Articles
The Witch of Endor
The Witch of Endor
1 Samuel 28
When Saul rebelled against the Lord, the LORD rejected him as king. One of the consequences of this rejection was that the Spirit departed from Saul (1 Sam. 16:14). Saul was left without guidance from God. People look for guidance but they often look to the wrong source. Such was the error of Saul. When Saul became king, the Spirit of God did come upon him. He was said in some way to prophecy and was thus said to be 'among the prophets' (1Sam. 10:11-12; 19:20). He looked to God for guidance on such things as when and if to enter into battles (1 Sam. 14:37, etc.). With the departing of the Spirit, Saul found himself without such guidance from God. We read that "he inquired of the Lord, but the Lord did not answer him in dreams or by the Urim or by the prophets" (1 Samuel 28:6). Knowing the need of such he looked elsewhere!
Saul had already been looking elsewhere, that is what got him into this trouble! He had listened to the people even when they were going contrary to God's specific commands. He looked to himself and tried to justify his disobedience with human reasoning. Now in 1 Samuel 28 he turns to the witch of Endor.
God had warned Israel in the law that they were to look only to Him for spiritual guidance and teaching. God commanded in Deuteronomy: "When you enter the land the Lord your God is giving you, do not imitate the detestable customs of those nations. No one among you is to make his son or daughter pass through the fire, practice divination, tell fortunes, interpret omens, practice sorcery, cast spells, consult a medium or a familiar spirit, or inquire of the dead. Everyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord, and the Lord your God is driving out the nations before you because of these detestable things" (18:9-12). [See also Lev. 19:31; 20:6, 7 for parallel statements.]
Specifically forbidden to them was trying to talk with the dead and seeking a medium. Yet when Saul found himself without the Spirit, he rebelled further against God and sought out the witch of Endor so she could talk with the dead (Samuel). Later it was written that "Saul died for his unfaithfulness to the Lord because he did not keep the Lord’s word. He even consulted a medium for guidance, but he did not inquire of the Lord. So the Lord put him to death and turned the kingdom over to David son of Jesse" (1 Chronicles 10:13-14).
I am convinced that Samuel's appearing was a surprise to her and thus take it as an indication that she had before this only faked the ability to talk with the dead. There is no other occasion recorded where the dead came back to give information. In Luke 16 the request of the rich man to have someone go back to the living and warn his brothers was denied.
Other areas that people would look for spiritual teaching was also forbidden by God included astrology. Amazingly people still look to the wrong source for spiritual guidance. Not only do we have the huge business of astrology, but the ever common 'spiritualist' market. There are tarot cards, palm readers, crystal balls, séances, etc. Not much has changed in human nature. We know we need spiritual guidance. As Jeremiah stated long ago "it is not in man who walks to direct his steps". God has given us His word. Let us be content to learn and walk by what He has revealed.
16 All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17
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