SPIRIT CONTACT: WHO IS ON THE OTHER SIDE?

By Marcia Montenegro (page 2 of 2)

First written September, 2001

God does Address the Issue of Spirit Contact. What does God Say About it?

  1. Deut. 18: 10-12 forbids divination, sorcery, spirit contact, consulting mediums, consulting those who contact the dead, casting spells, and heeding omens.
  2. Jesus tells us about the rich man and the beggar, Lazarus, who have both died, in Luke 16. When the rich man pleads that the beggar, Lazarus, be allowed to go back to earth to warn the rich man's brothers about his separation from God after death, and the terrible place he is in, the rich man is told that his brothers can listen to Moses and the Prophets and be warned that way. When the rich man begs again that "someone from the dead" should go to them, he is told that if his brothers ignore Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced "even if someone rises from the dead," (verses 27-31). Jesus is not just speaking of someone coming back from the dead, but of his own resurrection from the dead which many refused to believe.
  3. 1 Samuel 28:11-20: The medium called up Samuel, who was dead, but the medium seemed surprised to see Samuel. Although God allowed Saul to see Samuel, it was for him to receive news of his death the next day. God used Saul's forbidden consultation with the medium to give him a message that condemned his action. First Chronicles 10:13, 14 follows up by telling us that one reason that Saul is allowed to die in battle is because he consulted a medium.
  4. Consulting mediums or attempting spirit contact takes us away from seeking God for direction: "And when they say to you, 'Consult the mediums and the spiritists who whisper and mutter,' should not a people consult their God? Should they consult the dead on behalf of the living? To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them," (Isaiah 8: 19, 20).
  5. Leviticus 19:31 puts it clearly: "Do not turn to mediums or spiritists; do not seek them out to be defiled by them. I am the Lord your God." God considers this spiritual adultery (Leviticus 20:6).
  6. There are two kinds of angels: good angels who serve God, and fallen angels (evil spirits, demons) who serve Satan. Good angels are messengers of God; they serve God, not us. They do not come and go at our command. If one seeks to contact an angel, only evil angels will respond.

    -2 Corinthians 11:14 tells us that Satan can disguise himself as an angel of light. Demons serve Satan, and take after him. Why can't a demon disguise itself as a good angel, a dead person, a wise spiritual 'master,' or any other spirit that humans seek?

Conclusions

The spirits responding to contact are not dead people or wise spiritual beings, but evil spirits. The messages from these spirits may mention God, but they never urge Bible study, worship of God, or the need for Christ as Savior. The spirits deny Christ as the Savior or distort His message. God had some pretty harsh words for false prophets who were telling their dreams as though they came from God. This is not too different from claiming to receive messages from the dead and saying that God approves of this, or that it is a good thing, when God has clearly forbidden such contact. This is what God had to say about the prophets who presented their dreams as coming from God, when they weren't:

"I have heard what the prophets say who prophesy lies in my name. They say, 'I had a dream! I had a dream!' How long will this continue in the hearts of these lying prophets, who prophesy the delusions of their own minds? They think the dreams they tell one another will make my people forget my name, just as their fathers forgot my name through Baal worship. Let the prophet who has a dream tell his dream, but let the one who has my word speak it faithfully. For what has straw to do with grain?" declares the Lord. 'Is not my word like fire,' declares the Lord, 'and like a hammer which shatters a rock?'" Jeremiah 23:25-29

We cannot get information from God through spirit contact. We don't need guidance from wispy spirits playing charades. We don't need a medium, channeler, or psychic contacting spirits who are playing with our minds and preying on our grief. Instead, God gave us His only son, and He gave us His word in scripture. Through trusting in the work of Christ on the cross as the atonement for our sins, we are reconciled to God. Jesus, who has power over all the spiritual realms, has this to say:

"I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades," Revelation 1:17b-18

Further Resources

For a more detailed discussion of this topic, see article by author published in the Christian Research Journal, "I See Dead People: A Look at After-Death Communication."

For more information on good and bad angels, see: "Angels: The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly," by Sue Bohlin.

Also, see the book, Angels Among Us, by Ron Rhodes.

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