Kingdom: Witch (1 Samuel 28)

This exploration of 1 Samuel 28 takes us into one of Scripture's most unsettling passages—King Saul's desperate visit to the medium at Endor. What unfolds is a tragic portrait of what happens when we refuse to walk by faith and instead seek wisdom, power, or information outside of God's ordained means. Saul, terrified by the approaching Philistine army and met with divine silence, disguises himself and sneaks through enemy lines to consult a necromancer—the very practice he had once banished from Israel. The irony is devastating: the king who won't obey God readily obeys a forbidden medium. This narrative isn't just ancient history; it speaks directly to our modern temptation to seek spiritual insight through horoscopes, tarot cards, or even seemingly harmless practices when God's answers don't come on our timeline. The passage reveals a fundamental truth about the human condition—we're caught between the material and spiritual realms, made for both heaven and earth, yet tempted to transgress the boundaries God has set for our protection. The contrast with Jesus in Gethsemane is stunning: where Saul sought forbidden mediators and received confirmation of judgment, Jesus submitted to the Father's will and received an angel to strengthen Him for redemptive suffering. We're invited to examine where we might be returning to our own 'vomit'—repeatedly seeking answers apart from God when His silence is actually calling us to deeper trust and obedience.