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Tuesday, October 27, 2020

The Witch of Endor, the Dead Prophet, the Doomed King

The following story [dated Apr. 19, 2020] was obtained through the website, Marg Mowczko

THE DEATH OF THE PROPHET SAMUEL

I reread 1 Samuel 25 this week which is about Abigail. This time when I read it, the opening statement caught my attention: “Now Samuel died, and all Israel assembled and mourned for him, and they buried him at his home in Ramah.” What I found interesting was the juxtaposition of this verse announcing Samuel’s death with the following verses that relate Abigail’s story. The prophet who had anointed David as king is dead and, later in the chapter, Abigail confirms that David will be king (1 Sam. 25:30-31). 

Even though I thought the juxtaposition was interesting, I didn’t think too much of it. But then I read on and came to 1 Samuel chapter 28. This chapter is about an unnamed woman at Endor described as a witch or, more precisely, a medium. Interestingly, this story begins with an almost identical statement: “Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had mourned for him and buried him in his own town of Ramah” (1 Sam. 28:3). This statement, more obviously than in case of Abigail’s story, sets the scene for what follows.  

THE DESPERATION OF KING SAUL 

Samuel the prophet is no longer around and Saul, the current king of Israel, wants advice about the Philistines who are gathering for war. The usual ways that God communicated—through dreams, through the Urim (sacred lots used by priests), and through prophets—weren’t working. God is silent and Saul is scared. In desperation, Saul says to his attendants, “Find me a woman who is a medium, so I may go and inquire of her.” 

According to the Torah, being a medium or a sorcerer was a capital crime (Exod. 22:18Lev. 20:27Deut. 18:10-12). And Saul had previously expelled and banned mediums and sorcerers from his realm. Apart from 1 Samuel 28, however, there is no record of this event, and the Bible does not give Saul’s reason for the expulsion and perhaps even the execution of mediums (2 Sam. 28:49). Nevertheless, despite the ban, Saul’s attendants know of one. They tell him there is a medium in Endor. 

So Saul takes off his royal robes, disguises his identity, and, under the cover of darkness, goes to Endor with two other men to visit the woman (cf. Lev. 19:31). The whole story can be read in 1 Samuel 28:3-25

THE MAGIC OF THE MEDIUM OF ENDOR 

There are several Bible stories that raise ethical and theological questions. The scene where the woman conjures up an apparition of Samuel raises such questions. Here is a medium performing the dark arts; a necromancer, who seemingly brings up a prophet of God. And Samuel even speaks. [1] Or does he speak through the woman? Is the speech attributed to Samuel coming through her lips? 

From the text, it seems only the medium can see Samuel. Perhaps she is also the only one who can hear Samuel. Or is the whole thing a ruse, a delusion crafted by the woman? Is her shriek at the beginning of the séance, with her exclamation that she knows the true identity of Saul, part of the ruse and given for dramatic effect? (See 1 Sam. 28:12.) 

As the séance gets underway, Saul asks the medium, “What do you see?” To which she replies, “I see a divine being coming up out of the ground” (1 Sam 28:13).[2] Then Saul asks, “What does he look like?” To which she gives a vague description that might describe any old man: “An old man is coming up; he is wrapped in a robe” (1 Sam. 28:14). Saul, desperate for advice, assumes this is Samuel. He is convinced that Samuel is really present. 

The narrator seems to want us to accept the scenario that the woman did, in fact, conjure up Samuel. There is the possibility, however, we are meant to understand that she is putting on a clever act. The more perplexing explanation is that God intervened in this wretched situation and caused Samuel to appear. Whether it was a delusion, or whether Samuel did indeed appear and speak, the words attributed to him are accurate and precise. But they are not what Saul wants to hear. 

THE MEDIUM’S HOSPITALITY 

Saul learns that the Israelite army will be defeated and that he and his sons are going to die the very next day, and he is devastated. He falls to the ground. He hasn’t eaten anything all day and is weak. The woman sees that Saul is in a pitiful state. 

I like how the Common English Bible translates her words to Saul at this point in the story: 

“Listen, your servant has obeyed you. I risked my life and did what you told me to do. Now it’s your turn to listen to me, your servant. Let me give you a bit of food. Eat it, then you’ll have the strength to go on your way.” 1 Samuel 28:21 (CEB) 

But it’s more than “a bit of food.” The woman has a fatted calf that she butchers for Saul’s sake. [3] She feeds Saul well. Susan Pigott observes that “the sacrificial meal serves as a fitting marker of the end of Saul’s reign and further defines the woman’s prophetic role.” [4] After the meal, Saul leaves and the story of the witch of Endor ends. 

ABIGAIL AND THE MEDIUM OF ENDOR 

On the face of it, Abigail in chapter 25 and the medium in chapter 28 are not at all alike. Abigail is a respectably married woman, even if her husband was a fool. The woman of Endor is a despised medium; she has a forbidden, abhorrent profession and is probably living at the margins of society. But the actions of two have similarities. 

~ Both were brave women who risked their lives. There was a real threat they could be killed: Abigail by 400 armed and angry men who had been insulted by her husband, the witch of Endor by Saul (or his men) because she was engaging in an expressively forbidden activity. 

~ Both were sensible women who spoke with diplomacy and tact. They were able to positively persuade and help David and Saul, respectively. 

~ Both were discerning women who delivered prophetic messages. Abigail spoke true prophetic words, and the woman at Endor was the medium, or agent, of true prophetic words. (The medium may have even been speaking her own words based on her own insights.) 

~ Both were generous women who offered food and hospitality. 

Is it simply a coincidence that the stories of Abigail and of the witch of Endor are both prefaced with similar statements about Samuel’s death? Or are we meant to understand that these women picked up the slack left in Samuel’s absence and effectively helped the future king of Israel and the soon-to-be former king of Israel? I don’t know the answers to these questions. What I do know is that the woman of Endor is presented in a surprisingly sympathetic light, considering her evil profession. 

CONCLUSION 

It is remarkable that the medium was the avenue of prophecy when other avenues had failed. And it is remarkable that she offered support and compassion to Saul who had driven out other mediums. The story of the witch of Endor is baffling and troubling, but it is surely designed to paint Saul as a pathetic and tragic figure. He is portrayed as cowardly and weak, and he sinks to new depths by visiting the medium (1 Chron. 10:13-14). The Torah tells us that mediums must be put to death (Exod. 22:18Lev. 20:27). But in this story, the medium lives and it is Saul who will die.

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FOOTNOTES

[1] The episode of Samuel prophesying after his death is mentioned in the Jewish Apocrypha: “Even after he had fallen asleep, he prophesied and made known to the king his death, and lifted up his voice from the ground in prophecy, to blot out the wickedness of the people.” Sirach 46:20 (NRSV)
Josephus retells the 1 Samuel 28 story in his Antiquities of the Jews 6.14.2-4
[2] The Hebrew word elohim is variously translated as “god” (CEB) “ghostly figure” (NIV) “divine being” (NRSV), etc, in 1 Samuel 28:13
[3] It is also possible that the slaughter of the calf was a ritual act and the meal was a sacrifice to the dead. 
[4] Susan Pigott, “1 Samuel 28-Saul and the Not so Wicked Witch of Endor,” Review and Expositor 95 (1998): 440.


Wednesday, October 21, 2020

End Times Headlines, Sept-Oct. 2020


The Church

Chinese Communist Party Re-writing Bible 
October 1, 2020

Mike Pompeo said that China continues to persecute religious minorities, rewriting the Bible to make it conform to Chinese Marxist doctrine, and sending Uighurs Muslims to re-education camps. The Jerusalem Post reported:
"China continues to persecute religious minorities, rewriting the Bible to make it conform to Chinese Marxist doctrine, and sending Uighurs Muslims to re-education camps, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has said."
Speaking during a session at the Values Voter Summit 2020, held virtually, Pompeo said: “We watch today the challenge that Christians and Catholics have to practice their faith inside of China.”

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Anti-Christian COVID Tyranny Compared to Hitler
October 15, 2020

Pastor John MacArthur has been fighting the Californian government to open Grace Community Church for worship services for quite some time. The intrusion of the life of the church is tyrannical and similar to other dictators. World Net Daily (WND) reported:
"According to MacArthur, actions taken by figures like Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic all but explicitly required that people of faith put government before God — a tyrannical precedent often set in the early days of an authoritarian dictatorship."
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Pastor Sues After Being Fined for Church Services
Oct 19, 2020

On Pentecost Sunday in California, Pastor Mike McClure joined thousands of other churches defying Governor Gavin Newsom’s COVID-19 shutdown orders. The Californian pastor has racked up some $220,000 in fines up to this point due to the governor’s mandates. The New American reported:
"When Pastor Mike McClure of San Jose’s Calvary Chapel agreed to open his church on Pentecost Sunday (May 31), he joined with more than 3,000 other churches defying California Governor Gavin Newsom’s shutdown orders. He said, “We’re called to be together. Man doesn’t have the right to close the doors. God doesn’t want us to isolate ourselves. All of us need to be in the sanctuary."
And then he added a warning to Newsom: “I don’t care what they say. I’m never again going to close the doors, ever.”


The Nations

Turkey: ‘Jerusalem Is Ours’
October 9, 2020

According to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Jerusalem belongs to Turkey. He told Turkish lawmakers,
"In this city that we had to leave in tears during the First World War, it is still possible to come across traces of the Ottoman resistance. So Jerusalem is our city, a city from us. Our first qibla [direction of prayer in Islam] al-Aqsa and the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem are the symbolic mosques of our faith. In addition, this city is home to the holy places of Christianity and Judaism."
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India Test-Fires Nuclear-Capable Missile
October 9, 2020

In preparation for the possibility of a war with China or any other country that may threaten them, India has successfully test-fired its nuclear -capable hypersonic missile. They call it “Shaurya.” They obviously believe there is great potential for a World War 3!
“The surface-to-surface tactical missile was blasted off from a canister strapped to the ground launcher from launch complex 4 of the Integrated Test Range (ITR) in the APJ Abdul Kalam Island around 12.10 pm and covered the desired range,” the source said.
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Authorization of Israel-UAE Peace Treaty
October 13, 2020

A unanimous vote came in favor of the peace agreement between Israel and the United Arab Emirates. This historic deal is a huge turning point in the right direction for Bible Prophecy. The Jerusalem Post reported:
"The cabinet voted unanimously in favor of the peace agreement between Israel and the United Arab Emirates on Monday. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and UAE Crown Prince Mohammad bin Zayed spoke on the phone over the weekend for the first time since the peace treaty signing on the White House’s South Lawn on September 15."
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New North Korean missile could possibly threaten Israel
October 13, 2020

North Korea unveiled a brand new missile that could be threatening worldwide. However, Iran and North Korea have recently resumed collaboration. Could this missile be a threat to Israel? The Jerusalem Post reported:
"North Korea’s massive military parade showcased an arsenal that should raise eyebrows in the Middle East. It wheeled out its Hwasong-15 ballistic missile and a giant intercontinental ballistic missile that had to be pulled on a transport vehicle with 11 axles. This is a monster and reports call it a “strategic weapon” that appears to threaten the globe."
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Brexit Talks Are Stuck on Fish
October 14, 2020

Emmanuel Macron has put a slight break on the Brexit talks as they are entering their final weeks. Bloomberg reported:
"The French president is standing firm on his demand to keep the same access to British waters his country’s fishing industry enjoys today, according to officials familiar with the talks. That’s angering the British and creating tensions even among his allies within the EU."

The Leaders

Erdogan: My Entire Nation is an Army
September 16, 2020

“My entire nation is an army,” claims to Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The president has long wished to restore the Ottoman Empire, and wants the world to know that no power will stand in his way. World Net Daily (WND) reported:
"Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan long has declared his intention to restore the Ottoman Empire."
Time magazine notes Erdogan has been tightening “his grip on social media freedom” and even is considering pulling Turkey out of what “is known, now farcically, as the 2011 Istanbul Convention, a treaty of the Council of Europe that commits countries to protecting women from domestic violence.”

Continue reading - https://www.wnd.com/2020/09/erdogan-entire-nation-army-not-afraid-sacrifice-martyrs/
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Pope: ‘Market Capitalism Has Failed’
October 9, 2020

It’s no secret that Pope Francis is a socialist. His latest proclamation is quite interesting when considering how the Pope and the Antichrist will team up together in the last days. Pope Francis says, 
"The coronavirus pandemic has proven that the “magic theories” of market capitalism have failed and that the world needs a new type of politics that promotes dialogue and solidarity and rejects war at all costs."
Francis on Sunday laid out his vision for a post-COVID world by uniting the core elements of his social teachings into a new encyclical aimed at inspiring a revived sense of the human family. “Fratelli Tutti” (Brothers All) was released on the feast day of his namesake, the peace-loving St. Francis of Assisi.

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World Health Organization (WHO) leader urges world leaders to stop using lockdowns as primary control method for coronavirus
Oct 14, 2020

After previously suggesting that governments should be careful about reopening too quickly, the World Health Organization is now urging leaders not to use lockdowns as a primary means to curtail the spread of the coronavirus.

Dr. David Nabarro, a medical doctor who has worked for the Secretary-General of the United Nations and the Director-General of the World Health Organization, told the British magazine, the Spectator, in a video interview that lockdowns should only be used as a last resort.

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Trump Administration Will Not 'Change American Policy' for US Captives in Response to Syria Demands
Oct 21, 2020

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has said President Donald Trump's administration was not willing to alter its foreign policy in order to advance efforts to return American captives held in Syria, where Newsweek reported Damascus is asking for sanctions relief and troop withdrawal from the southern desert garrison at Al-Tanf in exchange for cooperation with Washington.

Asked by a reporter Wednesday if the U.S. was prepared to pull troops from Syria as requested by the government of President Bashar al-Assad in exchange for help in returning American journalist Austin Tice and Syrian-American psychotherapist Majd Kamalmaz, according to a Lebanese official and Syrian source who spoke to Newsweek on Monday, Pompeo said Washington's policy remained unchanged.