ALPHA MAAMA (A.M.)

 The Necromancer of En-dor

KO E FEFINE FAKAHA’ELE FA’AHIKEHE MEI ‘ENITOA

1 SAMUEL 28:6-7

AND WHEN SAUL INQUIRED OF THE LORD, THE LORD DID NOT ANSWER HIM, EITHER BY DREAMS, OR BY URIM, OR BY PROPHETS, THEN SAUL SAID TO HIS SERVANTS, "SEEK OUT FOR ME A WOMAN WHO IS A MEDIUM, THAT I MAY GO TO HER AND INQUIRE OF HER." AND HIS SERVANTS SAID TO HIM, "BEHOLD, THERE IS A MEDIUM AT EN-DOR."

1 SAMIUELA 28:6-7

6 Pea kuo huhū ‘a Saula ki he ‘Eiki, ka na‘e ‘ikai te ne tali ‘i ha misi, pe ‘i he ‘Ūlimi, pe ‘i ha palōfita.  7 Pea na‘e toki me‘a ‘a Saula ki he‘ene kau tamaio‘eiki, Kumi mai ha fefine fakahā‘ele fa‘ahikehe, ka u ‘alu ki ai, ‘o huhū ki ai. Pea tali ‘e he‘ene kau tamaio‘eiki, Tokua ‘oku ‘i ai ha fefine ‘i ‘Enitoa ‘oku fai fakahā‘ele.

[LILIU FAKA-TONGA]

‘Oku fakama’opo’opo mai ‘e ‘Aisea ‘a hono tapui ‘e he lao ‘a Mosese ‘a e talanoa mo e kau mate: “Ko e pehē koā ke huhū ki ha kau mate koe‘uhi ko ha kau mo‘ui” (‘Aisea 8:19). Ka neongo ‘a hono toutou tala ke “Oua te mou” (Levi 19:31; 20:6), na’e kei fai pe ia ‘e he kakai. ‘I he konga kimui ‘o ‘ene mo’ui, pea ‘i he puputu’u ‘a ‘ene fakakaukau, na’e fai ‘e Saula ‘a e fakalou’akau ko eni na’e tapui ‘e he Folofola. Na’a ne ‘alu ‘o huhū ki ha palatovo [ba'alat-ov]("fefine ‘o e kau laumalie mate") ‘i he ngali kuo longo ‘a e ‘Otua pea mo hono kau fakafofonga. ‘I he taimi na’e ui mai ai ‘e he palatovo ‘a e laumalie ‘o Samiuela, mahalo pe ne toe fakatomala ‘a Saula ‘i he me’a na’a ne fai, he na’e tala ‘e Samiuela, ‘e hoko ‘i ha taimi nounou mei ai, ‘e fakatou hu ange ‘a Saula mo hono foha ki fonualoto, ki he potu ‘o e kau mate. 

‘Oku ongo mai ‘a e le’o ‘o ‘Aisea he lea na’e fai ‘e he ‘angelo ‘i he pongipongi ‘o e toetu’u: “Ko e hā ‘oku mou kumi ai ‘a ia ‘oku mo‘ui ki he kau pekia?” (Luke 24:5). Ko e ha ‘oku ke kumi fale’i ai ki he mate? Ko e ha ‘oku ke kumi ai ki he mo’ui ‘i he potu ‘o e kau mate? Kumi ki he Tokotaha ko ia, ‘oku Mo’ui. Kumi ki hono fofonga, ki he ‘Ene Folofola, ki hono Pule’anga, he kuo ne palomesi mai ‘oku ne kau mo koe. 

Na‘a ke pehē koā, “Mou kumi ki hoku fōtunga”? Na‘e tali atu hoku loto, “Ko ho fofonga, ‘Eiki, te u kumia.” (Saame 27:8).

Isaiah encapsulates the Torah's ban on necromancy: "Should they inquire of the dead on behalf of the living?" (8:19). Yet people did, despite repeated "thou shalt nots" from God (e.g., Lev. 19:31; 20:6). In the twilight of his life, when the walls were closing in around him, Saul too was among them. He visited the ba'alat-ov (literally, "mistress of the spirits of the dead") when all divine channels of communicate fell silent. When this ba'alat-ov summoned Samuel from the dead, Saul must have rued his decision, for Samuel foretold that, very soon, Saul and his sons would join him in the grave. And indeed, soon they did.

Isaiah's words are faintly echoed by the angels on resurrection day: "Why do

you seek the living among the dead?" (Luke 24:5). Why seek guidance from

the dead? Why seek life in the graveyard? Rather, seek the Living One. Seek

his face, his Word, his kingdom, for there God has promised to be for you.

"You have said, 'Seek my face.' My heart says to you, 'Your face, LORD, do

I seek'" (Ps. 27:8).