What does Ellen White write about...
Adventistische Schriften über: "The Death of Samuel and the Event at Endor"
Answer
Samuel died in a time of inner unrest, when Israel most urgently needed his god-fearing counsel. His death left a gap, as he had closely connected the people to the throne of God. Later, in his desperation, King Saul sought the necromancer of Endor because God did not answer him through the usual means. The apparition that seemed to be Samuel, however, was not the deceased prophet but a deception by Satan, which led to Saul's ultimate ruin.
The sources clearly explain that Samuel was not truly summoned through necromancy, as God had already severed all contact with Saul and Satan has no power to call a holy prophet from heaven.
The Death of the Prophet Samuel
»It was, as the nation was shaken by internal disputes, when the calm, god-fearing counsel of Samuel seemed most needed, that God gave His old servant rest. The people's thoughts were bitter as they looked upon his silent resting place and recalled their folly in having rejected him as their ruler; for he had such a close connection with heaven that he seemed to bind all Israel to the throne of Jehovah.«
Saul's Desperation Before the Battle
»The next day Saul had to engage in battle with the Philistines. The shadows of impending ruin gathered darkly around him; he longed for help and guidance. But in vain he sought counsel from God. “The LORD did not answer him, neither through dreams nor through Urim nor through prophets.” The LORD has never rejected a soul who comes to Him in sincerity and humility. Why did He return Saul unanswered? The king had, through his own actions, forfeited the advantages of all methods of consulting God.«
Saul Seeks the Necromancer
»In the cover of darkness, Saul and his companions set out across the plain and safely passed the Philistine army. They crossed the mountain ridge to the solitary house of the witch of Endor. Here the woman had hidden herself with a divining spirit to continue her profane summons in secret.«
The Apparition Was Not the Real Samuel
»It was not God’s holy prophet who emerged through the magic of a summons. Samuel was not present in that place of evil spirits. This supernatural apparition was produced solely by the power of Satan. He could just as easily assume the form of Samuel as he could assume that of a light angel, as he did when he tempted Christ in the wilderness.«
Theological Clarification of the Event
»The biblical account of Saul’s visit to the woman of Endor has been a source of confusion for many Bible students. Some take the position that Samuel was actually present during the conversation with Saul, but the Bible itself provides sufficient reasons for the opposite conclusion. If Samuel, as some claim, was in heaven, he must have been summoned either by the power of God or by Satan from there. No one can at any moment believe that Satan had the power to call God’s holy prophet from heaven to honor the summons of a rejected woman.«
Saul’s End Through Contact with Satan
»Furthermore, Saul’s act of consulting a witch is cited in Scripture as one of the reasons why he was rejected by God and left to ruin. Here it is expressly stated that Saul consulted the divining spirit, not the LORD. He did not communicate with Samuel, the prophet of God; rather, through the witch he dealt with Satan. Satan could not present the real Samuel, but he presented a counterfeit that served his purpose of deception.«
- Saul and the Witch of Endor Explanation
- What happened to Samuel after his death
- Why God no longer answered Saul
Original Sources (English)
Stephan Krol
Founder of EGW Vision
Why I built EGW Vision
Hello, I am Stephan Krol. I started this Ellen White website to make the writings of Ellen G. White and the Adventist pioneers easier to access for everyone.
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