Set against the backdrop of Israel’s looming battle with the Philistines, the encounter between King Saul and the witch of Endor in 1 Samuel 28 marked a pivotal turning point in his life. Will Saul trust God or disregard God’s will? Sadly he did not trust God and Saul’s disobedience at this crossroads reveals his sinfulness and the dire consequences that come from it.
Despite being anointed by God, Saul grew more powerful and separated from his humble religious beginnings. His reign was marred by disobedience and pride. He offered a burnt offering without waiting for the prophet Samuel to arrive, as he had been commanded. (1 Samuel 13). He spared the Amalekites against God’s instruction (1 Samuel 15). Having lost God’s guidance due to his repeated disregard for the command of God, Saul now faced the Philistine army at Gilboa in Israel and God answered only in silence.
Even though Saul had previously banished such practices from Israel (1 Samuel 28:3), he turns to a medium in Endor when he was desperate for direction and unable to hear from God through prophets or dreams. As a result of this act, God’s law explicitly forbids consulting mediums or necromancers (Leviticus 19:31, Deuteronomy 18:10-12). Because these practices bypassed God’s authority and sought answers through forbidden, occult methods, they were an abomination.
Rather than trusting God, Saul’s sin was rooted in fear and self-reliance. Instead of repenting and seeking reconciliation with the Lord, he sought a medium to summon Samuel’s spirit, hoping for holy insight. It was in this act of desperation that he revealed his drift from faith, choosing sorcery over divine obedience.
Samuel’s spirit appears in 1 Samuel 28:14-15, but scholars debate whether it was Samuel or a demonic deception allowed by God. Even so, Saul’s disobedience had resulted in God taking the kingdom from him and giving it to David (1 Samuel 28:16-18). Samuel rebuked Saul for his disobedience.
It was immediate and devastating for Saul and his sons to suffer the consequences of his sin. Samuel’s words confirmed that the Lord had become Saul’s enemy, and Israel would fall to the Philistines the next day, killing Saul and his sons (1 Samuel 28:19). When Saul was overwhelmed and weak (1 Samuel 28:20), he collapsed in fear and weakness. As predicted, Saul and his sons died in battle the next day (1 Samuel 31:1-6).
When Saul rejected God’s authority, he failed to save himself, but also sealed his fate and that of his sons. Saul’s reign was the beginning of Israel’s transition from tribal confederation to a centralized monarchy During his tenure as king, he was supposed to unite the twelve tribes so they could defend themselves better against external threats, like the Philistines, who were a constant threat. And ultimately the tool of Gods wrath.
Saul’s inability to adhere to divine directives led to his downfall. This demonstrated the tension between God’s divine authority and human leadership during this critical period in Israelite history.
It warns Christians today not to turn to forbidden or worldly means for guidance in times of fear and uncertainty. Bypassing God’s will, whether through occult practices, self-reliance, or ignoring His Word, leads to spiritual ruin. Saul’s story reminds us to trust in God’s timing, seek His voice through prayer and Scripture, and repent when we stray. Saul’s tragic end reminds us that disobedience carries a heavy cost, but God offers redemption for those who humbly return to Him.
