Talking With the Dead

Necromancy – Forbidden by God

By Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

© God’s Breath Publications

 

There seems to be a resurgence of interest in the paranormal and speaking with the dead. Currently John Edwards promotes his spiritists talents on his “Crossing Over” program on the Sci‑Fi Channel. The actor, Ted Dansen, recently starred on a made‑for‑TV movie called “Living with the Dead” where he portrayed a man supposedly blessed with the psychic ability of speaking with those who had passed away. Automatic writing or spirit writing (communications from spirits through writing) as an activity is being promoted by spiritists on a regular television program. A California Realtor operates “Heaven’s Union” which allows you to pay $40 to have a terminally ill patient carry a message of yours to your departed loved ones. For $125 you can have “Priority Service” and have the same message carried by three dying patients!

 

Spiritists, mediums and witch doctors have been around for quite a while. They have been the tools of Satan for centuries. One of their false claims is the ability to speak with the dead. The Bible is rather blunt when it comes to God’s perspective on people claiming to be spiritists. Deuteromy 18:10‑13 states, “Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. Anyone who does these things is detestable to the LORD, and because of these detestable practices the LORD your God will drive out those nations before you. You must be blameless before the LORD your God.” Leviticus 20:27 verifies this when it states, “A man or woman who is a medium or spiritist among you must be put to death. You are to stone them; their blood will be on their own heads.’” While the laws in our country protect the beliefs of even spiritists, as Christians we are to refrain from associating ourselves with such people.

 

Believe it or not there is an example of a man of God attempting to contact the dead contained in scripture. In I Samuel 28:12‑20 an account is given of Saul circumventing God and seeking out a spiritist to contact the dead prophet Samuel. Saul had broken fellowship with God and the Philistine army was about to attack. Saul sought God’s counsel, but God would not respond according to Saul’s time schedule. Impatient with God, Saul sought out counsel from another, a medium. Saul knew that God had condemned such practices, but out of fear of the Philistines he proceeded anyway. In the account, Saul contacts a spiritist and asks her to speak to Samuel the dead prophet. Does Saul actually speak with the dead with the help of the spiritist? Let’s see what some well‑known men of God say.

 

All knowledgeable Bible commentators agree that this is not a true encounter with a dead person. They have various theories as to what actually occurs.

 

Adam Clark a renowned Bible commentator believes an “angel of God” appeared to the spiritist and portrayed itself as Samuel. According to Clark, this angel delivers the accurate message of the fate of Saul that he would fall in battle as well as his sons.

 

Another Bible Scholar Matthew Henry believes that it was actually a demonic manifestation. Mediums and spiritists do not have the power to call up departed saints. Samuel would not have acknowledged the medium since he was a man of God and knew how God felt about such evil practices. Often satanic sources will reveal truth mixed with error to mislead and deceive. Their occasional accuracy with facts and details will tempt individuals into believing that such practices are a truthful means of communicating with the dead. In reality they are a snare to entrap people and lead them into further acts of evil and deception.

 

Keil and Delitzsch concur with Henry and interpret the surprise reaction of the medium with the appearance of an apparition of Samuel as evidence that it was a satanic manifestation. The medium was used to tricking people with her deceptions and when a real manifestation occurred she was greatly frightened. According to this interpretation, the problem was the apparition was not really Samuel, but a demon appearing as Samuel. Therefore not only was Saul fooled into thinking that it was Samuel, but the medium as well.

 

A Christian psychic investigator Danny Korem has the most interesting theory regarding this passage of scripture. The word for medium in Hebrew at the time of the writing of I Samuel meant “one with a familiar spirit” but also could mean “ventriloquist.” He feels that possibly the medium of Endor was simply throwing her voice and making an accurate guess as to the fate of Saul. Many individuals knew that Saul had fallen out of favor with God and that the Philistines attack was immanent.

 

Whether the appearance of Samuel was simply a trick by the medium, a demonic manifestation, or an angelic visitation, what really matters is that this is not an actual account of communication with the dead.

 

Over the years numerous offers have been made to verify that mediums could actually communicate with the dead. Scientific American magazine offered $5,000 to anyone who could prove a case of such phenomena but no one claimed the prize. Science and Invention magazine offered $20,000 if anyone could perform any trick or phenomena that a magician couldn’t duplicate nobody claimed that prize either. Harry Houdini became interested in communicating with the dead when his mother died. He made numerous attempts to contact her but all of them failed. Discouraged by their lack of veracity, he went on a personal campaign of exposing the tricks of mediums. He investigated hundreds of claims of communication with the dead but was able to expose them all as lies and trickery. On his death bed he promised if it were possible he would send a message back from the dead himself. His wife offered a $10,000 reward for anyone who could reveal the 10‑word message he promised he would send; no one ever claimed the reward.

 

So how should Christians view such statements by John Edwards and others claiming they speak with the dead. Red flags of warning should shoot up before us when we hear claims of communication with dead spirits of people. God’s Word speaks out against such practices and warns us that these are not to be participated in, encouraged or entertained. Whether they are actual tricks by those who promote themselves as spiritists or whether they are demonic empowered spiritual manifestations doesn’t matter. What matters is that we avoid such individuals and their evil practices.

 

We need not be tempted to believe in them even if certain facts and information are verified since we know that Satan and his demons have access to information of the ages. Information about departed loved ones, if it comes through a spiritist or medium has demonic sources not heavenly ones. While Satan is not omniscience like God, he is very intelligent and crafty. Our culture and society will be attracted to such deceptive and intriguing activities due to the skills of the prince of this world. We are children of the light and need to abstain from any practice that is associated with the beings of darkness.

 

Galatians 5:19‑21

“The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.”