Eoghan
Puritan Board Senior
Although I am now in Corinthians, the family Bible studies are a couple of weeks behind me and the kids were studying the Witch of Endor text the same week as Halloween. As I read the the yet again, I realised that Saul saw nothing and did not speak to Samuel. The witch was the voice of Samuel and she gave a verbal description of Samuel. Does this not requires us to have the witch "channeling" Samuel? This I think goes too far and I cannot see it being the real Samuel.
If the spirit sent to torment Saul was an evil spirit (and I have interpreted it as a demeanour/disposition till now)then it would have had an intimate knowledge of Saul from observation. Part of it's taunt was no doubt the loss of the kingdom - that taunt now continues through the Witch of Endor.
Jesus refused to accept testimony from demons and Paul cast out a demon that was effectively acting as his herald. I just cannot see the Witch of Endor as a legitimate way for God to speak. Not that I am saying He could not overrule but it just does not seem consistent - do you agree?
If the spirit sent to torment Saul was an evil spirit (and I have interpreted it as a demeanour/disposition till now)then it would have had an intimate knowledge of Saul from observation. Part of it's taunt was no doubt the loss of the kingdom - that taunt now continues through the Witch of Endor.
Jesus refused to accept testimony from demons and Paul cast out a demon that was effectively acting as his herald. I just cannot see the Witch of Endor as a legitimate way for God to speak. Not that I am saying He could not overrule but it just does not seem consistent - do you agree?