Do You Believe in Ghosts?
1 Samuel 28:3-25
In this passage, Saul is coming to the end of his rope. He is self-destructing and the book of 1 Samuel is basically the story of God’s choice to put David on the throne, as well as Saul’s choice to remove him from God’s protection. So, in a nutshell, 1 Samuel could be described as the rise of David, and the fall of Saul.
I am about to read to you the account of the final straw that breaks Saul’s back. Saul pays a visit to a medium—one who claims to consult with the dead. And while this passage is not focused on the subject of the spirit world, we can certainly learn some things about the subject.
It is no secret that a growing number of people are becoming engrossed in various forms of magic, spiritism, astrology, witchcraft, and sorcery. Disney studios, with all its animated cartoons often depicts of the use magic. Growing up, I watched the Smurfs. Do you remember the Smurfs? These miniature blue creatures were hated by the evil sorcerer, Gargamel. He was always looking in his books for some magical potion that would destroy those little tiny critters.
We all know about the Ouija board, a game of communicating with the dark spirit realm. This game has surpassed Monopoly as the top selling board game on the market. I think you can get one at most toy stores. Just look at the video games that your kids are playing. Many of them involve wizards, witches, spells, violence, and evil characters. Have you noticed the number of TV shows that involve the spirit world…the occult…or magic? They are on every channel.
Have you noticed that it is now cool to be a Wiccan….or a Wiccan witch in our culture. I got online to see how to spell Wiccan and found a school, found sites that will teach how to do spells, how to get into witchcraft. Parents, many of the books for our younger children include what are called spirit guides…normally animal characters who are you child’s friend….this is the introduction that many of our kids are getting in Kindergarten and 1st grade. I challenge you to be involved in what your kids are reading. I’m not against fairy tales and the use of our imagination, that’s what makes reading so awesome, but we need to be careful….because Satan’s plan is to condition our children to be open to the occult at an early age.
Today, they are called “Channelers”, or Spirit Guides and they act as intermediaries or mediums in the spirit realm. Astrology is everywhere today. Millions of people follow the teachings of various astrologers. Many will not go to work in the morning unless they have read their horoscope in the morning paper.
I want to be absolutely clear this morning….there are only two sources, two sides in the spirit realm…You have God and the angels, and then you have Satan and his fallen angels…demons. The Bible is clear that Satan and his demonic forces will take on all kinds of forms to deceive us, to make us think they are harmless, to desensitize us to the truth that these demonic forces want to destroy us. So this morning the question is…who are you inviting into your life, into your home, into your family?
Before I read, let me set the context. David is still on the run from King Saul, but King Saul’s days are coming to a close. The Philistines, Goliath’s family, are pressing in on Saul, and he is in a state of panic.
The Philistines have assembled at Shunem, which Bible scholars tell us was a very flat land. Israelites fought best in the hills because they did not have the advantage of chariots, but this battle was going to happen on smooth terrain and Saul knows that death knocks at his door. This will be a bloody defeat and he is in panic mode. What do people do when they are in panic mode? They get desperate. Watch this man self-destruct…
Read 1 Samuel 25:3-20.
A missionary from Africa tells a story of a follower of Mohammed who became a follower of Jesus. Some of his friends asked him, “Why have you become a Christian?” He answered, “Well, it’s like this. Suppose you were going down the road and suddenly it forked in two directions, and you didn’t know which way to go, and there at the fork in the road were two men, one was lying dead and the other standing alive—which one would you ask which way to go?”
In the text that I just read to you, Saul has done the unthinkable. He no longer has the ear of the Living God so he disguises himself and breaks his own law in order to consult with a dead man. And so he goes to see this medium, and he knows this is wrong. The Bible says in v.9 that Saul had cut off the mediums and spiritists, yet he now seeks the advice of one. Now it’s important to notice why he did that. Look what verse 6 says…
Saul had inquired of the Lord. There were a few basic ways that God communicated with His people back then. One, he spoke through dreams. Joseph had a dream where God told him that his brothers would one day bow before him. God used visions and dreams. Two, God spoke through Urim. Now, we don’t know exactly what the Urim was but the priest could use it as a tool for discerning the will of God. But Saul didn’t have the Urim because the priest had left him and gone with David. So, no dreams, no Urim. What’s left? Prophets. God spoke through the prophets, but Samuel had died, and now King Saul who had turned his back on God, disobeyed Him over and over again….now is desperate to hear from God.
A Key Truth: When you live in disobedience, you harden your heart towards God, and you will not be able to discern or hear God’s voice….Saul was in this pitiful situation because of his own decisions….and now at the very end, he continues to do what he knows God has forbidden.
Now it’s important that you understand that God had outlawed the use of mediums and magic. In the Old Testament, if you consulted with a spiritist, God called it “playing the harlot” and it was punishable by death with stones.
Just like an unfaithful spouse who puts themselves in the arms of another, Saul was uniting himself with another power. It was idolatry, and God has little patience with idolaters. When you make someone else your sole fountain of wisdom—whether that is Dr. Phil or a witch doctor—you put someone else in the place of God. And God will not compete for your affection. You are going down the wrong road. Now let’s look at Saul.
Beginning in v. 8, the scene is as eerie and dark as any ghost story you’ve ever heard. Saul creeps out at night to this haunted house and asks for this medium to call up the spirit of a dead person. This woman is at first suspicious, but Saul promises her his own personal vow of protection. The irony is heightened by his promise in v. 10 …Saul swears by the Lord, as if he has any connection with Him. He was writing checks he couldn’t cash!
What happens next has been the subject of speculation and debate among Bible scholars for many generations. It looks like the séance works: the woman sees an elohim= a word usually reserved for God, but here referring to a spirit being= god. In the form of an old man wrapped in a robe it rises from the ground like a ghost rising from the grave. In some way the medium suddenly sees past Saul’s disguise, and only another promise of protection keeps her from calling the whole thing off. Through the medium, Saul speaks to Samuel with a tone of pitiful urgency. Saul cries out, “I don’t have anyone else to turn to, Samuel! Please tell me: What should I do?”
What happened here? Did this woman call up Samuel’s ghost, or was it a demon? Can a person really communicate with dead people? Some say this ghost was not really Samuel but a demon disguised as Samuel. Others say that God allowed the spirit of Samuel to reappear and communicate with Saul (which is what I believe). It’s really not easy to say for sure one way or the other. What is plain is that Saul has put the nail in his own coffin by attempting to consult the dead.
I want you to notice what Samuel says in v. 16, “What do you want me to do about this?” He is like a father who visits his son in jail. He says, “Son, I’m sorry. There’s nothing I can do. You have made your bed and now you have to lie in it.” And I cannot warn you enough, church. The Bible says, “Seek the Lord while he may be found.” In other words, don’t wait to obey God. Delayed obedience is disobedience and you are gambling when you continue to live that way. If you have known sin in your life, confess it, make it right, and be right with God. Saul waited too long and it was too late.
Now, let me deal with a few questions concerning magic…
1. Does the Bible support the idea that the dead can readily return to interact with the living?
The answer to that question is “No.” The Bible does not support that idea. In fact, this is the only time in Scripture, in 1 Samuel 28, that this idea of consulting with the spirits of the dead is mentioned. Isaiah 26, the prophet speaks about those who have gone to the grave.
Isaiah 26:14 says, “They are now dead, they live no more; those departed spirits do not rise….”
The Bible tells us that the ghosts or spirits of people who have died are located in one of two places. They are either in hades/hell awaiting their Day of Judgment. Or they are in the presence of their Savior, Jesus Christ, in Paradise/heaven. There is no holding tank for souls like purgatory.
I haven’t seen the movie, but I’ve seen enough of the previews to know what it is about…Ghost, with Patrick Swayze, it is not that way. The dead do not decide to hang around on earth to solve murder cases or to handle unfinished business. Once a person dies, there is no unfinished business. You can’t change your eternal status after you die. That must be taken care of before you die.
If you remember in Luke 16:19-31, Jesus tells the story of the Rich Man and Lazarus. Both of these men die. Lazarus was escorted to Paradise and the rich man to hell. And you remember, hell is such a terrible and final place, that the rich man calls out to Abraham who is in heaven, “Father Abraham, I beg of you, send Lazarus to my five brothers who are living. Warn them not to come here!” And Abraham denies his request and says, “They have Moses and the Prophets. Let them listen to them.”
“But you don’t understand!” The rich man screams. “If a dead man goes to them, they will most certainly listen.”
And Abraham simply says, “No, they won’t.” The dead are not allowed to return.
2. Is it possible to see a spirit?
Yes. I think the Bible does suggest that there are two invisible forces at work today. There is the host of God’s angelic army, which I could show you countless verses in the Bible that they not only exist but they are everywhere.
Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it. Hebrews 13:2
So angels are visible at times. But not only that, look at that classic passage on spiritual warfare, Ephesians 6.
Christians are warned to …
"…put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places" (Ephesians 6:11-12).
Today, many people dabble in the occult. Is there anything wrong with being involved in these practices? Yes, the Bible takes a clear position on this subject, strongly denouncing these practices. God’s Word indicates that these practices are part of Satan’s strategy of evil tricks and deception, designed to lead us astray. Satan and his demons are real beings set on our destruction. And since demons are nothing more than fallen angels, it seems logical that they have the ability to take human form.
Revelation 21:8 says,
"…those who practice magic arts …their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur… the second death" (NIV).
Those who practice witchcraft (sorcery) will not inherit the kingdom of God (Galatians 5:20-21). These practices are anti-God and are in rebellion against Him. You are playing the harlot when you open yourself up to another power other than God.
Closing:
The Spiritual realm is real….ghosts are not….but demonic forces will use whatever forms they can to get your attention…to gain your interest….to try to deceive you. The Paranormal activity and shows….I believe Satan is using these movies and shows to gain a huge following of thrill seekers, people who are deceived as to what is actually taking place….Satan is like the magician who keeps our eyes in one place while he is bringing destruction from another direction.
The Bible makes it clear that you can’t speak to the dead….I believe demonic forces will trick people into believing they are so that they will be lead astray.
Good News….if you have been involved in some of these things, maybe not really understanding what you were dealing with….you can get free through the power of blood of Jesus. You must confess and repent…which means…I won’t do this anymore…and ask Jesus to forgive…and He will…and then the Power of Powers….the King of Kings…the Undisputed Champion in the Spirit Realm will set you free and protect you…your mind from the evil schemes of Satan…and as a Child of the King…you will be under His Protection.
We are in a Spiritual Battle, and it is not something to mess around with, without Jesus in your life, you are vulnerable and will live under the oppression and fear that Satan wants for your life. Fear is the opposite of what God gives….you don’t have to live in fear.
God offers Peace…Joy…Purity….Goodness
