried out previously by the Philistines. This was no ordinary raid of border incursion, which seemed to be the frequent form of attack during King Saul's reign. Since the Philistines' defeat in the Valley of Elah, which followed the single combat between Goliath and David, no such Philistine army had been gathered.
And Achish said to David: As a vassal, David was bound to accompany his lord to war. Achish, supposing that David had on his own accord made war upon Judah, probably assumed that the invitation was one in which David desired. David had lied to Achish, telling him that he had raided the people of Israel. Now, David is forced to live the lie.
You shall know what your servant can do: David's answer is ambiguous. He is placed in a dilemma. It seems as though he must either fight against his own nation or appear false to his lord, Achish.
I will make you my bodyguard for life: It seems Achish had been won over by David's career and generous character. Achish seems to take no notice of David's ambiguity. At once, Achhish appoints David to one of the most distinguished appointments in the army--the King of Gath's bodyguard. In the ancient East, the bodyguard was a highly important position. Often, the king did not carry his own weaponry. Instead, the bodyguard carried all the military equipment and was the person responsible for protecting the king. The bodyguard had to be extremely trustworthy to the king. If the bodyguard decided to flee, the king would be completely unarmed and open for direct attack by his enemies.
A. Saul's distressing situation
1. (1 Sam 28:3-5) Saul's fear at the attack from the Philistines
Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had lamented him and buried him in Ramah, his own city. And Saul had removed from the land those who were mediums and spiritists. So the Philistines gathered together and came and camped in Shunem; and Saul gathered all Israel together and they camped in Gilboa. When Saul saw the camp of the Philistines, he was afraid and his heart trembled greatly.
Now Samuel was dead: In 1 Samuel 25:1, we are first told about Samuel's death. This statement here is repeated to give an introduction to the strange and sad story which follows. Now that Samuel has passed away, there seems to be a spiritual void in Israel.
Saul had removed from the land: Saul's expulsion of the soothsayers he probably did early in his reign, when he was closer to God and following His commands.
Mediums; The Hebrew word is oboth. This signifies the demon or spirit is supposed to speak through the necromancer. It is generally rendered in the Greek Septuagint as "ventriloquist" because the spirit was supposed to speak from the necromancer's belly.
Spiritists: These are more closely connected with wit and wisdom. The exact equivalent of the Hebrew would be "a knowing one". One who is supposed to possess a knowledge of the future by mysterious means.
The Mosaic law concerning these people is clear and decisive. "You shall not allow a sorceress to live" (Exodus 22:18). "Now a man or a woman who is a medium or a spiritist shall surely be put to death. They shall be stoned with stones, their bloodguiltiness is upon them" (Leviticus 20:27).
The Philistines gathered together and came and camped in Shunem: The Philistine army had penetrated into the heart of Israel, marching across the Valley of Jezreel. They took up a strong position on the south-western slope of the mountain range called Little Hermon. Shunem is located about 20 miles north of Aphek, the most northerly Philistine city.
Shunem: This village is located opposite Mount Gilboa. The broad deep valley of Jezreel lays in between Shunem and Gilboa and overlooks the whole western plain of Carmel. Shunem is the home of Abishag, a young girl who became King David's nurse at the end of his life (1 Kings 1:3). It is also the hometown of the woman who entertained the prophet Elisha and whose dead son Elisha raise back to life (2 Kings 4).
Gilboa: Saul's position was only a few miles distant from the camp of the Philistines. From the high ground, Saul and his camp could plainly see the whole Philistine army. Mount Gilboa is the name given to a range of lofty hills, rising 1500 feet above the sea and consist of white chalk.
When Saul saw the camp of the Philistines, he was afraid: There is no doubt that Saul would have been greatly terrified when he viewed his enemy's ranks from afar. They were far more numerous than he had probably expected. But the real reason for his trembling was that God had forsaken Saul. Many of the well-known Israelite warriors had, during recent events, taken service with Saul's dreaded enemy, David. Saul knew that David was now a vassal to King Achish. We might imagine Saul, as he stood on the while chalk hills of Gilboa, gazing on the long lines of the Philistine tents pitched on the opposite hill of Shunem, wondering if his old friend, David, was there with his mighty men following.
2. (1 Sam 28:6) God will not speak to Saul
When Saul inquired of the LORD, the LORD did not answer him, either by dreams or by Urim or by the prophets.
When Saul inquired of the LORD: Many have asked, "how was the inquiry to the LORD made?" since King Saul massacred the priests from Nob. The high priest, or at least the priest in possession of the sacred ephod and the breastplate with the Urim and Thummin was in the camp of David. It has been suggested by eminent Bible scholars that after the murder of Ahimelech and the flight of Abiathar to David, Saul moved the national sanctuary from Nob and established it at Gibeon. It is at Gibeon, during the first year of David's reign, where we find the Tabernacle with the son of Ahitub, Zadok, acting as the high priest. This might account for the frequent reference in the time of David to two priests--Zadok and Abiathar. Zadok might have been the high priest appointed by King Saul and was for a considerable time in charge of the Tabernacle. Abiathar, who fled from Nob with the ephod and Urim was acknowledged by David as the high priest when the kingdom was eventually restored under one king. Zadok and Abiathar seemed to have divided the honors and responsibilities of the high priesthood. (Please see 2 Samuel 8:17, 2 Samuel 15:24, 2 Samuel 15:29, 2 Samuel 15:35, 1 Chronicles 15:11 and 1 Chronicles 18:16 for more details.)
We can imagine Zadok inquired of the LORD for Saul. Some suppose an Urim and Thummin may have been made in imitation of the ancient ones Abiathar possesses. But, as the texts states, Zadok received no answer.
The LORD did not answer him: This silence demonstrates that God will not always answer everyone who seeks him. King Saul had rejected and is currently rejecting God's previously revealed will. Since Saul did not care to obey in what he already knew, God will not give him more to know. At the very least, Saul knew that God did not want him to hunt David, hoping to kill him. Saul had said as much in passages as 1 Samuel 24:16-20 and 1 Samuel 26:21. Yet, Saul disregarded what he knew. If we want God to guide us, we must follow what guidance we already have from Him. When we reject the word of the LORD, we can still be comforted by the fact that He speaks to us. As we continue to reject His word, He may stop speaking to us until we come to accept His will.
B. Saul consults a spirit medium
1. (1 Sam 28:7-8) Saul seeks out a medium
Then Saul said to his servants, "Seek 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 woman who is a medium at En-dor." Then Saul disguised himself by putting on other clothes, and went, he and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night; and he said, "Conjure up to me, please, and bring up for me whom I shall name to you."
Seek for me a woman who is a medium: The determination of Saul to find out the future proves how obstinate and self-willed he was. He wanted an answer, simply to know what was about to happen, and he did not want to receive guidance and counsel from God.
Traditionally, this woman is known as "The Witch of Endor". It be appropriate to call her a witch, but it more accurate to call her a medium or a necromancer--one who makes contact with the dead. The Hebrew word for medium is ob. It has the idea of mumbling or speaking with a strange, hollow sound, as if one were "channeling" with a dead person speaking through them. The Hebrew word has in mind the sound the channel makes as they speak. The English word medium, has in mind the concept of a channel: they stand in-between the world of the living and the dead and communicate between the two worlds.
En-dor: En-dor was only a short distance away from Mount Gilboa. It was on the north of the Hill of Moreh and was accessible despite the Philistine forces close by. En-dor was located four miles northeast of Shunem, and thus, it was dangerously close to where the Philistines were camped.
Two men with him: Jewish tradition speaks of the two men who accompany Saul as Abner and Amasa. It further mentions the medium at En-dor as the mother of Abner. If this is true, it would account for her having escaped the general pursuit of spiritists and mediums mentioned above. Moreover, it would also explain why the medium was so well-known by Saul's servants.
Saul disguised himself: The disguise and the time chosen for the expedition served a double purpose. The king would, he thought, be unknown in the darkness and disguise when he came to the medium's dwelling. Additionally, Saul needed to pass close to the Philistines whose army lay between him and the village of En-dor. A disguise and cover of darkness would prevent Saul from being recognized by the Philistines.
As Saul sought the medium, he brought upon himself a curse. God said in Leviticus 20:6: "And the person who turns after mediums and familiar spirits, to prostitute himself with them, I will set My face against that person and cut him off from his people."
Conjure up to me, please, and bring up for me whom I shall name to you: Saul asks he medium to channel the deceased prophet Samuel. He did this because he wanted to know what God might say to him. Saul is like a man going to a palm reader to hear the will of God.
2. (1 Sam 28:9-10) Saul answers the suspicions of the medium
But the woman said to him, "Behold, you know what Saul has done, how he has cut off those who are mediums and spiritists from the land. Why are you then laying a snare for my life to bring about my death?" Saul vowed to her by the LORD, saying, "As the LORD lives, no punishment shall come upon you from this thing."
You know what Saul has done: The law, enacted by Saul in his earlier days, made the practice of these dark arts a capital offense. Sorcerers and mediums, no doubt, had been often hunted down by informers. Even if the medium was in the company of her near relatives, still the act of summoning the dead was a capital offense. She may, too, by enhancing the peril in which she stood, have sought to extort a larger present from the stranger who ask for her aid.
Saul vowed to her by the LORD: Saul's oath in the name of the LORD reminds us that spiritual rhetoric means nothing. As certainly as the LORD lives, Saul was in complete disobedience and darkness. This is the last time Saul uses the name of the LORD in the book of 1 Samuel, and he uses it to swear to a medium that she will not be punished. Although Saul might have been able to screen the medium from any punishment in this world, he could not prevent her from eternal punishment from violating Torah.
Sunday, May 6, 2018
1 Samuel Chapter 27
DAVID FLEES TO THE PHILISTINES
A. David joins with the Philistine leader, Achish
1. (1 Sam 27:1) David's discouraged decision
Then David said to himself, "Now I will perish one day by the hand of Saul. There is nothing better for me than to escape into the land of the Philistines. Saul then will despair of searching for me anymore in all the territory of Israel, and I will escape from his hand."
David said to himself: The sad story of 1 Samuel 27 begins with something David says to himself. He may have never said it out loud; he may have never said it to anyone else; he may have never said it to God. But, David said this in his heart. What we say in our heart has a tremendous power to shape our thinking, our actions and even our future.
Now I shall perish someday by the hand of Saul: These are David's true feelings. His heart, tired of trusting God for his continued deliverance, became very discouraged. In his grief and discouragement, David forgot God's past deliverances. David allows his sad heart to direct his path.
Into the land of the Philistines: Convicted that there is no place left in Israel to hide, David seeks refuge in a heathen land. The circumstances of this flight into Philistia are entirely different from those related in 1 Samuel 21:10 and following verses. Back in chapter 21, David was a single fugitive. However, he was quickly recognized as the slayer of Goliath and narrowly escapes from the hands of the Philistines. Now, he is an outlaw leader of a band of stoic warriors. He is welcomed as an ally. David is able to enter Achish's service as a chieftain.
There is nothing better for me than to escape into the land of the Philistines: David decides to leave Israel and live among the idol worshiping Philistines. David was so discouraged that he thought there was nothing better for him in Israel and among God's people.
Saul then will despair of searching for me anymore in all the territory of Israel: Before, David trusted in the LORD to protect him from the hand of Saul. Now, David gave up trusting in the LORD and instead left the promise land, left the people of God and found "protection" among the Philistines.
Saul then will despair: Saul will not despair if David leaves Israel. Saul will not despair if David forsakes the people of God and joins the ungodly. It is David who is in despair, not Saul. Saul could never drive David to the Philistines. If Saul told David, "You must leave the people of God and go live among the Philistines," David would never do it. But discouragement and despair are more powerful enemies than Saul. Discouragement and despair will drive David to do something that Saul could never make him do.
2. (1 Sam 27:2-4) David goes over to Achish, the leader of Gath
So David arose and crossed over, he and the six hundred men who were with him, to Achish the son of Maoch, king of Gath. And David lived with Achish at Gath, he and his men, each with his household, even David with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the Carmelitess, Nabal's widow. Now it was told Saul that David had fled to Gath, so he no longer searched for him.
The six hundred men: This was the original number of David's men. They seem to still form the nucleus of David's force, but the total number of people traveling with David was probably far larger. These six hundred men each had their households. David's discouragement and despairing heart did not only affect himself; he led six hundred men with their household out of Israel to live with the ungodly.
Achish the son of Maoch, king of Gath: This seems to be the same Achish to whom David fled back in 1 Samuel 21:11 and is identical with Achish, son of Maachah mentioned in 1 Kings 2:39. This would imply that Achish reigned for over 50 years in Gath. The whole of Philistia subsequently fell under King David's rule. It seems, however, that he permitted, even after the conquest, for Achish to remain in his old city of Gath. This most likely was David's pay back to the king form his kindness.
And David lived with Achish at Gath: David's reception by the Philistines seems to have been one of hospitality. There was a wide difference between the circumstances of this and David's former visit to Gath. Previously, David was a fugitive. Now, David was the head of an army of well trained soldiers. Such a guest might be of the greatest service to the Philistines in their perpetual wars with Saul. We have no record of any Psalms David wrote during this time. This was not a high point in his spiritual life. He seems to not have written any sweet Psalms unto the LORD.
Now it was told Saul: This short statement tells us that up to the moment when Saul heard that David had fled to Gath, he had not ceased to pursue David and to seek his life.
B. David becomes a bandit
1. (1 Sam 27:5-7) David receives the city of Ziklag
Then David said to Achish, "If now I have found favor in your sight, let them give me a place in one of the cities in the country, that I may live there; for why should your servant live in the royal city with you?" So Achish gave him Ziklag that day; therefore Ziklag has belonged to the kings of Judah to this day. The number of days that David lived in the country of the Philistines was a year and four months.
Why should your servant live in a royal city with you: The real reason why David wished a separate residence was that he might conduct forays and other affairs apart from the supervision of his Philistine friends. The Philistines had one purpose in welcoming David and his band--to help them defeat Saul. Achish trusted that through David's assistance powerful military attacks would be made against Saul's southern kingdom. At this time, the Philistine nation was preparing for a grand effort against Saul which culminated in the battle of Mount Gilboa. David had quite another purpose in mind. David intended to attack the nomadic enemies of Israel whose homes where in the deserts to the south of Israel.
Now David and his 600 men and their families live in a completely new situation. They live in a fortified city, a formal place of defense. But apart from God, they are not safe in this city.
Ziklag: One of the cities in the Negev (or south country), it was originally assigned to Judah (Joshua 15:31), but then was transferred to Simeon (Joshua 19:5). Ziklag was either never occupied by the Israelites, or it was reconquered by the Philistines. Its site has not been identified, but it was probably somewhere west or northwest of Beersheba.
Ziklag has belonged to the kings of Judah to this day: This note from the hand of the compiler indicated that the book of 1 Samuel was composed after the separation of the kingdom of Judah from the kingdom of Israel, but it was compiled before they were carried away as captives to Babylon.
2. (1 Sam 27:8-9) David's new occupation--a roving bandit
Now David and his men went up and raided the Geshurites and the Girzites and the Amalekites; for they were the inhabitants of the land from ancient times, as you come to Shur even as far as the land of Egypt. David attacked the land and did not leave a man or a woman alive, and he took away the sheep, the cattle, the donkeys, the camels, and the clothing. Then he returned and came to Achish.
The Geshurites: This was a tribe dwelling south of Philistia near the Amalekites.
The Girzites: It is believed they were the remains of a once powerful race dispossessed by the Amorites.
The Amalekites: These were the remnant of that once powerful tribe that Saul was supposed to completely destroy (1 Samuel 15:8).
David has not totally turned against God and His people. For now, David only attacks the enemies of Israel.
And did not leave a man or a woman alive: The reason for these brutal acts is to leave no captive alive to tell King Achish, who was under the delusion that David's feats of arms were carried out at the expense of David's own countrymen. At this, the Philistines were rejoicing when they heard David was burning his only bridge of retreat.
He took away the sheep...: These expeditions were made partly to occupy David's men, but they were done primarily to obtain subsistence. They also seem to have brought David great renown. In 1 Chronicles 12:1-22, we read of warriors from distant tribes coming to David to swell his forces. Even though David attacked the enemies of Israel, David was nothing more than an armed robber and murderer. He killed all the people of the village, took the spoil and did it without the approval or guidance of God. He was now fighting wars for profit instead of for God's honor.
3. (1 Sam 27:10-12) David lies to Achish
Now Achish said, "Where have you made a raid today?" And David said, "Against the Negev of Judah and against the Negev of the Jerahmeelites and against the Negev of the Kenites." David did not leave a man or woman alive to bring to Gath, saying, "Otherwise they will tell about us, saying, 'So has David done and so has been his practice all the time he has lived in the country of the Philistines.'" So Achish believed David, saying, "He has surely made himself odious among his people Israel; therefore he will become my servant forever."
And David said, "Against the Negev of Judah...": The answer David gives to his sovereign lord, the King of Gath, was simply a falsehood. David had been engaged in distant forays against the old Bedaween enemies of Israel, far away in the desert which stretched to the frontier of Egypt. But, David represents these conflicts as raids against his own countrymen.
The Jerahmeelites: These were descendants of Jerahmeel, the firstborn of Hezron (1 Chronicles 2:9; 1 Chronicles 2:25-26). They were one of three large families of Judah which sprang from Hezron. They settled on the southern frontier of Judah.
The Kenites: This was a tribe who were in alliance with the Israelites. ("Saul said to the Kenites, 'Go, depart, go down from among the Amalekites, so that I do not destroy you with them; for you showed kindness to all the sons of Israel when they came up from Egypt'" (1 Samuel 15:6).)
David did not leave a man or woman alive to bring to Gath: In David's raids, David killed all the men and women so his lie to Achish would not be exposed. Much later in his life, David will have a far more notorious season of sin with Bathsheba, in which David kills Bathsheba's husband to cover his sin. Though that later event is far more famous, the root of sin that nourished it began many years before in 1 Samuel 27. Here, David killed these men and women to cover his sin. The roots of sin must be dealt with, or they will come back with greater strength.
So Achish believed David: Achish felt he was in a good place. David seemed to be trapped in a spider web, and Achish was the spider. Achish believed that David had now alienated his own people. It all looks pretty dark for David, but David had not and could not alienate himself from God.
A. David joins with the Philistine leader, Achish
1. (1 Sam 27:1) David's discouraged decision
Then David said to himself, "Now I will perish one day by the hand of Saul. There is nothing better for me than to escape into the land of the Philistines. Saul then will despair of searching for me anymore in all the territory of Israel, and I will escape from his hand."
David said to himself: The sad story of 1 Samuel 27 begins with something David says to himself. He may have never said it out loud; he may have never said it to anyone else; he may have never said it to God. But, David said this in his heart. What we say in our heart has a tremendous power to shape our thinking, our actions and even our future.
Now I shall perish someday by the hand of Saul: These are David's true feelings. His heart, tired of trusting God for his continued deliverance, became very discouraged. In his grief and discouragement, David forgot God's past deliverances. David allows his sad heart to direct his path.
Into the land of the Philistines: Convicted that there is no place left in Israel to hide, David seeks refuge in a heathen land. The circumstances of this flight into Philistia are entirely different from those related in 1 Samuel 21:10 and following verses. Back in chapter 21, David was a single fugitive. However, he was quickly recognized as the slayer of Goliath and narrowly escapes from the hands of the Philistines. Now, he is an outlaw leader of a band of stoic warriors. He is welcomed as an ally. David is able to enter Achish's service as a chieftain.
There is nothing better for me than to escape into the land of the Philistines: David decides to leave Israel and live among the idol worshiping Philistines. David was so discouraged that he thought there was nothing better for him in Israel and among God's people.
Saul then will despair of searching for me anymore in all the territory of Israel: Before, David trusted in the LORD to protect him from the hand of Saul. Now, David gave up trusting in the LORD and instead left the promise land, left the people of God and found "protection" among the Philistines.
Saul then will despair: Saul will not despair if David leaves Israel. Saul will not despair if David forsakes the people of God and joins the ungodly. It is David who is in despair, not Saul. Saul could never drive David to the Philistines. If Saul told David, "You must leave the people of God and go live among the Philistines," David would never do it. But discouragement and despair are more powerful enemies than Saul. Discouragement and despair will drive David to do something that Saul could never make him do.
2. (1 Sam 27:2-4) David goes over to Achish, the leader of Gath
So David arose and crossed over, he and the six hundred men who were with him, to Achish the son of Maoch, king of Gath. And David lived with Achish at Gath, he and his men, each with his household, even David with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the Carmelitess, Nabal's widow. Now it was told Saul that David had fled to Gath, so he no longer searched for him.
The six hundred men: This was the original number of David's men. They seem to still form the nucleus of David's force, but the total number of people traveling with David was probably far larger. These six hundred men each had their households. David's discouragement and despairing heart did not only affect himself; he led six hundred men with their household out of Israel to live with the ungodly.
Achish the son of Maoch, king of Gath: This seems to be the same Achish to whom David fled back in 1 Samuel 21:11 and is identical with Achish, son of Maachah mentioned in 1 Kings 2:39. This would imply that Achish reigned for over 50 years in Gath. The whole of Philistia subsequently fell under King David's rule. It seems, however, that he permitted, even after the conquest, for Achish to remain in his old city of Gath. This most likely was David's pay back to the king form his kindness.
And David lived with Achish at Gath: David's reception by the Philistines seems to have been one of hospitality. There was a wide difference between the circumstances of this and David's former visit to Gath. Previously, David was a fugitive. Now, David was the head of an army of well trained soldiers. Such a guest might be of the greatest service to the Philistines in their perpetual wars with Saul. We have no record of any Psalms David wrote during this time. This was not a high point in his spiritual life. He seems to not have written any sweet Psalms unto the LORD.
Now it was told Saul: This short statement tells us that up to the moment when Saul heard that David had fled to Gath, he had not ceased to pursue David and to seek his life.
B. David becomes a bandit
1. (1 Sam 27:5-7) David receives the city of Ziklag
Then David said to Achish, "If now I have found favor in your sight, let them give me a place in one of the cities in the country, that I may live there; for why should your servant live in the royal city with you?" So Achish gave him Ziklag that day; therefore Ziklag has belonged to the kings of Judah to this day. The number of days that David lived in the country of the Philistines was a year and four months.
Why should your servant live in a royal city with you: The real reason why David wished a separate residence was that he might conduct forays and other affairs apart from the supervision of his Philistine friends. The Philistines had one purpose in welcoming David and his band--to help them defeat Saul. Achish trusted that through David's assistance powerful military attacks would be made against Saul's southern kingdom. At this time, the Philistine nation was preparing for a grand effort against Saul which culminated in the battle of Mount Gilboa. David had quite another purpose in mind. David intended to attack the nomadic enemies of Israel whose homes where in the deserts to the south of Israel.
Now David and his 600 men and their families live in a completely new situation. They live in a fortified city, a formal place of defense. But apart from God, they are not safe in this city.
Ziklag: One of the cities in the Negev (or south country), it was originally assigned to Judah (Joshua 15:31), but then was transferred to Simeon (Joshua 19:5). Ziklag was either never occupied by the Israelites, or it was reconquered by the Philistines. Its site has not been identified, but it was probably somewhere west or northwest of Beersheba.
Ziklag has belonged to the kings of Judah to this day: This note from the hand of the compiler indicated that the book of 1 Samuel was composed after the separation of the kingdom of Judah from the kingdom of Israel, but it was compiled before they were carried away as captives to Babylon.
2. (1 Sam 27:8-9) David's new occupation--a roving bandit
Now David and his men went up and raided the Geshurites and the Girzites and the Amalekites; for they were the inhabitants of the land from ancient times, as you come to Shur even as far as the land of Egypt. David attacked the land and did not leave a man or a woman alive, and he took away the sheep, the cattle, the donkeys, the camels, and the clothing. Then he returned and came to Achish.
The Geshurites: This was a tribe dwelling south of Philistia near the Amalekites.
The Girzites: It is believed they were the remains of a once powerful race dispossessed by the Amorites.
The Amalekites: These were the remnant of that once powerful tribe that Saul was supposed to completely destroy (1 Samuel 15:8).
David has not totally turned against God and His people. For now, David only attacks the enemies of Israel.
And did not leave a man or a woman alive: The reason for these brutal acts is to leave no captive alive to tell King Achish, who was under the delusion that David's feats of arms were carried out at the expense of David's own countrymen. At this, the Philistines were rejoicing when they heard David was burning his only bridge of retreat.
He took away the sheep...: These expeditions were made partly to occupy David's men, but they were done primarily to obtain subsistence. They also seem to have brought David great renown. In 1 Chronicles 12:1-22, we read of warriors from distant tribes coming to David to swell his forces. Even though David attacked the enemies of Israel, David was nothing more than an armed robber and murderer. He killed all the people of the village, took the spoil and did it without the approval or guidance of God. He was now fighting wars for profit instead of for God's honor.
3. (1 Sam 27:10-12) David lies to Achish
Now Achish said, "Where have you made a raid today?" And David said, "Against the Negev of Judah and against the Negev of the Jerahmeelites and against the Negev of the Kenites." David did not leave a man or woman alive to bring to Gath, saying, "Otherwise they will tell about us, saying, 'So has David done and so has been his practice all the time he has lived in the country of the Philistines.'" So Achish believed David, saying, "He has surely made himself odious among his people Israel; therefore he will become my servant forever."
And David said, "Against the Negev of Judah...": The answer David gives to his sovereign lord, the King of Gath, was simply a falsehood. David had been engaged in distant forays against the old Bedaween enemies of Israel, far away in the desert which stretched to the frontier of Egypt. But, David represents these conflicts as raids against his own countrymen.
The Jerahmeelites: These were descendants of Jerahmeel, the firstborn of Hezron (1 Chronicles 2:9; 1 Chronicles 2:25-26). They were one of three large families of Judah which sprang from Hezron. They settled on the southern frontier of Judah.
The Kenites: This was a tribe who were in alliance with the Israelites. ("Saul said to the Kenites, 'Go, depart, go down from among the Amalekites, so that I do not destroy you with them; for you showed kindness to all the sons of Israel when they came up from Egypt'" (1 Samuel 15:6).)
David did not leave a man or woman alive to bring to Gath: In David's raids, David killed all the men and women so his lie to Achish would not be exposed. Much later in his life, David will have a far more notorious season of sin with Bathsheba, in which David kills Bathsheba's husband to cover his sin. Though that later event is far more famous, the root of sin that nourished it began many years before in 1 Samuel 27. Here, David killed these men and women to cover his sin. The roots of sin must be dealt with, or they will come back with greater strength.
So Achish believed David: Achish felt he was in a good place. David seemed to be trapped in a spider web, and Achish was the spider. Achish believed that David had now alienated his own people. It all looks pretty dark for David, but David had not and could not alienate himself from God.
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