Calendar

SAUL’S APOSTASY IN THE FACE OF DEFEAT
LORD’S DAY, DECEMBER 22
1 Samuel 28

Deuteronomy 18:9-14

 

“For all that do these things are

an abomination unto the LORD…”

 

SAUL’S APOSTASY IN THE FACE OF DEFEAT
 
The Philistines prepared for war against Israel. Their king asked David to join them against King Saul. Prophet Samuel had died. Saul inquired of the Lord, but the Lord had departed from him and did not answer him. His next step was a step in the wrong direction: he resorted to witchcraft.
 
In this first step to apostasy, Saul asked his servants to seek for him “…a woman that hath a familiar spirit…” (1 Sam 28:7). This was a reference to a witch. As king, Saul had earlier given an order for the destruction of all that had familiar spirits. He was then basing his hopes on what he knew to be sinful. However, he yielded to the temptation and followed the ways of the world. He did not consider how the Lord had taken him from his father’s house and made him a king. God had successfully guided him under the ministry of Samuel, and he should be the last person to cast doubt on God. He compromised and that step backward led to his complete departure from God.
 
When the king asked for a woman with a familiar spirit, his servants were quick to identify the witch of Endor. The weakness of the servants was also the weakness of the king. They did not know God and in the days following, they influenced the king. They were his advisers and the king relied on them in making decisions. When the name of that woman was suggested, Saul did not hesitate to seek help from her.
 
As the king of Israel yielded to his carnality, he went deeper into sin. The way of truth was there for him to follow, but he chose the route of apostasy. In the current narrative, he had begun to fall. The ascension of Saul to the throne of Israel ended a long era of judges. The description of the events that characterised that era was that there was no king, and everyone did that which was right in his own eyes. Saul was then no better.
 
THOUGHT: The consequences of apostasy are the wages of sin.

PRAYER: Father, open my eyes that I may discern good and evil.

Search