The Witch of Endor

This was not quite as "out there" as Balaam's donkey, but it is an example of the very unconventional ways God can speak to us. There is some debate about this passage because its' very subject matter is contrary to Scripture. The Bible condemns witchcraft, spiritism, mediums, etc., so it is strange that Samuel would appear at the request of such a person. There are two main schools of thought in this regard. Some scholars believe that the witch did not actually call up Samuel, but that he was either a product of Saul's disturbed mind (which seems unlikely because the witch saw Samuel too) or was really a spirit of the underworld. This theory is problematic because the apparition spoke prophecy that came true. A demon would not be able to do that. If the vision of Samuel was authentic, then we have to believe that Samuel responded to the witch's call. The problem here is that the Bible teaches that the dead cannot come back as spirits. The story of Lazarus and the Rich Man is directly related to that point. We know that Jesus brought many people back from the dead, but they did not return as spirits but as actual living people! The text does not imply that Samuel appeared in bodily form, so we have to believe that he was a spirit being. If we accept the fact that Samuel appeared in this way, we still must reconcile God's use of a condemned practice. However, God has surely worked through sinful means to accomplish His purposes. An example off the top of my head is Tamar acting as a prostitute to get herself pregnant by Judah, which results in the line of Christ! He wasn't condoning prostitution in that situation, but He used it for good. So I don't think He is condoning spiritism, for it is not in His perfect will. However, in His permissive will (that which He allows) He saw an opportunity to offer Saul some final prophetic words. It is interesting that Saul thought he had to consult a medium to hear from God. He says "God has left me and won't reply by prophets or dreams". How sad that this was the only way to hear from God! With no Bible or Holy Spirit, I can see where it would be difficult to know God's will. It is difficult even now, and we have those tools available to us! But instead of consulting the medium, Saul should have examined his heart to figure out why God had "left him" and taken steps toward getting right with Him. That would have greatly increased his ability to hear from God.

But Saul wasn't really seeking God, he was seeking answers. We can be just as guilty sometimes. We seek God for what He can do for us, offer us, tell us, etc. rather than seeking Him just for the joy of knowing Him. The heart of the seeker in those two scenarios is very different and directly responsible for the ability, or lack thereof, to hear the voice of God.

Tomorrow's reading: 1 Samuel 30-31:13, 1 Chronicles 9:40-44; 10:1-14; 12:20-22; 2 Samuel 1:1-27; 4:4