17 The LORD has done what he predicted through me.
The LORD has torn the kingdom out of your hands andgiven it to one of your neighbors-to David. - P138
18 Because you did not obey the LORD or carry out hisfierce wrath against the Amalekites, the LORD has donethis to you today.
19 The LORD will deliver both Israel and you into thehands of the Philistines, and tomorrowsons will be with me. The LORD will also give the armyof Israel into the hands of the Philistines." - P138
Saul tells Samuel that he is in great distress and has called on Samuel becausethe Lord no longer answers him. Samuel says that the Lord has torn the king-dom out of Saul‘s hands and given it to David. The Lord will deliver the armyof Israel into the hands of the Philistines. - P139
Saul falls onto the ground filled withfear. The medium offers him some food, and he reluctantly eats. - P139
Saul does not find the comfort he is desperate for. Samuel‘s words arenot favorable toward him. - P140
In fact, Samuel thinks it ridiculous that Saulmight expect a different response than what he received from God.
- P140
Samuel, after all, is the Lord‘s mouthpiece. But Saul, blinded and disoriented
by his sinfulness, has overlooked this fact. - P140
In the end, Saul‘ssentence is confirmed, not primarily because he has consulted a medium, but because he has continued
in a pattern of disobedience to theLord. - P140
We should heed the warning in Saul‘s tragic downfall. We maynot think much of one small compromise with sin, but it may very wellset us on a path of destruction. - P140
Let us promptly obey God‘s commandswhen we receive them. - P140
Upon hearing his judgment pronounced, Saul is in absolute despair.
Even here, if he had repented, it may have gone differently with him.
- P140
The Bible reports stories of wicked kings such as Ahab (1 Kings 21) andManasseh (2 Chron. 33), to whom God showed mercy after they hadresponded to His judgment with humility. - P140
But Saul is reduced to ac-cepting food from a medium as his only comfort. When we continuallyreject God and instead try to find relief in other things, we will sooneror later find that they cannot alleviate our fears and sorrows. - P140
Ratherthan contenting ourselves with the meagre consolation that this worldoffers, let us run to the Lord in repentance. He will never turn awaythose who come to Him. - P140
"You cannot repent too soon, because you do not know how soon it may be toolate." - Thomas Fuller - P140
Dear Lord, my heart wanders when not saturated by the sweetness of YourWord. Help me to be firmly grounded in Your truth and shaped by Your loverevealed through Christ in Scripture. In Jesus‘ name, amen. - P141
Christians and churches would do well to learn about these sociological trends
if we are to be practically helpful to our generation.
- P141
It would be unhelpful to tell anxious young people to "grow up" orsimply assess them as "mentally weak." What is helpful is to recognizethat while humans are sinful, our anxiety often illustrates our fragilitymore than our sin. - P141
It sheds light on our creaturely limits, though oursinful dispositions make things worsWhile remembering the contextual issues and heart desires involved,
it is important to know how the depth of the gospel can comfort everygeneration, young and old. - P141
Scripture teaches us that a daily practiceof trusting the Lord will not only increase our ability to trust, but itwill reveal more and more of the reality of God‘s trustworthiness. - P141
Godloves us, and the Spirit unites us to Christ. We are forever hidden inChrist (Col. 3:3), and there is no bigger comfort against our fears. - P141
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