Can We Talk to Dead People?

1. What does the Bible say about the dead?
   
   “But man dieth, and wasteth away: yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where is he? As the waters fail from the sea, and the flood decayeth and drieth up: So man lieth down, and riseth not: till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep…His sons come to honour, and he knoweth it not; and they are brought low, but he perceiveth it not of them.” (Job 14:10-12, 21)

Answer: The dead are in the grave. They know nothing. They cannot be awakened or raised from death until the resurrection. As such, no one can communicate with them.
Further reading: Ecclesiastes 9:5-6;Acts 2:29, 34; John 11: 23-24

2. If we can’t communicate with the dead, then who are people talking to when they go to spirit mediums and seances?

“And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.” (Revelation 12:7-9)

Answer: People who claim to speak with the spirits of the dead are actually communicating with evil spirits. These spirits were once angels that ministered to God and all Creation. But they rebelled against God and were cast out of Heaven to the earth. After they were expelled, they became known as devils, spirits, familiar spirits, etc.
Further reading: Psalms 104:4; 2 Kings 21:6; 2 Chronicles 11:14,15

3. How do these evil spirits communicate with men?
   
   “And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:” (Genesis 3:4)
   
   “And Saul disguised himself, and put on other raiment, and he went, and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night: and he said, I pray thee, divine unto me by the familiar spirit, and bring me him up, whom I shall name unto thee…Bring me up Samuel.” (1 Samuel 28:8,11)
   
   “And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us…The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation.” (Acts 16:16-17)

Answer: These spirits collaborate with willing (and deceived) men and women. When people seek them to speak to the dead, the spirits impersonate the deceased persons they want to speak with and give them counsel. They can even impersonate righteous angels.

Their impersonations of these beings are perfect. From the tone of your loved one’s voice down to the tiniest mannerism, these evil spirits can completely mirror anyone. They also possess and speak through human beings and animals.
Further reading: Luke 4:31-36; 2 Corinthians 11:14

4. Why is this important for us to know now?
   
   “And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.” (Revelation 16:13-14)

Answer: In the last days, these evil spirits will deceive the unbelieving world to war against God’s people. Even skeptics and scoffers will be deceived by their supernatural deceptions.
Further reading: Matthew 24:24-25; 1 Timothy 4:1; Revelation 13:13-14

5. How does the Bible warn us about evil spirits?
   
   Answer: The Bible gives us several warnings about communicating with evil spirits.

1. It shows that the core belief behind communicating with the dead, the doctrine of the immortal soul, contradicts Scripture. (See our studies on the soul and what death is like.)
   
   
2. It explicitly forbids communication with spirits.
   
   “There shall not be found among you any one…that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch. Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer.” (Deuteronomy 18:10-11)
   
   
3. It tells us to seek the Lord for counsel through His Word, not the spirits.
   
   “And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? for the living to the dead? To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.” (Isaiah 8:19,20)
   
   
4. It gives more than enough testimonies about evil spirits for us to make an informed decision to not to communicate with them or allow them to possess our bodies.
   
   “And one of the multitude answered and said, Master, I have brought unto thee my son, which hath a dumb spirit…And ofttimes it hath cast him into the fire, and into the waters, to destroy him: but if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us.” (Mark 9:17,22)
   
   “Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth…And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye? And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.” (Acts 19:13, 15-16)
   
   
   

6. But didn’t King Saul talk to Samuel after he died?

“And he said unto her, What form is he of? And she said, An old man cometh up; and he is covered with a mantle. And Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and he stooped with his face to the ground, and bowed himself.

And Samuel said to Saul, Why hast thou disquieted me, to bring me up? And Saul answered, I am sore distressed; for the Philistines make war against me, and God is departed from me, and answereth me no more, neither by prophets, nor by dreams: therefore I have called thee, that thou mayest make known unto me what I shall do.” (1 Samuel 28:14-15)

Answer: King Saul did not speak with Samuel. We know this for seven reasons.

1. Samuel knew nothing about Saul’s troubles because he was dead. (see Question 1.)
   
   
2. Only Jesus could awaken Samuel from death. Satan and his agents (fallen angel and fallen man, alike) do not have the power to do this.
   
   “Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.” (John 5:28-29)
   
   
3. Communicating with evil spirits was a capital crime. Jesus would not awaken Samuel from death to appear to those who violated His law.
   
   “And the soul that turneth after such as have familiar spirits, and after wizards, to go a whoring after them, I will even set my face against that soul, and will cut him off from among his people.” (Leviticus 20:6)
   
   “A man also or woman that hath a familiar spirit, or that is a wizard, shall surely be put to death: they shall stone them with stones: their blood shall be upon them.” (Leviticus 20:27)
   
   
4. The Lord punished Saul breaking this law.(1 Chronicles 10:13, 14)
   
   “So Saul died for his transgression which he committed against the Lord, even against the word of the Lord, which he kept not, and also for asking counsel of one that had a familiar spirit, to enquire of it;And enquired not of the Lord: therefore he slew him…” (1 Chronicles 10:13-14)
   
   
5. Saul was seeking counsel from a woman with a familiar spirit, not God or Samuel. The familiar spirit took on the appearance of Samuel to counsel him.
   
   “Then said Saul unto his servants, Seek me a woman that hath a familiar spirit, that I may go to her, and enquire of her. ” (1 Samuel 28:7, emphasis supplied)
   
   “And he said unto her, What form is he of? And she said, An old man cometh up; and he is covered with a mantle. And Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and he stooped with his face to the ground, and bowed himself.” (1 Samuel 28:14, emphasis supplied)
   
   
6. The familiar spirit’s prediction of Saul’s death and Israel’s defeat was correct only because he knew what the law of God said about consulting men and women with familiar spirits. He knew that the Lord was going to punish Saul. (see Statements 3 and 4.)
   
   
7. If Saul actually spoke to Samuel, then the Bible has contradicted its own teachings about the dead. It, and God, by implication, could not be trusted.
   
   

7. How can we avoid being deceived by the evil spirits to war against God and His people?
   
   “Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;” (1 Timothy 4:1)
   
   “And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? for the living to the dead? To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.” (Isaiah 8:19-20)
   
   Answer: One of the greatest temptations we will ever face in the last days will be resisting evil spirits that will perfectly impersonate our loved ones. The only way to do this is by obeying the warnings the Bible gives about evil spirits. (see Question 5) and fortifying our minds with the Scriptures that teach about the dead and evil spirits. (see Question 1)
   Further Reading: Matthew 4:1-11; 1 John 4:1-3; Revelation 16:13, 14
   
   

Closing Thoughts

“But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” (Genesis 2:17)

“And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods…” (Genesis 3:4-5)

From the beginning, Satan planned to deceive the world into thinking that they could live forever in some form, even if we disobeyed God. The belief that man has an immortal soul is ultimately his invention and he has used it to deceive people into believing they can communicate with their loved ones after death.

This doctrine has made us vulnerable to “seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils” (1 Timothy 4:1). It will lead many to war against God before Jesus returns (Revelation 16:13-14). The only way we can and will be able to resist these spirits in those times is to fortify our minds with Bible truth as Jesus did. We pray that you will be ready for that trying hour.

“…for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.” (Matthew 4:11)