Ghosts

GHOSTS

When we think of the topic of ghosts, what ghosts do we think about? Some people don't believe in ghosts, but those who do, they believe in ghosts of people. Then there are a number of people who are more open-minded, who believe that ghosts are not just the unseen spirits of people, but angels, and demons, too, and if God moves on the earth and we see the results of His activity, are we not seeing the work of the Spirit of God? What does the bible hold about ghosts?

Let's start with an example of ghosts of people; "Then Abraham gave up the ghost, and died in a good old age, an old man, and full of years; and was gathered to his people." (Gen. 25:8) Here we have an example of the ghost of a person who believed in God. When he died, he gave up his ghost, or spirit, and most Christians believe in this type of ghost. Giving up the ghost is the only example of the word ghost throughout the entire Old Testament. But there is a new use of the word Ghost in the New Testament!

"Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost." (Matt. 1:18) Now we're talking about the Ghost of God, the Holy Ghost. This Godhead figure, though unseen, caused Mary to become pregnant without knowing man. By godly means, the Holy Ghost's activity resulted in the only woman in biblical history to become pregnant without any interaction of man that is normally associated with the remote possibllity of becoming pregnant, and of course, we know they didn't have fertility clinics in that day of any sort.

"For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say." (Luke 12:12) Here again is the Holy Ghost, unseen by human eyes, affecting human bodies in teaching them what to say in the hour they need to speak something. and this is where fear in man of ghosts and spirits is manifested, in that they can make people do and say things they otherwise wouldn't do. It is good if the Holy Ghost makes you say something, but think not that other spirits cannot have an effect on your tongue, too! "And there came forth a spirit, and stood before the LORD, and said, 'I will persuade him.' And the LORD said unto him, 'Wherewith?' And he said, 'I will go forth, and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.' And He said, 'Thou shalt persuade him, and prevail also: go forth, and do so.' Now therefore, behold, the LORD hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these thy prophets, and the LORD hath spoken evil concerning thee." (1 Kings 22:21-23) Now here note that while Ahab made a responsible choice on the truth warned to him by Micaiah, whom he had imprisoned, as for the rest of king Ahab's prophets, the Lord allowed a lying spirit to control the tongues of the whole group of men! It wasn't just one spirit per man, it was a group of men whose tongues were controlled by one spirit! Considering Ahab died after the activity of this spirit, it wasn't good for Ahab!

Now let's see an example of the opposite: I will give you an example of many ghosts, or spirits, inhabiting one man. "And cried with a loud voice, and said, 'What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God? I adjure Thee by God, that Thou torment me not.' For He said unto him, 'Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit.' And He asked him, 'What is thy name?' And he answered, saying, 'My name is Legion: for we are many.' And he besought Him much that He would not send them away out of the country." (Mark 5:7 - 10) Note too that these ghostly demons that inhabited the man recognized that they were at the mercy of the Son of God! Nonetheless, these spirits made the mortal man do whatever they wanted!

Except for the references to Ananias and his wife Sapphira giving up their ghosts in the book of Acts, every reference using the word "Ghost" in the New Testament after the gospels refers to the Holy Ghost. But there are many references throughout the bible using the word "spirit" that is meant to be interpreted as a ghost, and then there are angels who are initially invisible to men, or are only visible to select men.

Num. 22:22 - 33 has the story of an incident where an angel was invisible as a spirit, but Balaam's ass saw the angel plain as day, and because the ass saw the angel, she turned away from the angel 3 times, and in so doing, saved Balaam from being killed by the angel, sword in hand! The Lord allowed the ass to talk to Balaam, and it seems remarkable that Balaam wasn't astonished that his animal could talk, but after their brief conversation, the Lord opened the eyes of Balaam in that he could suddenly see the angel he initially could not.

"And Pharaoh said unto his servants, 'Can we find such a one as this is, a man in whom the Spirit of God is?" (Gen. 41:38) This is an interesting statement in that here we have a heathen leader who believes in many false gods, and yet, with Joseph, he utters that the Spirit of the true God can be within a believing man! We know that much of the New Testament has believers themselves speaking of being filled with the Holy Ghost, yet the first instance of someone being identified as having the Holy Spirit in him is uttered by a heathen Pharaoh!

In the days of Saul, following the laws of Leviticus handed down from God, people with "familiar spirits" were outlawed and removed from the Israelites, and initially, Saul had obeyed the law and had them removed. Yet, when Samuel was dead, and he had gone into rebellion against God, he sought out a woman as such, and asked her to summon the spirit of Samuel! "And the woman said unto him, 'Behold, thou knowest what Saul hath done, how he hath cut off those that have familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land: wherefore then layest thou a snare for my life, to cause me to die?' And Saul sware to her by the LORD, saying, 'As the LORD liveth, there shall no punishment happen to thee for this thing.' Then said the woman, 'Whom shall I bring up unto thee?' And he said, 'Bring me up Samuel.' And when the woman saw Samuel, she cried with a loud voice: and the woman spake to Saul, saying, 'Why hast thou deceived me? For thou art Saul.' And the king said unto her, 'Be not afraid: for what sawest thou?' And the woman said unto Saul, 'I saw gods ascending out of the earth.' And he said unto her, 'What form is he of?' And she said, 'An old man cometh up; and he is covered with a mantle.' And Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and he stooped with his face to the ground, and bowed himself." (1 Sam. 28:9 - 14) This is probably one of the beginnings of the old saw, "Be careful what you wish for, you may just get it!" Here God actually allowed the spirit of Samuel to visit this sinning duo, but unfortunately for Saul, it was so Samuel could tell Saul of his quickly coming demise! To this day, knowing Christians obediently steer clear of Palmists and seance makers!

"When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none. Then he saith, 'I will return into my house from whence I came out'; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished. Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation." (Matt. 12:43 - 45) Here Christ Himself speaks of spiritual possession, and even by more than one spirit, or demon. Here Jesus also certifies that some spirits or demons are worse than others, and can repossess someone from whom they've been cast out. They can not only possess men and animals, but promote their own system of doctrine (1 Tim. 4:1), be confined (2 Pet. 2:4), and can inflict diseases (Matt. 9:33). They seek to thwart God's purpose (Eph. 6:1 -12). and many of them are active in the world (Matt. 12:43 - 45). So evil spirits, or demons, are of great multitude and have evil intent toward humanity!

Jesus once was mistaken for a Spirit, but for good reason; He was walking on the sea! "And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, 'It is a spirit'; and they cried out for fear.  But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, 'Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.'" (Matt. 14:26 - 27)

So now we have read biblical proof of ghosts; good, bad, demon, angel, and even the Spirit of God! We have read what they can do, and the parameters in which they work between this plane of existence and theirs. If anyone should tell you they don't believe in ghosts, you can tell them that they are also saying that they don't believe the bible, because the bible says they exist!