Late in his life, king Saul removed two groups of practitioners of the occult from his kingdom:
1 Samuel 28:3 Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had lamented him, and buried him in Ramah, even in his own city. And Saul had put away those that had familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land.
When he did so, he was doing what was right in the sight of God:
Leviticus 20:27 A man also or woman that hath a familiar spirit, or that is a wizard, shall surely be put to death: they shall stone them with stones: their blood shall be upon them.
At a later crisis point, however, Saul consulted with an occultist woman who had a familiar spirit:
1 Samuel 28:4 And the Philistines gathered themselves together, and came and pitched in Shunem: and Saul gathered all Israel together, and they pitched in Gilboa. 5 And when Saul saw the host of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart greatly trembled. 6 And when Saul enquired of the LORD, the LORD answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets.
7 Then said Saul unto his servants, Seek me a woman that hath a familiar spirit, that I may go to her, and enquire of her. And his servants said to him, Behold, there is a woman that hath a familiar spirit at Endor. 8 And Saul disguised himself, and put on other raiment, and he went, and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night: and he said, I pray thee, divine unto me by the familiar spirit, and bring me him up, whom I shall name unto thee.
Not knowing that he was Saul, the woman responded to his request by telling him what she knew Saul as king had done to others who had familiar spirits:
1 Samuel 28:9 And the woman said unto him, Behold, thou knowest what Saul hath done, how he hath cut off those that have familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land: wherefore then layest thou a snare for my life, to cause me to die?
Hearing this remark from this occultist woman, Saul was reminded of his own previous righteous actions to eliminate the people with familiar spirits out of the land.
Did God providentially use these words from her to implicitly warn Saul not to go through with what he was seeking to do then? If so, these words are a magnificent example of the goodness of God to us as sinners in showing that He sought to warn him not to go through with his sinful intent even when he was on the brink of doing so!
Copyright © 2011-2024 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.
