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.
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