You're As Good As Dead If You're Consulting the Dead

1 Samuel 26-28; Psalm 117; Proverbs 15:22-23

 

There’s only one God of life. So if He’s against you, you’re hopeless. Really.

 

That’s essentially what the dead Samuel says to Saul when the king has a medium bring Samuel up from the grave for a consultation:

 

Samuel said, "Why do you consult me, now that the LORD has turned away from you and become your enemy? The LORD has done what he predicted through me. The LORD has torn the kingdom out of your hands and given it to one of your neighbors--to David. Because you did not obey the LORD or carry out his fierce wrath against the Amalekites, the LORD has done this to you today. The LORD will hand over both Israel and you to the Philistines, and tomorrow you and your sons will be with me. – 1 Samuel 28:16-19

 

If the LORD – the true God – is your enemy, then what good will a session with the dead do you? There are debates over whether this was really Samuel’s spirit or not, but the Scriptures just seem to assume that Saul actually got his wish to encounter Samuel. Whatever happened, raising the dead or consulting with spirits is surely a powerful experience. But there is no power among the dead, or even among the spirits, that is powerful enough to save God’s enemies from His hand. Even if Samuel had wanted to help Saul, Samuel could have done nothing for him. God was against Saul, and Samuel could only pass on this chilling prophecy: “… tomorrow you and your sons will be with me.”

 

Why do we ever look for some alternative route to safety besides a secure friendship with the God of Creation? How can we ever fool ourselves into believing that any power can be even remotely as beneficial as His? What makes us dare to disobey Him, to turn away from Him, to anger Him? Every blessing is in God’s hand. All other powers are shallow and illusory, no matter how impressive they are. They simply can do us no good. The only security worth seeking is the security God offers us through faith in Jesus’ death and resurrection – the faith that confesses that Jesus is Lord!

 

Father, many of us today would not consult with spiritists and mediums, but we still find sources of security and safety outside of your hands. We put our hope in security systems, weapons, walls, locks, and the kind of protection our money can buy. We feel safe so long as we have high enough approval ratings from the people around us. May we stop seeking security in anyone else besides You. You alone are God. If we put our hope in anyone or anything but You, we are as good as dead.