In I Samuel 28, King Saul could not get an answer from the Lord for his request (because of Saul’s disobedience and inconsistency) and so he decided to take another course: he sought out a medium at En-dor. Verse 8 says: “Saul disguised himself by putting on other clothes, and went, he and two other men with him, and they came to the woman by night.” It is interesting that Saul “disguised himself.” It is obvious that he was ashamed of what he was doing.

Verse 9 reveals one of the special reasons why he should have been ashamed of it — he was being totally hypocritical. The medium said, “Behold, you know what Saul has done, how he has cut off those who are mediums and spiritists from the land.” Saul was the one who had had these occultists removed from Israel, and now here he was, seeking the services of a medium himself! It was SO ironic; SO hypocritical! No wonder he “disguised himself”; he knew that what he was doing was wrong.

That should have been a guide to him — and certainly should be to us as well. When you are so ashamed of what you are doing, that you have to disguise yourself, or hide it from others — it is certainly an indication that you are doing something you should not! Rather than attempting new and better ways of covering your actions, why not seek God’s help to repent of them instead? When you have to “disguise” something like Saul did — it is a dead giveaway that you shouldn’t be doing it!