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Where was Saul this long
time? He was still at his house, unhappy and discontented; the evil
spirit troubling him more and more. The Philistines now came to
fight against Israel, and Saul gathered together all his soldiers at
Gilboa. But he felt much frightened when he looked upon the army of
his enemies, for he knew that he had not God to fight for him. Saul
went and asked God to help him; but had no answer. Saul had forsaken
God; now God forsook him. Saul had no answer, because he did not
pray humbly; he was not truly sorry for his sin. He was frightened
and miserable, but he was not penitent and humble. God promises
always to answer sincere prayers; but Saul's prayer was careless and
insincere; and, therefore, God would not attend to it. What
could Saul do now? Where did he go for help? Did he pray again
to God, and ask for a new heart, and a right spirit? No, Saul was
soon tired of prayer, for he did not care for God's blessing and
forgiveness. He called his servants, and asked them if they knew a
witch who could tell him what he wanted to know. The witches were
wicked women who pretended to have the power of raising dead people, and
of foretelling future things. God had commanded them to be put to
death. But Saul was now grown so foolish, and so wicked that he
wished to ask advice of a witch, and not of God, nor of His holy prophets. Saul's
servants told him there was a witch living at Endor; so he changed his
dress, that people might not know him, and went secretly, by night, to
Endor. Saul came to the house where this wicked woman lived, and
asked her to raise a dead man to life for him. The woman did not
know Saul; and she refused at first to do what he wished, for she was
afraid of being put to death. But Saul told her not to fear; and
promised she should not be punished. Then she said, "Whom shall
I bring up?" And Saul told her to bring up Samuel. The
foolish woman had no power to raise Samuel. But God showed His power
by causing a figure like Samuel to come up, and speak to Saul. When
the woman saw the figure coming up out of the ground, she was very much
frightened, and cried out for fear. Then Saul looked too. What
did he see? He saw the figure of an old man; he thought it was
Samuel, and he bowed down to the ground. Then the figure asked,
"Why hast thou called me up?" Saul said, "I am sore
distressed; the Philistines make war against me; God is gone from me; and
answers me no more, and I have called thee to tell me what I shall
do." Then the figure said, "Why dost thou ask of me, if
the Lord is thine enemy. He has departed from thee, and given the
kingdom to David, because thou obeyedst not His voice. The
Philistines will fight against Israel; and Israel will be conquered; and
tomorrow thou and thy sons shall be with me." What
did Saul do? He fell down on the ground in fear and horror. He
was very miserable; he had now no hope; to-morrow he must die; his body
must fall in the battle-field; and where must his soul go? Could it
go to Heaven? No; he was not ready for Heaven. Satan was in
his heart, not God's Holy Spirit. The
woman understood now who Saul was; and she and his servants tried to
comfort him. She spoke kindly to him; and made ready some meat, and
bread for him to eat. But could all this do Saul any good now?
No; he was going to die, and God alone can comfort people in death.
But Saul could not go to God for comfort. It was too late; he had
forsaken God, and God had cast him off for ever. Saul
arose from the ground, and ate what the woman made ready, and then he and
his servants went away. It was night; Saul's last night; to-morrow
he must be in another world.
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