Ghosts
There is a lot of
misunderstanding and misleading or erroneous teaching on the subject of
ghosts. Some of the common errors in the world today are as follows:
1. There is no such thing as ghosts.
2. When a person dies, he is dead all over,
including any soul or spirit and it is all buried in the grave and
remains there until the resurrection.
3. There are ghosts floating around in the
world today and haunting people on earth.
4. Ghosts can be conjured up and give insight
and knowledge to the living that may help them to avoid some pitfall in
life.
The word, ghost
appears 109 times in the scriptures. 90 of those times it appears in
connection with the title of God, Holy Ghost. That leaves 19 other
times that it appears in scripture. The first four times that it is
mentioned in the scripture, it is found in connection with death:
1. Gen. 25:8 “Then Abraham gave up the ghost,
and died in a good old age, an old man, and full of years; and was
gathered to his people.”
2. Gen. 25:17 “And these are the years of the
life of Ishmael, an hundred and thirty and seven years: and he gave up
the ghost and died; and was gathered unto his people.”
3. Gen. 35:29 “And Isaac gave up the ghost, and
died, and was gathered unto his people, being old and full of days: and
his sons Esau and Jacob buried him.”
4. Gen. 49:33 “And when Jacob had made an end
of commanding his sons, he gathered up his feet into the bed, and
yielded up the ghost, and was gathered unto his people.”
In all
of the above four passages, the following chronological order is
observed:
1. First, the individual gave up the ghost.
2. Second, the individual died.
3. Third, the individual was gathered unto his
people.
4. Fourth, the individual was buried.
These are four
related, yet distinct events. So long as the ghost of the individual is
present in the body, the body will not die. It is only after the ghost
departs that the body dies. Immediately after the death of the body,
the ghost of the individual is gathered to his people. Finally, the
body that died is buried.
The word, ghost, is
another word used to describe the soul. Notice the following verse
describing Rachel, the wife of Jacob: Gen. 35:18 “And it came to pass,
as her soul was in departing, (for she died) that she called his name
Benoni: but his father called him Benjamin.” Notice that the soul of
Rachel departed and she died. Just like the ghost of Abraham, Ishmael,
Isaac, and Jacob all departed at the time of death, that the soul of
Rachel departed at the time of death. The soul and the ghost of the
individual are the same. Also, notice the following verse: James 2:26
“For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is
dead also.” Notice that it is only the body that is dead.
In the
gospels we read that when Jesus died on the cross that he gave up the
ghost:
1. Mat. 27:50 “Jesus, when he had cried again
with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.”
2. Mark 15:37 “And Jesus cried with a loud
voice, and gave up the ghost.”
3. Mark 15:39 “And when the centurion, which
stood over against him, saw that he so cried out, and gave up the ghost,
he said, Truly this man was the Son of God.”
4. Luke 23:46 “And when Jesus had cried with a
loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and
having said thus, he gave up the ghost.”
5. John 19:30 “When Jesus therefore had
received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head,
and gave up the ghost.”
Notice
that when Jesus gave up the ghost and died on the cross, that it was his
body that died, but the ghost (soul and spirit) went into the hands of
the Father. This is where the gathering takes place for the elect
children of God at death.
That the
ghost (soul and spirit) of the elect children of God does not die at
death is made apparent by the following verses:
1. Mat. 22:32 “I am the God of Abraham, and the
God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but
of the living.”
2. John 11:26 “And whosoever liveth and
believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?”
3. John 6:54 “Whoso eateth my flesh, and
drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the
last day.”
4. 1 John 5:11 “And this is the record, that
God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.”
5. 1 John 5:13 “These things have I written
unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know
that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the
Son of God.”
6. 1Pet. 1:23 “Being born again, not of
corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth
and abideth for ever.”
7. John 3:36 “He that believeth on the Son hath
everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life;
but the wrath of God abideth on him.”
8. John 5:24 “Verily, verily, I say unto you,
He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath
everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed
from death unto life.”
9. John 6:47 “Verily, verily, I say unto you,
He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.”
10. Luke 23:43 “And Jesus said unto him, Verily
I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.”
The body dies at
death. We have hope of eternal life in the promise of the resurrection
of our bodies. We already have eternal life in the soul and spirit for
we have been born of the Spirit and given eternal life. Eternal life
cannot cease to be or else it is not eternal. If the soul and spirit of
one born of the Spirit could die, then the individual never had eternal
life. But the above scriptures tell us plainly that God has given us
eternal life.
Moreover, the story
of the rich man and Lazarus tells us that the place of the soul after
death is heaven for the just and hell for the unjust: Luke 16:19 “There
was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and
fared sumptuously every day: 20 And there was a certain beggar named
Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, 21 And desiring to
be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover
the dogs came and licked his sores. 22 And it came to pass, that the
beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the
rich man also died, and was buried; 23 And in hell he lift up his eyes,
being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
24 And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send
Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my
tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. 25 But Abraham said, Son,
remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and
likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art
tormented. 26 And beside all this, between us and you there is a great
gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot;
neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.
27 Then he said, I
pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's
house: 28 For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest
they also come into this place of torment. 29 Abraham saith unto him,
They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. 30 And he said,
Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will
repent. 31 And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the
prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the
dead.”
Some say
that the above is a parable and it may very well be. However, a parable
is simply things in nature used to illustrate spiritual lessons. Thus,
in nature, the souls of the wicked go to hell at death and the souls of
the righteous go to heaven at death. Their places are fixed of God.
We have
answered the erroneous teaching that there is no ghost. Certainly the
scriptures are abundantly clear that men have a soul and that that soul
is called a ghost. Moreover, we have answered the question about the
erroneous teaching that the whole man dies at death including body, soul
and spirit. Numerous scriptures above prove this to be untrue.
Now, we
address the erroneous teaching that there are ghosts floating around in
the world today and haunting or scaring people. As we have already seen
the scriptures teach us that the ghost or soul of the wicked go to hell
at the death of the body and the souls of the righteous go to heaven at
the death of the body. Thus, what people are seeing is something other
than the ghost or soul of individuals. Satan is an imitator. There are
numerous imitations that Satan uses to deceive people with.
The
scriptures warn us about numerous wicked things in the way of spiritual
wickedness:
1. Deu. 18:10 “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. 12 For all that do these things
are an abomination unto the LORD: and because of these abominations the
LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee. 13 Thou shalt be
perfect with the LORD thy God. 14 For these nations, which thou shalt
possess, hearkened unto observers of times, and unto diviners: but as
for thee, the LORD thy God hath not suffered thee so to do.”
2. Josh. 13:22 “Balaam also the son of Beor,
the soothsayer, did the children of Israel slay with the sword among
them that were slain by them.”
3. 1 Tim. 4:1 “Now the Spirit speaketh
expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith,
giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;”
4. Ex. 8:7 “And the magicians did so with their
enchantments, and brought up frogs upon the land of Egypt.”
5. 2 Ki. 21:6 “And he made his son pass through
the fire, and observed times, and used enchantments, and dealt with
familiar spirits and wizards: he wrought much wickedness in the sight of
the LORD, to provoke him to anger.”
6. Is. 19:3 “And 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.”
7. Dan. 2:10 “The Chaldeans answered before the
king, and said, There is not a man upon the earth that can show the
king's matter: therefore there is no king, lord, nor ruler, that asked
such things at any magician, or astrologer, or Chaldean.”
As we
can see from this brief scriptural survey that there are many wicked
devices that Satan uses to deceive people. Those who practice charming,
necromancy, witchcraft, magic, black magic, etc. often use charming or
magic to conjure up what they call ghosts or to bring about spells or to
haunt buildings, etc. with familiar spirits (what they call ghosts).
These are not the souls and spirits of the departed, but deceptions made
to appear as though they are the souls and spirits of the departed. As
children of God we are warned against these practices and we are not to
have any interaction with these practices or to fellowship these
practices.
Elder Vernon Johnson
Various
Aspects of the Kingdom of God
Paul
told Timothy: 2 Tim. 2:15 “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a
workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of
truth.” This admonition applies to every one of us. If we do not
rightly divide the word of truth then we will become hopelessly confused
on just about every bible subject. This is true concerning the kingdom
of God. There are various aspects of the kingdom of God and we will be
confused on this subject unless we rightly divide it.
When we
read about the kingdom of God or the kingdom of heaven, we should keep
in mind that there are verses of scripture that speak about a kingdom
established on earth today. Also, there are verses of scripture that
talk about a kingdom of God known as paradise. Also, there are verses
of scripture that talk about a kingdom of God in the past. Moreover,
the scripture also talk about an internal kingdom.
Israel
was a kingdom that God had established and he was her king until she
asked for a king like unto the nations about her. God granted her
request and gave Israel king Saul. Later after Saul had rebelled
against God, God gave Israel David and his sons after him to be king
over Israel. However, in the beginning God was Israel’s king.
In the
Old Testament we find prophecies about another kingdom of God to be
established. The most notable of these prophecies is found in 2 Sam.
7:12-17: “And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy
fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of
thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build an house
for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever. I
will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commit iniquity, I
will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the
children of men: But my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took
it from Saul, whom I put away before thee. And thine house and thy
kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be
established for ever. According to all these words, and according to
all this vision, so did Nathan speak unto David.” This prophecy was of
an everlasting kingdom to be ruled over by a king that would be a
descendent of David. When John came preaching, Saying, “Repent for the
kingdom of heaven is at hand” this was the fulfillment of that prophecy
made to David.
Most of
the New Testament passages about the kingdom of God or kingdom of heaven
deal with the kingdom on earth that Nathan prophesied to David.
However, there are a few verses that speak of the kingdom in paradise or
glory:
1. 1 Cor. 15:24 “Then cometh the end, when he
shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he
shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.” Thus, we
conclude that the kingdom is here on earth and in the resurrection the
kingdom will be delivered up into paradise.
2. Matt. 25: 31-34 “When the Son of man shall
come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit
upon the throne of his glory: And before him shall be gathered all
nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd
divideth his sheep from the goats: And he shall set the sheep on his
right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them
on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom
prepared for you from the foundation of the world:” This verse also
speaks of the kingdom being delivered up into the glory world.
Elder Vernon Johnson |