How does 1 Samuel 28:12 illustrate the dangers of seeking forbidden spiritual practices? Setting the Scene • Saul is terrified as the Philistines gather for battle (1 Samuel 28:5). • The Lord no longer answers him through prophets, dreams, or Urim (v. 6). • In desperation Saul disguises himself and visits the medium of Endor, an act he himself had outlawed (v. 3). • 1 Samuel 28:12: “When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out in a loud voice and said to Saul, ‘Why have you deceived me? You are Saul!’ ” Why This Moment Matters • The medium instantly realizes she is dealing with the king and with a power far greater than the dark arts she practices. • God allows the real Samuel to appear, proving that the living LORD, not occult rituals, controls the unseen realm. • Saul’s secrecy collapses; sin always surfaces (Numbers 32:23). God’s Clear Warnings Against Occult Practices • Leviticus 19:31 — “Do not turn to mediums or familiar spirits...” • Deuteronomy 18:10-12 — anyone who engages in divination “is detestable to the LORD.” • Isaiah 8:19 — seeking the dead shows a rejection of God. • 1 Chronicles 10:13-14 — Saul dies “because he was unfaithful to the LORD; he did not consult the LORD, but a medium.” Dangers Illustrated in 1 Samuel 28:12 • Direct disobedience breaks fellowship with God. • Occult contact replaces divine guidance with demonic deception (1 Timothy 4:1). • Fear-driven choices lead to deeper bondage; Saul goes from panic (v. 5) to hopeless despair (v. 20). • Even when a supernatural event seems “successful,” it results in judgment, not blessing (Galatians 5:19-21). Consequences in Saul’s Life • Loss of spiritual discernment (28:6 → 28:11). • Exposure and humiliation before the very medium he sought to control (v. 12). • Prophetic pronouncement of death (vv. 16-19) fulfilled the next day (31:4-6). Lessons for Today • God’s Word is sufficient; turning elsewhere shows unbelief (2 Peter 1:3). • Modern equivalents—horoscopes, tarot, séances, psychic readings—carry the same spiritual peril. • True security comes from repentance and renewed reliance on the Lord (James 4:7-8). |
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