Many people walk around thinking to themselves, “I see ghosts.” Some of these people see them with their eyes, clearly. I call these people seers. The questions they have include… what are ghosts? What are they seeing? They feel like the boy in “The Sixth Sense
I started this website two years ago and actually have had a page up all this time called “What are ghosts?” and it was blank.
I’m glad it was left blank. My view of ghosts is radically different today than it was a mere 6 months ago… a view I held for decades. But the day we stop learning is the day we die, or something like that. My perspective on reality is changing. I’m repenting. That’s actually the biblical word for changing your perspective on reality. Having a daughter and friends who can see spirits and walking with Jesus tend to shake the solid materialist worldview I once held, even one in a broadly Christian framework.
Well, today, after much research and more than a little trepidation, I released the article and posted it here. If you have seen ghosts or are just curious about them, click on over and check it out.
If you already have a firm view and don’t want to be challenged or outraged, then whatever you do, don’t read this.
My evangelical friends will probably be dismayed. That’s ok. A lot of them already think I’m a heretic for half the stuff on this site anyway.
For those who have genuine questions and are seeking answers rooted in truth, check it out. I don’t have all the answers, but I know Who does, and when we approach His worldview, we can better interpret the things we see in the natural and supernatural.
To understand what I’m talking about when I say worldview, please check out the pages on why it’s wise to reject a scientific materialist worldview here and move to the worldview held by Jesus (a process called “repentance”), and also, the nature of the spiritual conflict around us here. Yeah, that’s a lot. One of these days, I’ll compile it into a book form you can download or buy.
In the meantime, I do a deep dive into these topics in my book “Peace in Your House.”
I have believed the typical evangelical view on ghosts being familiar spirits/demons. I have mostly believed it for lack of anything else making sense according to what I believe the bible says on the subject. You have provided a viewpoint I hadn’t heard before. I was not aware (nor have I ever researched for myself) the use of “ob” in the old testament and how it seems to refer to something different than just a demon. And the Old and New Testament do seem to line up, as you state in your article. I really appreciate the research you put in.
I’ve often wondered about Hebrews 11-12. These chapters speak of “the great cloud of witnesses”. Heb. 12:1 says, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us”. Many people believe this term refers to the great saints that have passed on and now witness the earth from Heaven above. I do think it is talking about those who have gone on before us and left a legacy of faith. But if they are in heaven above looking down at us, how is it that we are “surrounded” by a “cloud” of them? I’m not saying these people aren’t in Heaven with the Lord, but perhaps they can come down to the earth to observe us receive the blessings and promises that they did not get to see fulfilled in their own earthly lifetime? Heb. 11:13 says “all these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth”.
Was not Jesus seen standing during the transfiguration with Elijah and Moses, both humans who were long dead?
What do you make of Acts 12:15, When Peter is at the door of the home where his group is gathered. At this time they all assumed he had died, or at least still imprisoned. The girl who goes to answer his knock at the door proclaims that Peter is here, her friends say, “”You’re out of your mind,” they told her. When she kept insisting that it was so, they said, “It must be his angel.” Apparently the word used for angel here is malach, which translates to either angel or messenger. Did the girl believe she was seeing Peter’s ghost? Or just a guardian angel that looked just like him?
There seems to be a lot of evidence to support your view, but what about Luke 16:26, the story of the rich man in hell who sees Abraham in heaven and begs him to send Lazarus to give him some water. Luke 16:26 says, “and besides all this, between us (in heaven) and you (in hell) there is a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.” Granted this is talking about going from heaven to hell and vice versa, not necessarily to earth. The story does go on with the rich man then asking for Lazarus to be sent to earth to warn his family. Abraham says, they have Moses and the prophets to warn them. The rich man argues that it will be much more impactful to his family if someone from the dead were to appear with a warning. Abraham doesn’t reply by saying, “that is not possible” or “there is a great chasm between here and there”. Instead he says (v 31) “if they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.” I would love to know your thoughts.
Thank you for the article, I will definitely be considering what you shared and continuing to research and ask the Lord.
This is a fantastic website, and sorely needed in these days. Christians (and non) are seeing things in the spirit and need somewhere to find and understand how these strange things could possibly fit into the “christian” view so many of us have been taught. For me, it was that anything supernatural was scary, and most likely evil. Now that I have grown to understand that in these days the Spirit is being poured out more and more on all people (not just believers), as well as dreams and visions, I see how few good resources there are for those seeking explanations and answers! Keep up the awesome work =)
Thanks for your kind comments. So many Christians hold that anything supernatural is evil, while failing to realize we follow a risen savior! Talk about supernatural! I get a lot of heat from my evangelical friends regarding these topics; but that is ok, I suppose, as long as I’m faithful to Jesus and obedient to his call.
I’ll be updating the “What are Ghosts” article soon, as there is another Hebrew word for the disembodied human spirit, which strengthens my argument, I think.
Regarding Hebrews 11-12, it’s hard to know how to take those specific verses. (I’m assuming Luke wrote Hebrews). Was Luke meaning it metaphorically? Like a cloud of history… like, look at your faith heritage! Don’t give up! I don’t think he means the heavenly host. Maybe he’s being more literal, as in we have folks of faith who are seated in heaven and maybe even around us watching us. I admit, the text seems to support aspects of the second view, although that view makes me uncomfortable, and seems to go against my opinion that when people die, they are “asleep” until the resurrection. But even Jesus said Abraham and Isaac and Jacob were living, and not dead (Mark 12:26-27). The question is… are we truly “surrounded” by a cloud of witnesses? Makes me a wee bit uncomfortable, but our theology SHOULD be dictated by what scripture says, not by interpreting scriptures so we are comfortable.
Acts 12:15 seems to suggest the idea of a guardian angel, as opposed to Peter’s ghost, since in most cases ghosts would not be able to “knock” on the door. I think Luke’s point there is the Christians there were praying for the situation, and had actually received the answer to the prayer, but had so little faith they didn’t believe it.
There’s a lot of good stuff in Luke 16 parables, and I purposely didn’t include it in my article. I know the arguments about how it may be a true representation of things in heaven and hell because of Lazarus being named. I think that it was a prophecy about his friend Lazarus and the high priests, how when he would raise Lazarus from the dead, the high priests, who didn’t believe Moses and the Prophets, still wouldn’t believe in Jesus. And, as John records, they didn’t, and sought to kill the resurrected Lazarus. Because so much is going on that passage, I left it out of my article, although I think it indicates that Jesus and his culture had a worldview that believed ghosts could come back and speak to people.
I also left out all the resurrection appearances Jesus and how Luke purposely contrasted his appearances with the cultural assumptions about ghostly appearances. For a scholarly article on that, and how masterful of a job Luke does in communicating the truth of Jesus’ resurrection, click here.
Hi. My daughter is 11 and just last year she began to describe to me that she sees demons, colored dots, tall transparent figures etc. I prayed against all demonic activity, closed all portals… Prayed for the walls etc and everything seemed to calm down. However she says she still constantly sees tall transparent figures moving around all the time. I pray and she still sees them. I pray for angels constantly to guard us. Could they be angels?… She’s not scared when she sees them. She said it was only on one occasion that she could see one clearly… And it was definitely an angel.
That’s interesting. Thanks for sharing! I suppose she is seeing angels. I’d remain vigilant and very specific in your prayers of protection. Check out the prayers on this page: http://seerssee.com/3-awesome-ways-protect-seers-spiritual-attack/