March 23, 2025 - 1 Samuel 28-31

So, a couple years ago, I was invited to speak to about 150 college and high school students on the topic of Paganism.  That’s with a capital “P.”  That is, contemporary Paganism is pretty much a recognized system of thought and practice as opposed to thinking of someone “not saved.”  A number of the students were identifying as “Pagan Christians.”  One young lady brought up the concept of “angel numbers,” i.e., repeating numbers you might see throughout the day through which the angels are delivering to you a message from God.  She asked me what I thought about such numbers.  Well, we had quite a conversation and, essentially, I asked her why she would rely on something like that when we have an inerrant, complete, and sufficient word from God called the Bible.  I mean, why would she not look to the Bible for direction?  All this connects with the story of Saul and the medium of En-Dor.  Saul had no business relying on such means to determine the will of God.  In fact, Moses had prohibited such a thing (Deuteronomy 18:9-14).  We certainly do not rely on such things as “signs” or horoscopes or other ways of knowing.  God has spoken to us and, like the Bereans (Acts 17), we look to the Word of God for direction.  Why  Because “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

Holy Bible, book divine,

Precious treasure, thou art mine;

Mine to tell me whence I came,

Mine to teach me what I am:

Mine to chide me when I rove;

Mine to show a Savior’s love;

Mine thou art to guide and guard;

. . . O thou holy book divine,

Precious treasure, thou art mine.   -- John Burton (1803)