- Can the dead communicate with the living?
Answer: No (Ecclesiastes 3:22; 9:5-6, Job 7:9-10; 14:21; 16:22, 2 Samuel 12:18,23). - Where does the communication come from?
Answer: The adversary (2 Thessalonians 2:9, 1 Timothy 4:1, Revelation 16:14, 2 Corinthians 11:13-15). In Genesis 3:1 is recorded the adversary’s first communications with humans. This is the record of the first Spirit Medium, speaking through the snake or serpent in the garden of Eden. In Genesis 3:3 is recorded the serpent’s first lie to man, “Ye shall not surely die.” His goal to perpetuate this lie has been a great success (2 Corinthians 11:3). - What does the scripture say about spiritualism?
Answer: It’s an abomination to God (Exodus 22:18, Leviticus 19:26,31; 20:6,27, Deuteronomy 18:10-12, Numbers 24:1, Malachi 3:5, Galatians 5:21, Matthew 24:24, Jeremiah 27:9-10, Micah 5:12, 2 Kings 17:17; 21:6; 23:24, Daniel 1:20, 1 Samuel 15:23; 28:3, 2 Chronicles 33:6, Isaiah 2:6; 47:12-15, Acts 8:9-11; 13:8-10; 16:16-18; 19:19, Revelation 21:8; 22:14-15). Saul died because of his transgressions against the Lord and because he asked counsel of the spiritualist at Endor (1 Chronicles 10:13). Notice in the story of Saul trying to contact the late Samuel (1 Samuel 28:6-17), it always refers to Samuel as being brought up. If Samuel was up in Heaven, wouldn’t it say, Samuel came down?
It is very important to know exactly what the Scripture says about death so we won’t be deceived when the adversary tries to communicate a lie to us by masquerading as a dead loved one or as a Saint.
The deception that when men die, they do not really die, began at Genesis 3:4, and found acceptance in ancient times by pagan religions. Those who practiced these religions claimed to have communication with the dead. Very early in Bible times this concept was condemned by God (Isaiah 8:19,20, Deuteronomy 18:9-12).
This practice of communing with the dead was abhorrent to God, and He commanded Israel that any who participated in this heathen practice were to be killed (Exodus 22:18). In 1 Samuel 28 is the record of Saul, the first king of Israel, who, the night before his final battle, repaired to the witch at En-dor. While to his human perception he was able to talk with Samuel, who was dead, 1 Chronicles 10:13, 14 states that this was not the case. This appearance of a being who appeared to be Samuel was not just some human imposture, but the king was actually in communion with a demon.
At death, our bodies return to the dust and our spirit returns to God who gave it (Ecclesiastes 12:7). Christ referred to death as a sleep (John 11:11-14; Luke 8:52). If, rather than accept the simple statements of Scripture, we believe that the dead continue to exist as a conscious entity, we are left without a defense against the possibility of their returning to communicate with us. This, in turn, makes us susceptible to the possibility of the adversary and his angels communicating with us while purporting to be a departed loved one. We must be aware of this deceptive doctrine and practice of the adversary; for he will use it to mislead many (Ephesians 6:12; 2 Corinthians 11:14, Revelation 16:14).