IN the first of these scenes we are introduced to the house of a woman that hath a familiar spirit at Endor (1 Sam. 28:77Then said Saul unto his servants, Seek me a woman that hath a familiar spirit, that I may go to her, and inquire of her. And his servants said to him, Behold, there is a woman that hath a familiar spirit at Endor. (1 Samuel 28:7)). She is a true emissary of Satan; one who has for long carried on her diabolical deceptions by means of witchcraft, and has by some means or other escaped the raid which had been made upon such persons by Saul in his religious zeal (v. 3).
Through the darkness and gloom of that eventful night, might be seen three figures moving on with hurried step towards her abode. Silently they speed onward, lest the darkness should pass away and the morning dawn ere they had accomplished their miserable and wicked purpose. How true, "He that doeth evil hateth the light,” &c. (John 3:2020For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. (John 3:20)).
The figures too are worthy of notice. One at least of the three is remarkable. Though no kingly robes adorn him, and no train of followers mark out his position, yet in that tall figure, head and shoulders above the others, disguised though he be, we perceive unmistakably Saul, the King of Israel. A look of despair is settled on his countenance. Darkness and gloom have taken up their abode in his breast. His state within answers to the state of nature around. He is on his way to consult with the witch, in the consciousness that he is given up of God.
Awful discovery! the heart sickens at the thought I Saul given up of God? Yes The man who had been anointed king; whose hand had slain thousands of the Lord's enemies; who had seen the wonderful intervention of Jehovah on behalf of His people in so many ways, and was so familiar with His power; who in his religious zeal had put away all the wizards and witches out of the land, —was now given up of God, and coming out in his true colors.
In spite of all God's tender and gracious dealings with him, in tracing his history we find he disobeys His word (chap. 15.), hates and seeks to kill God's anointed (chap. 19:10), destroys God's priests (chap. 22:18), and finally, when he finds that God does not answer him, instead of falling down on his face and repenting of his wickedness, he fills up his cup of iniquity by turning from God and appealing to Satan. He turns to what he had professed to give up, like “the dog to its vomit, and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire" (2 Peter 2:2222But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire. (2 Peter 2:22)). Consummate wickedness! which meets its fearful but well deserved doom.
Arrived at the woman's house, he finds a difficulty in getting her to act, through his own previous conduct; but after giving her his oath that no punishment shall happen to her, she goes as usual to bring up the familiar spirit, when God interferes and, to her utter amazement, Samuel appears. This opens her eyes to the fact that she is in the presence of the poor God-deserted king.
“Why hast thou disquieted me, to bring me up?” said Samuel. Listen to the despairing answer of him who was the greatest and most favored man in Israel,—" I am sore distressed— and God is departed from me— and I have called thee to make known to me what I shall do" (v. 15).
The poor terror-stricken king no sooner hears his doom pronounced by Samuel, than he falls to the earth in a swoon; strength departs from him. As soon as he is restored and refreshed, he and his servants rise up and go their way. It is still night. Pale, haggard, and weary, the doomed king returns to his army. Next day they go to the battle, when the word of the Lord by Samuel is fulfilled. Saul is wounded by a Philistine, falls upon his sword to put an end to his miserable existence, and finally is slain by an Amalekite, one of the cursed race whom he spared when he disobeyed the word of the Lord (chap. 21., and 1 Kings 1.). That memorable night his sentence was pronounced, the next day it was executed; and Saul passed from time into eternity, numbered with the dead, according to the word of Samuel.
Reader, is Saul's history yours? An empty professor, disobedient to the word of the Lord?
Repenting not of your sins? turning again to the things you professed to give up? Beware! lest Saul's doom be yours, and your mask drop off— your hypocrisy come to an end—your true condition be discovered, when it is too late; and unrepentant, Christless, and empty, you pass from time into eternity—from earth into hell. Beware! for " except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.”
The next scene, though a night scene, has a freshness and charm about it which the former entirely lacks. It is not the greatest man politically, but one of the greatest men ecclesiastically, "Nicodemus, the ruler of the Jews” (John 3:11There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: (John 3:1)). Not the king on his way to consult with Satan, but the ruler on his way to consult with Jesus. He "came to Jesus by night." Not terror-stricken and forsaken of God, but conscience -smitten and desiring to know God.
Timid, and unable to rise above the thoughts of others, yet feeling the need in his soul; fearing to come by day, he steals to Jesus by night; ready to acknowledge Him as a teacher, but failing to see Him as the Saviour.
No sooner does he reach Jesus and inform Him of what he does know, than Jesus begins by telling him what he does not know. “Ye must be born again." He lays the ax at the root of the tree, and levels all the pride and pretension of this ruler with one blow, "Ye must be born again.”
Standing, reputation, character, are of no avail here. A new life is needed, or eternal banishment from God into the lake of fire. Reader, mark it well, the 'new birth is indispensable, or the second death is unavoidable.
Darkness reigns around, but equal darkness reigns within the mind of the religious but inquiring Pharisee. Patiently the blessed Saviour follows him in all his foolish questions, hemming him in at every point, until at last the conscience smitten, needy, and inquiring ruler is brought to the very heart of God. Blessed terminus! glorious station, at which to alight after such a journey! From distance to nearness! From the depths of ignorance in his own heart, to the spring of love, the source of blessing, in God's heart! From the midnight darkness of nature, to the marvelous light in the Lord!
How marvelous the ignorance and unbelief displayed by Nicodemus (v. 10-12). If earthly things were disbelieved, what use was it to speak of heavenly things? Moreover, who could speak of what was in heaven, but He who had come from heaven?
Then the mind of that great man was taken to the simplicity of the gospel, in the picture of the serpent on the pole to heal the bitten Israelite in the wilderness, there to learn the truth of “life in a look." And as the serpent was lifted up, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that the bitten dying sinner might not perish, but have everlasting life. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life" (John 3:14-1614And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: 15That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 16For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:14‑16)). It is all of God, and from God, and goes back to God in praise and worship. God loved—God gave—we believe—and we have!
Reader, is Nicodemus's condition yours? Awakened to feel your need, and longing to receive blessing? Turn your eyes away from yourself and from all around you, to Him who was God's love-gift to this world, and was lifted up on the cross that you might believe in Him and never perish, but possess eternal life. The Lord grant that your history may end in such blessed results as the second night scene presents, and not have its counterpart in the first. W. E.
THE position of the believer is most blessed. Peace, grace, and glory, present his standing and his hope. Peace as regards the past, for all his sins are gone; grace as regards the present, for he is "accepted in the beloved"; glory as regards the future, which is to be the same as Christ.
W. T. P. W.