How does 1 Samuel 28:14 illustrate the consequences of disobedience to God? Backdrop: Saul’s Long Road of Rebellion • 1 Samuel 13:13-14 – he usurps the priestly role. • 1 Samuel 15:22-23 – he spares Amalek’s king and livestock, refusing God’s explicit command. • 1 Samuel 28:3, 9 – he had once expelled mediums, yet now seeks one. Step by step, Saul shuts out God’s voice until “the LORD did not answer him” (1 Samuel 28:6). The Verse in Focus “‘What does he look like?’ asked Saul. ‘An old man is coming up,’ she replied, ‘and he is wearing a robe.’ Then Saul knew that it was Samuel, and he bowed face-down in reverence.” (1 Samuel 28:14) Consequences Unfolding in 1 Samuel 28:14 • Loss of Divine Guidance – God’s silence (vv. 5-6) drives Saul to an outlawed medium. – Disobedience trades clear revelation for counterfeit voices (cf. Deuteronomy 18:10-12). • Distorted Worship – He bows to a spirit conjured through forbidden means. – Reverence meant for the living LORD is misdirected toward the dead, showing spiritual confusion (Isaiah 8:19-20). • Fear-Driven Decisions – Earlier, Saul “trembled greatly” (v. 5). Verse 14 pictures a desperate man clinging to the last thread of hope, not a leader resting in God’s promises (Psalm 27:1). • Reversal of Roles – The king who once ruled now grovels. Disobedience strips authority and dignity (Proverbs 29:25). • Foreshadowed Judgment – Samuel will shortly pronounce Saul’s death (vv. 19). Verse 14 is the calm before the fatal verdict, illustrating Galatians 6:7: “whatever a man sows, he will reap.” Why These Consequences Matter • They vindicate God’s holiness—He cannot bless rebellion (Psalm 18:25-27). • They warn that partial obedience is still disobedience (James 2:10). • They highlight the urgency of immediate repentance (1 John 1:9). Living in Obedience Today 1. Seek God first—Scripture, prayer, godly counsel—before crisis hits (Matthew 6:33). 2. Reject every “medium” the culture offers—horoscopes, channeling, occult entertainment (Ephesians 5:11). 3. Trust that God speaks through His Word even when feelings say He is silent (Hebrews 4:12). 4. Remember Saul—obedience preserves fellowship; disobedience invites confusion, fear, and loss (John 14:23-24). Saul’s bowed posture in 1 Samuel 28:14 is not humble worship but the tragic picture of a man who ignored God until it was too late. The verse stands as a sober reminder that disobedience always carries consequences—and that wholehearted submission to God is the only path to lasting guidance, peace, and life. |
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