A medium is someone said to have an
intuitive ability to communicate with the dead. For Christians, two key
questions emerge: First, are mediums legitimate (do they actually communicate
with the dead?). Second, what does the Bible say about mediums?
A “Yes” or “No” answer to the first
question is inadequate. Let us assume, for a moment, that it is hypothetically
possible to communicate with the dead. In such a case, it STILL wouldn’t
demonstrate that just anyone claiming to be a medium is actually communicating
with the dead. There are other possibilities.
For instance, they could be
purposefully deceiving their cliental in order to make money in a lucrative
industry (taking advantage of people’s desire to communicate with lost loved
ones, for example). Or, perhaps, they could be deceived themselves (believing
that they are communicating with the dead when they are, in fact, not. They may even be communicating with the demonic realm). Worse still, they
could be intentionally communicating with the demonic realm.
But, hypothetically, it is possible
that some people do, somehow, acquire the ability to communicate with the dead
(most Christians do believe, after all, that the dead exist somewhere). The
Bible, it could be argued, assumes that there are such people who ‘consult with
the dead.’ (they are not simply condemned as frauds). Biblical scholars debate
whether Samuel, for instance, was actually consulted by the medium at Endor (1
Samuel 28).
Our second question, the Scriptural
one, is much more black & white. The Bible clearly forbids God’s people
from turning to mediums: “Do not turn to mediums” (Leviticus 19:31). Doing so
would result in being cut off from God’s people (Leviticus 20:6). In fact,
under the Old Covenant, this practice was considered so serious that anyone
found guilty of doing it was subject to the death penalty (Leviticus 20:27).
The practice was considered one of
the detestable ways of the nations (along with activities like child sacrifice,
divination, sorcery, interpreting omens, witchcraft, spell-casting, etc. See Deuteronomy 18:9-13). These
are things that people of the world do, but God’s people refuse to participate
in. Saul was right to expel the mediums from the land of Israel (1 Samuel
28:3), but wrong to consult one (1 Chronicles 10:13).
As it turns out, then, the Christian
approach to supposed mediums is not overly complicated. Either they are really
not contacting anyone (it’s a hoax); contacting the devil and/or demons
(knowingly or ignorantly); or they are legitimately contacting the dead (which
is forbidden by God). None of those scenarios are favorable, to say the least.
When Christians find themselves
interested in such practices, it begs a bigger question... what is the
motivation behind such interest? Are we looking for comfort and/or answers? Go
to God! As it says in Isaiah, “When someone tells you to consult mediums and spiritists, who whisper
and mutter, should not a people inquire of their God? Why consult the dead on
behalf of the living?”
