Question 1

Why did Saul go to the woman with a familiar spirit at Endor?

Accepted Answer

Saul went to the woman at Endor because he was desperate and afraid. The Philistines were preparing for war against Israel, and when Saul asked God for guidance, there was no answer through prophets or dreams. Instead of humbling himself in real repentance, he chose a forbidden path he had once condemned. He disguised himself and went by night to a medium, hoping to get direction for the coming battle. His choice shows a heart that wanted answers but did not want to bow to God’s way.

Question 2

What does it mean that God departed from Saul and became his enemy?

Accepted Answer

When Saul says that God has departed from him and does not answer him anymore, it shows a broken relationship that has been building over time. Saul had repeatedly disobeyed God, including refusing to fully carry out God’s command against Amalek. God’s silence is not random; it comes after many warnings and rejected chances. The phrase that the Lord has become his enemy means Saul now stands on the opposite side of God’s purpose. Instead of enjoying God’s help, he must face the consequences of his own choices.

Question 3

Was it really Samuel who appeared to Saul at Endor?

Accepted Answer

This passage has been understood in more than one way. Some readers think God allowed the real Samuel to appear to deliver a final word of judgment. Others believe a demonic spirit was imitating Samuel, because calling up the dead by a medium does not fit with how God normally works. What is clear in the story is that Saul is not led to hope or repentance. The message he hears only confirms God’s earlier word of judgment and the nearness of his death and defeat.

Question 4

What is the significance of Samuel saying, "Tomorrow shalt thou and thy sons be with me"?

Accepted Answer

When Samuel says, “Tomorrow shalt thou and thy sons be with me,” he is telling Saul that death is very near. Saul and his sons will fall in the coming battle, and Israel’s army will be handed over to the Philistines. It shows how serious Saul’s disobedience has been and that God’s earlier warnings are now coming to pass. The phrase “with me” points mainly to the shared state of the dead, not to comfort. It underlines that Saul’s time as king is ending under God’s judgment.

Question 5

What does this passage teach about consulting mediums and familiar spirits?

Accepted Answer

This passage shows how empty and dangerous it is to turn to mediums and familiar spirits. Saul had once removed such people from the land because God clearly forbids these practices. Yet when he feels cornered, he goes right back to what God condemns. The story does not show him getting real help, only confirmation of judgment and more fear. It warns that seeking hidden knowledge apart from God does not bring peace or guidance, but exposes a heart that refuses to trust and obey God’s word.

Question 6

Why is Saul’s oath to protect the woman at Endor such a problem?

Accepted Answer

Saul’s oath shows how twisted his thinking has become. He is in the middle of breaking God’s law by asking for forbidden spiritual help, yet he swears by the Lord that no harm will come to the woman for doing that very thing. He uses God’s name to promise safety for sin. This reveals deep hypocrisy: he once punished such practices, but now protects them when it suits him. It reminds us that using God’s name while ignoring God’s commands does not honor God at all.

Question 7

How does Saul’s reaction to Samuel’s words show the weight of God’s judgment?

Accepted Answer

After hearing Samuel’s words, Saul falls full length on the ground and is terrified. He has no strength left, helped by the fact that he has not eaten all day or night. His fear shows that he knows the message is true; there is no comfort and no way to escape what is coming. Even when the woman and his servants urge him to eat, it is only to give him enough strength to face the path ahead, not to change the outcome. God’s judgment, once set, is heavy and sobering.

Question 8

Why does the woman at Endor feed Saul after the message of judgment?

Accepted Answer

The woman at Endor, who had risked her life by using her familiar spirit, ends up showing practical kindness to Saul. When she sees how shaken and weak he is, she urges him to eat so he will have strength to go on his way. She quickly prepares a meal from a fat calf and unleavened bread. This does not undo what has been said, but it shows how even in a dark scene, ordinary human care appears. Saul receives physical strength for his final steps, though his situation before God has not changed.

Question 9

How can this passage about Saul and Endor warn readers today?

Accepted Answer

This passage warns against hardening the heart and only turning to God when trouble comes. Saul wanted help from God without a life of obedience to God. When he did not hear an answer, he ran to a forbidden source rather than bow in repentance. The story reminds readers not to look for guidance in spiritual shortcuts, occult practices, or anything that sets aside God’s word. It calls people to seek God while they still hear his voice, trusting him in both quiet times and in crisis.

1 Samuel 28:7

¶ Then said Saul unto his servants, Seek me a woman that hath a familiar spirit, that I may go to her, and enquire of her. And his servants said to him, Behold, there is a woman that hath a familiar spirit at En-dor.

Saul and the Medium of Endor

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1 Samuel 28:7

¶ Then said Saul unto his servants, Seek me a woman that hath a familiar spirit, that I may go to her, and enquire of her. And his servants said to him, Behold, there is a woman that hath a familiar spirit at En-dor.

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Saul and the Medium of Endor

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