How does Saul's fear in 1 Samuel 28:20 reflect his spiritual state? Setting the Scene • Saul has sought a medium at Endor after God “did not answer him, either by dreams or Urim or prophets” (1 Samuel 28:6). • Samuel’s apparition pronounces judgment: “The LORD has torn the kingdom out of your hand … because you did not obey the voice of the LORD” (vv. 17-18). • Verse 20 records Saul’s collapse: “Immediately Saul fell flat on the ground, filled with fear because of Samuel’s words. And his strength was gone, for he had eaten nothing all that day and night.” The Immediate Cause of Saul’s Fear • Samuel’s words confirm impending defeat and death (v. 19). • Physical weakness—fasting amid stress—amplifies panic. • Yet the terror is deeper than battlefield anxiety; it is the dread of standing outside God’s favor. Spiritual Realities Exposed by Saul’s Fear • Broken Fellowship with God – The Spirit of the LORD had departed from him earlier (1 Samuel 16:14). – Fear fills the vacuum where faith and the Spirit once resided (cf. 2 Timothy 1:7). • Persistent Disobedience – Repeated refusal to heed divine commands (13:13-14; 15:22-23) culminates in judgment. – Fear becomes the fruit of sowing rebellion (Proverbs 1:24-27). • Reliance on Forbidden Counsel – Consulting a medium directly violates Deuteronomy 18:10-12. – Seeking guidance from darkness rather than light intensifies spiritual bondage. • Divine Silence – Heaven’s refusal to answer (28:6) signals judicial abandonment (Isaiah 59:2). – Without God’s voice, Saul is left to the tyranny of his own dread. • Absence of Repentance – Even in terror he shows no genuine turning to the LORD, only despair. – Contrast David, who in sin cried, “Create in me a clean heart, O God” (Psalm 51:10). Contrast: Fear vs. Faith • Joshua faced enemies with the promise, “Do not be afraid … for the LORD your God is with you” (Joshua 1:9). • Saul, devoid of that promise, illustrates that fear flourishes where God’s presence is forfeited. Key Takeaways • Sin’s unchecked course leads from disobedience to distance, from distance to dread. • Fear is not merely an emotion; it can be a spiritual symptom of living outside God’s will. • The sure remedy is humble repentance and restored fellowship, the very step Saul refused to take. |
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