Did the Witch of Endor really call the spirt of Samuel?

There are those who contend the ghost or spirit of Samuel was either a trick, hallucination, or a demon, but I say, not so fast. There are several reasons to believe it was actually the spirit of Samuel:

1) The spirit of Samuel prophesized that the Philistines would defeat Israel and Saul and his sons would die the next day, and it was fulfilled to the letter. The spirit of Samuel accurately predicted the people involved and the exact day it would happen. Demons do not know the future, nor can they make it happen.

2) The narrator of the book, not the witch, says that it was Samuel multiple times. The Biblical narrator is the authoritative voice. It's his job to expose deception when it occurs, and he never refutes the spirit of Samuel as not being who he says he is.

3) The witch of Endor is startled and surprised to see the ghost of Samuel, indicating it was a genuine experience and not a trick.

4) The spirit of Samuel does not contradict God or say anything that is untrue. He only confirms what God has already decreed, rebukes Saul, and enforces accountability, just as an actual prophet of God would do.

5) Early Jews and Christians overwhelmingly believed it was the actual spirit of Samuel, including Josephus, the Church Fathers (e.g., Irenaeus, Tertullian, and Justin Martyr), and Talmudic discussions.

6) There is nothing in the narrative that suggests it was a trick, hallucination, or a demon. A demon, for example, doesn't tell the truth. It would have lied and told Saul exactly what he wanted to hear.

Now, one might object that God condemned such a practice, so why would He allow such a thing? Well, God has occasionally used unapproved channels to communicate his divine will. One prime example is Balaam, a pagan diviner, speaking His will to bless Israel. Another example is opening the mouth of Balaam's donkey so that it could speak. Animals are not supposed to talk, that is outside of God's divine order. Yet, in this one instance, God allowed it. In the end, God is God and can do what He wants, even bend the rules.

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