Walking On Dangerous Ground

By Danny Saavedra

“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 departed 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.’ Samuel said, ‘Why do you consult me, now that the Lord has departed from you and become your enemy? The Lord has done what he predicted through me. The Lord has torn the kingdom out of your hands and given it to one of your neighbors—to David. Because you did not obey the Lord or carry out his fierce wrath against the Amalekites, the Lord has done this to you today. The Lord will deliver both Israel and you into the hands of the Philistines, and tomorrow you and your sons will be with me. The Lord will also give the army of Israel into the hands of the Philistines.’ Immediately Saul fell full length on the ground, filled with fear because of Samuel’s words. His strength was gone, for he had eaten nothing all that day and all that night.”—1 Samuel 28:15–24 (NIV)

In one of the most haunting scenes in the Old Testament, King Saul finds himself completely alone, scared, and surrounded by the Philistine army. From his perspective, God was silent. In desperation, Saul does what he once outlawed: He seeks a medium to summon the dead. What happens next is startling: Samuel actually shows up!

Now, let me be clear . . . Scripture gives no indication that this wasn’t Samuel, so I’m operating as if this was indeed Samuel. Does that mean that ghosts are real? No. This is one of only two confirmed instances of those who appeared after death—the other being on the Mount of Transfiguration. Both cases are believers who lived before the resurrection of Jesus. You see, Samuel, like all believers, was sent from Abraham’s bosom—a place of comfort for believers who died before the finished work of Jesus. (See more on Abraham’s bosom below.*)

Let me also be clear on something else . . . Samuel’s appearance wasn't the work of the medium. Samuel appears because the Lord allowed it. He sent Samuel. Unfortunately for Saul, Samuel didn’t offer comfort or strategy. He gave prophetic warning: “Tomorrow you and your sons will be with me.”

What can we learn from this? Well, first, we see that Saul's actions reflect a willingness to dabble in spiritual practices that were explicitly forbidden by God. He had banned mediums from the land (1 Samuel 28:3); yet, here he is, sneaking into one’s home under cover of darkness. We still see this today: tarot cards, psychic readings, horoscopes, crystals, “manifesting,” and even New Age mysticism packaged in Christian terminology—it’s real and it’s prevalent, friends, so always be on the lookout. These practices open spiritual doors that God has clearly told us to keep shut.

Paul’s warning in 1 Corinthians 10 is sobering: Engaging in pagan practices isn’t spiritually neutral—it’s literally participating with demons. You can’t mix the holy with the profane. Just because something feels “spiritual” doesn’t make it safe or godly. If it’s not a biblically prescribed spiritual practice, you’re opening yourself up to what Paul calls “rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Ephesians 6:12 NIV).

Second, Saul invokes God's name to swear immunity to the medium: “As surely as the Lord lives, no punishment will come to you for this” (1 Samuel 28:10 NIV). He uses God’s name to guarantee protection for someone actively breaking God’s law. That’s blasphemy in its rawest form, a true example of taking the Lord’s name in vain—not just flippantly saying “Oh my God,” but invoking His name to bless what He condemns.

And finally, Saul blames God for His silence: “God has turned away from me. He no longer answers me.” But Samuel makes it clear that it was Saul who turned away. Saul disobeyed. Saul hardened his heart. Saul repeatedly placed himself on the throne of his life. And now, God has confirmed the consequence Saul chose. Just like with the Pharaoh in Egypt during Moses’ time, “God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done. They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity” (Romans 1:28–29 NIV). As theologian Joseph Barnes explains, “It was not that God compelled them; or that he did not give them knowledge; nor even is it said that he arbitrarily abandoned them as the first step; but they forsook him, and as a consequence, he gave them up to a reprobate mind. A mind destitute of judgment.”

It’s easy to shake a fist at heaven when God seems distant. But the real question is always this: Who moved? God is unchanging and faithful. If we feel far from Him, it’s not because He walked away . . . it’s because we did!

If you feel a distance between you and the Lord today, know that it’s on your end and all you need to do is repent of whatever you may be holding onto that has separated you from experiencing His presence. Like the lost son, turn back and you’ll find that He’s been there waiting all along, because the Lord is never far from those who seek Him with their hearts.

This passage is heavy, but it’s a mercy, too. God let Saul see the tragic end of a life lived on his own terms. I pray we learn well from Saul’s many mistakes. “Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise” (Ephesians 5:15 NIV).

Pause: Are there any areas in your life where you’ve tried to blend worldly or “spiritual” practices with your faith? Are you blaming God for a silence or distance that might actually be a result of your own choices?

Practice:

1. Do a spiritual inventory. Identify and remove anything in your life that dabbles in New Age or unbiblical spiritual practices—even the ones that seem harmless.

2. Reflect on how you use God’s name. Do you invoke it in ways that misrepresent who He is or what He stands for?

3 .Realign your heart. Spend intentional time in repentance and surrender—invite God to sit on the throne of your life.

Pray: Father, forgive me for the ways I’ve flirted with the things You’ve forbidden. Help me see the seriousness of what I allow into my life. I don’t want to call on Your name while ignoring Your truth. Draw me back to You, Lord. Even if I feel far, I know You haven’t moved. Help me walk in step with You again. In Jesus’ Name, I pray. Amen.

*What Is Abraham’s Bosom?

In Scripture, the term used was Sheol or hades—a realm with two divisions: a place of blessing and a place of judgment (Matthew 11:23; 16:18; Luke 10:15; 16:23; Acts 2:27–31). The dwelling place of the saved and the lost are both generally called hades in the Bible. The dwelling place of the saved is what Jesus called “Abraham’s bosom” or “Abraham’s side.” Jesus also called it “paradise” (Luke 23:43 NIV).

The dwelling place of the saved and the lost are separated by a “great chasm” (Luke 16:26). When Jesus died, He went to the blessed side of sheol, or paradise. All the unbelieving dead go to the cursed side of hades to await the final judgment. All the believing dead went to the blessed side of hades to await the resurrection. It was the place of comfort for the believing dead before the finished work of Jesus (see Luke 16:19–31). After Jesus' resurrection and ascension, He took with Him the souls who had been in Abraham's bosom, effectively emptying it. And now, when a believer dies, they go directly to heaven to be in the presence of the Lord.