Difficult Questions: Was It Samuel or a Familiar Spirit?

From time to time, we dig into Scripture and seek answers to difficult questions from the Bible. Today, we are asking the question: “Was it Samuel or a familiar spirit?” We are referring to the time when King Saul went to the witch of Endor to try to contact the prophet Samuel who was dead.

And when Saul saw the host of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart greatly trembled. And when Saul enquired of the Lord, the Lord answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets. Then said Saul unto his servants, Seek me a woman that hath a familiar spirit, that I may go to her, and enquire of her. And his servants said to him, Behold, there is a woman that hath a familiar spirit at Endor. I Samuel 28:5-7 (KJV)

The background is that the Lord had stopped talking to King Saul because of his continued disobedience. In desperation, Saul sought out a woman who had a familiar spirit. When someone operates with a familiar spirit you think they are contacting a dead person, but it is really a demonic spirit that mimics the deceased person. However, in this case, God actually brought Samuel’s spirit up to speak with King Saul.

Then said the woman, Whom shall I bring up unto thee? And he said, Bring me up Samuel. And when the woman saw Samuel, she cried with a loud voice: and the woman spake to Saul, saying, Why hast thou deceived me? for thou art Saul. And the king said unto her, Be not afraid: for what sawest thou? And the woman said unto Saul, I saw gods ascending out of the earth. And he said unto her, What form is he of? And she said, An old man cometh up; and he is covered with a mantle. And Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and he stooped with his face to the ground, and bowed himself. And Samuel said to Saul, Why hast thou disquieted me, to bring me up? And Saul answered, I am sore distressed; for the Philistines make war against me, and God is departed from me, and answereth me no more, neither by prophets, nor by dreams: therefore I have called thee, that thou mayest make known unto me what I shall do. I Samuel 28:11-15 (KJV)

The woman’s reaction shows us that it was really Samuel and not a familiar spirit. She was expecting a familiar spirit but when she saw Samuel himself, she was terrified. Several verses in this account refers to the spirit as Samuel, so can be certain it was really him. This event does not give us permission to try to contact the dead. God condemns spiritualism and seances, and attempts to contact the dead (Deuteronomy 18:9-12, Leviticus 19:31, Leviticus 20:6), so why did He bring Samuel’s spirit back to speak to Saul? This was a sovereign act of God in bringing Samuel up to deliver to King Saul one final word of judgment.

Then said Samuel, Wherefore then dost thou ask of me, seeing the Lord is departed from thee, and is become thine enemy? And the Lord hath done to him, as he spake by me: for the Lord hath rent the kingdom out of thine hand, and given it to thy neighbour, even to David: Because thou obeyedst not the voice of the Lord, nor executedst his fierce wrath upon Amalek, therefore hath the Lord done this thing unto thee this day. Moreover the Lord will also deliver Israel with thee into the hand of the Philistines: and to morrow shalt thou and thy sons be with me: the Lord also shall deliver the host of Israel into the hand of the Philistines. I Samuel 28:16-19 (KJV)

Consider this: God brought Moses back on the mount of transfiguration, along with Elijah, to speak to Jesus about His death on the cross (Matthew 17:1-9). If there is a divine purpose, God has brought people back with specific messages for the living. God is in charge and can do such things if He so chooses. However, we are told to never seek such things and not to try to contact the dead.