1 Sa. 28: Witchy Woman

1 Samuel 28:15 "Samuel said to Saul, 'Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?'

'I am in great distress,' Saul said. 'The Philistines are fighting against me, and God has turned away from me. He no longer answers me, either by prophets or by dreams. So I have called on you to tell me what to do.'"

Well, David's plan might finally get screwed up, as Achish tells David that they are preparing to go to war. Against Israel! EVERYBODY PANIC. David, cool as a cucumber, says, "Yeah, just watch what your servant can do." So that will be interesting to see what happens. Now for the cliffhanger...

Saul, seeing the Philistine army, tried everything to see what God would say, God was silent, as though he had turned a deaf ear to Saul. Or Saul had abandoned God. Anyway, Saul rationally and patiently confesses before God and repents. Just kidding. He consults the witch of Endor. Yeah. He banished all seers and witches previously, so this witch is a little leery of this disguised Saul. But anyway, she Abra-cadabras, and up comes Samuel. Apparently. Or someone she thinks is Samuel. She totally freaks, whether it finally actually worked, or because she knew Samuel and Saul's history.

Samuel asks the question of the hour. "Why have you disturbed me?" This is another piece to the afterlife puzzle, I think. Apparently it is rest. And apparently those who have crossed over do not want to be disturbed, especially by whiny prima donna kings. And Saul should have known Samuel was not going to have anything resembling good news for him. In fact, it's just about the worst news in the history of time. God has taken away your kingdom, you're going to lose, you and your sons are going to die, and Israelite army will be handed over the Philistines.

More about the afterlife. Samuel says Saul and his sons "will be with me." Now, Samuel was good. For the most part. Saul, not so much. Jonathan, good as far as we know. Other sons, we don't really know. So wherever these people are going, their righteousness in life apparently has no bearing.

And I wonder how much was revealed to Samuel. And to what degree. Did he remember what happened while he was still alive? What did God tell him? What was his walk with God like after death?

Just curious.