WHAT ABOUT THE WITCH OF ENDOR?
Many students of the Bible and casual Bible readers have wondered about King Saul’s visit to the “witch of Endor.” Saul was the first king of Israel. And he did well for a while until he began to disobey God. God turned his face away from Saul and would not hear him because of Saul’s wicked heart. To demonstrate how corrupt Saul became, when he wanted some information about what to do in a military conflict, he turned to witchcraft. He actually went and visited a medium in the town of Endor. This is described for us in 1 Samuel 28.
There is no other account like this in the Bible. No one was ever visited by a deceased person this way. Meaning that this was a special case that does not in any way indicate something that was ongoing—that could happen on a regular basis. Or could happen today.
Think of another Saul. Saul of Tarsus in the New Testament and the way he was converted to Jesus. Jesus hit him with a blinding light on the road to Damascus and spoke to him out of heaven. No one was ever converted that way in the New Testament except him. Which means that Saul’s conversion is not a typical conversion, nor should we seek something like what happened to Saul of Tarsus, who became the apostle Paul. It was a unique situation.
When people today talk about having “Damascus Road” type conversions, if they mean that literally, they are mistaken. You and I have the choice to reject or accept the gospel of Christ. He is not going to convert us the way that he did Saul. But be thankful that you do not have to live the life that Saul—whose name became Paul—had to live as the result of that experience. Other than the Lord himself, you will not read of anyone suffering more difficulties over a longer period of time than Paul. It was a special type of conversion because Paul had a special role to play in taking the Gospel to the gentiles.
God detests witchcraft, and forbade Israel from practicing it (Deuteronomy 18:11; Leviticus 19:31). Saul had actually been the one to drive all of the witches and mediums out of the land. Occultism was not allowed among the people of God. And the New Testament forbids it, as well. It is listed as one of the works of the flesh that we are to stay away from (Galatians 5:19-21).
The “witch” was able to call up Samuel, and there is no doubt it was really him. But he was described as being an old man in a robe. So this was a vision of Samuel God miraculously allowed the medium to do on this occasion. A spirit would not have a robe, nor would he look like an old man. So God gave him these characteristics so that Saul would know it was really him.
Furthermore, what Samuel told Saul came to pass exactly as he said. Which means God was behind it. Saul wanted to seek counsel from Samuel since God was not listening to him, so he turned to a medium. He got more than he bargain for when God used the witch to tell Saul that he would be dead the next day.
God has use wicked people and systems for his purposes before. Whether it be the Babylonians or King Cyrus or the witch of Endor, God can sovereignly intervene and cause anything to happen that he chooses.
This story does not have any bearing on the question of people being able to communicate with the dead today. They cannot. Because God allowed this one time does not mean that you can do it or anyone you know can do it or that you are being visited by your deceased relatives or your deceased friends or by anyone else from the dead.
Stay away from witchcraft. If we would engage our brains and stay focused on Christ, then we would read the account of the “witch of Endor” accurately. We would see how horrible it turned out for Saul and we would want nothing to do with it.
It is amazing that some who profess faith in Jesus will turn to a story like this to support the idea that it is ok to communicate with the dead or dabble in witchcraft, or whatever it is they decide they want to do.
This happened by the power of God on one occasion. Even the witch was shocked when Samuel appeared. As shocked as Saul was. She knew she did not have the power.
Stay completely away from witchcraft. Because those who have died in Christ are with Christ. Those who have died lost are not roaming the earth looking to talk to you, and if they were, you would not want to hear anything that they had to say. Stay with God and Christ and the truth of the Bible.
Dewayne Dunaway
