WEDNESDAY October 2, 2019
Looking Beyond the Grave
And the king said to her, “Do not be afraid. What did you see?”
And the woman said to Saul, “I saw a spirit ascending out of the earth.”
So he said to her, “What is his form?” And she said, “An old man is coming up, and he is covered with a mantle.” And Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and he stooped with his face to the ground and bowed down.
1 Samuel 28:13-14
The woman, still afraid, told King Saul who she had seen. She described Samuel as an old man, covered with a mantle. Notice how Saul recognized Samuel. I find it interesting that Samuel was still an old man. I do not have an answer for that; it is just an observation.
However, before Christ’s death and resurrection, those who died went to hell––Sheol, the place of the dead––where there were two compartments. In Sheol, the wicked and the righteous were separated. Those who were righteous were comforted in a place called Abraham’s bosom; the unrighteous were in a place of torment. Samuel had actually come up from Abraham’s bosom.
In Luke 16:19-31, we have the true story of the rich man and Lazarus. They both died, the rich man unexpectedly:
So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom (Luke 16:22-23).
The rich man, being tormented, asked Father Abraham for Lazarus to be sent over to him. Perhaps he could dip his finger in water and cool him from the tormenting flame. Abraham explained why he could not (Luke 16:24-26). The rich man thought of his brothers; he wanted to warn them about this place of torment. Abraham knew that if they did not listen to Moses or the prophets, they would not listen, even if one rose from the dead to warn them (Luke 16:27-31).
For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, nor will
You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.
~Psalm 16:10~
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