Ghosts and spirits are popular in folklore and movies, but what does the Bible say about them? While stories of hauntings and apparitions might be thrilling, the Bible provides a different perspective on the existence of ghosts and what happens to us after death. Understanding the biblical view on this topic can offer peace of mind and clarity.
Also Read: What Does The Bible Say About the antichrist
What Does The Bible Say About ghosts
1 Samuel 28:7
“Then Saul said to his servants, ‘Find me a woman who is a medium, that I may go to her and inquire of her.’ And his servants said to him, ‘In fact, there is a woman who is a medium at En Dor.'”
This verse gives us a glimpse into Saul’s desperation as he seeks out a medium to communicate with the deceased prophet Samuel. It shows the human need for guidance, even turning to forbidden practices like consulting a medium.
It’s a cautionary tale that underlines the importance of seeking guidance through God rather than through supernatural or occult means.
1 Samuel 28:11
“Then the woman said, ‘Whom shall I bring up for you?’ And he said, ‘Bring up Samuel for me.'”
In this verse, the medium asks Saul who he wants to communicate with, and he asks for Samuel. Saul’s actions are driven by fear and uncertainty. He wants answers from beyond the grave.
This choice to seek out a ghost displays Saul’s growing despair and highlights the dangers of moving away from God’s principles for guidance.
Mark 6:49
“But when they saw Him walking on the sea, they supposed it was a ghost, and cried out;”
This verse narrates the disciples’ reaction when they see Jesus walking on water. They cry out in fear, thinking they are witnessing a ghost. It shows the natural human inclination to feel fear when encountering the unknown or supernatural.
However, Jesus quickly reassures them, demonstrating that sometimes what we fear turns out to be an encounter with God’s power.
Luke 24:37
“But they were terrified and frightened, and supposed they had seen a spirit.”
Here, the disciples react with terror, assuming they have seen a spirit when Jesus appears to them after His resurrection. This verse reveals the common fear and misunderstanding about ghostly apparitions during biblical times.
Jesus’ actual resurrection challenges their beliefs and offers them a new understanding of life after death.
Luke 24:39
“Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself. Handle Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have.”
Jesus reassures His disciples by showing them His wounds and proving that He is not a ghost. This verse emphasizes the physical reality of His resurrection, dispelling the notion that He is merely a spirit.
It underscores the tangible nature of Christ’s resurrected body and encourages believers to trust in the reality of His resurrection.
1 John 4:1
“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.”
This verse instructs us not to accept every spiritual encounter at face value. It encourages discernment and spiritual testing. There are many false prophets who can lead us astray.
We must rely on God’s wisdom and guidance to distinguish between true and deceptive spirits, safeguarding our faith and understanding.
Matthew 14:26
“And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, ‘It is a ghost!’ And they cried out for fear.”
Much like in Mark 6:49, this verse depicts the disciples’ immediate reaction of fear when they see Jesus walking on the water. Their assumption that He is a ghost reflects common superstitions and fears of the time.
Jesus’ presence and His subsequent reassurance help them to face their fears and strengthens their faith in His divinity.
Deuteronomy 18:10-11
“There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, or one who practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead.”
God explicitly forbids His people from engaging in practices that attempt to communicate with the dead or use supernatural powers for guidance. This verse shows how seriously God takes these matters.
The prohibition aims to protect His people from falling into deceit and away from trusting Him alone for wisdom and guidance.
Isaiah 8:19
“And when they say to you, ‘Seek those who are mediums and wizards, who whisper and mutter,’ should not a people seek their God? Should they seek the dead on behalf of the living?”
Isaiah challenges the people to seek God rather than turning to mediums and wizards for answers. The verse underscores the futility of seeking wisdom from the dead, implying that only God can provide true guidance.
It calls on believers to focus their trust and reliance on God, rather than on any form of necromancy or spiritualism.
Leviticus 19:31
“Give no regard to mediums and familiar spirits; do not seek after them, to be defiled by them: I am the LORD your God.”
This verse is another stringent command against consulting mediums or familiar spirits. God warns His people that engaging in such practices defiles them.
The verse underscores the holiness and sanctity that God expects from His people, urging them to focus on their relationship with Him rather than seeking out forbidden spiritual practices.
Revelation 18:2
“And he cried mightily with a loud voice, saying, ‘Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and has become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird!'”
This verse from Revelation describes the fall of Babylon, emphasizing that it has become a dwelling for demons and foul spirits. It illustrates the evil that can pervade a place when it turns away from God.
Such imagery serves as a stark warning of the consequences of straying from true faith and engaging in practices detestable to God.
Acts 23:8
“For Sadducees say that there is no resurrection—and no angel or spirit; but the Pharisees confess both.”
This verse highlights the differing beliefs between the Sadducees and the Pharisees, particularly regarding spirits and the afterlife. The Sadducees deny the existence of spirits, while the Pharisees acknowledge them.
It reflects the theological debates and differences that existed in ancient Judaism, showing how people even in biblical times struggled with understanding the supernatural.
Ecclesiastes 12:7
“Then the dust will return to the earth as it was, and the spirit will return to God who gave it.”
This verse speaks about the eventual return of the human spirit to God after death. It emphasizes the divine origin of the spirit and its ultimate destination.
In this way, it provides comfort and assurance that our spirits are in God’s hands, alleviating the fear of the unknown after death.
Matthew 27:52-53
“and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many.”
These verses recount a miraculous event following Jesus’ resurrection, where many saints were raised from their graves. This astonishing event serves to authenticate Christ’s resurrection power.
It reassures believers of the reality of life after death, providing a preview of the resurrection that awaits all who are in Christ.
2 Kings 21:6
“Also he made his son pass through the fire, practiced soothsaying, used witchcraft, and consulted spiritists and mediums. He did much evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke Him to anger.”
This verse speaks about King Manasseh and his engagement in abominable practices, including consulting spiritists and mediums. His actions are described as evil in the sight of God, igniting divine anger.
It serves as a warning against engaging in such practices, illustrating the serious consequences of turning to forbidden forms of spiritual guidance.
Acts 16:16
“Now it happened, as we went to prayer, that a certain slave girl possessed with a spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters much profit by fortune-telling.”
This verse introduces a slave girl possessed by a spirit of divination who brings profit to her masters through fortune-telling. It highlights the reality and exploitation of spiritual possession.
This incident underscores the clash between God’s power and the deceptive powers of the occult, as well as the human tendency to exploit supernatural phenomena for financial gain.
Revelation 22:15
“But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie.”
This verse lists those who are excluded from entering the holy city, including sorcerers. It highlights the severity with which God views practices like sorcery and the pursuit of spiritual practices outside of His will.
The verse serves as a sobering reminder of the moral and spiritual boundaries established by God, urging believers to stay within His commandments.
Leviticus 20:6
“And the person who turns to mediums and familiar spirits, to prostitute himself with them, I will set My face against that person and cut him off from his people.”
This verse is a direct warning that those who turn to mediums and familiar spirits will face severe consequences, including being cut off from their community. It reflects the seriousness with which God views such actions.
God expresses His intention to directly oppose anyone engaging in these practices, reiterating the importance of seeking Him alone for spiritual guidance.
Isaiah 19:3
“The spirit of Egypt will fail in its midst; I will destroy their counsel, and they will consult the idols and the charmers, the mediums and the sorcerers.”
In this verse, Isaiah speaks of a time when Egypt’s counsel will fail, causing the people to turn to idols, mediums, and sorcerers for guidance. It illustrates the folly of turning away from God in times of crisis.
Instead of relying on the true counsel of God, turning to these practices leads to further disarray and failure.
Genesis 25:8
“Then Abraham breathed his last and died in a good old age, an old man and full of years, and was gathered to his people.”
This verse describes the peaceful death of Abraham, who lived a long and fulfilled life. The phrase “gathered to his people” indicates a reunion with those who passed before him, suggesting a form of spiritual continuation.
It comforts believers with the idea of an afterlife where loved ones are reunited, reinforcing the concept of spiritual heritage and continuity beyond death.
2 Kings 23:24
“Moreover Josiah put away those who consulted mediums and spiritists, the household gods and idols, all the abominations that were seen in the land of Judah and in Jerusalem, that he might perform the words of the law which were written in the book that Hilkiah the priest found in the house of the LORD.”
This verse speaks to King Josiah’s efforts to reform Judah by removing all mediums, spiritists, and idols. His actions demonstrate the importance of purging these practices to align with God’s law.
Josiah’s reforms highlight the commitment required to maintain spiritual purity and adherence to God’s commandments.
Galatians 5:19-21
“Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.”
In Galatians, Paul lists sins of the flesh that include sorcery. These are behaviors that separate people from the kingdom of God. This verse emphasizes the need to live in alignment with spiritual virtues to inherit God’s kingdom.
The inclusion of sorcery among these sins underscores its seriousness and the necessity of avoiding such practices in a Christian life.
Ezekiel 18:4
“Behold, all souls are Mine; The soul of the father As well as the soul of the son is Mine; The soul who sins shall die.”
God makes it clear that every soul belongs to Him and that each individual is responsible for their own sins. This verse reaffirms God’s sovereign authority over all spirits and souls.
It teaches that our actions have spiritual consequences, and we are accountable to God alone for our spiritual state and choices.
Hebrews 9:27
“And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment,”
This verse underscores that death is a one-time event, followed by judgment. It dismisses the idea of roaming spirits or ghosts and focuses on the finality of death followed by divine judgment.
It encourages believers to live in readiness for this ultimate judgment and to seek righteousness before God.