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Supernatural Politics—The Session at Endor

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Supernatural Politics—The Session at Endor March 20, 2019 SENATORS’ BIBLE STUDY • NEBRASKA STATE CAPITOL WEEK 10 The 2019 Nebraska Senate Series: “Rulers After God’s Own Heart—The Life of David” Supernatural Politics—The Session at Endor INSIDE MT. GILBOA AND ENDOR Saul’s Final Battles ........ 2 RAISED FROM THE DEAD Samuel Before Saul ...... 3 NANCY, NANCY! Spiritual Powers and Federal Figures ............. 4 A SAULIDE SÉANCE Saul’s Darkest Hour ....... 5 VERSE OF THE WEEK Isaiah 8:19 ..................... 6 —"The Shade of Samuel Invoked by Saul,” by Dmitry Martynov (1826-1889) ABOUT éances are creepy. As a wide-eyed teen, I sat in a dark circle on the cold floor Capitol Ministries® ......... 6 in my neighbor’s shed around a Ouija board. I jumped out of my skin when the wooden heart shape started moving by some power to spell out names. S I never went back, knowing it was wrong, but I was intrigued by the paranormal. Problems at home and no real answers from my bland, weekly, ritualistic religion caused me to wonder if there wasn’t something more. Only the moral fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” It is normal to think about higher powers in life. Political leaders also face problems bigger than themselves, seeking answers. The telephone rang down in the Führerbunker. It was for Hitler. Joseph Goebbels, Minister of Propaganda for the Third Reich, was on the line. He was ecstatic. The reason? The news: Franklin D. Roosevelt was dead. It was April 1945. Germany was caving in. The Allies were pressing from the West, the Russians from the East; soon Berlin itself would crumble. But none of that mattered to Goebbels, for, as he told Hitler: “It is written in the stars. The last half of April will be the turning point for us.” He was referring to two previous astrological predictions that had forecast the hardest blows for Germany during the first months of 1945, especially in the first part of April, but an overwhelming victory in the second half of the month. Unfortunately for Goebbels’s horoscopes, Hitler committed suicide on April 30. Goebbels was not so unusual. Facing ruin, men will sometimes turn in their desperation to any resource that, they think, will give some hope, some direction. So it was with Saul.a Late in his reign, King Saul needed wartime answers from super powers and went to, what I call, “the session at Endor.” The word séance is French for “a sitting” or “a session.” Before Whom or what will you sit when you need big answers? Rev. Perry M. Gauthier, V.D.M. a Dale Ralph Davis, 1 Samuel: Looking on the Heart (Christian Focus Publications Ltd.), © 2017, p. 289. Weekly Bible Study During the 106th Legislature’s First Session th SENATORS: 6:45-8:00 a.m., Wednesdays, 13 Floor Sen. McDonnell Hot Breakfast Served STAFF: Noon, Wednesdays, Room 1022 Sen. Halloran Catered Lunch & B.Y.O.BrownBag Supernatural Politics—The Session at Endor MT. GILBOA AND ENDOR 1. THE PROBLEMS OF for guidance—a woman “in Endor,” six miles away (two miles northeast POLITICAL PRESSURE 1 Samuel 28:3-5 of the Philistine camp). He had to Now Samuel had died, and all steal his way past the Philistine Israel had lamented him and camp to get there. From the peak of buried him in Ramah, his own Mount Gilboa where Saul was, the city. Saul had removed from the mountainside descends about 650 land those who were mediums feet down into a valley and then 4 and spiritists. So the Philistines back up the other side to Endor—a gathered together and came and difficult trek of many hours. We camped in Shunem; and Saul gathered all Israel together and realize Saul’s desperation in that he they camped in Gilboa. 5When had to make his climb quietly past Saul saw the camp of the the enemy’s camp to get her. Philistines, he was afraid and his heart trembled greatly. SAUL’S FINAL BATTLEFIELD Ü The king willingly defied God’s Law, climbed mountains, crossed We are reminded of Samuel’s death valleys, braving close encounters Saul’s position on Mount Gilboa places him as he was Saul’s connection to the with his enemy just to satisfy his strategically on a type of observation deck so he Lord’s way. Like a good king should, lust for rebellion. Total depravity.b can observe the outcome. The narrator prepares following Moses’ Law, he banned us further for what follows by exposing Saul’s Civically, King Saul was right and magicians and spiritists from Israel. inner life. At the sight of the Philistine army, righteous to ban magic from Israel. “terror filled his heart” (1 Samuel 28:5). There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or MAGIC AND PROPHECY ARE LIKE his daughter pass through the OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE SAME The battle lines had been drawn. Shunem was the fire, one who uses divination, one COIN—MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE. most northerly Philistine city. The fact that the who practices witchcraft, or one Philistines had penetrated thus far Gives an You too can call it. It’s heads or tails! who interprets omens, or a indication of their dominance over Saul’s sorcerer, or one who casts a spell, [The king had to] choose between kingdom, and of their intention to press further or a medium, or a spiritist, or one them. The use of magic will bring east to the Jordan. Hence Saul’s choice of Mount who calls up the dead. (Dt. 18:10f) prophetic condemnation, while Gilboa, a vantaGe-point from which to observe the reliance on the prophetic word will movements of the enemy on the western slopes As envious Saul had been hunting result in the expulsion of magic of the Hill of Moreh across the valley. “the single flea,” David, for years; he from the land….[In our day, we was neglecting a chief civil duty— must know] wherever Christianity The powerful Philistines were the enemy that Saul protecting the borders from enemy has been slow or unprepared to should have worried about instead of chasing the invasion. Now, perched atop high meet the need, the New Age movement has rushed in to fill the “dead dog” David through the hills and forests of ground—lookout Mount Gilboa—he gap with beliefs in channeling, Judea. The Philistines now threatened to split saw his perennial enemy’s massive crystals, horoscopes, paranormal Israel and isolate Saul from the rest of his strike force only 4 miles away. He c psychology, and reincarnation. countrymen. Saul experienced the kind of fear panicked. Like the foxhole atheist that Gnaws physically and incapacitates a person often does, he tried to seek the God SAUL FLIPPED. TAILS. IT for action. he had so badly neglected for years. WAS NIGHT; HE HEADED NORTH TO A NECROMANCER. CREEPY. 2. SEEKING SOME SORT OF Ü SETTING OUT: A SÉANCE HIGHER POWER 1 Samuel 28:8-11 1 Samuel 28:6-7 Then Saul disguised himself by When Saul inquired of the LORD, putting on other clothes, and the LORD did not answer him, went, he and two men with him, either by dreams or by Urim or and they came to the woman by by prophets. 7Then Saul said to night; and he said, “Conjure up his servants, “Seek for me a for me, please, and bring up for woman who is a medium, that I me whom I shall name to you.” may go to her and inquire of 9But the woman said to him, her.” And his servants said to “Behold, you know what Saul him, “Behold, there is a woman has done, how he has cut off who is a medium at Endor.” those who are mediums and spiritists from the land. Why are When he found Yahweh to be silent, you then laying a snare for my Saul spun to an ungodly alternative life to bring about my death?” [ 2 ] SENATORS’ BIBLE STUDY • NEBRASKA STATE CAPITOL 10Saul vowed to her by the LORD, Ü First, the plain statement of the RAISED FROM THE DEAD saying, “As the LORD lives, no Hebrew text is that she saw Samuel. punishment shall come upon you Second, the medium reacted to 11 for this thing.” Then the woman Samuel’s appearance as though it said, “Whom shall I bring up for was genuinely terrifying and “cried you?” And he said, “Samuel! Bring him up for me.” out at the top of her voice.” That reaction also suggests that Samuel’s To make his night journey safer, appearance was really unexpected. Saul utilized a privilege of the rich: Third, the upcoming speeches “putting on other clothes.” Without credited to Samuel have allusions to crown, royal cloths, or jewelry, he prior exchanges between him and was insulated from the scrutiny of Saul, allusions only appropriate for Philistine soldiers on road patrol. It the real Samuel (not known to her). shielded his true identity from the Fourth, Samuel’s prophetically notorious outlaw—the Endor witch. tough message and role had not d changed in his “session” with Saul. As a spiritist, she was familiar with SAMUEL BEFORE SAUL government sting operations to Demonic “messages” so very often quell that Israelite capital crime. promise desperate seekers positive The female necromancer at Endor She sensed a setup. How ironic that answers—what they want to hear. perceived her client was none other than Saul. After all, there were not too many the lawbreaker was fearful that her THE NAME OUIJA MEANS “YES six-foot-eight Hebrews around, period, let alone any for whom an angry Samuel unknown nighttime client might get YES” IN FRENCH AND GERMAN! her killed.
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