To Go or Not To Go

O. T. #655   "To Go or Not To Go"
December 14, 2015
1 Samuel 28
King Achish told David, "You and your men will be expected to join me in battle."
1 Samuel 28:1

LET IT GLOW

Apparently things were going okay for David when the Philistines decided to go to war with Israel again. That put David in a pickle, a sticky situation. The king expected David and his 600 men to join them to fight against his own family and nation. If he refused to join them, then he would give away his loyalty to Israel and endanger his soldiers and family's lives. And then, to join them would hurt the very people he loved and would one day lead as their king.

 David did not have to solve this decision-to go or not to go. God protected him. We will find out how in chapter 29.

Are we trusting God in the little and large challenges we face? He can handle them all, no matter the size.

LET IT GROW

Now you remember the delusional King Saul of Israel? He is still alive at this time. In fact, he did go one good thing for his nation earlier. He had banded, sent away all the spirit mediums in the country. Leviticus 20:27 had forbidden the Israelites to communicate with dead using them.

If any of them had ever accomplished any supernatural things, it would have been through the power of Satan and not God's power. (Falwell)

When Saul saw the vast Philistine army, what did he do?

• Saul became frantic with fear.
• He asked the Lord what he should do, but the Lord refused to answer him through dreams, sacred lots, or by the prophets. (Saul was abandoned by God to his own insane wickedness.)
• Then Saul sent his servants to find a woman who was a medium so he could go and ask her what to do. They found one for the king.
• Saul disguised himself in ordinary clothing instead of wearing his royalty robe.
• By night he and two of his men went to see her, for he had outlawed her practice and did not want to be seen; he knew he was in the wrong to do such a thing. When Saul asked her to call up the spirit from the dead, she refused because she knew the law the king had made.
• Saul took an oath in the name of the Lord that nothing would happen to her. Honestly Saul! Bringing the Lord's name into your sinful methods.
• Scripture tells us of the conversation between Samuel, who came from the dead, and Saul. That was when the medium realized that inquiring man was Saul. 

We are going to leave these three here. Does Saul hear that he will have victory in battle with the Philistines or defeat? Or does he hear other news?

LET IT GO

Seek God's answer for my life situation not the evil one's.

Stay true and faithful to my Lord Jesus.

Obey when He tells me to go; stay when He tells me to stay.