Truth Hurts - 1 Samuel 26-31

1 Samuel 28:16-20 (ESV Strong's)
16 And Samuel said, “Why then do you ask me, since the LORD has turned from you and become your enemy? 17 The LORD has done to you as he spoke by me, for the LORD has torn the kingdom out of your hand and given it to your neighbor, David. 18 Because you did not obey the voice of the LORD and did not carry out his fierce wrath against Amalek, therefore the LORD has done this thing to you this day. 19 Moreover, the LORD will give Israel also with you into the hand of the Philistines, and tomorrow you and your sons shall be with me. The LORD will give the army of Israel also into the hand of the Philistines.”
20 Then Saul fell at once full length on the ground, filled with fear because of the words of Samuel. And there was no strength in him, for he had eaten nothing all day and all night.

Truth Hurts

In the above passage Saul has asked a medium to connect him with the dead man Samuel.   God allows this to deliver one final message to Saul, via the voice of Samuel.  The message: God is going to take the kingship of Israel away from Saul and give it to David.   This is the same message Saul was given by Samuel before his death.   There are three truths we can find in this passage:

1.  When we seek God, He will come to us and find us and speak to us.  This might be the key thought of:

Hebrews 1:1-2 (ESV Strong's)
1 Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, 2 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.

God speaks to mankind ... especially when man inquires.

2. God will speak truth to mankind ... whether he likes it or not.   Remember, Jesus said he was truth.  We ought to remember that when God speaks truth we are hearing the very words and character of Christ.   Saul wanted the truth.  God spoke that truth.  

3. The truth, from God, can be painful and upsetting for man.   So many people want to ignore the truth of God and pretend His hard truth is not real.  They begin their sentences with, “I just don’t feel like God would do ________!”   It matters not what we “feel” about God’s character.  God speaks truth whether we want to accept it and believe it or not.

Saul heard truth and it impacted him, painfully.   Sometimes God’s truth hurts.