Saul’s desperation to consult a medium at En-dor shows the tragic result of failing to trust God’s counsel.
Then Saul said to his servants, “Seek 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 woman who is a medium at En-dor.” (v.7) King Saul, who reigned over Israel from about 1050 to 1010 BC, had previously been chosen and anointed by God to lead the nation. However, his disobedience to the LORD’s commands led to God’s Spirit departing from him (1 Samuel 16:14). In this moment of desperation, Saul sought guidance through forbidden spiritual practices rather than seeking the LORD, revealing his deep spiritual decline.
The location of En-dor was a settlement in the territory traditionally associated with the tribe of Manasseh, situated near the Jezreel Valley. It was here that Saul’s servants pointed him to a medium, a practice that the Mosaic Law strongly opposed (Leviticus 19:31). Saul’s willingness to pursue this path underscores how far he had strayed from reliance upon God’s revelation. Even in the face of the prophet Samuel’s prior warnings, the king drifted into fear and confusion, seeking answers in a prohibited way.
Spiritually, this passage paints a stark contrast between reliance upon God and the futility of turning to occult practices. In the broader scope of Scripture, the New Testament emphasizes that Jesus conquered the powers of darkness and fulfilled the need for divine guidance, inviting believers to rest in Him for wisdom and life (Colossians 2:15). Saul’s example serves as a cautionary reminder to trust and obey the true King, rather than casting about for answers from sources outside God’s design.
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1 Samuel 28:7 meaning
Then Saul said to his servants, “Seek 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 woman who is a medium at En-dor.” (v.7) King Saul, who reigned over Israel from about 1050 to 1010 BC, had previously been chosen and anointed by God to lead the nation. However, his disobedience to the LORD’s commands led to God’s Spirit departing from him (1 Samuel 16:14). In this moment of desperation, Saul sought guidance through forbidden spiritual practices rather than seeking the LORD, revealing his deep spiritual decline.
The location of En-dor was a settlement in the territory traditionally associated with the tribe of Manasseh, situated near the Jezreel Valley. It was here that Saul’s servants pointed him to a medium, a practice that the Mosaic Law strongly opposed (Leviticus 19:31). Saul’s willingness to pursue this path underscores how far he had strayed from reliance upon God’s revelation. Even in the face of the prophet Samuel’s prior warnings, the king drifted into fear and confusion, seeking answers in a prohibited way.
Spiritually, this passage paints a stark contrast between reliance upon God and the futility of turning to occult practices. In the broader scope of Scripture, the New Testament emphasizes that Jesus conquered the powers of darkness and fulfilled the need for divine guidance, inviting believers to rest in Him for wisdom and life (Colossians 2:15). Saul’s example serves as a cautionary reminder to trust and obey the true King, rather than casting about for answers from sources outside God’s design.