1. David’s fear of Saul sends him to hide with the Philistines once again.
1 Samuel 27:1 (NLT)
But David kept thinking to himself, “Someday Saul is going to get me. The best
thing I can do is escape to the Philistines. Then Saul will stop hunting for me in
Israelite territory, and I will finally be safe.”
2. While David hid, he deceived King Achish and strengthened Israel.
Joshua 13:13 (NLT)
But the Israelites failed to drive out the people of Geshur and Maacah, so they
continue to live among the Israelites to this day.
1 Samuel 27:8-12 (NLT)
David and his men spent their time raiding the Geshurites, the Girzites, and the
Amalekites—people who had lived near Shur, toward the land of Egypt, since
ancient times. 9 David did not leave one person alive in the villages he attacked.
He took the sheep, goats, cattle, donkeys, camels, and clothing before returning
home to see King Achish.
10 “Where did you make your raid today?” Achish would ask. And David would
reply, “Against the south of Judah, the Jerahmeelites, and the Kenites.”
11 No one was left alive to come to Gath and tell where he had really been. This
happened again and again while he was living among the Philistines. 12 Achish
believed David and thought to himself, “By now the people of Israel must hate
him bitterly. Now he will have to stay here and serve me forever!”
1 Samuel 28:1-3 (NLT)
About that time the Philistines mustered their armies for another war with Israel.
King Achish told David, “You and your men will be expected to join me in battle.”
2 “Very well!” David agreed. “Now you will see for yourself what we can do.” Then
Achish told David, “I will make you my personal bodyguard for life.”
3 Meanwhile, Samuel had died, and all Israel had mourned for him. He was
buried in Ramah, his hometown. And Saul had banned from the land of Israel all
mediums and those who consult the spirits of the dead.
Exodus 22:18 (NLT)
“You must not allow a sorceress to live.
Leviticus 19:31 (NLT)

“Do not defile yourselves by turning to mediums or to those who consult the
spirits of the dead. I am the LORD your God.
Leviticus 20:6 (NLT)
“I will also turn against those who commit spiritual prostitution by putting their
trust in mediums or in those who consult the spirits of the dead. I will cut them off
from the community.
1 Samuel 28:4-6 (NLT)
The Philistines set up their camp at Shunem, and Saul gathered all the army of
Israel and camped at Gilboa. 5 When Saul saw the vast Philistine army, he
became frantic with fear. 6 He asked the LORD what he should do, but the LORD
refused to answer him, either by dreams or by sacred lots or by the prophets.
3. Saul’s fear sends him to a sorcerer he had banned from Israel.
1 Samuel 28:7-9 (NLT)
Saul then said to his advisers, “Find a woman who is a medium, so I can go and
ask her what to do.” His advisers replied, “There is a medium at Endor.” 8 So
Saul disguised himself by wearing ordinary clothing instead of his royal robes.
Then he went to the woman’s home at night, accompanied by two of his men. “I
have to talk to a man who has died,” he said. “Will you call up his spirit for me?”
9 “Are you trying to get me killed?” the woman demanded. “You know that Saul
has outlawed all the mediums and all who consult the spirits of the dead. Why
are you setting a trap for me?”
4. God loves us and doesn’t want us to be deceived by the father of lies.
John 8:42-44 (NLT)
Jesus told them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, because I have
come to you from God. I am not here on my own, but he sent me. 43 Why can’t
you understand what I am saying? It’s because you can’t even hear me! 44 For
you are the children of your father the devil, and you love to do the evil things he
does. He was a murderer from the beginning. He has always hated the truth,
because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character;
for he is a liar and the father of lies.
Deuteronomy 18:9-14 (NLT)
“When you enter the land the LORD your God is giving you, be very careful not
to imitate the detestable customs of the nations living there. 10 For example,
never sacrifice your son or daughter as a burnt offering. And do not let your
people practice fortune-telling, or use sorcery, or interpret omens, or engage in
witchcraft, 11 or cast spells, or function as mediums or psychics, or call forth the

spirits of the dead. 12 Anyone who does these things is detestable to the LORD.
It is because the other nations have done these detestable things that the LORD
your God will drive them out ahead of you. 13 But you must be blameless before
the LORD your God. 14 The nations you are about to displace consult sorcerers
and fortune-tellers, but the LORD your God forbids you to do such things.”
1 Samuel 28:10-20 (NLT)
But Saul took an oath in the name of the LORD and promised, “As surely as the
LORD lives, nothing bad will happen to you for doing this.”
11 Finally, the woman said, “Well, whose spirit do you want me to call up?”
“Call up Samuel,” Saul replied.
12 When the woman saw Samuel, she screamed, “You’ve deceived me! You are
Saul!”
13 “Don’t be afraid!” the king told her. “What do you see?”
“I see a god coming up out of the earth,” she said.
14 “What does he look like?” Saul asked.
“He is an old man wrapped in a robe,” she replied. Saul realized it was Samuel,
and he fell to the ground before him.
15 “Why have you disturbed me by calling me back?” Samuel asked Saul.
“Because I am in deep trouble,” Saul replied. “The Philistines are at war with me,
and God has left me and won’t reply by prophets or dreams. So I have called for
you to tell me what to do.”
16 But Samuel replied, “Why ask me, since the LORD has left you and has
become your enemy? 17 The LORD has done just as he said he would. He has
torn the kingdom from you and given it to your rival, David. 18 The LORD has
done this to you today because you refused to carry out his fierce anger against
the Amalekites. 19 What’s more, the LORD will hand you and the army of Israel
over to the Philistines tomorrow, and you and your sons will be here with me. The
LORD will bring down the entire army of Israel in defeat.”
20 Saul fell full length on the ground, paralyzed with fright because of Samuel’s
words. He was also faint with hunger, for he had eaten nothing all day and all
night.