“In Israel, back in the old days, when someone went to consult God, he would say, “Come, let’s go to the seer”; because a person now called a prophet used to be called a seer.”-1 Samuel 9:9
Zuph, the city where Saul and his young male companion were headed, was located on a hilltop.
That wasn’t unusual.
It was the norm to build a town on top of a hill because it made it easier to defend it from enemy attacks.
When Saul and the young boy arrived, they went to the city well to ask the women gathered there where the man of God was.
The women told Sha’ul that the “seer” would be sacrificing at the BEMAH (בּימה) or “high place” where the altar was set up.
Sha’ul and the boy were then told to hurry up because the ceremony was about to start.
We can see divine timing at work here.
Saul and his companion had arrived just in the nick of time for the sacrifices being conducted by none other than Samuel himself.
Now there’s a couple of Hebrew words I wanna dive into.
Notice the explanation the scripture writer gives us in verse 9.
He tells us the term RA’AH or “seer” in Hebrew was no longer in use…
And that instead the word NABI or “prophet” was more commonplace.
Here’s the thing.
A seer more resembled the new age fortune tellers we have in our day…
He was a professional spiritist who people would visit to get advice about what they should do in certain situations or how certain events might turn out…
And the seer usually provided the answer…for a nice hefty fee of course.
A prophet on the other hand was a man who received an oracle directly from God and then delivered that message to the people or the king for free.
Now here’s the thing.
Samuel was a transitional figure…
That meant he was neither a seer nor a prophet…
He was something in between…
But as the scriptural narrator explained, he was considered to be a full-fledged NABI or prophet.
Either way, we all know Samuel was a legitimate God-ordained representative of the Lord.
So here’s the takeaway I’m getting for today.
As I mentioned, the seers of old are like the psychics and new age fortune tellers we have in our day…
In fact, I’d say these occultists are even more common today than they were in ancient times.
Why?
Because people have discarded the Bible as a reliable source of truth…
And they want immediate clear direction about what to do with the problems in their lives.
But here’s the thing…
True God-ordained prophets don’t operate that way.
They don’t offer up instant solutions to problems that more often than not are rooted in sin.
The truth is you’re NOT supposed to seek out other “prophets” or “seers”.
Why?
Because as the book of Hebrews tells us:
“Long ago, at many times and in many ways,
God spoke to our fathers by the prophets.
But in these last days, he has spoken to us
by his Son whom he appointed the heir of all
things through whom also he created the world.”
-Hebrews 1:1-2
So that’s your lesson for today…
Stop going to mediums, psychics, fortune tellers, New Age Life Coaches (who are much more screwed up and broke than you can imagine) or whatever to get the truth about how to live your life.
Go to the Scriptures…
And through His appointed son go to God who is sovereign and holds your future in His hands.
Ya feel me?
CONNECTING THIS TEACHING TO THE NEW TESTAMENT
“Yeshua answered,
‘I am the way and
the truth and the life.
No one comes to the
Father except through me.'”
-John 14:6
A famous magician and escape artist, named Randi the Great, once was at a middle school class. He told the children that there the paper, facedown on their desk, was a horoscope created exactly for them. He asked them to read it, and then place it back on the desk, facedown.
After they did that, he asked how many thought the horoscope was exactly right, and many raised their hand. Then how many thought it was pretty close, and a lot more did.
After it was clear that the vast majority thought the horoscope was accurate, to differing degrees, he asked them to pass their horscope to the child behind them.
Every piece of paper had the exact same thing written on it.
Great story!