Then the woman said, “Whom shall I bring up for you?”
And Saul said, “Bring up Samuel for me.”
— First Samuel 28:11
“The Lord has departed from you and has become your enemy….The Lord has torn the kingdom out of your hand and given it to your neighbor, David”
— First Samuel 28:16–17
Because of his religious nature, Saul had been sliding lower and lower. His religious nature caused him to offer without God (1 Sam. 13). Next, his religious nature caused him to feel he could make up for it by offering what God had condemned (1 Sam. 15). Then, Saul’s religious nature brought him to the point that he only cared for the continuation of his own monarchy (1 Sam. 18, 20). Finally, his religious nature brought Saul to the point that he sought advice from a ghost through a witch (1 Sam. 28)! We now see someone far from the presence of God. Religion can degrade us to such an extent that we even get involved in things such as this.
Adapted from David: After God’s Heart, page 40.
Tomorrow: “When Religion is Exposed” (6)