1 Samuel 28:6-14

Man's appeal from God to man.

The facts are—

1 . Saul in his trouble seeks in vain guidance from God.

2 . In despair he has recourse to the witch of Endor, promising her that no harm should come to her for assisting him with her incantations.

3 . Saul desires of her to bring up Samuel.

4 . On Samuel coining forth the woman is in terror, and also discovers Saul's identity.

5 . By the aid of the woman Saul recognises Samuel, and bows himself to the earth. The strange events here narrated awaken feelings of wonder, and, in minds not acquiescent in God's methods of developing his purpose in connection with the Hebrew race, some degree of incredulity; but the important spiritual teaching is obvious, and the difficulties of the subject, also, are not without their practical value. We have here an instance of—

I. A MAN RIGHTEOUSLY LEFT OF GOD IN TIME OF DISTRESS . The triple reference to dreams, prophets, and Urim indicates the intense desire of Saul to obtain some intimation of the Divine will; and this renders the futility of his endeavour the more impressive. Outwardly he conformed to the usages of a ruler in Israel, and, were he judged by men who have regard only or chiefly to the zeal which meets the eye, he would be regarded as, so far, a religious man, and within the range of blessing. To those who are unfamiliar with Scripture it may seem painfully strange that a man presumably in earnest should be so utterly left of God; but, as in other instances, a little more knowledge will afford a solution of the fact and justify the ways of God.

1 . It is a fact that men are left to themselves. Divine guidance had been. withheld from Saul from the day of his rebellion ( 1 Samuel 15:20-23 ) up to the date of this event. The antediluvians and, at one stage of history, Israel were abandoned to their devices ( Genesis 6:1-3 ; Isaiah 1:15 ). Pharisees were left to the blindness of their hearts notwithstanding their many prayers. When men deliberately darken the light that is in them God does not enable them to see the "Light of the world."

2 . There are moral reasons for such abandonment. In Saul's case there was an absence of that state of mind which alone would render attention to his cry for help honourable to God and blessed to mankind. There was no penitential recognition of his former sin, nor of the years of persistent impenitence, nor of his cruelty to David; his desire for God's guidance and help sprang entirely from fear of military disaster, of loss of influence, and of the fulfilment of the prediction outstanding against him ( 1 Samuel 15:28 , 1 Samuel 15:29 ). The response of God to man's cry is based on law as beautiful in its orderliness as anything in the physical world. The notion that God must help every one in trouble is based on sheer ignorance, and is profoundly unscientific. Even in home and society we recognise the necessity of moral conditions of receiving attention and favour. Divine mercy is free, but is righteous in its flow. It never sets a premium on selfishness and impenitence; it is never exercised in such a way as to do violence to our radical sense of right and moral propriety. This will account for the deaf ear which God is represented as turning to bad men when, in desperation, they cry to him in adversity, and when, at the end of life, they seek him in vain; for they do not care for God, for holiness, for anything but selfish deliverance from uncomfortable circumstances and great danger. Hence—

3 . The abandonment is in harmony with the current of God's promises. Again and again we are encouraged to seek the Lord. Nothing is more certain than that God delights to answer our cry for help. The appeal of David later on in life, and the dumb pleading of the Magdalene, were freely answered; but the fifty-first Psalm reveals the contrast of David's spirit with that of Saul, and the tears of the unholy woman told of a heart altogether turned toward God.

II. THE SUPERHUMAN CHARACTER OF GOD 'S WAYS . There is in some minds a feeling of surprise that such a narrative as this should find a place in a book supposed to be written or compiled under Divine inspiration for the instruction of the world in spiritual truth; and, assuming that its fitness in such a book can be made out, it is deemed incredible that God should allow his servant to come from the invisible world at the request of such a man as Saul, and through an agency condemned in the Bible. Now on this difficult subject it may suffice for our purpose to observe—

1 . A revelation of God's purpose towards mankind in connection with and by means of the history of a race is natural only in so far as it embraces what the chief figures of the history actually did, and especially in their relation to him, be it good or bad. That Saul actually did as here recorded is evident on the face of the whole narrative, for never was there a more perfect air of truthfulness on a record. The very unreasonableness of his conduct in applying to a witch for such a purpose, and after executing the law against witchcraft, is quite reasonable when we reflect on the utter mental and moral confusion involved in his despair. Compare his unreasonable act of seeking a blessing through a sinful act ( 1 Samuel 13:8-14 ; 1 Samuel 15:21-23 ). The record, therefore, of such a transaction is reasonable in an inspired book.

2 . There are cases in which God allows bad men to have their desire without the advantage they expect from its being granted. Quails were given to men to their grief. A king was desired contrary to God's will, and one was given, much to the affliction of the nation. There is so far a similarity in this instance, that the granting of the desire to see Samuel was only to seal Saul's doom, not to give the guidance anticipated, and which had been hitherto refused ( 1 Samuel 28:6 ).

3 . There was a manifest fitness in Samuel being permitted to declare the fixity of Saul's fate and its equity. He had instructed and warned Saul at first in private ( 1 Samuel 9:25 , 1 Samuel 9:26 ), and subsequently ( 1 Samuel 15:26-31 ). All through he had looked with sorrowful pity on this poor wayward, sinning man. With Saul's belief in the existence of the spirits of good men after death, it was the most natural thing to wish, if possible, to see this wise, kind, and faithful friend, and in his utter despair appeal to his pity; and considering that there evidently still lurked in his mind a last hope that the old, long deferred prediction of downfall might yet be averted, with a feeling that it was very hard, and perhaps unjust, for him to be thus left in misery, there seems to be a blending of Divine tenderness and judgment in this kind and faithful friend being permitted once more to be seen and heard, and at the same time to vindicate the justice of God in the doom about to be accomplished. The Divine tenderness and judgment which had borne with and chastised Saul all through his perverse life were now conspicuous in the irrevocable sealing of his doom. He would rather hear his sentence from Samuel than any other being, if it is to be pronounced.

4 . There is no evidence that the woman had anything to do with the appearance of Samuel. He came forth before she called, and hence her wild shriek. That she subsequently played her part as a witch was consistent with the character of such persons. That Saul should suppose her to be the cause of the appearance does not touch the question. He was not in a mental condition to discriminate. That God should allow an invisible being to become visible under such conditions is to be settled by history, for—

5 . There is no moral principle violated in God allowing a being from the invisible world to become visible. There is here no sanction of witchcraft, no admission of its powers. Kindness and judgment only are displayed in relation to Saul. The whole difficulty, therefore, resolves itself in a visible appearance of a dead man. Will any one say that God cannot cause a Samuel to appear as truly as a Moses and Elijah? Does the incredulity lie in the fact that we never see the departed, or that God does not cause them to appear to others? By what law is God bound to make a specific exercise of his power common? Will the case be improved by saying it is such an exercise of power as we should not deem wise and useful? What is that but saying we make our method of government a standard by which God's reported acts shall be judged? Is it not wiser to submit to the force of historical testimony, and admit that his ways are not our ways? God does strange things in the earth, at which men marvel, but never unholy things. There is nothing incredible in the existence of departed spirits, nor in their employment when God has a fit purpose to accomplish through them.

III. THE PERMANENCE OF RELIGIOUS SENTIMENTS . It is noteworthy that although Saul had lived so long in impenitence, and had become even hardened in his sinful course, he still retained an awe and reverence for the supernatural and invisible. His very folly and sin in having recourse to a witch revealed the strength of the feeling which could not rest without some help from the unseen world, If God cannot be found men will seek out a substitute. Idolatry and all forms of religious superstition are evidence of the power of the religious sentiment in man. Thousands of men have done much to crush it out, but it has reasserted itself in seasons of distress. Because man is formed for religion, and carries within him feelings which crave for the unseen and eternal, therefore he often becomes the slave of false systems of belief and worship. The permanence of this sentiment gives hope to the missionary, and adds to the remorse of the finally impenitent.

IV. THE POWER OF RELIGIOUS INFLUENCE . The influence of Samuel over Saul appears in this bitter cry for his presence in the hour of misery. The foundation of this influence was laid in Samuel's character, and in the kind and wise interest he took in Saul when entering on his public duties as king. Holy example, faithful warning, wise instruction, tender forbearance, and pitiful concern had not been altogether lost on this erring, self-willed man, although in the perversity of his heart he had for years gone counter to Samuel's guidance. In the dark and painful hour of despair the thought of the wise counsellor and sincere friend came over the soul with memories rich in homage to him. How often does the poor prodigal, when sinking in misery, feel the spell of a mother's piety! How many a man after years of neglected instruction thinks of the faithful pastor, and perchance takes to heart the lessons of his words and life!

General lessons : —

1 . The climax of trouble is reached when God refuses to hear our prayer, for "What can I do?" then admits of no satisfactory answer.

2 . We ought to search our hearts, to see whether we so "regard iniquity" therein as to be in an unfit moral condition to receive a blessing from God ( Psalms 66:18 ).

3 . God has methods by which he can vindicate the justice of his judgments, even when we are craving for relief from them.

4 . It is important to exercise religious influence over others as early and constantly as possible, since we know that it will be a power even when we are gone.