Going From Bad To Worse

There are many stories throughout history of great men who started off well but ended up in a mess. King Saul, who was Israel's first king, was one of those. For years he was a good leader, a religious man, and he led his nation in the ways of God. But then it all went pear-shaped; he refused to obey God and it all ended in his tragic death. The verses above tell of the last great battle that Saul was to face — a powerful Philistine army which scared the life out of Saul. It was a huge army and when he asked for God's advice and help God did not answer him. Why? Because Saul had become a godless, paranoid man, bent on destroying David who was to succeed him. His life was going from bad to worse.

God's prophet Samuel had died and Saul flailed around looking for someone to help him. In desperation he consulted a 'medium' a sort of witchdoctress who 'called up' Samuel from the dead. But Samuel only pronounced a message of doom for Saul. It was a terrible thing Saul had done. We don't know how these 'mediums' work, but they are of the devil and God has forbidden people to have anything to do with spiritism or 'mediums' - even today. Fortune tellers are much the same and it is better to have nothing to do with them. Saul's grim experience of them is a warning to us all.

Prayer

Dear Lord, help me to walk humbly with you every day and ask your advice in all that I do. Amen