Revelation: The Appearance of Samuel

Revelation: Justification by Faith

The Appearance of Samuel

[By M.L]

In our previous discussion, we spoke about the dead and the prohibition against contacting them. God had good reasons for this command. Humans tend to exalt the dead as gods, and though the dead do not live, Paul tells us these so-called gods are, in fact, demons. They are not real gods or the spirits of the deceased but demonic entities. The Bible often refers to them as "gods" or "the dead," but they are not truly either:

“What do I imply then? That food offered to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything? No, I imply that what pagans sacrifice they offer to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be participants with demons.” (1 Corinthians 10:19-20, ESV)

A prime example of this in Scripture is the story of King Saul at Endor.

Saul was the first king of Israel. He had experienced victories over their national enemies, the Philistines. During this time, Samuel, a prophet of God, stood alongside Saul as a righteous man of great influence. If Saul had stayed on the right path, he could have led a good reign. But Saul strayed. He disobeyed God's explicit commands through Samuel and fell into self-righteousness, lacking true repentance. God departed from him and informed Samuel that David would be Saul's successor.

David, initially a shepherd, quickly became a prominent figure. He was brought to Saul’s palace to play the harp during Saul's periods of distress. David later defeated the giant Goliath, becoming a celebrated military leader who overshadowed Saul. Jealous and enraged, Saul sought to kill David, forcing him to flee and remain in hiding until Saul's death.

After witnessing this conflict, Samuel passed away. Meanwhile, Saul found himself in dire straits. The Philistines had mobilized once again, David was absent, and Saul felt abandoned by God and his people. He saw no hope.

“When Saul saw the army of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart trembled greatly. And when Saul inquired of the LORD, the LORD did not answer him, either by dreams, or by Urim, or by prophets.” (1 Samuel 28:5-6, ESV)

God did not answer Saul—neither through dreams nor prophets. The living God had abandoned him. Did this bring Saul to true repentance? Or did he resign himself to his fate, perhaps seeking a shred of dignity in the eyes of men? No, Saul sank even deeper.

“Then Saul said to his servants, ‘Seek out for me a woman who is a medium, that I may go to her and inquire of her.’ And his servants said to him, ‘Behold, there is a medium at Endor.’” (1 Samuel 28:7, ESV)

Saul had previously outlawed all mediums and necromancers in obedience to God's law. Yet in desperation, he sought answers through a method God Himself had forbidden. Reflect on this—God had refused to speak to Saul in any way. It would be inconsistent for God to suddenly speak through a medium, a practice He explicitly condemned.

Later, the Bible confirms that this act sealed Saul's downfall, along with a prior transgression:

“So Saul died for his breach of faith. He broke faith with the LORD in that he did not keep the command of the LORD, and also consulted a medium, seeking guidance. He did not seek guidance from the LORD. Therefore the LORD put him to death and turned the kingdom over to David the son of Jesse.” (1 Chronicles 10:13-14, ESV)

Saul sought to summon none other than Samuel, a true prophet of God:

[1 Samuel 28:8-13 ESV] "[8] So Saul disguised himself and put on other garments and went, he and two men with him. And they came to the woman by night. And he said, "Divine for me by a spirit and bring up for me whomever I shall name to you." [9] The woman said to him, "Surely you know what Saul has done, how he has cut off the mediums and the necromancers from the land. Why then are you laying a trap for my life to bring about my death?" [10] But Saul swore to her by the LORD, "As the LORD lives, no punishment shall come upon you for this thing." [11] Then the woman said, "Whom shall I bring up for you?" He said, "Bring up Samuel for me." [12] When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out with a loud voice. And the woman said to Saul, "Why have you deceived me? You are Saul." [13] The king said to her, "Do not be afraid. What do you see?" And the woman said to Saul, "I see a god coming up out of the earth.""

Notice the pagan roots of this interaction. The woman refers to "Samuel" as a "god" rising from the earth. Saul did not see Samuel himself—only the medium claimed to see him. This supposed Samuel drove Saul into despair, sealing his fate as Satan gained total control over him.

“Then he said to her, ‘What is his appearance?’ And she said, ‘An old man is coming up, and he is wrapped in a robe.’ And Saul knew that it was Samuel, and he bowed with his face to the ground and paid homage.” (1 Samuel 28:14, ESV)

What followed was a message of doom, one entirely consistent with the judgment Saul already faced.

This story reveals the spiritual forces at work in the world. Many Christians dismiss the gods or spirits of other religions as mere fabrications. However, this mindset can leave them vulnerable to the signs and wonders of demons. The Bible warns us repeatedly that the gods of the nations are demons.

Seeking contact with the dead is often fruitless, but Satan may exploit such moments if God permits. He masquerades as an angel of light—perhaps as a great deity or even as a beloved figure who has passed away. His goal is always to lead us away from the living Christ.

But those who firmly stand on the Word of God and the testimony of His prophets will not fall. They trust in God and fight the good fight of faith.

Let us strive to be such people.