How does 1 Samuel 28:9 illustrate Saul's spiritual decline? Setting the Scene • “Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had mourned for him … Saul had banished the mediums and spiritists from the land” (1 Samuel 28:3). • Against that backdrop, verse 9 records the medium’s startled reply when an incognito Saul asks her to conjure a spirit: “Surely you know what Saul has done. He has cut off the mediums and spiritists from the land. Why are you setting a trap for my life to bring about my death?” (1 Samuel 28:9). Saul’s Former Convictions Exposed • The woman’s words remind Saul—and us—of his earlier obedience: he once enforced God’s law by removing occult practitioners (cf. Deuteronomy 18:10-12). • That prior action reflected at least outward agreement with the Lord’s commands. • Verse 9 throws that former faithfulness into sharp relief: the very king who expelled mediums now seeks their services. Hypocrisy on Full Display • Saul’s disguise (28:8) and the woman’s fear of his own decree reveal double-mindedness (James 1:8). • He continues to require obedience from others while excusing disobedience in himself—an unmistakable marker of spiritual decline. Fear-Driven, Not Faith-Driven • After Samuel’s death, “the LORD did not answer him” (28:6). • Rather than repent, Saul scrambles for answers anywhere he can find them. Verse 9 spotlights that desperation: a king risking another’s life to soothe his own anxiety (Proverbs 28:1). Violation of God’s Word • Consulting the dead was explicitly forbidden (Leviticus 19:31; Isaiah 8:19). • By requesting forbidden counsel, Saul places his need above God’s revealed will—echoing his earlier rebellion in 1 Samuel 15:22-23. Contrast with Earlier Days • Early in his reign Saul “relied on the LORD” (cf. 1 Samuel 11:6-15). • Verse 9 captures the distance he has traveled: from Spirit-empowered deliverer to law-breaking seeker of occult wisdom. Consequences Confirm the Decline • 1 Chronicles 10:13-14 later sums up the tragedy: “Saul died for his unfaithfulness … he inquired of a spiritist, rather than of the LORD.” • The medium’s fearful reminder in 28:9 foreshadows that verdict. Takeaway Truths • Obedience once displayed must be maintained; past victories don’t excuse present compromise. • Fear and impatience can drive even leaders to violate the very standards they once upheld. • God’s silence is never license to seek answers in forbidden ways; instead it is an invitation to humble repentance and renewed trust. |
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