| Are the Dead Alive Somewhere? | | | | thoughts do perish." (Psalm 146:4) Both Saul and |
| The Bible explains in simple, easy-to-understand terms | | | | Samuel knew that God condemned contact with spirit |
| the condition of the dead. Note what Ecclesiastes 9:5 | | | | mediums. Why, Saul had earlier taken the lead in the |
| states: "The living are conscious that they will die; but | | | | ridding the land of spiritistic practices!--Leviticus 19:31 |
| as for the dead, they are conscious of nothing at all." | | | | Reason on the matter. If faithful Samuel were still alive |
| Is it possible that the dead have feelings? Verse 6 | | | | as a spirit, would he violate God's law and cooperate |
| answers: "Their love and their hate and their jealousy | | | | with a spirit medium in order to meet Saul? Jehovah |
| have already perished, and they have no portion | | | | had refused to talk with Saul. Could a medium, in |
| anymore to time indefinite in anything that has to be | | | | effect, force God Almighty to communicate with Saul |
| done under the sun." | | | | by means of dead Samuel? No. Clearly, this "Samuel" |
| Note, too, that verse 10 of that same chapter states | | | | was not God's faithful prophet in any form. It was a |
| that "there is no work nor devising nor knowledge nor | | | | spirit --a wicked demon pretending to be dead Samuel. |
| wisdom in Sheol, the place to which you are going." | | | | Demons are angels who rebelled against God's |
| The Hebrew word "Sheol" used here means | | | | authority early in man's history. (Genesis 6:1-4; Jude 6) |
| "mankind's common grave." Interestingly, the Greek | | | | These demons can observe people while they are |
| equivalent of this word, "Hades," is used in the | | | | alive; they know how each one talked, looked, and |
| Scriptures to indicate where Jesus Christ went for a | | | | acted. They are eager to promote the idea that what |
| time after he died.--Acts 2:31. | | | | the Bible says is untrue. No wonder the Bible warns |
| Jesus helped many while he was alive, but he knew | | | | against having any contact with such spirit forces! |
| that he would have to die. Did he expect that he would | | | | (Deuteronomy 18:10-12) These wicked spirits are still |
| still be able to help people during his time in the grave? | | | | active today. |
| No. He compared his own impending death to a | | | | Now we may see why many tell of "hearing" or |
| night-time when work would be impossible. (John 9:4) | | | | "seeing" dead loved ones. Though such apparitions at |
| Jesus well knew that when humans cease to live, they | | | | times may seem friendly, wicked spirit forces are out |
| are "impotent in death." --Isaiah 26:14 | | | | to deceive humans. (Ephesians 6:12) Also, think about |
| Jesus also used a comparison that made a similar | | | | this: Jehovah is a loving God who cares for us. If the |
| point about death. When his friend Lazarus died, Jesus | | | | dead were alive somewhere and they could come to |
| likened death to sleep. (John 11:11-13) We do not expect | | | | the aid of their friends and family, would our loving |
| a sleeping person to help us, do we? A sleeper is | | | | Creator forbid such contact and refer to it as |
| unconscious, unable to act in anyone's behalf. | | | | "detestable"? Surely not! (1 Peter 5:7) Is there, then, any |
| Does the Soul Survive Death? | | | | reliable source of help? |
| Many have been taught that the soul is a shadowy | | | | Real Help for the Living and the Dead |
| thing that survives death. The Bible teaches something | | | | We understand from the foregoing that the dead are |
| different. The first book of the Bible, Genesis, identifies | | | | powerless to help the living. What is more, efforts to |
| the soul for us. Genesis 2:7 states that at the first | | | | seek the help of the dead are worse than ineffective, |
| man's creation, he "came to be a living soul." Man, in his | | | | they are extremely dangerous, as they violate God's |
| entirety, is a soul; animals are also souls. (Genesis | | | | law and put us at risk of demonic influence. |
| 1:20-25) So, logically, when a human or animal dies, the | | | | The Bible directs us to the best Source of help-our |
| soul dies. The Bible confirms this.--Ezekiel 18:4 | | | | Creator, Jehovah. He can deliver us from death itself. |
| However, some may ask, 'What about the many | | | | (Psalm 33:19,20) Today, he is available to help us. He |
| stories of people contacting the dead, hearing their | | | | thus provides real help, unlike false hopes from spirit |
| voices, or even seeing them?' Such accounts are | | | | mediums. |
| common in many parts of the world. They fill bereaved | | | | Many people have learned firsthand the difference |
| relatives or close friends with hope, moving many to | | | | between the false hopes that spirit mediums offer and |
| seek out a spirit medium who claims to be able to | | | | the truth that Jehovah holds out for us. Some cultures |
| contact the dead. | | | | exert great pressure on friends or relatives to get help |
| Are such stories true? If so, would this not contradict | | | | from a medium without understanding how dangerous |
| the above Bible-based statements? Christ Jesus | | | | a situation they are creating. Study of the Holy |
| described God's Word as truth. (John 17:17) Truth does | | | | Scriptures can help us gain confidence in God's law |
| not contradict itself. Actually, there is a clear direction in | | | | and turn to him for answers and help. |
| the Bible on how we should view claims that the dead | | | | What, though, about the loved ones we have lost? Is |
| can help the living. The Bible tells us about someone | | | | there no help for them? In addition to helping us who |
| who attempted to get help from the dead. A careful | | | | are alive, Jehovah has promised to help those who are |
| reading of the account will reveal the truth. | | | | in the grave. After describing how powerless the dead |
| A King Asks for Help From the Dead | | | | are, notice what the prophet Isaiah announces in |
| The setting was a battlefield in northern Israel. King | | | | Chapter 26 verse 19: "Your dead ones will live...Awake |
| Saul and his forces were confronted by a fearsome | | | | and cry out joyfully, you residents in the dust!" The |
| Philistine army. When Saul got to see the camp of the | | | | prophecy further states that "those impotent in death" |
| Philistines, "his heart began to tremble very much." At | | | | will live again. |
| this point in his kingship, Saul had abandoned true | | | | Imagine that! The helpless billions who lie sleeping in the |
| worship. As a result, his pleadings to Jehovah were | | | | grave will be brought back to life! In fact, the Bible |
| answered with silence. Where would Saul turn for | | | | reveals that Jehovah has "a yearning" to give life to |
| help? God's prophet Samuel was dead.--1 Samuel | | | | the dead. (Job 14:14,15) Do such promises sound too |
| 28:3,5,6 | | | | good to be true? Jesus Christ was so sure of this |
| Saul sought direction from a spirit medium in En-dor. He | | | | hope that he described the dead as already alive in |
| begged the medium to "bring up Samuel" from the | | | | Jehovah's eyes.--Luke 20:37,38 |
| dead. The medium summoned an apparition. This | | | | Would you like to make this hope your own? Continue |
| "Samuel" told Saul that the Philistines would prevail and | | | | to take in accurate knowledge from the Bible. As you |
| that Saul and his sons would die in battle. (1 Samuel | | | | study, you will be convinced that Jehovah can help the |
| 28:7-19) Was that really Samuel returned from the | | | | living and the dead and that his promises are "faithful |
| dead? Think about it. The Bible states that at death a | | | | and true."--Revelation 21:4,5. |
| person "goes back to his ground" and that "his | | | | |