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15 And Samuel said to Saul, “Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?” Saul replied, “I am very distressed, for the Philistines are waging war against me, and God has abandoned me and no longer answers me, either through prophets or in dreams; therefore I have called you, so that you may let me know what I should do.”
16 Samuel said, “But why ask me, since the Lord has abandoned you and has become your enemy?
17 And the Lord has done just as He spoke through me; for the Lord has torn the kingdom from your hand and given it to your neighbor, to David.
18 Just as you did not obey the Lord and did not execute His fierce wrath on Amalek, so the Lord has done this thing to you this day.
19 Furthermore, the Lord will also hand Israel along with you over to the Philistines; so tomorrow you and your sons will be with me. Indeed, the Lord will hand the army of Israel over to the Philistines!”
To reiterate, the medium normally speaks through evil spirits. However, in this instance, the real Samuel appeared, which startled the woman. Behind this was the work of God. God responded to Saul’s request and sent Samuel. (1) Samuel rebukes Saul, saying, “Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?” Although Samuel was dead, he was at peace, seemingly enjoying his state (The Old Testament saints went to a place called “Sheol” upon death). (2) In response, Saul explains that he is in deep distress because he has received no answer from God. He mentions prophets and dreams but does not mention the Urim. In the past, he had massacred Nob the city of priests. For this reason, he was likely reluctant to speak of matters related to the priesthood.
Samuel straightforwardly conveys a message from the Lord. (1) As Saul himself acknowledges, the Lord has indeed departed from him. (2) As Saul realizes, the Lord has taken the kingdom from Saul’s hands and given it to David. (3) It was no other than Saul’s fault that he placed himself in this situation. Saul did not obey the Lord’s command to utterly destroy the Amalekites. Since then, Saul has continued to act in defiance of the Lord. (4) Lastly, something that has been hidden until now is revealed: Saul and his sons will die in the battle against the Philistines the next day. Saul continued to ignore Samuel’s advice during his lifetime but now after Samuel’s death, he earnestly sought words of encouragement and advice. However, what Saul received was a terrifying prophecy announcing his own death. God’s judgment does not suddenly strike sinners without notice. In daily life, God speaks to the sinner’s conscience, pressing for repentance. By continuing to ignore God’s words you accumulate God’s wrath against you. Let’s learn from Saul’s tragedy. Today, by repenting, let’s return to God.
Today's prayer
Father God of Jesus Christ, please have mercy on a sinner like me. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen.