What does the Bible say about “consulting the dead” (18:11)?
There has been an increase in “Spiritism” (a religion which offers contact with, and information from, beings beyond the grave) in recent years. Some of contemporary Spiritism has been exposed as fraudulent. However, there is a spiritual dimension which cannot be ignored. Authentic spiritists draw their power from the one the Bible calls “a roaring lion” who seeks to devour and destroy (1 Peter 5:8). The attitude of God toward those who practice Spiritism is clearly outlined in the Bible. The Lord ordered the death penalty for all sorcerers (for example, Exodus 22:18 and Leviticus 20:27). The Old Testament also named as those cursed by God, persons consorting with demons and mediums. The Bible records King Manasseh’s fall as being partly due to his practice of Spiritism. These are just a few examples. The Bible is clearly consistent in its rejection of Spiritism and consultation of the dead.
