David Spares Saul’s Life Again
David and Abishai slipped into the camp of Saul and stood over him. Abishai told David that the LORD had given Saul into his hands and he wanted to kill Saul for David. Once again, David refused because he would not lift his hand against God’s anointed. David put Saul into the LORD’s hands and he believed that the LORD would take care of Saul as He saw fit.
1 Samuel 26:7-11 ESV So David and Abishai went to the army by night. And there lay Saul sleeping within the encampment, with his spear stuck in the ground at his head, and Abner and the army lay around him. (8) Then said Abishai to David, "God has given your enemy into your hand this day. Now please let me pin him to the earth with one stroke of the spear, and I will not strike him twice." (9) But David said to Abishai, "Do not destroy him, for who can put out his hand against the LORD's anointed and be guiltless?" (10) And David said, "As the LORD lives, the LORD will strike him, or his day will come to die, or he will go down into battle and perish. (11) The LORD forbid that I should put out my hand against the LORD's anointed. But take now the spear that is at his head and the jar of water, and let us go."
Saul Goes To The Witch Of Endor
As long as Samuel was alive, Saul had hopes of finding favor with Samuel and most of all with the LORD. Samuel’s death took all of that hope away forever. The Philistines assembled in great number against Israel and Saul was afraid. He petitioned the LORD and received no reply. Being very desperate, Saul sought out a medium, the witch of Endor. Because he had driven all mediums, witches and necromancers out of Israel, he had to disguise himself. He hoped to raise the spirit of Samuel as a last chance effort to connect with God. He went to the witch of Endor, but she was very suspicious of Saul and he had to swear that he wasn’t King Saul
Samuel 28:3-11 ESV Now Samuel had died, and all Israel had mourned for him and buried him in Ramah, his own city. And Saul had put the mediums and the necromancers out of the land. (4) The Philistines assembled and came and encamped at Shunem. And Saul gathered all Israel, and they encamped at Gilboa. (5) When Saul saw the army of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart trembled greatly. (6) And when Saul inquired of the LORD, the LORD did not answer him, either by dreams, or by Urim, or by prophets. (7) Then Saul said to his servants, "Seek out for me a woman who is a medium, that I may go to her and inquire of her." And his servants said to him, "Behold, there is a medium at En-dor." (8) So Saul disguised himself and put on other garments and went, he and two men with him. And they came to the woman by night. And he said, "Divine for me by a spirit and bring up for me whomever I shall name to you." (9) The woman said to him, "Surely you know what Saul has done, how he has cut off the mediums and the necromancers from the land. Why then are you laying a trap for my life to bring about my death?" (10) But Saul swore to her by the LORD, "As the LORD lives, no punishment shall come upon you for this thing." (11) Then the woman said, "Whom shall I bring up for you?" He said, "Bring up Samuel for me."
Saul perceived that the witch raised Samuel. And Samuel said, “Why have you disturbed me by calling me back?” Saul told Samuel that he was troubled and didn’t know what to do. Samuel reminded Saul that the LORD had left him and had become his enemy. He also told Saul that the next day Saul and his sons would die. And so the next day; the Philistines attacked Israel and closed in on Saul and his three sons; Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malkishua. They killed all three sons of Saul and wounded him. He asked his armor bearer to take his sword and kill him because he didn’t want to fall into the hands of the enemy alive. The armor bearer refused, so Saul fell on his own sword. When his armor bearer saw Saul fall on his own sword, he too fell on his sword as well. Samuel’s words came true, all three of Saul’s sons died with him on that day.
1 Samuel 31:2-6 KJV And the Philistines followed hard upon Saul and upon his sons; and the Philistines slew Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Malchishua, Saul's sons. (3) And the battle went sore against Saul, and the archers hit him; and he was sore wounded of the archers. (4) Then said Saul unto his armourbearer, Draw thy sword, and thrust me through therewith; lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and abuse me. But his armourbearer would not; for he was sore afraid. Therefore Saul took a sword, and fell upon it. (5) And when his armourbearer saw that Saul was dead, he fell likewise upon his sword, and died with him. (6) So Saul died, and his three sons, and his armourbearer, and all his men, that same day together.
GOD SPEAKS OUT AGAINST SPITITUAL CRAFTS
The WORD of God condemns the use of "witchcraft, divination, enchantments, mediums, spiritists, and sorcery."
Divination and all spiritual crafts are an abomination
Deuteronomy 18:10-12 KJV There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, (11) Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. (12) For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD: and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee.
Witchcraft is a lust of the flesh
Galatians 5:19-20 KJV Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, (20) Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
Astrology, palm reading, numerology, tarot cards Ouija boards, fortune telling, Voodoo among other practices that seek the spirit world outside of Jesus Christ are all forms of witchcraft and are tools of the devil and his deception. They all undermine our relationship with the LORD Jesus Christ. Dabble a little and you could get hooked and drawn away from the LORD; just like Israel. The cycle of Israel 1) whoring with pagan gods 2) reaping the curse 3) being delivered and restored; over and over again; that cycle started with one small act of dabbling with the forbidden. From the Garden of Eden; all sin starts out with one small thought that we entertain one second too long. There is nothing innocent about reading your horoscope. The very act is a slap in God’s face and opens the door a crack to all that the devil has to offer. Saul’s fall from grace and his subsequent death are recorded for our admonition. Take heed!
Prayer: Father in Heaven, help me to stay true to you and your WORD. I rebuke the devil and all of his devices. All I need is you LORD in Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
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