Do you think there's any reality behind things like ghosts, witchcraft and sorcery? Why or why not?
The Brewery Ministries Paraphrase
King Saul is spiraling. Over the course of his reign he has become a murderous tyrant. Now the Philistine army has gathered against him for a massive attack. Saul is terrified, wondering why he can't hear from God. He tries everything to get guidance — he prays, he checks his dreams — but all he gets is silence. God has completely ghosted him.
Saul's old mentor Samuel is dead. In a panic, Saul decides to break his own law against necromancy. He puts on a disguise and sneaks behind enemy lines to find a witch living at Endor. He demands she summon Samuel back from the dead to give him the advice God won't.
The ritual goes terrifyingly right. To the witch's horror, the spirit of Samuel actually rises from the earth. The ghost is cranky and unimpressed, asking why he has been disturbed. When Saul begs for help, Samuel delivers a brutal death sentence: "God has torn the kingdom from your hands. By this time tomorrow, you and your sons will be with me." There is no hope, only a countdown.
Shattered by the news and weak from hunger, Saul collapses. In a strange twist, the "evil" witch becomes the story's only source of comfort. She begs the terrified King to eat, slaughtering a calf and baking bread for the man who had outlawed her very existence. The doomed King and the forbidden witch share a grim meal together, and then Saul walks out into the night to face his fate.
A king who outlawed witchcraft. A witch who showed him mercy. And a ghost who told him exactly what he didn't want to hear.
Work Through the Evidence
What surprised you most about this story?
Verse 13 says the witch saw "a god coming up out of the earth." In the original language, the word translated "god" is elohim — which just means any being from the spiritual realm, not necessarily God himself. It seems the witch successfully contacted the dead prophet Samuel. Does it surprise you to see this kind of event in the Bible? Why or why not?
What do voices of the dead actually sound like? Isaiah 29:4 describes them as "chirping" — a faint, echoing sound rising from underground. Ancient witches used a ritual pit to hear these voices. The witch at Endor was likely expecting to hear Samuel's faint voice — not see him appear. How does this help explain her terrified reaction when Samuel actually showed up?
If contacting the dead is possible, why does the Bible say not to try it? Consider this: what if when you try to contact a specific spirit, you can't actually verify who answers? Dr. Michael Heiser compared it to a phone scammer cloning your friend's voice — you think you're talking to someone you trust, but you're not. What do you think of this theory? Plausible or not?
Deep Nerd Fact: In the original language, the witch actually said "I saw a gods" — plural. This means she saw multiple spiritual beings, not just Samuel. We have no information on who else showed up. Just for fun — who or what else do you think she accidentally summoned?
Now that you've gathered all the evidence — why was the witch so startled when she saw Samuel? She contacted spirits regularly. Here are the leading theories. Which do you find most compelling, and why? More than one can be true.
Just six chapters earlier, Saul had slaughtered 85 priests along with men, women, children and infants from the town of Nob — his own citizens. Yet in this story he's desperately begging God to answer him. How does this backstory help explain Saul's state of mind and why God went silent?
Why It Matters
The Bible consistently warns against contacting the spiritual realm outside of God — not because it's impossible, but because it's dangerous. The story of Adam and Eve shows a spirit posing as something benign while secretly working against them. The Witch of Endor's story confirms that contact with the dead is possible — but the Bible makes clear you can't control or verify who actually answers.
As for Saul — his silence from God wasn't just punishment for a few mistakes. Professor Ron Johnson of AWKNG School of Theology argues Saul was never truly a follower of God at all. He showed a consistent pattern of fighting against God's purposes, most clearly when he massacred 85 priests and their entire families. He turned to God only when his own power was threatened.
Ultimately, God did what only He could see was necessary — ensuring that the family He's been building since the beginning would still have a chance to exist. Including you.
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."
When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out with a loud voice... 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."
Then Samuel said to Saul, "Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?"... "The Lord has torn the kingdom out of your hand and given it to your neighbor, David... tomorrow you and your sons shall be with me."
Then Saul fell at once full length on the ground, filled with fear because of the words of Samuel. And there was no strength in him, for he had eaten nothing all day and all night.
What Did You Find?
My Overall Conclusions
I Learned This About God
I Learned This About Myself
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