Witchcraft is on a quite common in our culture. Disney and other sources of entertainment promote it. Harry Potter has popularized it as something good and not evil. More and more people are claiming to be witches or warlocks today. Many who reject God seek the supernatural in the form of witchcraft.
There’s a well-known witch in the Bible who met with Saul when he was seeking forbidden information about the future. The witch of En-Dor and her encounter met with King Saul (1 Samuel 28:3-25). The witch is not named, but she was a practicing sorceress. She is called a witch to designate her as a female who practiced the black arts of necromancy and witchcraft. Any who practiced this were under a death sentence from God (Deuteronomy 18:10; Leviticus 20:27).
This witch is called a “medium” (1 Samuel 28:7) and operated secretly because mediums and spiritist had been expelled from the land (1 Samuel 28:2). The designation “medium” comes from a word meaning “owner of a pit” because the spirits they contacted were from the underworld. They were called up at night, in the darkness, to supposedly give secret knowledge and hidden information. But it came at a price – the eternal soul of the one contacting them.
Saul’s visit was because he was concerned about an upcoming battle. Saul was selfish, rebellious, and impatient, often usurping God’s commands and enacting his own (1 Samuel 13:8-14, 1 Samuel 14:37, 16:14, 18:12). It was Saul’s disobedience during the defeat of Amalek (1 Samuel 15:1- 35) which brought God’s judgment on him. God removed His Spirit from Saul (1 Samuel 16:13-14) and David was anointed as the next king of God’s people. Samuel the prophet died, and Saul was without his counsel (even though he seldom followed it). Saul was in direct disobedience to God when he commanded his helpers to find a medium, and he knew it.
Saul requested the witch contact to Samuel as she often contacted the demonic powers of necromancy (Deuteronomy 18:10-11). She was expecting to have a demon pretending to be Samuel manifest, but when the real Samuel came she was greatly frightened.
God allowed this séance for His purpose (Samuel 28:15-19). He allowed Samuel to rebuke Saul for his sinful disobedience. He gave Saul the information he asked for, but it wasn’t what he wanted to hear. The Philistines would defeat Israel and Saul and his sons would be killed. It was judgment for his disobedience (1 Chronicles 10:13).
Witchcraft and the occult are very dangerous, for in their practice dwells the very nature and deception of the devil. Neither the demons of Satan nor this witch can conjure up real persons. That is of the domain and will of Almighty God alone. The vision — the real vision — was unexpected by the witch and it frightened her. This proves mediums and necromancers have no real power over the dead — especially believers — instead, they can only produce fabrications.
Our culture today sees witchcraft, witches and sorcery as innocent entertainment. Harry Potter and similar ‘entertainment’ does much damage, even among Christians. Like Saul, people are curious about the supernatural and the future and want to know more than God reveals so they turn to ungodly sources to find it, forgetting that Satan exacts the same price today as he always has – the soul of those person who reject God for him. I’m not saying that Christians who read Harry Potter are going to hell, but it certainly can give demons an opening to work against them. Harry Potter and others who promote witchcraft function as an entry level drug, opening the door to stronger and more dangerous things.
Modern day witchcraft and occultism is not limited to pagans. It’s not uncommon for young people to dabble with witchcraft because it electrifies the senses and opens up mysteries they think will make them have power and hidden knowledge (just what Satan offered Eve in Eden). They think, through the use of accessories such as Ouija boards, they can communicate with the dead. It’s just another of the devil’s tools to draw people away from the truth (light) and into lies (darkness). These things are real, but the power is demonic not God.
Approving of, advancing, associating with, or practicing any unholy practices is forbidden by God (Deuteronomy 18:9-13). As 1 Peter 5:8 says, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” Engaging in such practices is like being eaten alive by the devil.
Deuteronomy 18:10-13 says, “There shall not be found among you anyone who burns his son or his daughter as an offering, anyone who practices divination or tells fortunes or interprets omens, or a sorcerer or a charmer or a medium or a necromancer or one who inquires of the dead, for whoever does these things is an abomination to the LORD. And because of these abominations the LORD your God is driving them out before you. You shall be blameless before the LORD your God.”
Are you drawn to any of these things which God forbids? Confess them as sin, put them aside and never have anything to do with them again.
Pray for those you know who are dabbling with these forbidden things, for they open the door to full demonic activity.
cto Rev. Dr. JERRY SCHMOYER
Christian Training Organization
Jerry@ChristianTrainingOrganization.org
(India Outreach, Spiritual Warfare, Family Ministries, Counseling, World View)
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