King Saul sought direction for his life. The prophet Samuel was dead, and when Saul called out himself to God, the Lord didn’t answer him. So in true Saul fashion, he took matters into his own hands.
Although he had driven out the spiritualists from the land, his servants told him about a woman in nearby En Dor who conjured up the dead.
He disguised himself and went at night with two other men to consult with the woman. He asked her to conduct a seance for him.
At first she resisted, reminding him that the king had forbid soothsaying in the land. She accused them of trying to snare her and get her killed. But Saul assured her that no punishment would come to her.
“Whom shall I bring up for you?” she asked.
“Bring up Samuel for me.”
She screamed when Samuel appeared.
Saul told her not to be afraid and asked what she saw. She saw an old man in a robe coming up out of the earth. Samuel asked Saul why he’d disturbed him.
Saul explained his situation, that the Philistines were making war with him and God was not speaking to him, so he needed to know what to do.
Samuel didn’t tell Saul what to do. Instead, he chastised him and then warned him of what was to come. The Lord would deliver the army of Israel into the hand of the Philistines, and Saul and his sons would die.
When God seems far away and we can’t hear His voice, we can draw near to Him or seek wisdom from the world. Unfortunately, the world cannot satisfy us the way God does. God is in control whichever way we turn.
Read about the Medium of En Dor in Scripture: 1 Samuel 28.
Women of Prayer Bible Study
Women of Prayer is a 10-Week Bible study about getting to know the character of God through the stories of Bible women who prayed.
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