The term “medium” is used in various ways in the Bible, but generally refers to someone who claims to communicate with the spirit world. The Bible takes a cautious view of mediums, warning against using their services or trusting their claims.
Here is an overview of what the Bible says about mediums:
Old Testament Warnings Against Mediums
The Old Testament contains several warnings against mediums and seeking to communicate with the dead. Consulting mediums was associated with pagan religious practices that ancient Israel was commanded to avoid (Leviticus 19:31, 20:6). God condemned mediums along with practitioners of other occult arts like divination and sorcery (Deuteronomy 18:10-12). King Saul was rebuked for consulting a medium, an act which led to his downfall (1 Samuel 28:3-20). God’s people were to rely on Him rather than mediums (Isaiah 8:19-20).
These warnings established important spiritual principles. Communicating with the dead is forbidden, as the dead are in God’s hands (Deuteronomy 18:11). Relying on mediums shows a lack of faith in God’s power and wisdom. Occult practices like mediumship open dangerous spiritual doors, which is why the Bible urges us to avoid them.
New Testament References to Mediums
The New Testament mentions mediums less directly but continues the Old Testament caution about occult practices. Acts 16 describes Paul driving a spirit of divination out of a slave girl in Philippi who had earned money for her masters through fortune-telling. Her ability to predict the future was not from God but from an evil spirit. This incident warns that mediums may get their powers from deceitful spirits rather than actually communicating with the dead.
Another relevant reference is 1 Timothy 4:1, which warns that “in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons.” This indicates that consulting mediums and listening to their claims can lead people astray from true Christian faith.
What Does the Bible Say About Mediums?
In summary, the Bible consistently portrays mediums in a negative light, associating them with pagan religion and falsehood. Consulting mediums shows unbelief in God’s power and violates His commands. At best, mediums are deceived about the true source of their information. At worst, they traffic in demonic deceit and false religion. Christians should avoid mediums, channelers, fortune-tellers and others who claim to communicate with the dead or predict the future. Only God knows what happens after death and holds the future in His hands.
Dangers of Visiting Mediums
Given these biblical warnings, what are some specific dangers of visiting a medium or attending a séance?
- They may gather intimate facts from you under the pretense of “contacting” dead loved ones, manipulating your emotions.
- They can become channels of deceiving spirits who aim to gain influence over people’s lives.
- Demons can use séances and rituals to gain legal rights to harass people.
- Mediums can slowly lead people astray into deeper occult bondage.
- Mediums are often very skilled at “cold reading” people through subtle cues and making general statements that sound specific.
- Mediums can draw people away from faith in Christ by contradicting biblical truth.
- Consulting mediums can become psychologically and financially addictive.
Rather than visiting a medium, Christians should seek comfort from God through prayer, Scripture reading, church community and other spiritual disciplines. This avoids the dangers of the occult while building genuine faith.
Biblical Examples of Raising the Dead
While condemning mediumship, the Bible contains firsthand accounts of people being brought back from the dead or communicating after death. These miracles came through God, not occult arts. Some biblical examples include:
- 1 Kings 17: The prophet Elijah raised a widow’s son from death through his prayers.
- 2 Kings 4: Elisha raised a Shunammite couple’s son from death by stretching himself over the child’s body.
- Luke 7: Jesus restored a widow’s son to life during his own funeral procession.
- Luke 8: Jesus brought Jairus’ 12-year-old daughter back to life with the words “My child, get up!”
- John 11: Jesus resurrected Lazarus four days after his death.
- Matthew 27: After Jesus’ death, many saints were raised back to life and appeared to people.
- Acts 9: The martyr Stephen communicates from beyond the grave in Saul’s vision of Jesus.
These miracles showed God’s power and authenticated the ministries of Elijah, Elisha and Jesus. But they came about through petitioning God, not pagan arts. The Bible encourages prayerful hope in God’s ability to work miracles, while warning against trafficking with spirits through occult means.
Modern Claims of Mediums
Many modern mediums use the language of psychology and grief counseling to make their practices seem benign. However, the buried worldview is still the same: that the dead survive as spirits which mediums can contact for guidance, predictions and comfort for the living.
Examples of contemporary mediums include:
- Channelers and spiritists who let spirits speak through them.
- Psychics who claim to predict the future by reading energies or contacting the dead.
- Card readers, palm readers, crystal ball gazers and others who claim occult perception.
- New Age teachers who claim enlightenment from the spirit world.
- Workers of séances, Ouija boards, and trance channeling.
No matter how harmless these practitioners claim to be, they contradict biblical truth. Christians should avoid them and warn others of biblical prohibitions against mediumship. The eternal dangers far outweigh any short-term fulfillment such practices may seem to offer the living.
Healthy Ways to Handle Grief
It’s understandable that people grieving the loss of loved ones might become desperate enough to consult “spiritualist mediums.” However, God offers much healthier ways for Christians to find peace and move forward after losing someone they care about:
- Reading Scripture for comfort – Psalms 34:18; Matthew 5:4; John 14:27;
- Openly sharing feelings with God in prayer – 1 Peter 5:7;
- Accessing church support and counseling – Galatians 6:2;
- Seeking professional Christian counseling if needed;
- Looking confidently to the future heavenly reunion – 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18;
- Talking with other trusted family/friends;
- Embracing treasured memories and legacies of the deceased;
By turning to God and Christian community, we allow divine comfort and fellowship to ease our grief. The Bible warns that mediums cannot truly connect us to deceased loved ones without endangering our souls.
Christian Perspective on Life After Death
Without biblical truth, it is understandable that people might cling to mediums’ reassurances that death is not the end. But Christians have faith in what Jesus taught about the afterlife based on His own resurrection.
The Bible clearly teaches that after death, people await the resurrection and final judgment:
- Saved souls go to be with Christ when absent from the body (Philippians 1:23; 2 Corinthians 5:8).
- The dead in Christ will return with Jesus from heaven (1 Thessalonians 4:14-16).
- There will be a future resurrection and final judgment (John 5:28-29; Acts 24:15).
- Eternal life awaits believers in God’s presence (John 3:16; Revelation 21:3-4).
Clinging to this Christian hope allows us to rest, knowing our deceased loved ones are safely in God’s hands. We can look forward to reunion at the resurrection, rather than vainly trying to contact the dead through occult arts God has forbidden.
Witnessing to Mediums
For Christians who know or meet mediums, these tips can help in kindly sharing the gospel and God’s warnings against occult practices:
- Pray for them regularly to have receptive hearts for God’s truth.
- Listen without judgment to their experiences and motivation for mediumship.
- Affirm that grief and unanswered questions draw many to mediumship.
- Ask thoughtful questions rather than attacking their beliefs.
- Point to Jesus’ resurrection as real victory over death.
- Warn of spiritual dangers but emphasize God’s offer of forgiveness and new life.
- Stick to Scripture rather than personal attacks.
- Offer alternative grief support and counseling resources.
If mediums respond in faith to the gospel, believers should be ready to help them find deliverance from any spiritual influences they have opened themselves up to in the past. This requires much sensitivity, patience and support.
Conclusion on Mediums
The Bible consistently portrays the work of mediums as dangerous and deceitful. Their practices contradict biblical truth and should be avoided. Christians have faith that deceased loved ones are in God’s hands and that we will be reunited with them in the resurrection. Clinging to this hope allows God’s peace to guard our hearts when faced with grief. By turning to Scripture and godly counsel, we avoid the spiritual snares of consulting mediums.