Day 74 – 1 Samuel 28:1-6

Scripture Review

1 Samuel 28:1-6

"And it came to pass in those days, that the Philistines gathered their armies together for warfare, to fight with Israel. And Achish said unto David, Know thou assuredly, that thou shalt go out with me to battle, thou and thy men." (1 Samuel 28:1)

Now the trap David made for himself in chapter 27 starts snapping shut. While he is down there in Philistine country, enjoying the short lived quiet that came from fleeing Saul, the Philistines gather "for warfare, to fight with Israel." This is not some border fight with a few raiding parties. This must be a major campaign. Achish now speaks "thou shalt go out with me to battle." In other words, David's compromise has ripened into obligation. The Philistine king is calling in the note.

That is one of the mean tricks of backsliding. It promises shelter, then hands you a sword and tells you to march against your own people. A man can step out of the will of God for relief, and before long he is standing where he never dreamed he would stand. David had wanted breathing room from Saul. Now Achish expects battlefield loyalty. This is a reminder to me that the flesh never stops at "just a little relief." It always wants terms.

"And David said to Achish, Surely thou shalt know what thy servant can do. And Achish said to David, Therefore will I make thee keeper of mine head for ever." (1 Samuel 28:2)

David's answer is slippery on purpose. He does not say, "I will fight Israel." He does not say, "I refuse." He gives Achish a sentence that can buy him time. "Surely thou shalt know what thy servant can do." The classic politician answer, deliberate ambiguity. Achish takes it as a bold agreement, almost like David is saying, "Just wait till you see me work."

Then Achish raises him even further: "I will make thee keeper of mine head for ever." That is not a minor errand boy post. This is sometimes understood as captain of the bodyguard, a high-trust office close to the king's person. So David, the LORD's anointed, is now being offered permanent honor in a Philistine court. It is hard not to feel the ugliness of that. Saul will not have David near him, and a Philistine king is ready to put him near his own head. The world has a way of flattering the saint it has compromised.

"Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had lamented him, and buried him in Ramah, even in his own city. And Saul had put away those that had familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land." (1 Samuel 28:3)

The Holy Ghost pauses the action and reminds me of two facts that matter for what comes next. First, "Samuel was dead." That had already been stated earlier in the book, but it is brought back into view here because Saul is about to move in utter spiritual loneliness. Samuel's death made the Philistines bolder and Saul more frightened. If Samuel was alive, Saul would probably have thought his counsel and prayers might have helped in this crisis. Whether Saul would have actually submitted to Samuel is another matter, but the point stands. Samuel is gone, and Saul has no spiritual balance left.

Second, Saul "had put away those that had familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land." There is some outward custom here. He had enforced the law against occult practices. But it has a bitter taste, because a man may drive witches out of the kingdom and still nurse rebellion in the throne room of his own heart. Saul will drive the devil out of his land and yet harbor him in his heart by envy and malice. Public reform without inward repentance is a painted door on a burning house.

"And the Philistines gathered themselves together, and came and pitched in Shunem: and Saul gathered all Israel together, and they pitched in Gilboa." (1 Samuel 28:4)

Now the battlefield comes into view. The Philistines pitch in Shunem, and Saul gathers Israel at Gilboa. Shunem sat on the slope of what is called Little Hermon, while Gilboa rose opposite across the broad valley of Jezreel. The Philistines held the open ground where chariots and massed movement favored them, Saul and Israel kept to the heights, which was more in keeping with Israelite habit in war. In short, the Philistines clung to the plain, the Israelites to the hill country. This is military pressure written into the land itself. Saul can see the enemy spread out before him.

Saul "gathered all Israel together," Gathering men is not the same thing as having the favor of God. He still has troops. He still has a camp. He still has the outward apparatus of kingship. Yet the chapter is already showing that the kingdom is hollowed out. A crown without God on it is just dressed up ruin.

"And when Saul saw the host of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart greatly trembled." (1 Samuel 28:5)

Once Saul sees the host, the old king comes apart inside. "He was afraid, and his heart greatly trembled." The once brave king had become a coward because he knew the Spirit of the LORD had departed from him. Saul is not merely scared because the army is big. He is scared because he knows, somewhere beneath all the royal machinery and military noise, that he has burned through the favor he once enjoyed.

Saul is not trembling like an innocent man startled by danger. He is trembling like a guilty man staring at judgment. When a man has spent years refusing light, the dark gets loud. Saul has armor, men, hills, banners. None of it can steady his heart.

"And when Saul enquired of the LORD, the LORD answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets." (1 Samuel 28:6)

This is one of the grievous lines in all I have studied so far. Saul "enquired of the LORD," and the LORD answered him not. No dream. No Urim. No prophet. Every ordinary and extraordinary channel is shut. Heaven is not confused. Heaven is silent. Saul exhausted every legitimate avenue and got nothing. Not because the LORD had become unrighteous, but because Saul had become set. He had alienated priest and prophet by a willful life and would not bend the royal privilege to the will of God. Saul wanted direction, but he did not want surrender. He wanted information, not repentance. There are people in church today that want the same bargain. God never signs it.

There comes a time when a man or woman who would not hear God finds that God will not answer them. Not because the Lord is cruel. Because they spent years hardening themselves against light, counsel, rebuke, Scripture, prophet, priest, and providence. Saul would not listen when God spoke. Now he begs and hears nothing. That kind of silence is heavier than thunder.