The Trouble With Slaughtering Prophets And Priests…

How self-seeking are our attempts to gain God’s ear?   ~~~   In 1 Samuel 28 we learn that Saul tried to gain direction from the LORD through prayer, but the LORD refused to answer Saul. In 1 Chronicles 10:13-14 we read that Saul consulted a medium, but did not seek guidance from the LORD. So is this a contradiction? Because 1 Samuel 28 seems to indicate that Saul did inquire of the LORD. So what gives? I think there are two answers. One is that Saul did not consistently seek guidance from the LORD concerning these types of matters. The other answer is that Saul did not genuinely seek the LORD in this particular matter, or in any other matter. Saul’s purpose in seeking the LORD was to save his own skin, not to do the LORD’s will. He was interested in his own personal comfort. What could he do to get himself out of this jam? No direct answer, no dream, no prophet came to speak (remember Samuel was dead, but there was a school of prophets). And no priests to consult. Why? Because Saul had them slaughtered back in chapter 22. So what does Saul do? Since God will not answer Him in the way Saul wants to hear, or better yet, since Saul refuses to discern what the silence of God may mean, Saul seeks out a medium, a witch, a person who attempts to consult with the dead. Do you see the spiritual foolishness that is going on? The absolute desperation being exhibited by Saul. But once again, spiritual foolishness is nothing new with Saul. And so we have to ask ourselves, how self-seeking are our attempts to gain God’s ear?