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Saturday, October 27, 2012

P3 - Biblically evaluating mediums, witchcraft and ghosts

1 Samuel 28:19 “Moreover the LORD will also give over Israel along with you into the hands of the Philistines, therefore tomorrow you and your sons will be with me. Indeed the LORD will give over the army of Israel into the hands of the Philistines!”

We have observed in the past couple of posts the following facts about mediums, witchcraft and "ghosts":

1. Mediums and Witchcraft flourishes in times of fear

2. Mediums and Witchcraft feed off of error

3. Mediums and Witchcraft fall prey to spiritual deception

4. Mediums and Witchcraft fail in accurately defining the supernatural realm

5. Mediums and witchcraft is flawed in its view of ghosts

We have been working our way through the account of King Saul's encounter with the witch at Endor in 1 Samuel 28.  In today's blog we aim to investigate the claims by mediums and witchcraft concerning the ability to predict the future.  We will see as with the other five points already explored that what the worldview of Witchcraft claims to deliver is simply not the case.
 
Mediums and Witchcraft fails to deliver accurate predictions
What Saul and this witch were doing was not talking to a departed Samuel, but a well-disguised demonic spirit whom God permitted to speak with words and disguise like Samuel. 1 Corinthians 10:19-20 states - "19What do I mean then? That a thing sacrificed to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything? 20 No, but I say that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons and not to God; and I do not want you to become sharers in demons."

Many people today are fascinated by Mediums such as Sylvia Brown, John Edwards and Nostradomas for their supposed ability to foretell the future. It will be contended that the mark of a false prophet is either vague and explainable observations or predictions that are a mixture of demonic power with guessing and incomplete knowledge. Neither one constitutes genuine knowledge of the future leading to the glory of God as we see in true Bible prophecy. (compare the tests of true predictive prophecy and admonitions for discernment in Deuteronomy 13:6-14; Isaiah 41:21-23; Galatians 1:6-9; 1 John 4:1-4)  

As you go down through the text, the spirit named Samuel tells Saul in 1 Samuel 28:19 that not only Saul, but his sons and the entire army of Israel would be handed over to the Philistines. A prediction was made. However what took place? Saul was indeed killed in battle along with his sons. (1 Samuel 31) Saul killed himself and the next day the Philistines came and took his body, along with the bodies of his sons (beheaded of course). 

But now the armies of Israel fled from the Philistines, departing from their cities, contrary to the prediction given by this spirit. According to the spirit's prediction, it sounded like all of Israel's army would be destroyed. Instead, a large portion was destroyed - with the remainder fleeing. (1 Samuel 31:7) We find out later on in 2 Samuel 5 that King David and the army of Israel would actually defeat the Philistines - a detail that the spirit did not see. Scripture accurately relates the inaccuracy of witchcraft in knowing future events.

As we can see, the spiritual forces of darkness operating behind witchcraft and Mediums are limited to seeing no further ahead than the present moment. Scripture gives tests for determining whether a prediction of the future is from God or a wicked source, tests which reveal witchcraft and practices like it to fail and be found wanting. (Deuteronomy 13:6-14; Isaiah 41:21-23) Unless God granting special permission for any creature to see the future, no creature possess power enough to go beyond the limits of the immediate present. 

They can certainly give good guesses, since the demonic realm has had centuries to observe human beings and the trends of culture.  In still possessing an angelic nature (albeit a fallen one), they still possess superior cunning and insight, however warped. (Job 4:12-21; Mark 5:9-21; Ephesians 6:10-11; Revelation 12:4) Despite these facts, they do not possess comprehensively accurate knowledge of the future - God alone is all knowing. (Psalm 147:5; Romans 11:33-36)

Thus in mixing a part truth/part error message, we know that what Saul was talking to was not God, nor a prophet of God, but an evil spirit. God Sovereignly allowed these extreme circumstances to warn an unbelieving Saul of his demise - however it was already in Saul to ignore the fact He broke God's laws regarding the prohibition of witchcraft, as well as his own decree. (compare a similar account in 2 Chronicles 18:22-27)

Conclusion
Anytime people dabble in practices such as witchcraft, the ultimate end is deception and confusion. We have observed the following facts about mediums, witchcraft and "ghosts":

1. Mediums and witchcraft flourishes in times of fear

2. Mediums and Witchcraft feed off of error

3. Mediums and Witchcraft fall prey to spiritual deception

4. Mediums and Witchcraft fail in accurately defining the supernatural realm

5. Mediums and Witchcraft is flawed in its view of ghosts

6. Mediums and Witchcraft fail to deliver accurate predictions

As a final thought, it is vital to keep focused on the Sovereignty and authority of God and the Lord Jesus Christ.  1 Corinthians 8:4-7 is excellent counsel in knowing how to deal with the world of Mediums and Witchcraft: "Therefore concerning the eating of things sacrificed to idols, we know that there is no such thing as an idol in the world, and that there is no God but one. 5For even if there are so-called gods whether in heaven or on earth, as indeed there are many gods and many lords, 6yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom are all things and we exist for Him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we exist through Him."