Saul Looks for Help in all the Wrong Places

By Mary Vee
I Samuel 28

From Saul's Journal

I had never seen such a vast army. The Philistines must have called every available soldier alive and a few more. From on top the mountain they looked like an invasion of insects, numerous, endless, ready to conquer our land. We didn't stand a chance.


I ordered every Israelite soldier to prepare for battle. We gathered at Mt.Gilboa and looked down at our enemy. We may have had the height advantage, but they had unbelievable numbers and superior weapons. 


My hands shook and my heart beat hard enough to burst from my chest. I had no idea what to do. The prophet Samuel had recently died. I couldn't go to him. I forced all the spiritists out of the land a while ago. I couldn't go to any of them. Who could I ask for help?


I wore a rut pacing and still couldn't decide what to do.


I even tried asking the Lord. I went off by myself and asked God what to do. Did He have a battle plan or instructions to save us? But I received no answer from Him. Neither did anyone come forward to report receiving word from God in a dream. He didn't even send a prophet to speak to me. 


What could I do? We were as good as dead.


Then I had an idea. I called one of my servants, "Find me a woman who is a medium. One who is known for her work in speaking with dead people. There must be at least one hiding in the country. Find her. I want to ask her a few questions."


The servant said, "I happen to know of a woman who is a medium. She lives in En Dor."


"Good, good." 


I ordered two soldiers to go with me. We traveled along the base of Mt. Gilboa past the Philistine camp and turned towards the Hill of Moreh, careful to remain out of the sight of the Philistines. En Dor was on the other side of the hill.


I had changed my clothes and wore a disguise to prevent anyone from recognizing me as the king. That night we entered the city and found the woman's home.


"Come in weary travelers," she said. 


Her home looked like any other home. Nothing special like I'd expect to find in a medium's home. "Please conduct a seance for me. I will tell you which dead person I want to speak to."


"I can't do that, sir. You know what Saul did. All mediums and spiritist have been banned from the country. Are you trying to get me in trouble. Maybe you're laying a trap to get me killed. No way. I won't do it." She folded her arms and pointed to the door.


Now what should I do? Maybe I can get her to change her mind.


Come back next week to read what happened.


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1. Why was Saul worried?
2. Who had the better position for a battle?
3.  Who had more men?
4. Saul was mad because who was dead and therefore couldn't help him?
5. Saul asked God for directions, why didn't God answer (email me if you get stuck with this question. The answer isn't in this story. mimary_vee@yahoo.com)
6. Saul risked his life to visit someone. Who did he want to see? 
7. What did he want her to do?


Author's note: Once again Saul tries to solve problems his own way. If only he chose to obey God he'd find the answers he needed.


picture courtesy of visualbiblealive.com

God's Judgement on Eli's House

By Mary Vee
I Samuel 4

A Soldier from the Tribe of Benjamin"s Journal

The Israelites armed ourselves to battle the Philistines again. We camped near Ebenezer and to the west, not far from the sea. The Philistines camped in Aphek. 


Since we were on higher ground we could see their army. Their strong army.


The Philistines showed no fear for the battle. They did not run around as if afraid. Instead they followed typical army procedures by putting themselves in battle array. I must admit, I didn't know how we could defeat them. 


The signal sounded to battle. Our men fought as best they could against the mighty Philistines. I did not sense God's presence with our army. We made mistakes, stepped left when we should have stepped right. At the end of the day, the Philistines soundly defeated us. We lost four thousand men in the field.


Those who survived returned to the camp to report our loses to the Israelite elders. The elders shook their heads. "I don't understand," said one. "Why has the Lord defeated us before the Philistines, the people he told us to conquer?"


Another one said, "We need to brig the ark of the covenant of the Lord from Shiloh here. Maybe then the very presence of the covenant of the Lord will save us from the hand of our enemies." 


The others agreed. They sent a group of men to Shiloh to bring the ark. When they returned, Hophni and Phinehas, sons of the high priest, Eli  also escorted the ark. Seeing the ark approach our camp made all the men cheer. We shouted, we cheered loud and strong, for with the ark of the covenant of the Lord present we would surely win.


The Philistines stood together and looked our way. Yes. Now they would be afraid, as they should. They ran around their camp bumping into each other until someone called them together, probably their captain. He raised his arm and then pointed to our army. He probably gave them the "come on we can do it" speech. Hah. It won't work this time! This time you will be our servants.


The battle resumed a little later. Once again, we couldn't fight as we had been trained. In my heart, I could not feel God's presence with our army. The Philistines fought with strength and great power killings thirty thousand foot soldiers. They pressed forward into the camp and captured the ark of the covenant of the Lord. 


My heart pounded into my head. I could hardly speak. The wicked Philistines captured the ark of the covenant of the Lord and killed Hophni and Phinehas. The elders sent me back to tell Eli, the high priest to report the sad news..


I found Eli sitting on a seat watching for a report. He couldn't see well since he was ninety eight years old. As I walked near him he eyes were wide and his hands trembled. "Tell me," his voice trembled. "Tell me why the city cries out with sorrow." 


I bowed before him. "I came from the battlefield, fleeing the battle line as many others."


He reached his hand out and placed it on my head. "Tell me what has happened."


I sighed. "Israel has fled before the Philistines, and many of our men have been killed including your two sons Hophni and Phinehas...and the ark of God has been captured."


When I said the ark had been captured, Eli went wide and fell backwards off the seat and broke his neck. He died right away.
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1.  Who did the Israelites go to battle against
2.  Why were they afraid of the Philistines?
3. After the first defeat what did the Israelites do?
4. Who came with the ark to the battlefield?
5. What did the Israelite soldiers do when they saw the ark?
6. What did the Philistines do when they heard shouting?
7. What happened at the second battle?
8. What did Eli do when he heard the news about the ark of the covenant?


In the last story, God spoke to young Samuel. In the message He said He would punish the house of Eli. Why did God punish them?