Read the passage: 1 Samuel 28
Read v. 6
v.7 1. When God’s chosen directly violates a command of God.
(Then said Saul unto his servants, Seek me a woman that hath a familiar spirit,
that I may go to her, and inquire of her. And his servants said to him, Behold,
there is a woman that hath a familiar spirit at Endor.)
the law- Lev. 19: 31; 20: 6, 27 Deut. 18: 10-12
Taking the commands of God lightly.
How do we measure up to the commands of God?
law versus grace because of the presence and work of Christ the
law may be satisfied..
(Matt. 5: 17, 18-20)
(Gal 5: 13-21)
v. 18- not under bondage to please God by works of the law
Saul’s servants were glad to help him sin.
We are to provoke one another to Godliness, love and good works.
(Heb. 10: 24)
v.7 2. When God’s chosen seeks counsel from the ungodly.
( a medium)
The counsel of the Word, that shall stand. (Psalms 33: 11)
Today, as never before, so many of God’s people seek counsel from the ungodly.
Psychiatry, acquaintances, some newspaper quote, television personalities, what
someone out of fellowship with God says, politicians, people who have
experienced the same problem …
We can’t wait to read the newspaper or hear the news to hear what men have to
say.
We are to be interested in what God says. Our standard is what God says; not
what man says about music, morality, sex, freedom, government, sin.
v.7 3. When God’s chosen seeks to circumvent (go around) God’s authority.
( a medium)
In verse 6, God had chosen not to respond.
Saul was going to get his way no matter what.
God’s people have difficulty accepting God’s answer. Thus, they seek their own
way another way.
If God doesn’t provide what they want, they find another way to get it.
What a tragedy.
If their earthly authority says they cannot have something, they just find another
source to get it.
They circumvent that authority and in so doing reject their authority sources.
God’s people are not so free to choose and reject their authority sources.
God places specific persons in authority over us so that we might gain Christ.
Anytime God does not answer a request, there is a discipline opportunity on our
part—either to gain patience or as an indicator of a spiritual error on our part or
because God’s choice of timing isn’t right yet.
God has a reason. We can gain from His reason.
Believers should never circumvent God’s authority. This one thing is a cause of
many believer’s problems.
financial, emotional, job …
v.8 4. When God’s chosen cannot be and act in every situation as God’s chosen.
(And Saul disguised himself, and put on other raiment, and he went, and two
men with him, and they came to the woman by night: and he said, I pray thee,
divine unto me by the familiar spirit, and bring me him up, whom I shall name
unto thee.)
Christians must disguise themselves to disobey God. So many Christians today
wear disguises- a make believe spirituality.
God is not mocked (Gal. 6: 7, 8) God knows their heart.
God’s people are not ignorant, for they know the law - v. 3
God’s people can be deceitful. (Jer. 17: 9)
God’s people are free people, are constantly to radiate Christ, to reflect Christ, to
profess Christ.
God’s chosen are to act as God’s chosen- nothing concealed, for nothing is
hidden from God.
Something is drastically wrong when we cannot accurately present ourselves as
God’s chosen.
v.8 5. When God’s chosen seeks his own gain regardless of God’s glory.
(bring me him up …)
Saul knew the necessity of hearing from God but Samuel was dead.
Saul was so desperate for his own gain that he didn’t regard God’s standards.
What a disgrace. God’s people get themselves in desperate predicaments.
God’s purpose is that his people cry out to Him in repentance and shame and
seek Him.
When who we are (reputation) and what we want is more important to us than
who God wants us to be and who we are in Christ, there is great danger and
peril.
When what people will think is more important to us than what God thinks, there
is great danger.
Christians have not the privilege of usurping God’s integrity and glory.
(A believer can only seek his own gain at the expense of God’s glory.)
v.8 6. When God’s chosen pretends to desire the knowledge of God but doesn’t ask for
it from God.
(bring me him up)
Saul wanted to hear a favorable report from God, but didn’t really want to seek
God.
Too many Christians are like that. They want to be in on all the blessings, but
not on the service requirements.
Too many pretenders act like they want to hear from God when they really want
to pick and choose what they want.
They don’t really want to seek God and know Him. They only want to use God to
get their way or for what they can gain.
Believer’s cannot come to the foot of the throne and pick and choose.
Believers come humbly by grace accepting and receiving all of God’s offering.
v.9 (And the woman said unto him, Behold, thou knowest what Saul hath done, how
he hath cut off those that have familiar spirits, and the wizards, our of the land:
wherefore then layest thou a snare for my life, to cause me to die?)
v.10 7. When God’s chosen acts as though he has authority which God has not given
him.
(And Saul sware to her by the Lord, saying, As the Lord liveth, there shall no
punishment happen to thee for this thing.)
Many of God’s people feel they can do what they want and there will be no
punishment.
Many of God’s people act as though they are the expert and they can exempt
themselves or others from the righteous standards of God.
Believers only have delegated authority--that which Christ has delegated to
them. It is His Holy righteous Name that possesses all authority.
God’s authority cannot be defiled by man.
No man has the authority to violate God’s standards, nor to make concessions
regarding those standards.
God makes no exceptions.
God will not overlook sin.
God’s word will not bend.
The authority given of God is authority to obey His instruction and carry out His
work.
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