He even anticipated, therefore, the statement
which was the only feature conneAed with this story
that indicates in any degree a supernatural knowledge;
viz., “To-morrow shalt thou and thy sons be with me:
the Lord also shall deliver the host of Israel into the
hands of the Philistines.”
The well-informed demons
knew full better than did Saul the strength of the
Philistines’ position and army, and the weakness of
Saul’s position and army, and that he himself was al-
ready panic.stricken and making this inquiry of the
witch-medium because he was distraaed at the situa-
tion.
Any one familiar with the warfare of that time
would know (1) that one day’s battle would probably
settle the question; and (2) that the death of the king
and his household would be the only logical result.
Nevertheless, the “familiar spirit” erred, for two of
Saul’s sons escaped and lived for years. It is even de-
nied by scholars that the battle and the death of Saul oc- .
curred for several days after the visit to the witch.
It is not surprising that Satan and the fallen an-
gels, his consorts in evil, should know considerably
more than do men, concerning many of life’s affairs.
We must remember that by nature they are a higher,
more intelligent order than men; for man was made “a
little lower than the angels” (Psa. 8: 5): besides, let
us remember thelr thousands of years of experience,
unimpaired by decay and death, as compared with
man’s “few years and full of trouble,” soon cut off in
death. Can we wonder that mankind cannot cope with
the cunning of these “wicked spirits,” and that our
only safety lies in the divine provision that each one
who so wills may refuse to have any communication
with these demons? The Word of the Lord is.