1 Samuel 28:1-25, Because You Did Not Obey the Voice of the Lord

July 20, 2025

As the Philistines gather for war against the Israelites, a terrified Saul consults a medium to call up Samuel from the dead so he can consult him about the battle.  Samuel’s apparition tells Saul, “…For the Lord has torn the kingdom out of your hand and given it to your neighbor, David.  Because you did not obey the voice of the Lord…” (1 Samuel 28:17-18 NKJV). 

Pastor Kevin addresses common questions about this account – Was this really Samuel who appeared to Saul and the witch?  If so, from where did he come?  Where are the dead now?  He also takes us to passages in the Mosaic Law that prohibited occultic practices and the reasons why.  Pastor Kevin exhorts families to guard against the increasingly pervasive occultic influences in our society today, including in movies, television, and video games.  Now, as then, Satan is the power behind occultism, and its practices lead to dangerous consequences. 

Maranatha! 

Associated notes, links, and the uncensored audio file are at calvarypo.org under Sermon Archives, https://calvarypo.org/sermons/because-you-did-not-obey-the-voice-of-the-lord-1-samuel-281-25/