INTRODUCTION

When men cease to get counsel from the Lord, they seek other means of communication. "Saul had put away those that had familiar spirits" (1 Samuel 28:3Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had lamented him, and buried him in Ramah, even in his own city. And Saul had put away those that had familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land.
See All...), but when "the LORD answered him not" (1 Samuel 28:6And when Saul enquired of the LORD, the LORD answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets.
See All...), he began to reconsider his decision. In desperation, Saul sought out a woman that had a familiar spirit (1 Samuel 28:7Then said Saul unto his servants, Seek me a woman that hath a familiar spirit, that I may go to her, and enquire of her. And his servants said to him, Behold, there is a woman that hath a familiar spirit at Endor.
See All...). A careful study of scripture indicates that the practice of which the Bible is speaking is when people sought out the dead in order to receive counsel or instruction (Deuteronomy 18:10-11 [10] There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch. [11] Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer.
See All...; 1 Chronicles 10:13So 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;
See All...; Isaiah 8:19And 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?
See All...; Isaiah 19:3And the spirit of Egypt shall fail in the midst thereof; and I will destroy the counsel thereof: and they shall seek to the idols, and to the charmers, and to them that have familiar spirits, and to the wizards.
See All...; Isaiah 29:4And thou shalt be brought down, and shalt speak out of the ground, and thy speech shall be low out of the dust, and thy voice shall be, as of one that hath a familiar spirit, out of the ground, and thy speech shall whisper out of the dust.
See All...). This practice is wicked in every sense and demands the righteous judgment of God (Leviticus 20:27A 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.
See All...).

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS

• (For smaller children) God alone is to be sought out for everything (1 Chronicles 16:11Seek the LORD and his strength, seek his face continually.
  See All...). King Manasseh would not seek God, but sought others for counsel (2 Kings 21:1-2 [1] Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and reigned fifty and five years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Hephzibah. [2] And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, after the abominations of the heathen, whom the LORD cast out before the children of Israel.
  See All..., 6; 2 Chronicles 33:9-10 [9] So Manasseh made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to err, and to do worse than the heathen, whom the LORD had destroyed before the children of Israel. [10] And the LORD spake to Manasseh, and to his people: but they would not hearken.
  See All...). Therefore, the Lord removed Judah out of their land (2 Kings 23:26-27 [26] Notwithstanding the LORD turned not from the fierceness of his great wrath, wherewith his anger was kindled against Judah, because of all the provocations that Manasseh had provoked him withal. [27] And the LORD said, I will remove Judah also out of my sight, as I have removed Israel, and will cast off this city Jerusalem which I have chosen, and the house of which I said, My name shall be there.
  See All...).
• Read Leviticus 19:31Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I am the LORD your God.
  See All... and Leviticus 20:6And 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.
  See All.... What does the Bible mean when it says men are "defiled" by regarding those that have familiar spirits? What does the Bible mean when it says men "go a whoring after them"?
• What are some common ways in which men seek after familiar spirits today? How does God feel about these practices?

PRAYER NEEDS

• Ask the Lord to help you reject these ungodly practices.
• Ask God to show you when you are partaking in such practices.

HYMN

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