Bewitched

Reflections on 1 Sam. 28:3-14

The imminent battle that faced Saul was further north than most of the battles with the Philistines. Apparently they decided to try to take control of the major trade route from the east through the Valley of Jezreel (Josh. 17:16). The Philistines assembled at Shunem, a city allotted to Issachar (Josh. 19:18) near the southwest slope of the hill of Moreh, which divides the eastern end of the valley. Saul's troops were stationed seven or eight miles south across the valley on Mt. Gilboa. Saul was distressed by the looming battle and desired guidance from the Lord, but no guidance was available either by dream, Urim, or prophet (1 Sam. 28:6)
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NO DREAM. There is no record of God communicating with Saul through dreams, but he may have heard about Gideon overhearing a dream in the Midianite army which was camped on the hill of Moreh (Judges 7:9-14), where his army was now camped. That dream and its interpretation greatly encouraged Gideon to attack. Saul, however, had no encouraging dream.

NO PRIEST. Furthermore, Saul could not go to the high priest, who could inquire of the Lord using the Urim and Thummim. At one time, Saul had inquired by Urim and Thummim (1 Sam. 14:37-43), but when the priests have food and a weapon to David, Saul commanded that all the priests be executed (1 Sam. 22). Abiathar, however, escaped and carried the ephod with the Urim and Thummim to David (1 Sam. 23:6-12). So in addition to having no dream from God, Saul could not inquire of the Lord through the priests.

NO PROPHET. Even early in his reign when Saul sought the Lord's favor, he had done so in an unlawful way by performing the priestly duties himself. At that time, the Lord warned Saul that the kingdom was not secure because of his foolish disobedience (1 Sam. 13:12-14). Saul, however, did not heed the Lord's warning. When he rejected the word of the Lord with regard to the Amalekites, Samuel informed him that the Lord had rejected him from being king over Israel (1 Sam. 15:26). From that day on, Saul was alienated from Samuel and the prophets. Samuel never saw Saul again (1 Sam. 15:35). Now, years later, he wanted to consult the Lord through the prophets, but the Lord was no longer to be found. Saul had not sought the Lord when he could be found (Isa. 55:6), and now he was facing the Philistines alone.

ONE WITCH. In his desperation, Saul asked for a medium whom he hoped could communicate with the prophet Samuel, and his men found one in En-dor, a town in the territory of Issachar inhabited by people of Manasseh on the northeast slope of the hill of Moreh (Josh. 17:11). Formerly, Saul had tried to eradicate the mediums from Israel because Moses had instructed the Israelites that they were not to consult mediums (Lev. 19:31) or permit them to remain in the land when they possessed it (Deut. 18:10-12). Now he wanted a medium to bring Samuel up from the dead. Previously, Samuel had told Saul that his rebellion against the Lord was as the sin of witchcraft (1 Sam. 15:23 KJV; divination in ESV). In his rebellion and alienation, Saul actually stooped to witchcraft. Witchcraft saved neither his kingdom nor his life.