Saul, the Medium of Endor, and Our Too-Strong Longing to Know God’s Will
Do ghosts exist? Do humans have access to the spirit world? If so, what does this mean for our spiritual life?
Not long ago I was asked by a congregant to make sense of the bizarre story of Saul and the Medium at Endor (1 Sam. 28). This story is understandably confusing at a quick read, and certainly one of the strangest in Scripture.
At the heart of this text is a critical question: Will you obey God?
The Philistines are flexing. They’ve gathered their forces south of the Sea of Galilee and west of the Jordan River at the Valley of Jezreel. Saul quickly marshals his troops, but he realizes they are outmanned. “When Saul saw the army of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart trembled greatly” (1 Sam 28:5). Saul responds by praying to God. But God is silent, “the LORD did not answer him, either by dreams, or by Urim, or by prophets” (1 Sam. 28:6).
Desperate for guidance, Saul disobeys the law and seeks out a medium. Witchcraft and mediums are clearly forbidden in Scripture as they represent pagan worship (Lev. 19:31). Hearing there is a medium at Endor, Saul disguises himself and slips out to see her in the middle of the night. “Divine for me by a spirit and bring up for me whomever I shall name to you,” Saul demands (1 Sam. 28:8). The witch eventually complies, and they say to each other, “‘I see a god coming up out of the earth.’ He said to her, ‘What is his appearance?’ And she said, ‘An old man is coming up, and he is wrapped in a robe.’ And Saul knew that it was Samuel, and he bowed with his face to the ground and paid homage” (1 Sam. 28:13–14).
Is this really Samuel? He looks like Samuel. And when he speaks, he sure sounds like Samuel. The apparition, or ghostlike figure, grumpily chastises Saul because of Saul’s disobedience: “the LORD will give Israel also with you into the hand of the Philistines, and tomorrow you and your sons shall be with me. The LORD will give the army of Israel also into the hand of the Philistines” (1 Sam.28:19).
Many questions surface from this text. Is this really Samuel? It sure sounds like him! This does not seem to be a false word from the mouth of Satan, as one might initially suspect. In fact, the prophecy comes to pass, but there is no other place in Scripture, except perhaps the Transfiguration, where dead people are summoned to appear.
So, is this a demonic presence? If it is, then why would a demonic presence speak words of truth? And why would a demonic presence give a warning that sounds so much like what Samuel would say?
Wise and godly minds fall on both sides of this debate. On one side, we have the possibility that this is a demon controlled by God to deliver this message to Saul. On the other side, we have the possibility that this is actually Samuel whom God uses to speak truth to Saul. Given the numerous times (especially during Jesus’s ministry) that demons speak through humans, counterbalanced with the lack of times we see people speak from the dead, it seems more likely that this is a demonic manifestation. (Although I don’t completely disregard that this could be Samuel.) One thing is clear—God is intervening to warn Saul.
Saul pays a dear price for his disobedience: his very life. Listen to how the author of Chronicles reflects back upon Saul’s actions, “So Saul died for his breach of faith. He broke faith with the LORD in that he did not keep the command of the LORD, and also consulted a medium, seeking guidance. He did not seek guidance from the LORD. Therefore the LORD put him to death and turned the kingdom over to David the son of Jesse” (1 Chron. 10: 13–14).
While most of us are probably not in jeopardy of disobeying God’s commandment to consult a medium (please don’t!), many of us are in danger of what led Saul to take this action—an over-the-top longing for God’s direction.
What could be bad about wanting God’s guidance? Isn’t that a good thing? It doesn’t seem like there would be any danger in seeking after what God wants for your life. Yet, can danger lurk here, too.
Saul first seeks God’s guidance through prayer, then through dreams, then through Urim (a way God spoke to the priests), then through the prophets. God did not answer Saul. Only then does Saul turn to the Medium at Endor.
What Saul’s quest belies is that Saul cares more about what God can provide than God himself.
At his core, Saul is gripped with the fear of the Philistines—not the fear of the Lord.
It seems like we are often like Saul in our approach to finding God’s will for our lives. We feel lost about what school to go to or whether we should go to school at all. We are deeply concerned about God’s will for a relationship, “God, is this person I’m dating the one you want me to marry?” We are more concerned about God’s will for our vocational life: “Lord, should I take this job?” We are so worried about whether God wants us to have children: “God, why can’t we get pregnant?” These healthy questions become unhealthy to us when getting an answer becomes bigger than the Giver of the answer.
We pray, we churn, we beg for God to give us clarity. We feel forgotten in his felt silence.
Why would God do this? Why would he leave us without answers? Doesn’t he care?
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus urges us not to be anxious. He points us to the lilies and the sparrows and to the fact that we can entrust ourselves to our sovereign and compassionate God. As he closes, Jesus urges us that instead of focusing on our anxieties, we should look to God and his kingdom, “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (Matt. 6:33). Simply, attend to the Gift Giver, not to the gifts.
Why would God not respond to our pleas for clarity? Perhaps it’s because he is not interested in being a cosmic GPS telling us what our next turn is. Perhaps it’s because he wants us to turn from wanting his provision to wanting a relationship with Him. Perhaps it’s because he wants us to worship him simply for who he is regardless of our circumstances. Perhaps he’s calling us deeper into trust, perseverance, and longsuffering.
Are your prayers consumed by trying to shake free from God an answer about his direction for you? There is nothing wrong with asking God for his will in a situation. But if he doesn’t answer, remember Saul. Are you willing to forsake seeking other gods to get your desired answer? Are you willing to stay locked on God even if he seems silent?
John Beeson serves as co-lead pastor at New Life Bible Fellowship in Tucson, Arizona. He attended Gordon College and Princeton Theological Seminary and is married with two kids. He blogs at The Bee Hive. He is the coauthor of Blogging for God’s Glory in a Clickbait World and the coauthor with his wife Angel of Trading Faces: Removing the Masks that Hide Your God-Given Identity.