Last of all, he finishes his bad history by an open act of apostasy from the God of Israel. His last 15 act is like his first, but more significant. He began, as we saw, by consulting Samuel as a diviner; this showed the direction of his mind. It steadily persevered in its evil way--and he ends by consulting a professed sorceress at Endor. The 20 Philistines had assembled their hosts; Saul's heart trembled greatly--he had no advisers or comforters; Samuel was dead--the priests he had himself slain with the sword. He hoped, by magic rites, which he had formerly denounced, to 25 foresee the issue of the approaching battle. God meets him even in the cave of Satanic delusions--but as an Antagonist. The reprobate king receives, by the mouth of dead Samuel, who had once anointed him, the news that he is to be 30 "taken away in God's wrath"--that the Lord would deliver Israel, with him, into the hands of the Philistines, and that on the morrow he and his sons should be numbered with the dead.[12] [12] 1 Sam. xxviii. 19. The next day "the battle went sore against him, 5 the archers hit him; and he was sore wounded of the archers."[13] "Anguish came upon him,"[14] and he feared to fall into the hands of the uncircumcised. He desired his armor-bearer to draw his sword and thrust him through therewith. On his 10 refusing, he fell upon his own sword, and so came to his end. [13] _Ibid._ xxxi. 3. [14] 2 Sam. i. 9. EARLY YEARS OF DAVID "Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Beth-lehemite, that is cunning in playing, and a mighty valiant man, and a man of war, and prudent in matters, and a comely person, and the Lord is with him."--1 _Samuel_ xvi. 18.