Chris's 1 Samuel Chapter 28 comment on 12/01/2020, 3:46pm...
In this sad account, we see that the prophet Samuel was already dead with his body in the grave at Ramah (v3) & King Saul was asking the Lord concerning the battle before him, since he was completely outnumbered by the enemy (the Philistines). King Saul had earlier decreed that the practice of wizardry, necromancy, etc. was forbidden, however, since God had chosen not to answer Saul's prayers about this battle, Saul, in subterfuge, turned to a woman who still quietly dabbled in witchcraft.
The woman was hesitant to do this because of the King's edict, but Saul, who was disguised, assured her that nothing would happen to her. This woman, as others who practised these 'arts', usually operated by using deceit, voice impersonations & other means to satisfy their enquirers. Sometimes of course, impersonating evil spirits would be roused up & make their presence known. But here in this account, the spirit & vision of dead Samuel had appeared to the woman, to which she took great fright because her 'art' was actually producing an actual real event, which was very unusual for her. I would understand that this was an exception to the rule: that God had allowed this to take place for Saul's sake. God had refused to speak to Saul earlier because of his sins, disobedience & hatred of David, but now chose to allow this 'word from Samuel' to cause him great despair.
This account reminds us of Jesus' story about the rich man & Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31), where both the rich man & Lazarus were in hell (though Lazarus was in comfort & the other in torment). The rich man pleaded that Lazarus be sent back to Earth to warn his five brothers about the condition of their lives & not end up where he was, but Jesus said that his brothers had the Scriptures from God to warn them. So it implies that the spirit of Lazarus could have been sent to Earth to warn, but God chose not to. But in Saul's case, God had allowed this to happen & used it to foretell of Israel's defeat & Saul's death.
Judi's 1 Samuel Chapter 28 comment on 12/01/2020, 3:29am...
Where was Samuel when he responded and warned Saul in vs.15
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Chris's 1 Samuel Chapter 28 comment on 12/01/2020, 3:46pm...
In this sad account, we see that the prophet Samuel was already dead with his body in the grave at Ramah (v3) & King Saul was asking the Lord concerning the battle before him, since he was completely outnumbered by the enemy (the Philistines). King Saul had earlier decreed that the practice of wizardry, necromancy, etc. was forbidden, however, since God had chosen not to answer Saul's prayers about this battle, Saul, in subterfuge, turned to a woman who still quietly dabbled in witchcraft.
The woman was hesitant to do this because of the King's edict, but Saul, who was disguised, assured her that nothing would happen to her. This woman, as others who practised these 'arts', usually operated by using deceit, voice impersonations & other means to satisfy their enquirers. Sometimes of course, impersonating evil spirits would be roused up & make their presence known. But here in this account, the spirit & vision of dead Samuel had appeared to the woman, to which she took great fright because her 'art' was actually producing an actual real event, which was very unusual for her. I would understand that this was an exception to the rule: that God had allowed this to take place for Saul's sake. God had refused to speak to Saul earlier because of his sins, disobedience & hatred of David, but now chose to allow this 'word from Samuel' to cause him great despair.
This account reminds us of Jesus' story about the rich man & Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31), where both the rich man & Lazarus were in hell (though Lazarus was in comfort & the other in torment). The rich man pleaded that Lazarus be sent back to Earth to warn his five brothers about the condition of their lives & not end up where he was, but Jesus said that his brothers had the Scriptures from God to warn them. So it implies that the spirit of Lazarus could have been sent to Earth to warn, but God chose not to. But in Saul's case, God had allowed this to happen & used it to foretell of Israel's defeat & Saul's death.
Judi's 1 Samuel Chapter 28 comment on 12/01/2020, 3:29am...
Where was Samuel when he responded and warned Saul in vs.15
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