More Than a Ghost Story III (2021 Edition)

 



Introduction

     People throughout the ages were and are fascinated with speaking to a loved one from beyond the grave. Many will pay a hefty sum of money to have a Medium conduct a séance to contact people from the “other side.”

Magician Harry Houdini spent the latter half of his career debunking the spiritualists who prey on innocent people. And, according to scripture, speaking to the dead is impossible. 

In the story of the rich man and Lazarus (Lk. 16:19-31), the rich man begged Abraham to send Lazarus back to his brothers to speak to him of their fate. Abraham refused saying that if they won’t hear Moses and the Prophets; they surely won’t listen to a ghost. 

Even Mediums in the Old Testament were frauds. However, in the scenario to follow, God makes one of the Mediums the real thing for a short time. 


Burning Bridges

     There’s an old saying, “Don’t burn your bridges behind you.” This is especially noted in the workforce. Meaning always leave yourself a place to return if your new job doesn’t work out. King Saul was one of these people.

Throughout his reign, he did what he thought was right and suffered many consequences in return: He made a sacrifice unto God without approval (1 Sam. 13:8-14), he made a decree that no man may eat until their enemies were vanquished (1 Sam. 14:24), and a third example was when he disobeyed God’s command to completely destroy the Amalekites (1 Sam. 15:1-23). Instead, he brought back the king and a number of animals for sacrifice. Saul begged for forgiveness but Samuel, the Prophet would not hear of it (1 Sam. 15:24-28).

 

The Witch of Endor

 

    After all this, he still thought God would come to his rescue when he needed him. In 1 Sam. 28:5-20 is a story in which Saul was up against the Philistines. At this time, Samuel was dead (1 Sam. 25:1) and everything that Saul tried to do, he couldn’t get God to respond.

Disguising himself, he goes to a medium to have her summon the ghost of the prophet Samuel which, to her surprise, she does! Saul begs for help and this is Samuel’s response, “Why then do you ask me, seeing the LORD has departed from you and has become your enemy? And the LORD has done for Himself as He spoke by me. For the LORD has torn the kingdom out of your hand and given it to your neighbor, David. Because you did not obey the voice of the LORD nor execute His fierce wrath upon Amalek, therefore the LORD has done this thing to you this day. Moreover the LORD will also deliver Israel with you into the hand of the Philistines. And tomorrow you and your sons will be with me. The LORD will also deliver the army of Israel into the hand of the Philistines.” (1 Sam. 28:16-19).

  

Where is the Spotlight?

     Everything Saul did was for the benefit for himself and not for God.  Christians, today, sometime have the same problem. Although they claim they are doing certain things for work of the church or to further the cause of Christ, they end up furthering themselves keeping the spotlight on them instead of God.

For example, when an individual makes a sizable donation to a local charity; making sure that their name is printed in a newsletter or announced over the airwaves and social media.

Jesus said in Matthew 6:1-4, “Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven. Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. "But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.”

Was Paul looking for the spotlight? Indeed not! He even states that he was not an excellent orator. Here’s what he wrote 1 Cor. 2:1-5, And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.

         

Conclusion

     This is more than a ghost story as it shows the importance of listening to God and following his word. Saul lost God’s help because he wouldn’t listen; especially when he needed it the most as described above.

Don’t make the same mistakes that Saul did. Listen to what God and His Son, Jesus, have to say as written in the scriptures (Rom. 10:17; Matt. 17:5). For when judgment day arrives, we must give an account for everything that we have done, or haven’t done, in this life (2 Cor. 5:10).

 

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