Well, we end the week with a good question that moves us into a discussion on what to

think of things like fortune tellers and necromancers and palm readers and witches.

Hello Pastor John, my name is Kristen, a listener to the podcast in Norway.

In 1st Samuel 28, Saul wants to contact Samuel through a medium and he does, but how

can this be possible?

We can't contact dead people and all spirits except the Holy Spirit is from the devil.

So why does not chapter 28 forbid it and what are your thoughts in the realities of play

in this passage?

Here's the short answer to Christine and then I'll say just a bit more.

1st Samuel 28 has lots to say about consulting with necromancers and mediums who interact

with the dead and all of it is negative.

And the point here and throughout the Old Testament is that God's people should not consult

with mediums, not because there's no such thing as communication with the dead, but because

it is an abomination to try to communicate with the dead.

The point is never in the Old Testament that it's impossible, but that it is wicked and

simple and will bring down God's judgment if we do it.

That's the short answer.

The situation in 1st Samuel 28 is that Saul and David have been at odds for a long time

and David is rising in God's favor to be the new king and Saul is becoming increasingly

disobedient and unacceptable as God's king.

Back in chapter 15, Saul disobeyed God and failed to destroy the Amalakites, Samuel the

prophet confronts him and says that God has now rejected him as being king.

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