The Last Meal, Part 2

King Saul paved the way for an entirely new plan of operation and ushered in David's kingly line which led to the Messiah. When Jesus died to pay the way for an entirely new operation in the creation of the church and this lie Saul's death led to a rather unlikely person and unknown shepherd boy from a poor family to sit upon the throne, so also the death of Jesus Christ has reached unlikely people like you is that those two things are incompatible. We can't continue to take delight in our sin and walking disobedience and at the same time expect to walk in close fellowship with God in the Old Testament.

King Saul tried to live that way.

There were times when he seemed to want a relationship with God, but mostly his life was marked by rebellion working to learn more about this today here on wisdom for the heart here Stephen Devi with a message called the last one. David means here is that God will not respond to a request of him. Did you deliver from hard it is cherishing CM you know you should confess. So here's Saul complaining God will listen to me anymore.

You won't tell me anything you think wow why would you expect them to. When you refuse to repent tragedy here is that Saul was chosen to be wayward, rather than worship and I got in.

You just can't have it both ways. You can have about is like a child wanting to commute or I fellowship with mom or dad in the same time rebelling writers like you when you were a child, your parents told me you rebel against them and still wanted communion with him right or guilty of that you would raise your hand until I did. You check it's okay. You just can't have jobs without all the funny story in his commentary hero what happened him years ago when he visited the hospital in evening while in the church was critical condition. He came to visit. As a pastor in Fullerton, California. She's walking through the parking lot he spotted the husband of the woman that he come to visit. They both attended the church. He pastored the man was standing off to the side of the front entrance of the hospital. Smoking the man caught sight of this window. Walking toward him at some distance away.

He evidently didn't want his pastor to see smoking so he stuck his hand with a lit cigarette into his front pants pocket. Swindoll commented I just decided to go over and carry on a conversation with a long conversation. He said the man turned all shades of red fidgeted smoke was literally coming out of his pocket. Finally he just laughed and he said look wanted to just go ahead and finish it. The man actually looked at him and said, finish what you hurried off in a cloud of smoke so Michaela.

After one of the earlier services as it may be that the origin of the phrase liar liar pants on fire could be. Listen we don't go to God for advice or communion or worship while at the same time attempting to hide something from him that he might not be pleased with that is if he can't see Saul is complaining God doesn't answer me anymore, but he's got stuff to do is Royal Roads heart that is smoldering with disobedience.

He does note that it is right, he can hear the war chant of the Philistine and he cannot hear the voice of God. This is the tragedy of Saul's unrepentant life. Secondly, let me point out the reality of an unseen world that is for seven then Saul said to his servants, seek out for me. A woman who is a medium that I may go to her and inquire of her and his servants said to him, behold, there is a medium at indoor and interesting. He asks for a woman. Most scholars believe he knew she existed. He knew that she had escaped the purge.

He just does know where she's living at the moment, his servants do in fact, one author said she's related.

Some believe to the royal family. There are connections the Bible in the Hebrew text literally refers to her as a mistress neck program. In other words, she consulted the dead in order to determine the future. Saul has categorically refused God's prophets and God's word is disobedience is blocked God's prescribed methods of gaining insight and wisdom, and we been told this is sufficient for life right he is rejected before the completion of Scripture. The prescription of God through his prophets and freeze because of that he says you know what I know there's a woman is a medium she can contact the dead try to get an appointment with Samuel and hear from him. Notice what happens next. Verse eight.

So Saul disguised himself and put on other garments and went into men with them and they came to the woman by night and he said divine for me by a spirit bring up for me whomever I shall name to you and the woman said that will surely you know what Saul is.now he is cut off the mediums and the necromancers from the landline and you laying a trap for my life to bring about my death but Saul swore to her by the Lord as the Lord lives, no basement shall come upon you for this thing. By the way, don't miss the irony that he's swearing by the name of the Lord. He is at that moment disobeying this is how rockhard his heart. Verse 11 woman symbol whom shall I bring up for you. He said bring up Samuel for me.

When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out with a loud voice. It's a long way saying she scream, which is almost comical. She evidently wasn't expecting anything and by the way, Samuel is going to emerge before she starts any incantation before he or she throws off Rob in the cattle or whatever before she draw something on the sand and he gets in the middle of it against the mountain chant, none of that took place here come Samuel by the way, God can do this he has done this with Moses and Elijah brought them to the Mount of Transfiguration to bolster the faith of Peter, James and John and I will tell you the path for just a few moments because there's a lot of ink spilled on whether or not this was really Samuel what's really happening here is the devil doing something. Is this a demon. Is this an apparition. Is this some missed or just really Samuel that God allows to come back to pronounce his final judgment reaffirmation of the judgment, I would throw my head of the ring with those who say it's literally Samuel and are five reasons why same festering right so I want to write and just listen. First, because the woman saw him and described him nephew in verse 14. She's polytheistic, she's superstitious and she describes God coming up from out of the earth, and then she described him as an old man as he gets a little closer wrapped in a row so she is describing a man. Secondly, Saul recognizes him not just the description he evidently is implied season because the bowels before him.

Thirdly, because the biblical text literally refers to this thing as Samuel three times and Samuel said, and Samuel said, fourthly, the message that Samuel delivers is a mirror message of what he already delivered to Sawyers earlier. He said to Saul, God is taken away the kingdom from you and he's going to give it your neighbor what he does here in this text of the ads name to the neighbor, David, one more reason and these are in ascending order of importance that this had to be God's divinely inspired prophet, and here it is because Samuel knew the future the dead do not know the future any more than the living beyond what God has already provided we do know how it wraps up. We don't know where do we we don't know when were not sure of all the details we interpret literally what God has delivered to us. But God has revealed to us the world of those that have departed had the however they don't know the future, which is why the man who's in torment in Hades is still there today waiting for the final judgment where Hades is poured into hell and he is so concerned about his brother.

He doesn't know it's going to happen to them. Chapter 16 liking dies and also knows now what can happen is rather what about the believer.

Well, you have the believing martyrs who are martyred in the coming tribulation and there at the throne of God and saying how long will the Lord before you vindicate our blood. They know is vindicated, because they read Revelation, but they've been told when and so they're asking so believers don't know the timing of God's events. The dead don't know the future anymore than we do however keep in mind the deception of the underworld. While they do not know the future by means of their communication system.

They know what's happening a thousand miles away right now could communicated to somebody a thousand miles distant from they can read your email. They can read the email, somebody's writing to you which you will get because it is front of the spamming to figure how to get back in your they they can read the letter that's been mailed to you before you get it. They know what it said.

They know the name of they know the nickname of your great-grandfather.

They know your your departed pants, favorite toy. They know I mean that the devil is deceitful in his kingdom has communication methods we know nothing so we don't trivialize them. We will focus on them and we definitely don't solicit information from them because they could deceive us with legitimate information is of things they have been able to communicate what they do see people today are led to believe in some strange spirit world distracted and deceive taken away from God's revealed word which is their intention. They don't know the future anymore than in generalities or through prophecies revealed by got back to my fifth point for a moment.

Samuel is obviously provided with information from God himself. Why notice how specific is look in verse 19. Moreover, Santos Ingersoll, the Lord will give Israel also with you into the hand of the Philistines. Note this and tomorrow you and your son shall be with me that is you and your sons are going to die tomorrow. You got less than 48 hours to live. By the way, this was one final message of judgment through the prophets in but don't miss this.

This is one final invitation by God's grace we can you imagine being told even the believer would be great to have a 48 hour notice you 48 hours in any of the Lord great media things the cleanup affects straighten up and and maybe some things that you're right. When that be great for 48 hours, you'll have 48 hours would be great if you were told you had 48 hours before that happens.

Saul has been given a 48 hour notice you 48 hours face-to-face now would be great to read that Saul fell down and pleaded for the mercy and forgiveness of God. He falls down your nose.

Verse 20 prostrate filled with fear as he should be because of the words and there's no strength in him. Yet even eaten all day and all night but the next verses tell us they convince him to eat a meal he sits on this woman's bed while she fixes it takes several hours. In fact, most of the day eats no whisper of sorrow over sin no begging for the God of Samuel to forgive them.

Instead, he eats his meal and this is implied in what he does next, listen he's sitting there and he comes to the conclusion that his own plans are infallible because he eats and he leaves that even considering the word of God. This is going to be his last meal. I do not because he marches into battle with his son.

Even though Samuel was prophesied defeat and death.

These thinking to himself I know is I've been waiting for that veal to become baked. Whatever I think I get around that you know maybe it was a missed or some apparition or maybe she's a really good which maybe maybe one really true that he same as raw. He's been running from God for more than a decade. I think I can keep running and get away from her get away with. Get away from God.

Maybe I can avoid this death verdict from the priest and prophet of God could know but think of the story assured many many years ago told often. Peter Marshall to his congregation where he pastored in Washington DC.

He also served as chaplain of the United States Senate would often tell the legend of the Middle Eastern servant who went to the market to purchase food for his master's household. He turned the corner in the marketplace and came face-to-face with the Grim Reaper wearing his trademark black hood that covered his face.

Grim Reaper suddenly raised his hand in his sickle into the air and and discernment terrified Randy thinking that death and comfort. He ran to his master back the loan of a horse so he could ride away to another village.

The village of Samara were some friends live where you get hideouts until death lost track his master agreed. He sped away to the village while his master went on, then to the marketplace to purchase the food himself, and he also turned the same corner unwittingly came face-to-face with the Grim Reaper. Death seemed uninterested in him, so he boldly asking why did you terrify my servant what you mean. Well, the master responded you raised your sickle into the air to strike him dead and he ran for his life.

Grim Reaper said no. I raise my hand in surprise. I wondered why he would be in this village. You see, I have an appointment with him tonight in the village tomorrow. Saul says I can get around this Samuel that notice talking about. I ignored him for years, ladies and gentlemen, let me put you on notice.

I don't know how many hours or days, but unless Jesus Christ raptures the church.

Those of you who believe in going to die. I'm going to die. For those of you who don't know Jesus Christ there is coming a day. We don't know when I many hours, days, weeks, months or years and you are going to die, you cannot avoid the appointment were going to make that appointment affect our lives right now are rushing toward the keeping of that appointment. The question is will you stand before God as your judge and face. His holy terror, or will you arrive to find an advocate who knows your name says father my welcome Saul. He ignores the message he doesn't prepare his heart for the life after if you go over to chapter 31, it just simply delivers the rather gory news of Saul's appointment with death.

We just can't fly over quickly, but the records is defeated in battle. The death of his sons including sweet dear Jonathan Saul is wounded by the archers. The Latin text tells us he received an arrow in his abdomen. A fatal wound. He doesn't want to be captured because you don't want them to put out his eyes and sport with them like they did so he asks his armor bearer to put in the data.

Sarver will do it and so Saul without repentance again. He says I'm in control our lives like I want I will die like I will and he falls on his sword and dies for the Philistines. This is the day of great joy. They send their messengers become to strip the slang they find solver states in his sons. They were in the rear on not go by. They cut off his hand. They strip his armor. Note this and they sent messengers throughout the land of the Philistines to carry the good news to the house of their idols and to the people they get their missionary enterprise enough false steam tell the good news to the people I try put his armor in the God and it ended up in the palace or temple of our Goddess. She is stronger than the God of Israel, the party began. They celebrated the strength of their gods and their armies and they boasted that Israel's God could not even protect his people and he could not even protect his king. One author wrote Saul chose an inch by inch, day by day to live in light of disobedience. He had spit in the face of the one who gave them grace all the way up to the day before his death, as if to say, Saul did the God I don't need you. I will live like I want and I will die as I've met people like that that only the young to say I will live as I please. But I old people who will be dead within a year of me speaking to them and they say on I like I miss is the tragedy of an unrepentant life. This is the reality of an unseen world. This is the penalty of an unyielding heart. The Israelites are now on the run.

The decimated in terms of territory. You need to understand that the Israelites now shrink in the square miles of the control in this defeat. Now they go back to almost where they were at the beginning of Saul's reign. Back to square one to be a day or two before David even hears the news of Saul's data and the wheels slip and the motion that ultimately put them on the throne. Now I said I'd turn a corner about the time I ran out of time and let me turn it in.

In a in a rather unusual way. Behind all this bad news in all of this tragedy is providential even though it looks entirely differently. God is not finished with Israel.

He's just beginning. One author provoke my thinking. I just stayed on the trail for some time and I want to close this way by comparing the death of Saul to the death of Jesus Christ.

You might think that's odd. It is in that Saul and Jesus Christ are very different. But consider this Saul's death appeared to be the end of all national hope all national hope when Saul died. Many of the people would have thought that this is the end of Israel.

This is the end of the home. The Philistines are conquerors and they will Contreras forever right in a Similar Way, Jesus Christ. Death appeared to be the end of all spiritual hope. We have been conquered. We will be conquered forever. There's no hello Jesus is dad, there's no future. There is no living Savior. There is no change the death of King Saul further pave the way for an entirely new plan of operation and ushered in David's kingly line which led to the Messiah. When Jesus died, he pave the way for an entirely new operation a new dispensation.

It would be brought into existence with the descending of the Holy Spirit and the creation of the church and this on new race, a living believing unique people of God. Saul's death led to a rather unlikely person and unknown shepherd boy from a poor family to sit upon the throne, so also the death of Jesus Christ and his saving grace has reached unlikely people like you and and he has brought us not only into the to the family of God, but into the royal line where we will one day sit with him upon the throne of the death of King Saul ends the book of first Samuel, but there's a second book about to open in the next few pages begin the reign of King David.

The death of Jesus Christ ended the book of suffering for sin, but another book is going to be open, it will reveal in time, yet future. The reign of the son of David upon a royal throne in the city of Jerusalem in his glorious kingdom and we with him. There's just a little more history yet to write before that age is turned over one book is ended. But there's another book about to be open because of Christ's death and resurrection fact it's just a few pages. Amen. If you're not ready for that appointment you are seeking answers from anyone but God.

Glad you've heard this message in been taken in this text, but I encourage you not to leave settle what needs to happen between you by your living and breathing, there's time, you may have less than 48 hours lunch today might your last me Stephen just we have no idea how long we have before our time of legacy building ends. Make sure that your relationship with God is all that it needs to be. This is wisdom for the heart and Stevens calling today's lesson the last meal. It comes from a series on the life of King David called the singer if you missed part of this lesson, or if you joined us late. You can go to our website and listen again right there in fact you can do that anytime because we post all of Stephen's teaching to that site. You'll find us online@wisdomonline.org Jake from right here in North Carolina went to that site and sent us a message. He wanted us to know that getting into his work truck and listening to this teaching is a highlight of his day. Well, a highlight of our day is hearing from people like Jake, we'd love to learn what God is doing in your life. You can go online and tell us, but maybe you prefer sending cards and letters in the mail and if so, please address it to wisdom International PO Box 37297, Raleigh, NC 27627. You can also email us at info@wisdom online.that's all for today.

I'm Scott Wiley and on behalf of Stephen and the entire wisdom team.

Thanks for listening. Join us tomorrow for more