In the days when Saul was king over Israel, the Philistines gathered their armies to wage war against the Israelites. Saul, seeing the vast host of the Philistines encamped at Shunem, was filled with dread. His heart trembled within him, for he knew the strength of his enemies was great. The Philistines had mustered their forces, and their chariots and horsemen stretched across the valley like a dark shadow. Saul, once bold and confident, now felt the weight of his own fear pressing upon him.
In his distress, Saul sought the Lord. He inquired of Him through dreams, but no answer came. He sought guidance through the Urim and Thummim, the sacred lots used by the priests, but there was no response. The prophets, who once spoke the word of the Lord to him, remained silent. The heavens seemed as brass, and Saul felt abandoned by the God he had once served.
Desperate and without hope, Saul turned to his servants and said, “Find me a woman who is a medium, that I may go to her and inquire of her.” His servants, though hesitant, obeyed their king. They replied, “There is a woman at En-dor who is a medium.” En-dor was a small village nestled in the hills, not far from the Philistine camp. Under the cover of darkness, Saul disguised himself, putting on plain garments instead of his royal robes. He took two men with him, and together they set out on the perilous journey to En-dor.
The night was thick with shadows as they made their way through the rugged terrain. The moon cast an eerie glow over the landscape, and the air was heavy with the scent of dew and earth. Saul’s heart raced with every step, for he knew the gravity of what he was about to do. Consulting a medium was strictly forbidden by the Law of Moses, and Saul himself had once driven such practitioners out of the land. Yet, in his desperation, he was willing to defy the very commandments he had once upheld.
When they arrived at the woman’s dwelling, Saul spoke to her in a hushed tone, saying, “Consult a spirit for me, and bring up for me the one whom I shall name to you.” The woman, wary of the stranger before her, replied, “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?”
Saul swore to her by the Lord, saying, “As the Lord lives, no punishment shall come upon you for this thing.” Assured by his oath, the woman asked, “Whom shall I bring up for you?” Saul replied, “Bring up Samuel for me.”
At this, the woman began her ritual. The room grew still, and the flickering light of the oil lamps cast strange shadows on the walls. Suddenly, the woman cried out in alarm, her voice trembling with fear. “Why have you deceived me? You are Saul!” she exclaimed, recognizing the king despite his disguise.
Saul, his voice steady but filled with urgency, said, “Do not be afraid. What do you see?” The woman replied, “I see a god coming up out of the earth.” Saul’s heart pounded as he asked, “What is his appearance?” She answered, “An old man is coming up, and he is wrapped in a robe.”
At once, Saul knew it was Samuel. He bowed his face to the ground and prostrated himself in reverence. The spirit of Samuel, summoned from the realm of the dead, spoke to Saul with a voice that carried the weight of divine authority. “Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?” Samuel asked.
Saul, his voice trembling, replied, “I am in great distress, for the Philistines are warring against me, and God has turned away from me and answers me no more, either by prophets or by dreams. Therefore I have summoned you to tell me what I shall do.”
Samuel’s response was grave and unyielding. “Why do you ask me, since the Lord has turned from you and become your enemy? The Lord has done to you as He spoke by me, for the Lord has torn the kingdom out of your hand and given it to your neighbor, David. Because you did not obey the voice of the Lord and did not carry out His fierce wrath against Amalek, therefore the Lord has done this thing to you this day. Moreover, the Lord will give Israel also with you into the hand of the Philistines, and tomorrow you and your sons shall be with me. The Lord will give the army of Israel also into the hand of the Philistines.”
At these words, Saul fell full length on the ground, utterly overcome with fear. The strength drained from his body, for he had eaten nothing all that day and night. The woman, seeing his distress, approached him and said, “Behold, your servant has obeyed you. I have taken my life in my hand and have listened to what you have said. Now therefore, you also obey your servant. Let me set a morsel of bread before you; eat, that you may have strength when you go on your way.”
Saul refused at first, but his servants and the woman urged him until he consented. She quickly prepared a meal, slaughtering a fattened calf and baking unleavened bread. Saul and his men ate, and when they had finished, they rose and departed into the night.
As Saul made his way back to his camp, his heart was heavy with the knowledge of what lay ahead. The words of Samuel echoed in his mind, and he knew that the end was near. The next day, the battle raged fiercely, and the Philistines overtook the Israelites. Saul’s sons, including Jonathan, fell in the fight. Saul himself was critically wounded by the archers. Fearing capture and humiliation, Saul took his own sword and fell upon it, ending his life.
Thus, the word of the Lord through Samuel was fulfilled. Saul, who had once been chosen by God to lead His people, fell because of his disobedience and lack of faith. His reign ended in tragedy, a stark reminder of the consequences of turning away from the Lord. Yet, even in his final hours, Saul’s story serves as a testament to the sovereignty of God and the importance of seeking Him with a faithful and obedient heart.
