patriarchs and prophets-第157节

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ruin。

On　the　morrow　Saul　must　engage　the　Philistines　in　battle。　The　shadows　of
impending　doom　gathered　dark　about　him；　he

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longed　for　help　and　guidance。　But　it　was　in　vain　that　he　sought　counsel　from
God。　〃The　Lord　answered　him　not；　neither　by　dreams；　nor　by　Urim；　nor　by
prophets。〃　The　Lord　never　turned　away　a　soul　that　came　to　Him　in　sincerity
and　humility。　Why　did　he　turn　Saul　away　unanswered？　The　king　had　by　his　own
act　forfeited　the　benefits　of　all　the　methods　of　inquiring　of　God。　He　had
rejected　the　counsel　of　Samuel　the　prophet；　he　had　exiled　David；　the　chosen
of　God；　he　had　slain　the　priests　of　the　Lord。　Could　he　expect　to　be　answered
by　God　when　he　had　cut　off　the　channels　of　communication　that　Heaven　had
ordained？　He　had　sinned　away　the　Spirit　of　grace；　and　could　he　be　answered
by　dreams　and　revelations　from　the　Lord？　Saul　did　not　turn　to　God　with
humility　and　repentance。　It　was　not　pardon　for　sin　and　reconciliation　with
God；　that　he　sought；　but　deliverance　from　his　foes。　By　his　own　stubbornness
and　rebellion　he　had　cut　himself　off　from　God。　There　could　be　no　return　but
by　the　way　of　penitence　and　contrition；　but　the　proud　monarch；　in　his
anguish　and　despair；　determined　to　seek　help　from　another　source。

〃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。〃　Saul　had　a　full　knowledge
of　the　character　of　necromancy。　If　had　been　expressly　forbidden　by　the　Lord；
and　the　sentence　of　death　was　pronounced　against　all　who　practiced　its
unholy　arts。　During　the　life　of　Samuel；　Saul　had　commanded　that　all　wizards
and　those　that　had　familiar　spirits　should　be　put　to　death；　but　now；　in　the
rashness　of　desperation；　he　had　recourse　to　that　oracle　which　he　had
condemned　as　an　abomination。

It　was　told　the　king　that　a　woman　who　had　a　familiar　spirit　was　living　in
concealment　at　Endor。　This　woman　had　entered　into　covenant　with　Satan　to
yield　herself　to　his　control；　to　fulfill　his　purposes；　and　in　return；　the
prince　of　evil　wrought　wonders　for　her　and　revealed　secret　things　to　her。

Disguising　himself；　Saul　went　forth　by　night　with　but　two　attendants；　to
seek　the　retreat　of　the　sorceress。　Oh；　pitiable　sight！　the　king　of　Israel
led　captive　by　Satan　at　his　will！　What　path　so　dark　for　human　feet　to　tread
as　that　chosen　by　one　who　has　persisted　in　having　his　own　way；　resisting　the
holy　influences　of　the　Spirit　of　God！　What　bondage　so　terrible　as　that　of
him　who　is　given　over　to　the　control　of　the　worst　of　tyrantshimself！　Trust

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in　God　and　obedience　to　His　will　were　the　only　conditions　upon　which　Saul
could　be　king　of　Israel。　Had　he　complied　with　these　conditions　throughout
his　reign；　his　kingdom　would　have　been　secure；　God　would　have　been　his
guide；　the　Omnipotent　his　shield。　God　had　borne　long　with　Saul；　and　although
his　rebellion　and　obstinacy　had　well…nigh　silenced　the　divine　voice　in　the
soul；　there　was　still　opportunity　for　repentance。　But　when　in　his　peril　he
turned　from　God　to　obtain　light　from　a　confederate　of　Satan；　he　had　cut　the
last　tie　that　bound　him　to　his　Maker；　he　had　placed　himself　fully　under　the
control　of　that　demoniac　power　which　for　years　had　been　exercised　upon　him；
and　which　had　brought　him　to　the　verge　of　destruction。

Under　the　cover　of　darkness　Saul　and　his　attendants　made　their　way　across
the　plain；　and；　safely　passing　the　Philistine　host；　they　crossed　the
mountain　ridge；　to　the　lonely　home　of　the　sorceress　of　Endor。　Here　the　woman
with　a　familiar　spirit　had　hidden　herself　away　that　she　might　secretly
continue　her　profane　incantations。　Disguised　as　he　was；　Saul's　lofty　stature
and　kingly　port　declared　that　he　was　no　common　soldier。　The　woman　suspected
that　her　visitor　was　Saul；　and　his　rich　gifts　strengthened　her　suspicions。
To　his　request；　〃I　pray　thee；　divine　unto　me　by　the　familiar　spirit；　and
bring　me　him　up；　whom　I　shall　name　unto　thee；〃　the　woman　answered；　〃Behold；
thou　knowest　what　Saul　hath　done；　how　he　hath　cut　off　those　that　have
familiar　spirits；　and　the　wizards；　out　of　the　land：　wherefore　then　layest
thou　a　snare　for　my　life；　to　cause　me　to　die？〃　Then　〃Saul　sware　to　her　by
the　Lord；　saying；　As　the　Lord　liveth；　there　shall　no　punishment　happen　to
thee　for　this　thing。〃　And　when　she　said；　〃Whom　shall　I　bring　up　unto　thee？〃
he　answered；　〃Samuel。〃

After　practicing　her　incantations；　she　said；　〃I　saw　gods　ascending　out　of
the　earth。　。　。　。　An　old　man　cometh　up；　and　he　is　covered　with　a　mantle。　And
Saul　perceived　that　it　was　Samuel；　and　he　stooped　with　his　face　to　the
ground；　and　bowed　himself。〃

It　was　not　God's　holy　prophet　that　came　forth　at　the　spell　of　a　sorcerer's
incantation。　Samuel　was　not　present　in　that　haunt　of　evil　spirits。　That
supernatural　appearance　was　produced　solely　by　the　power　of　Satan。　He　could
as　easily　assume　the　form　of　Samuel　as　he　could　assume　that　of　an　angel　of
light；　when　he　tempted　Christ　in　the　wilderness。

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The　woman's　first　words　under　the　spell　of　her　incantation　had　been
addressed　to　the　king；　〃Why　hast　thou　deceived　me？　for　thou　art　Saul。〃　Thus
the　first　act　of　the　evil　spirit　which　personated　the　prophet　was　to
communicate　secretly　with　this　wicked　woman；　to　warn　her　of　the　deception
that　had　been　practiced　upon　her。　The　message　to　Saul　from　the　pretended
prophet　was；　〃Why　hast　thou　disquieted　me；　to　bring　me　up？　And　Saul
answered；　I　am　sore　distressed；　for　the　Philistines　make　war　against　me；　and
God　is　departed　from　me；　and　answereth　me　no　more；　neither　by　prophets；　nor
by　dreams：　therefore　I　have　called　thee；　that　thou　mayest　make　known　unto　me
what　I　shall　do。〃

When　Samuel　was　living；　Saul　had　despised　his　counsel　and　had　resented　his
reproofs。　But　now；　in　the　hour　of　his　distress　and　calamity；　he　felt　that
the　prophet's　guidance　was　his　only　hope；　and　in　order　to　communicate　with
Heaven's　ambassador　he　vainly　had　recourse　to　the　messenger　of　hell！　Saul
had　placed　himself　fully　in　the　power　of　Satan；　and　now　he　whose　only
delight　is　in　causing　misery　and　destruction；　made　the　most　of　his
advantage；　to　work　the　ruin　of　the　unhappy　king。　In　answer　to　Saul's
agonized　entreaty　came　the　terrible　message；　professedly　from　the　lips　of
Samuel：

〃Wherefore　then　dost　thou　ask　of　me；　seeing　the　Lord　is　departed　from　thee；
and　is　become　thine　enemy？　And　the　Lord　hath　done　to　him；　as　he　spake　by　me：
for　the　Lord　hath　rent　the　kingdom　out　of　thine　hand；　and　given　it　to　thy
neighbor；　even　to　David：　because　thou　obeyedst　not　the　voice　of　the　Lord；
nor　executedst　His　fierce　wrath　upon　Amalek；　therefore　hath　the　Lord　done
this　thing　unto　thee　this　day。　Moreover　the　Lord　will　also　deliver　Israel
with　thee　into　the　hand　of　the　Philistines。〃

All　through　his　course　of　rebellion　Saul　had　been　flattered　and　deceived　by
Satan。　It　is　the　tempter's　work　to　belittle　sin；　to　make　the　path　of
transgression　easy　and　inviting；　to　blind　the　mind　to　the　warnings　and
threatenings　of　the　Lord。　Satan；　by　his　bewitching　power；　had　led　Saul　to
justify　himself　in　defiance　of　Samuel's　reproofs　and　warning。　But　now；　in
his　extremity；　he　turned　upon　him；　presenting　the　enormity　of　his　sin　and
the　hopelessness　of　pardon；　that　he　might　goad　him　to　desperation。　Nothing
could　have　been　better　chosen　to　destroy　his　courage

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and　confuse　his　judgment；　or　to　drive　him　to　despair　and　self…destruction。

Saul　was　faint　with　weariness　and　fasting；　he　was　terrified　and
conscience…stricken。　As　the　fearful　prediction　fell　upon　his　ear；　his　form
swayed　like　an　oak　before　the　tempest；　and　he　fell　prostrate　to　the　earth。

The　sorceress　was　filled　with　alarm。　The　king　of　Israel　lay　before　her　like
one　dead。　Should　he　perish　in　her　retreat；　what　would　be　the　consequences　to
herself？　She　besought　him　to　arise　and　partake　of　food；　urging　that　since
she　had　imperiled　her　life　in　granting　his　desire；　he　should　yield　to　her
request　for　the　preservation　of　his　own。　His　servants　joining　their
entreaties；　Saul　yielded　at　last；　and　the　woman　set　before　him　the　fatted
calf　and　unleavened　bread　hastily　prepared。　What　a　scene！In　the　wild　cave
of　the　sorceress；　which　but　a　little　before　had　echoed　with　the　words　of
doomin　the　presence　of　Satan's　messengerhe　who　had　been　anointed　of　God
as　king　over　Israel　sat　down　to　eat；　in　preparation　for　the　day's　deadly
strife。

Before　the　break　of　day　he　returned　with　his　attendants　to　the　camp　of
Israel　to　make　ready　for　the　conflict。　By　consulting　that　spirit　of　darkness
Saul　had　destroyed　himself。　Oppressed　by　the　horror　of　despair；　it　would　be
impossible　for　him　to　inspire　his　army　with　courage。　Separated　from　the
Source　of　strength；　he　could　not　lead　the　minds　of　Israel　to　look　to　God　as
their　helper。　Thus　the　prediction　of　evil　would　work　its　own　accomplishment。

On　the　plain　of　Shunem　and　the　slopes　of　Mount　Gilboa　the　armies　of　Israel
and　the　hosts　of　the　Philistines　closed　in　mortal　combat。　Though　the　fearful
scene　in　the　cave　of　Endor　had　driven　all　hope　from　his　heart；　Saul　fought
with　desperate　valor　for　his　throne　and　his　ki