Saul Cuts His Last Link

The witch of Endor had escaped the decree to destroy all wizards, witches, and necromancers (those who claim to speak to the dead).

Yet “disguised as he was, Saul’s lofty stature and kingly port declared that he was no common soldier. The woman suspected that her visitor was Saul, and his rich gifts strengthened her suspicions.” “Little did she realize that Saul himself had long been troubled by evil spirits ([1 Samuel] 16:14–16), and was now completely at their mercy.” “And the woman said unto him, Behold, thou knowest what Saul hath done, how he hath cut off those that have familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land: wherefore then layest thou a snare for my life, to cause me to die?” (1 Samuel 28:9). Saul quickly granted immunity so that he might consult the dead prophet. “But a communication from Samuel, speaking as a prophet, would indirectly be a communication from God, and it is expressly stated that the Lord refused to communicate with Saul (1 Sam. 28:6). Saul was slain, ‘for asking counsel of one that had a familiar spirit, to enquire of it; and enquired not of the Lord’ (1 Chron. 10:13, 14).” “Saul knew that in this last act, of consulting the witch of Endor, he cut the last shred which held him to God. He knew that if he had not before willfully separated himself from God, this act sealed that separation, and made it final. He had made an agreement with death, and a covenant with hell. The cup of his iniquity was full.” “The Scriptures predict an increase in supernatural manifestations in the last days (Matt. 7:22, 23; 2 Thess. 2:9; Rev. 13:13, 14; 16:14). The only safeguard against these delusive devices is to have the mind so well fortified with the truths of the Bible that the tempter will be recognized in his guise.”5 Rejecting the Word in small steps leads steadily further from the path of righteousness.