Why did God allow the medium to summon Samuel in 1 Samuel 28:13? Canonical Context The account appears within the final chapter of Saul’s kingship narrative (1 Samuel 28). By this point Saul has broken covenant, massacred Yahweh’s priests (1 Samuel 22:18–19), ignored Samuel’s last prophetic word (1 Samuel 15:22–23), and driven out the legitimate means of divine inquiry. Scripture sets the scene to contrast Saul’s desperate, illicit appeal with David’s reliance on the ephod (1 Samuel 30:7–8). Historical and Cultural Setting In the Late Bronze to Iron Age, necromancy was practiced in Canaan and surrounding cultures, corroborated by texts from Ugarit (KTU 1.6 i, 21–22) describing the “summoning of the departed” for oracular guidance. Archaeologically, cultic pits at Tel Arad and offerings at Megiddo show attempts to contact the dead. Israel’s Torah directly opposes this milieu (Leviticus 19:31; Deuteronomy 18:10–12). Thus, Saul’s resort to a medium signals total assimilation to paganism. Biblical Ban on Necromancy Deuteronomy 18:10–12 : “Let no one be found among you… who consults the dead. For whoever does these things is detestable to the LORD.” The Law demanded capital punishment for mediums (Leviticus 20:27). Earlier, Saul himself had expelled them (1 Samuel 28:3), acknowledging the command yet later violating it—evidence of willful rebellion rather than ignorance. Saul’s Spiritual Decline 1 Samuel 28:6 records that Yahweh “did not answer him, either by dreams or Urim or prophets.” Since Saul had broken every covenant avenue, his turning to the medium was the final step of apostasy. His request, “Consult a spirit for me” (v. 7), fulfills Hosea 4:17’s principle: “Ephraim is joined to idols; leave him alone!” Divine Sovereignty over Occult Attempts The text is explicit that Yahweh remains sovereign even over the forbidden séance. The medium herself is shocked (v. 12), implying that what transpired exceeded her usual fraudulent performances (common in ANE necromancy: cf. Egyptian “Letters to the Dead,” often staged). Scripture affirms God’s power to override occult mechanisms: Balaam could bless only whom Yahweh blessed (Numbers 22–24). Authenticity of the Apparition The narrative treats the figure as the real Samuel: • The woman “saw Samuel” (v. 12). • The narrator calls him “Samuel” nine times (vv. 12–16). • The message repeats Samuel’s earlier prophecy (15:28), adding no occult novelty. The Dead Sea Scroll fragment 4QSam(a) contains the same wording, confirming no later redactor softened a demonic reading. First-century Jewish interpreters (Josephus, Antiquities 6.327) likewise regarded it as Samuel himself. Why God Allowed It 1. Judicial Judgment God “gave them over” (Romans 1:24) principles operate here. Saul’s sin reaches culmination; permitting Samuel’s appearance seals his doom (28:19). The same pattern is seen with Ahab and his lying spirit (1 Kings 22:20-23). 2. Prophetic Validation Samuel’s words vindicate his lifetime ministry and demonstrate that not even death halts Yahweh’s prophecy. This anticipates Christ’s declaration that “God is not the God of the dead, but of the living” (Matthew 22:32). 3. Didactic Purpose for Israel The event became a cautionary account, later cited in 1 Chronicles 10:13–14: “So Saul died for his unfaithfulness to the LORD… and because he consulted a medium.” The chronicler underscores that the monarchy’s stability depends on obedience, not occult recourse. 4. Foreshadowing Resurrection Authority The true Samuel’s emergence underlines that the righteous dead remain conscious and subject to God alone—prefiguring the ultimate defeat of death in Christ’s resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:20). 5. Demonstration of Yahweh’s Unrivaled Power The living God manipulates even forbidden channels to proclaim His verdict. Like the Exodus plagues humiliating Egypt’s gods, this episode exposes occult impotence when confronted by the Creator. Theological Implications • Human autonomy ends where divine decree begins; illicit means cannot circumvent God’s silence. • Death does not sever covenant identity; Samuel remains Yahweh’s servant. • God’s moral law stands irrespective of cultural pragmatism or personal crisis. Comparative Biblical Incidents • Balaam (Numbers 22–24): pagan diviner compelled to speak God’s word. • Pharaoh’s magicians (Exodus 7:10–12): limited power, ultimately overridden. • Elymas the sorcerer (Acts 13:8–11): judged when opposing gospel proclamation. Psychological and Behavioral Observations Saul’s acute fear (28:5) corresponds to panic responses documented in combat psychology. When legitimate coping modes collapse, individuals resort to maladaptive behavior—paralleling contemporary studies on spiritualistic experimentation among traumatized soldiers. Yet, Scripture frames this as moral, not merely clinical: the heart issue precedes the behavioral symptom. Pastoral and Practical Lessons • Silence from God calls for repentance, not alternative revelation channels. • Spiritual desperation must be met with biblical counsel, never occult flirtation. • Leaders bear heightened accountability; private compromise invites public catastrophe. Conclusion God allowed Samuel’s appearance through the medium as an act of sovereign judgment, prophetic confirmation, and enduring instruction. The event demonstrates Yahweh’s supremacy, the reality of life after death, and the folly of seeking guidance outside His revealed word. Far from endorsing necromancy, 1 Samuel 28 stands as a solemn warning that “the LORD knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish” (Psalm 1:6). |
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