Aug 28, 2018
Up to this point in the story of David’s life, there has been a concerted effort on the part of the author to differentiate between David and Saul. Their lives have been purposefully juxtaposed by their antithetical natures. One was a man after God’s own heart, while the other was a man from whom God had removed His Spirit. David has been characterized by faithfulness and obedience, while Saul has been the poster boy for faithlessness and disobedience. And yet, in 1 Samuel 28:1-7, we are given a surprising glimpse into a similarity shared between these two men. They each had the habit of taking matters into their own hands. And in this one chapter, we’re going to see what happens when anyone refuses to seek the will of God and chooses to manage their life on their own. Autonomy, while extremely attractive, rarely turns out well. Being the master of your own fate may sound appealing, but it always has consequences, most of which are far from pleasant.