Death has been around for a long time and is still a mystery. Everyone reading this has not experienced death yet but knows it’s out there.
There is no sadder but at the same time dignified tune than “Taps.” It is the final honor for one who has given the ultimate for his country. “Taps” was found in the pocket of a dead Confederate soldier who was studying music before the war broke out. “Taps,” in its basic meaning, sounds the finality of death.
The Bible has a verse that tells us the finality of death. Hebrews 9:27: “It is appointed unto man once to die.”
Death of the body is final for this life, but Hebrews 9:27 doesn’t end there. It goes on to say, “And after that the judgment.”
Mystery solved. We only die once then judgment awaits those in Christ for their service and those not in Christ for their sins—no reincarnation and no coming back as ghosts.
The Bible tells us in many passages that there is life after death. But the Bible gives no hint or even one passage that tells us that we hang around as ghosts after we die. King Saul and a medium conjured up the image of the prophet Samuel, but that was, in reality, a message from God and not a ghost.
I believe that there are spiritual creatures that dwell among us. And for that reason, I warn that ghost hunting and ghost seeking are very dangerous things to do.
According to the Bible humans do not become ghosts. So that means that these images and sounds that ghost hunters hear are, in actuality, demons imitating people. Mystery solved.
Demons have been assigned to this earth and await their final disposal into the lake of fire prepared for the devil and his angels. They are active and very alive.
I hear these ghost hunters challenge the ghosts to appear and give them a message. This is very dangerous, especially for those who are not Christians. Christians are indwelt by the Holy Spirit, and therefore light can have no part with darkness. So Christians cannot be possessed. However, Christians can be oppressed by demons. Those who are not Christians who challenge demons are actually opening themselves up for demonic possession. Possession is real and biblical and dangerous.
In the book of Jude verses 9-10 the angel Michael did not dare rebuke the devil. “Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee. But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves.”
We must have respect for the powers of darkness and leave them to the Lord and His rebuke. To put it simply we are not to be preoccupied with the devil, demons, ghosts and haunted places. They are of no consequence to us. Who cares if demons occupy a house in Phoenix, Arizona, or Salem, Massachusetts? Leave them alone because they are there for a reason awaiting their final judgment.
We must focus on the Lord and His glory and our service to Him and not preoccupy ourselves with the things of this world. Because of the cross and the shed blood of Jesus Christ, the devil and his minions have lost and are awaiting their final judgment.
We are all fascinated by things that go bump in the night. We all love ghost stories and love to be scared. Why? We have a dark nature called sin. Sin leads to death which is our greatest enemy and our greatest fear. This fear of death leads us to endlessly seek the answer to the question, “What is out there?”
The Bible has made it clear what is out there. One day we will be free from the power of sin and death and hell and the grave. We will no longer be afraid of the dark, but we will step into that glorious light of Jesus Christ and His endless glory.
Ghost stories are interesting, but obviously, we know that the biblical reality is that there is no fear for those in Christ Jesus. Mystery solved.Watch sermons and read sermon texts and others by visiting www.tomahawkmbc.com. Listen to Pastor Jack’s sermons on WSIP FM 98.9 every Sunday morning at 10:30. Watch sermons on Facebook on Jack Ward’s page