What can we learn about seeking guidance from God versus other sources?

◄ God's guidance vs. other sources? ►

Setting the Scene

• 1 Samuel 28 recounts Saul’s final night before battle. God no longer answers him by dreams, Urim, or prophets (v. 6).

• Ignoring earlier commands (1 Samuel 28:3; Deuteronomy 18:10-12), Saul disguises himself and seeks a medium at Endor.

• Verse 14 records the moment the medium describes “an old man…wearing a robe,” and Saul recognizes Samuel:

“Then Saul knew that it was Samuel, and he bowed face-down in reverence.”

• Saul’s gesture looks humble, yet the entire scene exposes a heart determined to bypass God’s silence rather than repent.

Why God’s Silence?

• Persistent disobedience (1 Samuel 15:22-23) severed Saul’s fellowship with the Lord.

• Psalm 66:18—“If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.”

• Isaiah 59:2—“Your iniquities have separated you from your God.”

Lesson: when fellowship is broken, the remedy is repentance, not alternative spiritual counsel.

Forbidden Avenues Contrast with God’s Provision

Forbidden:

• Mediums, necromancers, occult practices—“Anyone who does these things is detestable to the LORD.” (Deuteronomy 18:12)

• “Do not turn to mediums or familiar spirits.” (Leviticus 19:31)

• “Should not a people inquire of their God? Why consult the dead on behalf of the living?” (Isaiah 8:19)

Provided:

• Prayer—Jer 33:3; James 1:5.

• God-sent messengers (prophets, apostles)—Eph 4:11-13.

Consequences of Consulting Other Sources

• Immediate: Samuel announces Saul’s impending death (1 Samuel 28:19).

• Recorded interpretation: “Saul died for his unfaithfulness… He did not inquire of the LORD, but consulted a medium.” (1 Chron 10:13-14)

• Spiritual peril: opening oneself to deception (2 Thessalonians 2:9-11).

Timeless Principles for Seeking Guidance

1. Start with revealed truth, not hidden knowledge. God’s silence may call for self-examination, not new methods.

2. Wait patiently—Psalm 27:14; Isaiah 40:31. Hasty alternatives lead to bondage.

3. Test every voice—1 John 4:1; Acts 17:11.

4. Obedience precedes clarity—John 7:17; Proverbs 3:5-6.

5. Remember the cross: because Christ reconciles us to God (Hebrews 4:14-16), we need never seek another mediator.

Living It Out

• Choose Scripture as the primary compass.

• Cultivate a repentant, obedient heart so prayer lines stay open.

• Reject any curiosity that contradicts God’s stated will.

• Trust that when God is silent, He is still sovereign, still good, and still speaking through His Word.