Would you be creeped out if a ghost suddenly appeared in your room? A dark, floating, evil presence that threatened to smother you? The stuff of Halloween nightmares—right?
But what if your gentle grandma came to talk with you? The one who died from cancer last year? Would that be creepy? Or comforting?
Wait. Are you sure it’s Grandma?
What are ghosts?
We often picture ghosts as haunting, ephemeral apparitions that glide on phantom feet, messengers from the land of the dead to the land of the living, shadowy spirits that float by on Halloween or haunt the abandoned home of that one old man whose murder has always been wrapped in mystery. Reality?
Dictionary.com says a ghost is “the soul of a dead person, a disembodied spirit.”
God’s Word gives a very different answer. It tells us that there are two types of powerful spirit beings—angels and demons. The unfallen angels are God’s helpers who “minister for those who will inherit salvation” (Hebrews 1:14). At times, they appear in human form to aid and protect God’s children.
Demons are fallen angels who lost their place in heaven and are now confined to this earth. Their entire existence is devoted to hurting God by destroying His children. They are “principalities … rulers of the darkness of this age… and spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12).
But what about the dead? Are they spirits?
No. According to the Bible, a dead person is not a spirit that can return to haunt the living. Ecclesiastes 9:5 tells us that “the living know that they will die; but the dead know nothing.”
Jesus often compared death to a deep sleep (Matthew 9:24; John 11:11–13). One moment, you go to sleep, and the next moment, it seems, you wake up and a new day has begun. You know nothing about what transpired during the night.
The same is true with death. At death, you simply cease to exist. You don’t have an immortal spirit that detaches from your body to float in a mystical world or hassle your annoying friends. Instead, you are waiting in the grave until Jesus wakes you up at the resurrection and gives you immortality (1 Corinthians 15:53, 54).
So, ghosts are really demons?
Yes! There is a story about Saul, the first king of Israel, that makes that clear.
God chose Saul to rule Israel when he was young and humble, but it didn’t take long for the new king to let his power go to this head. He repeatedly ignored the prophet Samuel’s advice and did whatever he wanted. After the prophet died, Saul got into a tight place and wanted God’s guidance. But he had disregarded God’s counsel through Samuel for so long that God refused to answer him.
So, Saul went to a sorceress and asked her to call up Samuel’s ghost for him. An apparition appeared, rebuked the king for his lack of faith, and predicted his death the next day (1 Samuel 28:7–20).
What was the king talking to? An evil spirit impersonating Samuel.
The consequence of him speaking with a demon was tragic: “So Saul died for his unfaithfulness which he had committed against the LORD, because he did not keep the word of the LORD, and also because he consulted a medium for guidance. But he did not inquire of the LORD” (1 Chronicles 10:13, 14).
Talk to Ghosts? Never!
Is it ever safe to attempt to make contact with the dead? No!
What if it looks like your beloved grandma? Wouldn’t it be okay to talk to her just a little? No! Never!
The Bible tells us that Satan can easily transform himself into an “angel of light” (2 Corinthians 11:14). It’s not hard for one of his evil angels to reshape itself into a replica of Grandma. So, beware! Never, ever attempt to make contact with the dead or with ghosts. It’s not merely Halloween fun—it is dangerous.
What should you do instead? Communicate daily with the living God, the One who made you and loves you and gave His life for you. Ask for the protection of the holy angels. And refuse to engage in any activity that claims to communicate with the dead or evil spirits. “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 8:19).
To learn more about what happens when you die, read “Are the Dead Really Dead?” This excerpt from Bible Answers Live is also helpful.