The Sabbath-School by Ellet Joseph Waggoner

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Dec 11, 1884

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 10, No. 47.

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The Sabbath-School.

By Ellet Joseph Waggoner

LESSON FOR THE PACIFIC COAST—JAN. 3.

Ancient Spiritualism.

SAUL AND THE WITCH.

When on a certain occasion the Philistine host came against Israel, how was King Saul affected? 1 Sam. 28:4, 5.
To whom did he seek for guidance? Verses 7, 8.
How had Saul previously treated such people? Verses 3, 9.
By what authority had he done so? Ex. 22:18; Lev. 20:27.
Why had the Lord given such instruction concerning diviners, consulters of familiar spirits, etc.? Deut. 18:10-12.
With what people were such abominations common? Verses 9, 12.
What had the Lord said would be the result to those who should seek after such persons? Lev. 19:31.
Since Saul had obeyed the Lord in putting away those who had familiar spirits, why did he now consult one? 1 Sam. 28:6.
When he went, for whom did he ask? Verse 11.
Why did he not go directly to Samuel? Verse 3.
What can you say concerning the part which the dead are able to act in earthly affairs? Eccl. 9:5, 6.
Give other Scripture testimony concerning the state of the dead.
Then could it indeed have been Samuel himself who carried on the subsequent conversation with Saul?
Was Saul at this time in favor with the Lord? 1 Sam. 28:6.
Why had the Lord rejected Saul? 1 Sam. 15:22, 23.
When people reject the word of the Lord, what are they left to believe? 2 Thess. 2:11, 12.
Then since Saul had rejected the word of the Lord, what must his supposed interview with Samuel have been?
Who is the author of delusions and lies? John 8:44.
Whom did the heathen worship? 1 Cor. 10:20.
When the Israelites turned from the Lord, whom did they worship? Deut. 32:16, 17.
Then what sort of a spirit was it which Saul consulted?
How is the devil able to make himself appear? 2 Cor. 11:14.
If he can appear as an angel of light, would it not be easy for him to assume the appearance of persons who have died?
How could Saul have kept from being deceived?

THE lesson this week is based on the account of Saul's visit to the witch of Endor, recorded in 1 Sam. 28. In order to keep the connection, the entire chapter should be carefully read. It may not be amiss to say that many good people suppose that Samuel did really come and talk with Saul, and thus they are strengthened in their belief of the conscious existence of the dead. We shall follow the subject in the order of the questions in the lesson, and see what we find.

THE scene opens with the Philistine host prepared to fight against the Israelites. So great was the number of the Philistines, as compared with that of the Israelites, that Saul was very much alarmed. As it is forcibly expressed in the text, "his heart greatly trembled." When David was surrounded by enemies, he said to the Lord, in his prayer, "What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee;" but Saul was in a pitiable condition, for when he would seek the Lord, he received no answer. In his extremity he had his servants find a woman that had a familiar spirit, and, disguising himself, he went to her for information.

It was necessary for him to disguise himself, else he could not have gained admittance to the witch's abode; for in time past, "Saul had put away those that had familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land." This was in accordance with the command of God, and does not mean simply banishment, but death. Thus: "Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live." Ex. 22:18. "A man also or woman that hath a familiar spirit, or that is a wizard, shall surely be put to death." Lev. 20:27. In Deut. 18:9-12 we learn that witchcraft, and consulting with familiar spirits, was very common among the heathen that inhabited Canaan before it was conquered by the Israelites. Under direction from the Lord, Moses said to Israel: "When thou art come into the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations. There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. For all that do these things are an abomination to the Lord; and because of these abominations the Lord thy God doth drive them out from before thee." The woman at Endor was one who had, by some means, escaped the proscription.

IN order to a perfect understanding of this incident, it is very necessary to know the relation that existed between Saul and the Lord. Why would not the Lord listen to Saul? The answer is found in 1 Sam. 15. The Lord had given Saul a commission, and he had not fulfilled it. He deliberately disobeyed the Lord. And this was only one of a long series of disobedient acts. So the prophet Samuel announced the will of the Lord, in these words: "For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, he hath also rejected thee from being king." 1 Sam. 15:23. From that time, we learn that Samuel came no more to see Saul. So we see that Saul's rejection by the Lord was due to the fact that he himself had first rejected the Lord.

WHEN Saul came to the witch, he said: "Bring me up Samuel." Why did he not seek directly to the prophet himself? Because "Samuel was dead, and all Israel had lamented him, and buried him in Ramah, even in his own city." 1 Sam. 28:3. In response to this request the woman told him that she saw an old man, covered with a mantle, coming up out of the earth. Verses 13, 14. The reader will notice that in this case Saul did not see the apparition at all, but "perceived that it was Samuel," from the woman's description. Notice, also, that the pious Samuel was called "up," and came up "out of the earth," instead of down from heaven. Saul knew nothing about the doctrine of the good going to Heaven at death, and the heathen, one of whom he was consulting, had all souls, good and bad alike, in the lower world—in hades.

Now what reasons have we for saying that Samuel did not converse with Saul on that occasion, and was not there at all? 1. It is not reasonable to suppose that, if Samuel would not during his life-time listen to Saul, whom he loved, when personally urged to do so, he would come to him after death, at the solicitation of a despised heathen. 2. It is the height of absurdity to suppose that God, who had rejected Saul, and had refused to answer him in his own appointed way,—by dreams, by Urim, or by prophets,—would communicate with him through one whom he had said should be put to death as an abominable thing. 3. That which settles the matter beyond all controversy, is the word of inspiration: "The living know that they shall die; but the dead know not anything." "Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished." "Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest." Eccl. 9:5, 6, 10. Man's "breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish." Ps. 146:4. Satan has the power of death; but the Lord alone has life. Satan can seize men, and shut them up in his prison house, the grave; but Satan cannot liberate them; Christ alone has the keys of the grave; he alone can set Satan's captives free. For these reasons, we say we know that Samuel had no more to do with the occurrence narrated in 1 Sam. 28, than the stones under their feet.

"If Samuel was not there, who personated him so successfully as to deceive Saul?" Satan, or one of his evil angels. And this also is susceptible of Bible proof. First, we learn that "Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light." 2 Cor. 11:14. It was as an angel of light, his true form and character concealed, that he came with his temptations to Christ in the wilderness. Had he come as the chief of the powers of darkness, he could not have hoped to make any impression on the Saviour. He hoped to deceive Jesus into thinking that he was an angel sent with a message from Heaven. The Lord, however, saw through the disguise at once. But the point is, if Satan may appear as an angel of light, how much more may he not personate a human being. To successfully personate another is nothing more than many men are able to do.

SECOND, Saul had put himself on the devil's ground. Long before he had first cast off, and then been cast off by the Lord. Now there is no neutral ground between the Lord and Satan. As soon as Saul was entirely out from under the influence of God, he passed under the influence of Satan. His frenzied attacks on the innocent David show the influence under which he had fallen. Then what more natural than that he, being under the influence of the devil, should go to the devil for help? A "familiar spirit" is "a demon or evil spirit supposed to attend at call."—Webster. "Witchcraft" is "intercourse with evil spirits." See also the definition of "sorcery," and "enchantment." This was what the heathen practiced. Their worship was devil worship. "But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils." 1 Cor. 10:20. Whenever the Israelites forsook the Lord, they engaged in devil worship. See Deut. 32:16, 17; Ps. 106:34-37. No wonder that they were an abomination to the Lord. Therefore, since Saul had voluntarily put himself under the devil's power, we are forced to conclude that the devil deceived him in this instance. Deceive him, indeed he did; for if space permitted, we could show that Saul did not die on the morrow, as was intimated to him.

"How could Saul have kept from being deceived?" By heeding the word of the Lord. "Strong delusion, that they should believe a lie" (2 Thess. 2:9-12), is not sent to men until they reject the truth. And in that case, how could it be otherwise? If a man does not believe the truth, what is there but lies for him to believe? Remember, also, that it is an "evil heart of unbelief" that first leads men away from God, and under the devil's power. And now we will give a sure rule for detecting all evil spirits. "To the law and to the testimony; if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them." Isa. 8:20. Christ at once detected Satan's attempted imposture because he acted contrary to the written word. So when we hear of men who pretend

to communicate with the dead, we may know that there is no light in them, because the Bible says "the dead know not anything." If we strictly adhere to God's word, we cannot be deceived; if we cast any portion of it aside, we need not hope to stand. E. J. W.