Scripture References
1 Samuel 28
Name Meaning
We do not know her name so there is no meaning we can include.
Family
We also know nothing about whether or not she had a family.
Introduction
When you think of women in the Bible, witches are usually not at the top of your list of options for study. Most people probably don’t even realize there are women in the Bible who fit that description. But we have stories that talk about them and we know that everything included in the Bible is from God and has meaning, so thus, we include the Witch of Endor for your study enjoyment.
Lesson
The Scriptures talking about the Witch of Endor are contained within one chapter of 1 Samuel and cannot be told without first reviewing what was taking place prior. At this point in time, the prophet Samuel had died. King Saul, the first king of Israel, was not doing so great, and he was not getting any response from God though he cried to heaven. In his despair and desperation, Saul sought the ghost of Samuel. Thus, we find him turning to the Witch of Endor for assistance.
It is interesting to note that Saul had previously outlawed communing with spirits. His orders were that anyone caught trying to contact spirits or ghosts was to be destroyed. Yet, in his desperation, he himself turned to the Witch and had her conjure up the dead prophet. When he turned to her, he did so in disguise. He dressed himself in the garb of a common soldier rather than his royal clothing.
Saul learned of the witch from his servants. She was well known to the area despite Levitical law. (Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live. Exodus 22:18; Leviticus 20:27) the Witch of Endor had the ability to compel a departed spirit to return temporarily and respond to questioning. The practice was common in Canaan, but was not permitted in Israel.
Some of the “practices” witches engaged in were enchantments, sorceries, familiar spirit, wizard, observer of times, dreamer of dreams, diviners, charmers, necromancers, and consultants of the dead. Depending upon the desired outcome, the petitioner would seek out one who excelled in that craft. The Witch of Endor had the gift of familiar spirit which allowed her to compel the spirit to return and submit to questioning.
When Saul, in disguise, approached her with his request, the witch accused him of trying to trap her so that she could be killed as the Law required. She did not know she was speaking with the king himself. Saul reassured her that was not the case and convinced her to help him. She did as he asked and the spirit of the deceased prophet Samuel appeared before them. She was able to describe the prophet which shows us that Saul was not able to see him himself. But he confirmed it was Samuel based upon her description.
There has been many a debate over exactly what happened. Some claim that it was not truly Samuel that appeared but rather a demon in disguise. Others claim it was indeed Samuel sent by God as a messenger. Regardless of whether it was or was not Samuel, the message was clear. Saul was warned of his impending doom. He was reminded of his past wickedness and the effect those actions had upon the people. And then Samuel prophesied that the next day Saul and his sons would be with him – in death. Does this mean Saul would be in heaven, forgiven for his transgressions or did it simply mean that Saul would be in Sheol with the dead, awaiting Judgment Day?
Upon hearing the doom that Saul would face (and having realized it was Saul before her), she did her best to comfort him and offer assistance. She felt sympathy for this doomed man and offered her bed for him to rest upon and prepared a meal for him and his servants.
No further mention of the witch is given. We do not know what happened to her after they left her home. She is not mentioned again after that.
Final Thoughts
What can we learn from this woman?
There is really not much that we can take from this woman’s story that we can apply to our own lives. She was a woman who engaged in services that were unlawful and based on occult practices. She knew what she was doing was not allowed, with all of her associates previously driven from the lands.
How “real” her services were are unknown really. We know she was expecting her familiar (demon) to help with this client and was surprised to have Samuel appear instead (hence her scream and fear of what would happen since she knew it was King Saul before her). She was not expecting the actual spirit of the deceased to appear. God used the deceased prophet for one final prophecy. That is the biggest takeaway – God can and will use all things to be glorified. In this case He used a witch and a dead prophet.
We know that the occult is dangerous and we should not dabble in it. We should avoid it at all costs. Our trust should be in God and Him alone. There is no need for exploring occult practices. We have the Spirit within us, guiding our steps and directing us along.
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