Chapter 67—Ancient and Modern Spiritualism
The Scripture account of Saul’s visit to the woman of Endor has
been a perplexity to many students of the Bible. Some take the position
that Samuel was actually present. But the Bible furnishes ground for a
contrary conclusion.
If Samuel was in heaven, he must have been summoned from
thence either by God or by Satan. None can believe for a moment
that Satan had power to call the prophet from heaven to honor the
incantations of an abandoned woman. Nor can we conclude that God
summoned him to the witch’s cave, for the Lord had already refused
to communicate with Saul by dreams, by Urim, or by prophets.
The message itself is evidence of its origin. Its object was not to
lead Saul to repentance, but to urge him on to ruin. This is not the
work of God, but of Satan. Furthermore, the act of Saul in consulting
a sorceress is cited in Scripture as one reason why he was rejected by
God: “Saul died for his transgression which he committed against the
Lord, even against the word of the Lord, which he kept not, and also
for asking counsel of one that had a familiar spirit, to inquire of it;
and inquired not of the Lord: therefore He slew him, and turned the
kingdom unto David the son of Jesse.”
1 Chronicles 10:13, 14
. Saul
did not communicate with Samuel, the prophet of God, but with Satan.
Satan could not present the real Samuel, but a counterfeit, that served
his purpose of deception.
Ancient sorcery and witchcraft were founded upon a belief in
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communion with the dead. Those who practiced necromancy claimed
to obtain through departed spirits a knowledge of future events. “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?”
Isaiah 8:19
.
The gods of the heathen were believed to be the deified spirits of
departed heroes. Thus the religion of the heathen was a worship of
the dead. Speaking of the apostasy of the Israelites, the psalmist says,
“They joined themselves also unto Baal-peor, and ate the sacrifices of
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