COMMUNICATION WITH THE DEAD THE WITCH AT ENDOR (1 SAMUEL 28) Many Christians are familiar with the television program “Crossing Over.” The format of the program centers upon the host, John Edwards, a professed necromancer (one who communicates with the dead), standing before a studio audience. The host is relaxed, sensitive, and gentlemanly, as he begins to open himself up to the “other side” (realm of the dead). The audience sits up and takes notice as John begins to share personal information; information about an audience member known only by their deceased loved one. A look of absolute shock and unbelief, even tears, begin to flow as that particular audience member realizes that something very special as happened in their lives, and they come to the mistaken conclusion that they have been visited by their dead relative, who isn’t really dead at all, but happily existing in another dimension on the other side of death. Nothing could be further from the truth! Mediums (KJV Witches), necromancers, want us to believe that there is another dimension of life that runs parallel to our dimension, and when we die, we merely step over into that “other” dimension and live happily ever-after. There is no need for faith in Christ. Christ is of little or no value whatsoever to the ones currently resting on the other side. Every report, supposedly from a deceased family member, is a report of happiness, contentment, and peace. Life after death, according to the familiar spirit, is merely a transition from this life plane to another without any significant changes at all. …….But what does the Scripture teach? What does God think of Mediums, Witches, and Necromancers? What does God think about communicating with the dead? Leviticus 20:6, “And the soul that turneth after such as have familiar spirits, and after wizards, to go a whoring after them, I will even set my face against that soul, and will cut him off from among his people.” God takes no delight in the soul that seeks to communicate with the dead. In fact, in ancient Jewish times, a person seeking counsel from one possessed of a familiar spirit were to be “cut off” - an old Jewish term for being put to death! Exodus 22:18 “Thou shalt not suffer a witch [Necromancer] to live.” Leviticus 19:31 “Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I am the LORD your God.” A “wizard” is one who practices magic; sorcery, divination. A “familiar spirit” is a “servant” demon that masquerades or mimics the voice of a deceased person. A necromancer is one who serves as liaison between the demon and the one seeking to communicate with the dead. God commands us to stay away from these evil practices. It’s not surprising that many people, attracted to the mystic practices of witchcraft and Satanism, feel God is the power source behind the practice; therefore, the feel, it’s not to be shunned, but embraced as a good thing. Such persons are dangerously ignorant of God’s Word. In 1 Samuel 28, verses 3-25, we find the only séance ever recorded in the Bible. Saul, the first king of Israel, in rebellion against the Lord, is about to go out and face Israel’s arch enemy, the Philistines. And the Bible says, 1 Samuel 28:3 “Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had lamented him, and buried him in Ramah, even in his own city. And Saul had put away those that had familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land.” Saul, under God’s commandment (Exodus 22:18), executed such that practiced necromancy (communication with the dead) or any other type of wizardry. But now Saul is preparing to go into battle against the Philistines. He has neither Samuel, the Priest-Prophet, to give him spiritual guidance, nor David, his courageous army commander, to lead in the battle. He needs spiritual counsel and encouragement, but God is no longer communicating with him because of his rebellion (1Samuel 15:26). Saul will have to face his enemy all alone. He’s terrified! 1 Samuel 28:4-6 “And the Philistines gathered themselves together, and came and pitched in Shunem: and Saul gathered all Israel together, and they pitched in Gilboa. And when Saul saw the host of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart greatly trembled. And when Saul enquired of the LORD, the LORD answered him not, neither by dreams nor by Urim, nor by prophets.” If I were Saul, I’d be afraid too! Any heart living in this world today without Christ ought to be the most fearful heart of all. Saul was without any guidance from the Lord; though he looked for it in every corner. (v.6) 1 Samuel 28:7-8 “Then said Saul unto his servants, Seek me a woman that hath a familiar spirit, that I may go to her, and enquire of her. And his servants said to him, Behold, there is a woman that hath a familiar spirit at Endor. And Saul disguised himself, and put on other raiment…” No witch is going to entertain a King set on their destruction. Saul disguises himself to go out and meet the Witch. “… and he went, and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night: and he said, I pray thee, divine unto me by the familiar spirit, and bring me him up, whom I shall name unto thee.” Saul is under this great temptation to counsel with the devil, yet through the lips of the devil’s servant, the witch, God reminds Saul of the severity of what he is about to do! 1 Samuel 28:9 “And the woman said unto him, Behold, thou knowest what Saul hath done, how he hath cut off those that have familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land: wherefore then layest thou a snare for my life, to cause me to die?” Paul tells us in the New Testament, “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” (1Co 10:13) Here is Saul’s way of escape; a reminder from a very unlikely source that seeking after the counsel of a witch is rebellion against God and punishable by death. This is God’s reminder to Saul, and this is Saul’s way of escape. But note what Saul does… 1 Samuel 28:10 “And Saul sware to her by the LORD, saying, As the LORD liveth, there shall no punishment happen to thee for this thing.” Saul’s promises are paramount to taking God’s name in vain. He was completely out of God’s will, yet he is making promises, in God’s name, he knows he has neither the authority nor the power to keep. 1 Samuel 28:11 “Then said the woman, Whom shall I bring up unto thee? And he said, Bring me up Samuel.” This witch does not know she is speaking to King Saul. King Saul has disguised himself so that the witch would not fear him. She’s a witch, with a spirit of divination, and yet she is fooled by a human King. This is important to remember because the witch is about to get the shock of her life; and so is King Saul! This Witch begins, as all witches do, fully expecting a routine interface with her familiar spirit. But she cries with a loud voice as she sees, what I believe is, a host of angels ascending from the earth; personally escorting Samuel up from the grave to meet Saul. 1 Samuel 28:12-13 “And when the woman saw Samuel, she cried with a loud voice: and the woman spake to Saul, saying, Why hast thou deceived me? for thou art Saul. And the king said unto her, Be not afraid: for what sawest thou? And the woman said unto Saul, I saw gods ascending out of the earth.” “I saw gods ascending.” This was no where near the woman’s expectation. She was expecting her familiar spirit to masquerade the voice of Samuel. But God literally allowed Samuel to come up from his place of rest and peace and carry His message to Saul. The Word of God is very explicit, “when she saw Samuel.” It was no apparition, masquerade, or impersonation, - it was Samuel! Warren Wiersbe writes, “It is not possible Satan could have accomplished this feat, since God would not allow Satan to deliver such a weighty message, nor would the LORD put His approval on a practice His Word condemned. The Witch becomes a mere spectator once Samuel is on the scene.” (Wiersbe’s Expository Outlines on the Old Testament, p. 278. Victor Pub, 1993) 1 Samuel 28:14 “And he said unto her, What form is he of? And she said, An old man cometh up; and he is covered with a mantle. And Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and he stooped with his face to the ground, and bowed himself.” Many theologians believe Saul is being deceived by the devil and the familiar spirit is doing his job. They suggest, by the text, that Saul only “perceived” that it was Samuel from the woman’s description. But the Holy Spirit explicitly testifies that the woman saw Samuel (v 12). Now the interface between Saul and Samuel… 1 Samuel 28:15 And Samuel said to Saul, Why hast thou disquieted me, to bring me up? Please note something very important. Wherever Samuel was in death, it was a place of peace and quiet, a place of rest. Samuel says, “Why hast thou disquieted me.” In Luke, Chapter 16, Jesus speaks of a place called ‘Abraham’s Bosom’ a place of peace and rest after the death of His Old Testament saints. It is written of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob that upon their death they were “gathered to their people” (Genesis 25:8; 25:39; 49:33). Samuel, in death, was completely at rest, and possibly fellowshipping with his people. Saul interrupted that rest. 1 Samuel 28:15 continued... “And Samuel said to Saul, Why hast thou disquieted me, to bring me up? And Saul answered, I am sore distressed; for the Philistines make war against me, and God is departed from me, and answereth me no more, neither by prophets, nor by dreams: therefore I have called thee, that thou mayest make known unto me what I shall do.” How interesting that Saul had little appreciation for the voice of Samuel while he was alive, but now he is stooped down with face pressed against the ground and his ears and heart fully attentive to the words of Samuel. What is the Word from the LORD? 1 Samuel 28:16-18 “Then said Samuel, Wherefore then dost thou ask of me, seeing the LORD is departed from thee, and is become thine enemy? And the LORD hath done to him, as he spake by me: for the LORD hath rent the kingdom out of thine hand, and given it to thy neighbour, even to David: Because thou obeyedst not the voice of the LORD, nor executedst his fierce wrath upon Amalek, therefore hath the LORD done this thing unto thee this day.” Saul had been doing things his own way for so long, now God was permitting him to continue having his own way. Samuel’s last message from God to Saul was one of judgment; Saul, and his sons, would die the next day in the battle he so feared. 1 Samuel 28:19-20 “ Moreover the LORD will also deliver Israel with thee into the hand of the Philistines: and to morrow shalt thou and thy sons be with me: the LORD also shall deliver the host of Israel into the hand of the Philistines.Then Saul fell straightway all along on the earth, and was sore afraid, because of the words of Samuel: and there was no strength in him; for he had eaten no bread all the day, nor all the night.” Many today are obsessed with the mystical workings of the devil! Whether it’s following after horoscopes, tarot cards, crystal balls, or seeking the guidance of palm readers, or even seeking to communicate with the dead, God has a warning for all those that seek counsel from the devil… Isaiah 47:13-15 [Brackets are mine] “Thou art wearied in the multitude of thy counsels. Let now the astrologers, the stargazers, the monthly prognosticators [horoscope casters – all of those that practice divination], stand up, and save thee from these things that shall come upon thee. Behold, they shall be as stubble; the fire shall burn them; they shall not deliver themselves from the power of the flame…they shall wander every one to his quarter; none shall save thee.” Trusting in the counsel of the devil is serving and worshipping other gods; god’s that cannot save themselves much less save you! By nature, there is only One God, and One LORD, the LORD JESUS CHRIST! Satan masquerades as an angel of truth but he is the father of lies. Finally, Samuel told Saul, “tomorrow shalt thou and thy sons be with me” (v.19). Many find it hard to believe King Saul would be permitted to rest in peace after leading such a rebellious life. But in truth, Saul’s life was not always one of rebellion. He had served God, and the people, for many years. The Bible teaches that God does not forget one’s labor for Him even in the smallest way (Hebrews 6:10). Saul had committed the sin unto death (1 John 5:16); sin that brought a judgment that affected so many others around him. It is therefore understandable that Saul would collapse to the floor in fear and despair. The very next day Saul, and his sons, were killed in the battle with the Philistines, and Israel was left to the plunder. It is unbelievable, Wiersbe writes, that King Saul, a man chosen by God, could ever participate in so wicked a deed; yet the record is there – “let him who thinks he stands take heed, lest he fall” (I Corinthians 10:12). Isaiah 8:19-20 And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? for the living to the dead? To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them. There is no truth in the counsel of the devil. God says if you need to know something about the future, come see Me. The Bible (law and the testimony) is Gods revelation to man regarding life and death. If you cant find the answer to your question in the Bible, you surely wont find it in the devils counsel. Isaiah 8:20 To the law and to the testimony [Bible]: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light [Truth] in them. Leviticus 19:31 “Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I am the LORD your God.”
Posted on: Sat, 08 Mar 2014 00:10:17 +0000
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