What does God’s word have to say about ghosts? Could they be the souls of the dead walking around? Shadows or echos of the past? Is there any Biblical evidence that ghosts are real? Well, these are tough questions, but I’ll try my best to show what the Bible tells us about what happens to us after we die and about the spiritual entities walking the earth.
Let’s start with a quick concordance search on the word ghost, just to see if the term even shows up.
Jesus was mistaken for a ghost when he walked across the water:
“When the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out in fear.”
Matthew 14:26 NASB1995
The Holy Spirit is sometimes referred to as the Holy Ghost in some translations.
And finally a medium at Endor brought back Samuel’s spirit from the dead (although from the text it sounds like she was just as surprised by it herself so maybe she was a charlatan and not expecting it to work):
“Then the woman said, “Whom shall I bring up for you?” And he said, “Bring up Samuel for me.” When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out with a loud voice; and the woman spoke to Saul, saying, “Why have you deceived me? For you are Saul.” The king said to her, “Do not be afraid; but what do you see?” And the woman said to Saul, “I see a divine being coming up out of the earth.” He said to her, “What is his form?” And she said, “An old man is coming up, and he is wrapped with a robe.” And Saul knew that it was Samuel, and he bowed with his face to the ground and did homage.”
1 Samuel 28:11-15 NASB1995
The Bible doesn’t really talk about ghosts much. The situation with Samuel is rather unique, and even back then practicing what was considered witchcraft was against the law. The medium at Endor actually accuses Saul of entrapment at first. Saul was also in serious trouble for dabbling in witchcraft.
Where does that leave us? Well, let’s turn our investigation into what the Bible says about what happens to us when we die.
“And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment,”
Hebrews 9:27 NASB1995
The Bible says that directly after we die we are judged. Jesus tells a parable about a rich man and a poor man who both die:
““Now there was a rich man, and he habitually dressed in purple and fine linen, joyously living in splendor every day. And a poor man named Lazarus was laid at his gate, covered with sores, and longing to be fed with the crumbs which were falling from the rich man’s table; besides, even the dogs were coming and licking his sores. Now the poor man died and was carried away by the angels to Abraham’s bosom; and the rich man also died and was buried. In Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and *saw Abraham far away and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried out and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus so that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool off my tongue, for I am in agony in this flame.’ But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that during your life you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus bad things; but now he is being comforted here, and you are in agony.”
Luke 16:19-25 NASB1995
In Jesus’ parable both the rich man and the poor man die and are immediately placed in their separate “holding cells” after death. I can get into what these locations are in a different study, since it is rather complicated and will lead us into a tangent and away from our goal at hand.
Back to what happens when we die:
“then the dust will return to the earth as it was, and the spirit will return to God who gave it.”
Ecclesiastes 12:7 NASB1995
“Many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake, these to everlasting life, but the others to disgrace and everlasting contempt.”
Daniel 12:2 NASB1995
“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.”
2 Corinthians 5:10 NASB1995
“Behold, all souls are Mine; the soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is Mine. The soul who sins will die.”
Ezekiel 18:4 NASB1995
“For the living know they will die; but the dead do not know anything, nor have they any longer a reward, for their memory is forgotten. Indeed their love, their hate and their zeal have already perished, and they will no longer have a share in all that is done under the sun.”
Ecclesiastes 9:5-6 NASB1995
I could go on and on, verses about death are rather endless, the last two verses I think really drive home the idea that souls are not left on earth after they die. God takes back the soul of the person who passed and that person then faces judgement.
But so many people have witnessed ghosts and supernatural activities, what could that be?
Well, there are many theories, only one of which I believe. First, I’ll explain why they are not angels as someone I know suggested.
What do we know about angels?
For starters, there are many instances in the Bible were angels looked like regular humans and people were surprised to learn the strangers they helped were actually angels. In fact we are told:
“Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it.”
Hebrews 13:2 NASB1995
God sends guardian angels to protect His people:
“For He will give His angels charge concerning you, To guard you in all your ways.”
Psalms 91:11 NASB1995
“The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear Him, And rescues them.”
Psalms 34:7 NASB1995
“Are they not all ministering spirits, sent out to render service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation?”
Hebrews 1:14 NASB1995
We know angels not disguised as humans are actually frightening, but in every case shown in the Bible they say “do not be afraid”.
“The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God.”
Luke 1:30 NASB1995
“But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people;”
Luke 2:10 NASB1995
“For this very night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood before me, saying, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Caesar; and behold, God has granted you all those who are sailing with you.’”
Acts 27:23-24 NASB1995
We are also told that we aren’t suppose to trust any supernatural being that claims to be from God because even Satan is an angel of light:
“No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their deeds.”
2 Corinthians 11:14-15 NASB1995
“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.”
1 John 4:1 NASB1995
If ghosts aren’t dead souls, or angels, what are they? Well, what other malevolent beings happen to walk the earth? Ghosts scare and disturb. The belief that ghosts exist suggest an alternative afterlife to what is preached in the Bible. What supernatural beings would want to scare you and lead you away from God?
“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.”
Ephesians 6:12 NASB1995
“Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”
1 Peter 5:8 NASB1995
“You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons.”
1 Corinthians 10:21 NASB1995
“You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder.”
James 2:19 NASB1995
“And He healed many who were ill with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and He was not permitting the demons to speak, because they knew who He was.”
Mark 1:34 NASB1995
“Those who had seen it reported to them how the man who was demon-possessed had been made well.”
Luke 8:36 NASB1995
“And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience.”
Ephesians 2:1-2 NASB1995
We are warned constantly that Satan and HIS angels are roaming around here on earth. The Bible calls Satan the prince and the power of the air. When Christ was tempted in the desert Satan offered Him the kingdoms of the world. Such an offer couldn’t be made if they didn’t belong to Satan.
The Bible says our fight is not against flesh and blood, and I think a part of that includes the manifestation of ghosts. Ghosts are not from God. If they are not from God there is only one other supernatural force they could be from.
Praise be to God who has already one the war against evil, and because of Whom we have nothing to fear.
“But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed. AND DO NOT FEAR THEIR INTIMIDATION, AND DO NOT BE TROUBLED, but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence;”
1 Peter 3:14-15 NASB1995
Training to be Batgirl 