Four-Calendar Café

Today I have some notes on 1 Samuel 28:19 and Psalm 109 that I’d like to share with you.

Recently, I wrote a piece on whether or not King Saul was saved. Something I didn’t talk about was this verse from 1 Samuel 28.

The Lord will deliver both Israel and you into the hands of the Philistines, and tomorrow you and your sons will be with me. The Lord will also give the army of Israel into the hands of the Philistines.”

1 Samuel 28:19 (NIV)

In this verse, the spirit of Samuel was raised by the witch of Endor at the request of Saul. Saul was facing an army of Philistines, and the Lord wasn’t responding to his requests, so he had someone find a medium for him to talk to Samuel. When the medium raises the spirit of Samuel, Saul asks him for guidance. 

Samuel said to Saul, “Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?”

“I am in great distress,” Saul said. “The Philistines are fighting against me, and God has departed from me. He no longer answers me, either by prophets or by dreams. So I have called on you to tell me what to do.”

1 Samuel 28:15 (NIV)

In verse 19, Samuel tells Saul three things; Israel will lose the upcoming battle, Saul and his sons will die, and the Israelite camp will be looted by the Philistines. Regarding the second prophetic utterance of Samuel: “tomorrow you and your sons will be with me,” Samuel wasn’t telling Saul that they would literally be where he is; Heaven, as some might think, believing that Saul was saved. No, Samuel is telling Saul that they will be like him. Dead. 

Psalm 109

May his days be few; may another take his place of leadership.

Psalm 109:8 (NIV)

If you’ve read the book of Acts, this verse might sound familiar to you. When the disciples were deciding on whether or not to replace Judas, Peter reminded them of what it says in the book of Psalms about people like Judas. 

“For,” said Peter, “it is written in the Book of Psalms: “’May his place be deserted; let there be no one to dwell in it,’ and, “’May another take his place of leadership.’

Acts 1:20 (NIV)

Psalm 109:8 is one of the verses Peter refers to, and the other is from Psalm 69.

May their place be deserted; let there be no one to dwell in their tents.

Psalm 69:25 (NIV)

We know that all Scripture is divinely inspired by the Holy Spirit, and we might read Acts 1:20 and think nothing more about it. However, I am awestruck by a couple of things here and believe there is a lesson contained herein. We know that Peter was a fisherman and uneducated (cf. Acts 4:13). Therefore, he wouldn’t have studied the Jewish texts beyond the basics required of all Jewish boys. Although Peter might not have studied the text, he would have been exposed to the Old Testament as a child in school. Peter’s earlier exposure was all it took for the Holy Spirit to bring those verses back to him. This is why we need to read the Bible. 

If you read the Bible one time, that means the entire content of the Bible is available inside your brain for the Holy Spirit to use at any time. While it’s important to understand what you read, you cannot have understanding unless the Holy Spirit brings it to you. Now, I’m not saying you should read the Bible once and never pick it up again. I am saying we have access to this book that contains all of the answers to life inside of it, and if you don’t read it, you’re missing out. 

I am an object of scorn to my accusers; when they see me, they shake their heads.

Psalm 109:25 (NIV)

Shaking our heads in condemnation or disappointment is apparently universal and crosses all boundaries of time and culture. I think that’s cool. I also think that verses like one help prove the relevancy of the Bible for today and forever. 

Well, that’s all I have for today. I pray this day finds you well. Thanks for stopping by!

Do you know God? God knows you, and he loves you. He sees you as significant because you are. No one is insignificant to Him. He’s with you today, and he wants you to know him. Jesus died for your sins and mine so we could be free of guilt, be free from death, and live eternally with him. Eternal salvation is just a prayer away. 

Pray this prayer with me to accept the gift of salvation today:

Lord Jesus, forgive me for all my sins. I repent from my ways. Wash me in your blood and cleanse me from all unrighteousness. I believe that you died on the cross, were buried, and on the third day, God the Father raised you from the dead. Right now, Lord Jesus, I open the door to my heart, and I receive you into my heart as my Lord and personal Savior. Amen.

If you prayed that prayer, then congratulations! You are on the first step of a brand new life. Allow me to be the first to welcome you to my family, the family of God. There are abundant resources available online for new Christians. You can visit here for more information on what to do next. You can also leave me a comment, and I’ll do my best to help you on the next step of this incredible journey.