The Shadow of Sheol: The Witch of Endor and the Unveiling of Saul’s Fate
The account of King Saul’s final, desperate act, consulting the Witch of Endor in 1 Samuel chapter 28, is one of the Bible’s most chilling narratives. It provides a rare and unsettling look into the spiritual realm, underscoring the dangers of forbidden practices and the inescapable consequences of rebellion against God.
1. The Despair: Saul’s Abandonment (1 Samuel 28:5-6)
King Saul had become a man abandoned by God. Having repeatedly disobeyed the commandments, he had lost the anointing and the presence of the Holy Spirit. As the Philistine army gathered against him, Saul attempted to seek counsel from the LORD, but received only silence:
“And when Saul saw the host of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart greatly trembled. And when Saul enquired of the LORD, the LORD answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets.”
— 1 Samuel 28:5-6 (KJV)
In his fear, Saul violated a law he himself had previously enforced: the expulsion of all those who practiced necromancy and witchcraft (1 Samuel 28:3). Having exhausted all legitimate divine channels, he turned to the ultimate forbidden source—a woman with a familiar spirit.
2. The Forbidden Practice: Consulting the Medium (1 Samuel 28:7-14)
Saul disguised himself and sought out a medium at Endor. He demanded that she bring up the spirit of the recently deceased prophet, Samuel.
The woman’s terrified reaction to what she actually saw is a Prophetic Hotspot, suggesting that the appearance was not a mere theatrical deception, but a genuine, supernatural manifestation:
“And when the woman saw Samuel, she cried out with a loud voice: and the woman spake to Saul, saying, Why hast thou deceived me? for thou art Saul. … And Saul perceived that it was Samuel himself, and he stooped with his face to the ground, and bowed himself.”
— 1 Samuel 28:12, 14 (KJV)
The spirit that appeared, identified by the narrative as Samuel, delivered a message of devastating finality.
3. The Judgment: The Prophecy of Death (1 Samuel 28:15-19)
Samuel’s message immediately confronted Saul’s disobedience and pronounced the end of his kingship and his life:
“Then said Samuel, Wherefore hast thou disquieted me, to bring me up, seeing the LORD is departed from thee, and is become thine enemy? … Moreover the LORD will also deliver Israel with thee into the hand of the Philistines: and to morrow shalt thou and thy sons be with me: the LORD also shall deliver the host of Israel into the hand of the Philistines.”
— 1 Samuel 28:15, 19 (KJV)
A Glimpse Beyond the Veil
The phrase, “to morrow shalt thou and thy sons be with me,” offers a complex theological detail. While the Bible generally uses the term Sheol (translated as ‘the grave’ or ‘hell’ in the KJV) to denote the realm of the dead, this moment seems to confirm the shared destiny of all the deceased. Whether Samuel meant that Saul would simply be dead, or that he would enter the same spiritual domain as the prophet, the message was clear: Judgment was final and imminent.
Saul’s final act of desperation cemented his fate, showing that God’s judgment, once pronounced, cannot be circumvented by turning to occult powers.
The Return Question: The Source of Truth
In a world increasingly turning toward spiritualism and occult practices, how does the narrative of the Witch of Endor emphatically affirm that only the word of the returning Lord, and not familiar spirits, provides a reliable and unchangeable declaration of future events?
The episode highlights the essential difference between God’s ordained prophets (whose messages are verified by God’s Spirit) and familiar spirits (whose contact is an abomination, yet who can sometimes reveal a portion of truth). Saul’s mistake was seeking truth from a forbidden source, receiving only confirmation of the judgment he already deserved. For those focused on The Lord’s Return, this story is a permanent warning: we must rely exclusively on the codified word of God and the prophetic instruction He has sealed, rather than chasing after unauthorized spiritual experiences or attempting to force revelation.