The Bible has specific teachings regarding communication with the dead or ancestors. It cautions against certain practices while also acknowledging the importance of honoring those who came before us in appropriate ways.
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What Does The Bible Say About Talking To Ancestors
Deuteronomy 18:10-12
“Let no one be found among you who sacrifices their son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. Anyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord.”
This verse emphasizes the prohibition against seeking communication with the dead or engaging in occult practices. God commanded His people to abstain from these practices because they are detestable to Him. Instead, believers are called to have faith in God’s guidance and trust in His provision.
Isaiah 8:19
“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?”
Isaiah challenges the people to seek counsel from God alone, rather than resorting to consulting the dead or engaging with mediums and spiritists. God is the only true source of wisdom and guidance, and seeking communication with the dead is futile and inappropriate.
1 Samuel 28:7-20
“Then Saul said to his attendants, ‘Find me a woman who is a medium, so I may go and inquire of her.’ ‘There is one in Endor,’ they said. So Saul disguised himself, putting on other clothes, and at night he and two men went to the woman. ‘Consult a spirit for me,’ he said, ‘and bring up for me the one I name.’ But the woman said to him, ‘Surely you know what Saul has done. He has cut off the mediums and spiritists from the land. Why have you set a trap for my life to bring about my death?’ Saul swore to her by the Lord, ‘As surely as the Lord lives, you will not be punished for this.’ Then the woman asked, ‘Whom shall I bring up for you?’ ‘Bring up Samuel,’ he said. When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out at the top of her voice and said to Saul, ‘Why have you deceived me? You are Saul!’ The king said to her, ‘Don’t be afraid. What do you see?’ The woman said, ‘I see a ghostly figure coming up out of the earth.’ ‘What does he look like?’ he asked. ‘An old man wearing a robe is coming up,’ she said. Then Saul knew it was Samuel, and he bowed down and prostrated himself with his face to the ground. Samuel said to Saul, ‘Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?’ ‘I am in great distress,’ Saul said. ‘The Philistines are fighting against me, and God has departed from me. He no longer answers me, either by prophets or by dreams. So I have called on you to tell me what to do.’ Samuel said, ‘Why do you consult me, now that the Lord has departed from you and become your enemy? The Lord has done what he predicted through me. The Lord has torn the kingdom out of your hands and given it to one of your neighbors—to David. Because you did not obey the Lord or carry out his fierce wrath against the Amalekites, the Lord has done this to you today.'”
This passage recounts the story of Saul seeking guidance through a medium, which ultimately leads to his downfall. Despite the desperate circumstances Saul faced, his decision to consult the dead went against God’s commandment. This example serves as a stern warning against attempting to communicate with ancestors or consult the dead, as it is an act of disobedience and can lead to severe consequences.
Leviticus 19:31
“Do not turn to mediums or seek out spiritists, for you will be defiled by them. I am the Lord your God.”
God explicitly commands His people to avoid seeking out mediums or spiritists. The act of attempting to communicate with the dead or engage with these practices is considered defiling in His eyes. Believers are called to honor and obey God above all else.
Leviticus 20:6
“I will set my face against anyone who turns to mediums and spiritists to prostitute themselves by following them, and I will cut them off from their people.”
God makes it clear that those who turn to mediums and spiritists in order to seek guidance or engage in communication with the dead will face severe consequences. The act of pursuing these practices is seen as a betrayal of God and leads to separation from His people.
Ephesians 5:11
“Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.”
This verse encourages believers to distance themselves from any activities that are associated with darkness or deception. Seeking communication with the dead falls into the category of fruitless deeds of darkness, and instead, Christians are called to expose such practices and reject them.
1 Corinthians 10:20
“No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God, and I do not want you to be participants with demons.”
Paul warns believers against participating in acts that align with pagan rituals or practices, as they ultimately involve offering sacrifices to demons rather than God. Seeking communication with the dead falls into this category and should be avoided by Christians.
Colossians 2:8
“See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ.”
This verse cautions believers against falling prey to deceptive philosophies or practices that do not align with Christ. Seeking communication with the dead relies on human tradition and spiritual forces of the world, rather than relying on Christ as the ultimate source of wisdom and guidance.
Deuteronomy 26:14
“I have not eaten any of the sacred portion while I was in mourning, nor have I removed any of it while I was unclean, nor have I offered any of it to the dead. I have obeyed the Lord my God; I have done everything you commanded me.”
This passage highlights the faithfulness of an individual who refrained from offering anything to the dead. It emphasizes the importance of obedience to God’s commandments and the avoidance of engaging in practices related to communicating with the dead.
Galatians 5:19-21
“The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.”
Paul lists witchcraft among the acts of the flesh, warning believers that engaging in practices associated with witchcraft or communicating with the dead is contrary to living a life that pleases God. Those who persist in such behaviors will not inherit the kingdom of God.
1 Timothy 4:1-2
“The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron.”
This passage warns that false teachings and doctrines will arise, leading some to abandon their faith and follow deceiving spirits. Seeking communication with the dead aligns with these deceptive practices and should be avoided by those who desire to remain faithful to God.
Isaiah 29:4
“Brought low, you will speak from the ground; your speech will mumble out of the dust. Your voice will come ghostlike from the earth; out of the dust, your speech will whisper.”
In this verse, Isaiah describes how those who attempt to communicate with the dead will be left in a state of confusion. Seeking such contact leads to an unclear and fragmented communication that lacks the clarity and truth found in God’s word.
Leviticus 20:27
“A man or woman who is a medium or spiritist among you must be put to death. You are to stone them; their blood will be on their own heads.”
God’s commandment regarding the punishment for mediums and spiritists reveals His severe judgment against those who engage in such practices. While this law applied specifically to ancient Israel, it underscores the seriousness of seeking communication with the dead.
2 Kings 23:24
“Furthermore, Josiah got rid of the mediums and spiritists, the household gods, the idols and all the other detestable things seen in Judah and Jerusalem. This he did to fulfill the requirements of the law written in the book that Hilkiah the priest had discovered in the temple of the Lord.”
This verse narrates how King Josiah actively removed mediums, spiritists, and other detestable practices from Judah. It serves as an example of the righteous response to the discovery of the law of the Lord—repentance and the abolishment of practices that go against God’s commands.
Acts 19:18-19
“Many of those who believed now came and openly confessed what they had done. A number who had practiced sorcery brought their scrolls together and burned them publicly. When they calculated the value of the scrolls, the total came to fifty thousand drachmas.”
This passage describes the repentance of individuals who had previously engaged in sorcery and occult practices. As an act of commitment to following Christ, they chose to publicly renounce their former practices by burning their scrolls. Their actions emphasize the importance of turning away from such practices and embracing a life devoted to God.
Acts 16:16-18
“Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a female slave who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling. She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, ‘These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved.’ She kept this up for many days. Finally, Paul became so annoyed that he turned around and said to the spirit, ‘In the name of Jesus Christ, I command you to come out of her!’ At that moment, the spirit left her.”
In this account, Paul casts out a spirit of divination from a slave girl who had been predicting the future. This event highlights the incompatibility between observing occult practices and following the teachings of Jesus Christ, as the spirit was expelled in the name of Jesus.
1 John 4:1
“Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God because many false prophets have gone out into the world.”
John instructs believers to exercise discernment when it comes to spiritual matters. Instead of blindly accepting every spirit, they are encouraged to test the spirits to determine whether they align with God’s truth. Seeking communication with the dead falls within the realm of false prophets and should be approached with caution or avoided altogether.
Hebrews 9:27
“Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment”
This verse affirms the truth that after death, individuals will face judgment. Seeking communication with the dead is unnecessary and futile, as each person will ultimately give an account of their life to God. Believers are called to focus on living in obedience and preparation for that judgment, rather than trying to communicate with deceased individuals.
Job 7:9-10
“As a cloud vanishes and is gone, so one who goes down to the grave does not return. He will never come to his house again; his place will know him no more.”
Job reflects on the finality of death, emphasizing that once someone has passed away, they will not return to their former life and relationships. This verse reinforces the biblical teaching that seeking communication with the dead is futile, as they have moved on to their eternal dwelling place.
Psalm 115:17
“The dead do not praise the Lord, nor do any who go down into silence.”
This verse reminds us that those who have died no longer have the ability to praise or communicate with the Lord. Attempting to speak with the dead goes against the natural order established by God and sidesteps the proper channels of communication with Him.
Psalm 146:4
“When their spirit departs, they return to the ground; on that very day their plans come to nothing.”
The psalmist acknowledges the finality of death, highlighting that once a person’s spirit departs, their earthly plans are rendered meaningless. As such, seeking communication with the dead is an empty pursuit that cannot bring about any meaningful resolution or guidance.
John 11:23-24
“Jesus said to her, ‘Your brother will rise again.’ Martha answered, ‘I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”
In this conversation between Jesus and Martha after the death of Lazarus, Martha affirms her belief in the resurrection at the last day. This exchange demonstrates that the hope of believers resides in the future resurrection, not in seeking communication with the dead in the present.
2 Corinthians 5:8
“We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.”
Paul expresses his confidence and longing to be present with the Lord after death. This verse reinforces the Christian belief that upon death, believers enter into the presence of the Lord and have no need for communication with the deceased.
Revelation 22:14
“Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city.”
In the final book of the Bible, a promise is given to those who are faithful to Christ. The focus is on obtaining entrance into the eternal city and partaking in the blessings of the tree of life. Seeking communication with the dead distracts from the ultimate goal of following Christ and receiving eternal life in His presence.
The scriptures provided clearly convey the biblical prohibition against seeking communication with the dead or engaging in practices related to mediums, sorcery, and divination. Through a variety of passages, it becomes evident that God forbids such actions as they are detestable to Him and conflict with His commands. The Bible instead emphasizes the importance of seeking guidance and wisdom from God alone, trusting in His provision, and placing our faith in Christ. The stories and teachings contained in these verses highlight the dangers and consequences associated with attempting to communicate with the dead. It is essential for believers to rely on God’s word and follow His commandments rather than getting involved in practices that lead away from His truth.