God Has Departed From Me…

Study: # 715 Church in the Houses From: February 21 – 27, 2012 TOPIC: “God Has Departed From Me…” I Samuel 28:7-25

King Saul had turned away from God. For some time, he had strength; he was a leader, a king; he had riches and many who served him. He had forgotten that he was from the tribe of Benjamin, the smallest and insignificant family. Now, because of his negligence and failure, his good days were over. Then, he desperately needed the prophet Samuel who had anointed him as king. He ran out of time to do what he was supposed to do. Now what he had upon his life of desperation were the consequences of his negligence and disobedience to God. In his desperation, Saul went looking for a woman with a spirit of divination. Look where poor Saul had to go in his ruin! If Saul had ever KNOWN REPENTANCE! He wouldn’t have reached such great tragedies in his life. He never had confession of sin because he felt he was alright since he was king. Many avail themselves in what God gave them once to do and undo as they please. Saul got himself into a life of pleasure and sin, but then did not find comfort in heaven or on earth. He had destroyed the fortunetellers in Israel (1 Samuel 28:9), but now there was one waiting for him. When God is no longer accessible to the person, we can see that they seek Him here and there, anywhere. That’s why Saul went to the fortuneteller by night and disguised, accompanied only by two men. He walked during four hours to be able to listen to something. If he would’ve had heaven on his side, he wouldn’t have to walk that long distance. The separation from God, the sins and the obstinacy of those who lose communion with God and no longer have him close, poor people, drives them to seek others to hear something. Saul wanted that woman to bring back Samuel who had died. In the law that was clearly prohibited. "Let no one be found among you ... who practices divination ... or sorcery, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritualist or who consults the dead. Anyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord...” Deuteronomy 18:10-12. God wanted Saul to live this experience, it wasn’t for anyone else. Of course, the fortuneteller reveals her fear of the law, she suspected something. She was afraid to transgress, to break with the edict of King Saul (1 Samuel 28:9) and that did concern her, but she was concerned about violating the law of God! Then, Saul himself assured her that nothing would happen to her, when he was the worst person able to provide security for others! Samuel, the prophet, had died recently. She asks Saul, “Whom shall I bring up for you”? (Vs. 11) Samuel had anointed him as king, had been his friend and adviser, but Saul because of his sins and disobedience made him his enemy! Saul never liked talking to Samuel when he was alive. But, of course, during that time he had strength! He had the kingdom; it seemed as if he had everything at his feet. The fortune teller, after seeing Samuel, immediately recognized that it was Saul who was with her (v. 12). Saul asked her to tell him what he saw; he did not care about the woman, what worried him was the terror he was feeling, because of what he was living. The fortuneteller calls what she sees gods (v. 13) because she speaks about what she knows, well she had no knowledge of the holy. Saul understands that it is Samuel, an elder in his typical mantle. He bowed, "and he bowed down and prostrated himself with his face to the ground." (V. 14) He had never done this before! It was now late for that! The woman screamed loudly, such was her impression. Samuel, who was close to God, knew what would happen to Saul and his men the next day. We see that Samuel mentioned seven times the name of the Lord, so it was Samuel and not a demon. But, Saul did not consult the Lord, he consulted a medium, for this cause the Lord killed him. (1 Chron. 10:13, 14) "So Saul died for his transgression which he committed against Jehovah, against the word of the Lord which he did not keep and because he consulted a medium, and did not consult Jehovah; therefore, He killed him, and turned the kingdom over to David son of Jesse. "King Saul left God and went elsewhere to do as he wanted. Just as he did, many do the same, even if it appears that they have found what they were seeking. There was a conversation between Samuel and Saul. Saul should have gone to God in humiliation; in God he could have found what was better than with Samuel. However, Saul alarmed Samuel to come to him. Samuel came with God's permission. But, we see that Samuel reproached Saul for taking him out of the grave, which was the resting place of the souls of the righteous until the time the work of redemption is accomplished by our Lord Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 4:8, 9) "This is why it says: When he ascended on high, He led captives in His train...What does “He ascended” mean except that He also descended to the lower, earthly regions? Saul gave his excuses to Samuel and lets him see how distressed he is by God (v. 15). "God has turned away from me...." It is what is expected when one turns away from God. If he would have been sorry he would have acknowledged the justice of God. When a person turns away from God there is no one, not even a good servant of God who can help; the only solution is to turn to God in great repentance. Samuel reminds

Saul what he had told him before of his disobedience with the Amalekites (v. 18) (1 Samuel 15: 8, 9, 18, 19). Because of all of this Saul lost the kingdom and God gave it to David (v. 17). Before Saul did not listen to the voice of God, now God would not hear the voice of Saul. Samuel told him about the defeat of Israel by the Philistines (1 Samuel 28: 19). And he spoke of the death that would come to him and his children the next day in battle. "... and tomorrow you and your sons will be with me..." That is to say, in Sheol, the realm of the dead, but not in the same condition or compartment (Luke 16:26). Samuel gave Saul this terrible message. Then, Saul went down defeated under his great physical weight. He was without strength because he had not eaten. He had no appetite being in such a serious situation; this is what occurs when someone departs from God. He was more confused now than when he came to the fortuneteller. He entered a battle in which he would lose his life, his children, his people. The reason for this: many years ago he had lost God. This is what happens when you lose God. You lose everything, and although in the end Saul had the courage to go to war, it was indeed to escape the shame, the pain and sorrow, the agony and personal defeat, and without God to take care of him and his own. What a great loss of all that Saul was and had! Let us pay attention to all this and watch and take care of what Christ has given us; let us live and serve God with fear, reverence, and with a holy zeal! Amen.