“What does it look like?” he asked.
“It’s an old man coming up,” she answered. “He is wearing a cloak.”
Then Saul knew that it was Samuel, and he bowed to the ground in respect.
Saul no doubt appeared old but still in the prime of life – 60 maybe? A time since passed for me…
Samuel said to Saul, “Why have you disturbed me? Why did you make me come back?”
This is not the rest spoken of in Hebrews 4:1 – rather that of Job 3:17-19.
Saul answered, “I am in great trouble! The Philistines are at war with me, and God has abandoned me. He doesn’t answer me any more, either by prophets or by dreams. And so I have called you, for you to tell me what I must do.”
How sad it is to see someone truly at the end of his rope and without hope – but very much merited.
Samuel said, “Why do you call me when the Lord has abandoned you and become your enemy?
Probably one of the few times in all of human history where this is absolutely no hope. May I never find myself as such, Father (Lamentations 3:22-33).
“The Lord has done to you what he told you through me: he has taken the kingdom away from you and given it to David instead. You disobeyed the Lord’s command and did not completely destroy the Amalekites and all they had. That is why the Lord is doing this to you now.”
You always fulfill your word, Lord (Isaiah 55:10-11). How much longer for our time (Habacuc 2:3)?
“He will give you and Israel over to the Philistines. Tomorrow you and your sons will join me, and the Lord will also give the army of Israel over to the Philistines.”
Ouch! Terrifying. The common fate of a king and his subjects (1 Samuel 12:25; 15:24; 2 Samuel 24:1).