The Weekly Show - Episode 96: 1 Samuel 28 – Saul, Samuel, and the Witch of Endor

Join Tim and John as they talk about life and study on 1 Samuel 28 

Theme: https://uppbeat.io/t/northwestern/a-new-beginning and https://uppbeat.io/t/pecan-pie/halloween-time

Transition Song: https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/

Introduction: Saul’s Spiritual Collapse

There are few stories in Scripture as haunting as King Saul’s final descent into darkness in 1 Samuel 28. Once anointed by God and filled with promise, Saul’s life becomes a tragic tale of spiritual compromise, fear, and disobedience. As the Philistine army gathers against Israel, Saul finds himself alone—abandoned by the God he once professed to serve, and desperate for answers.

But rather than turning to repentance, Saul turns to the very evil he had once banished from the land. In a moment of fear and rebellion, he seeks out a medium—the Witch of Endor—to summon the prophet Samuel from the grave.

This moment marks the lowest point of Saul’s spiritual journey. His collapse is not sudden, but the culmination of a life lived in partial obedience and prideful independence. When God went silent, Saul did not ask, “What have I done?”—he asked, “Who else can I talk to?”

This chapter challenges us to examine our own spiritual posture:

• What do we do when God feels silent?
• Do we turn back in repentance, or reach for forbidden solutions?
• What happens when we seek guidance outside the boundaries God has set?

As we study Saul’s final night, we’ll discover both a warning and a lesson—a reminder that spiritual compromise often begins in fear, grows through pride, and ends in destruction. But we’ll also be reminded of the grace of God, who desires repentance over ruin.

Let us learn from Saul’s collapse, so that we may stand firm in our faith—even in silence, even in fear.

Section 1: Desperation in Silence

Text: 1 Samuel 28:5–7 (ESV)

And Saul gathered all Israel, and they encamped at Gilboa. 5 When Saul saw the army of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart trembled greatly. 6 And when Saul inquired of the Lord, the Lord did not answer him, either by dreams, or by Urim, or by prophets. 7 Then Saul said to his servants, “Seek out for me a woman who is a medium, that I may go to her and inquire of her.” And his servants said to him, “Behold, there is a medium at En-dor.”

Explanation:

Saul was filled with fear as the Philistine army prepared for war. In his panic, he sought direction from the Lord, but received no answer—no dreams, no prophetic voice, no guidance through the priestly Urim. God was silent.

That silence was not arbitrary. It was the result of Saul's long pattern of rejecting God's word and misusing his authority. Having distanced himself from God in times of prosperity, Saul found himself alone in crisis.

In his desperation, Saul broke his own law and violated God’s commands (see Deuteronomy 18:11) by seeking out a medium in Endor. This act of rebellion further revealed the spiritual erosion in Saul’s life.

Reflection/Application:

• Silence from God is not a license to pursue forbidden answers.
• When we repeatedly ignore or disobey God's Word, we risk spiritual deafness—unable to hear Him when it matters most.
• A life built on disobedience cannot demand divine guidance in a moment of panic.

Key Question:

Do we seek God only in crisis, or are we listening daily—when He speaks and even when He doesn’t?

Section 2: The Forbidden Conversation

Text: 1 Samuel 28:8–14 (ESV)

8 So Saul disguised himself and put on other garments and went, he and two men with him. And they came to the woman by night. And he said, “Divine for me by a spirit and bring up for me whomever I shall name to you.” 9 The woman said to him, “Surely you know what Saul has done, how he has cut off the mediums and the necromancers from the land. Why then are you laying a trap for my life to bring about my death?” 10 But Saul swore to her by the Lord, “As the Lord lives, no punishment shall come upon you for this thing.” 11 Then the woman said, “Whom shall I bring up for you?” He said, “Bring up Samuel for me.” 12 When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out with a loud voice. And the woman said to Saul, “Why have you deceived me? You are Saul.” 13 The king said to her, “Do not be afraid. What do you see?” And the woman said to Saul, “I see a god coming up out of the earth.” 14 He