Revelation: Worship of the Dead

 Revelation: Justification by Faith

Worship of the Dead

[By M.L]

Numbers 25:2
"They invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods.
3. So Israel was joined to Baal of Peor, and the anger of the LORD was aroused against Israel...
9. And those who died in the plague were twenty-four thousand."

Psalm 106:28
"They joined themselves also to Baal of Peor,
And ate sacrifices made to the dead.
29. Thus they provoked Him to anger with their deeds,
And the plague broke out among them."

It is human nature to glorify the dead in a more exalted and radiant light than the living.
All too often, the talents, virtues, and friendship of those who are alive are overlooked or even despised. Yet, when they pass away, memories of them come flooding back. Their faults are quickly forgiven, and their virtues are magnified—sometimes to the point of exaltation.

Words of sympathy, honor, and love are then expressed—words that would have meant so much more if spoken while they were still alive.

The pagans of old went even further. They elevated the deeds and greatness of the dead, flattering themselves with the idea that these individuals had become gods or ascended to a higher existence.

In our previous study, we explored the influence of Balaam, the false prophet, in Pergamum. Balaam led God's people into eating food sacrificed to other gods. The Psalms reveal that these gods were, in fact, the dead.

This kind of worship diverts attention from the true and living God. The life of a mortal is deified, placed between God and humanity, and begins to draw honor and reverence that belong solely to Jesus.

In this way, the living Christ is exchanged for the dead.

But how grave is this snare! These so-called "gods" or "spirits of the dead"—who may appear to unbelievers or perform wonders—are, according to God's Word, demons.

1 Corinthians 10:20
"But I say that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice they sacrifice to demons and not to God, and I do not want you to have fellowship with demons."

The Bible strongly denounces this mindset. It lays human glory and greatness in the dust, declaring that the dead have not ascended to a higher state of being. Instead, they know nothing, as though in a deep sleep. Scripture reminds us that humanity is doomed to vanity and insignificance:

Ecclesiastes 9:5-6
"For the living know that they will die;
But the dead know nothing,
And they have no more reward,
For the memory of them is forgotten.
Also, their love, their hatred, and their envy have now perished;
Nevermore will they have a share
In anything done under the sun."

Job 7:9-10
"As the cloud disappears and vanishes away,
So he who goes down to the grave does not come up.
He shall never return to his house,
Nor shall his place know him anymore."

Psalm 103:14-16
"For He knows our frame;
He remembers that we are dust.
As for man, his days are like grass;
As a flower of the field, so he flourishes.
For the wind passes over it, and it is gone,
And its place remembers it no more."

Yet, the human heart often clings to the idea of consulting the dead. This longing, born out of grief or fear, leads to dangerous spiritual errors. But God makes it clear:

Isaiah 8:19-20
"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? To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them."

We must not turn to the vain or finite nature of humanity for guidance, let alone seek counsel from the dead. Recognizing our mortality and frailty, we should reject such practices outright.

Christ alone stands as the Living Word, eternal and unchanging. Among all who have walked the earth, He alone is worthy of everlasting life. All nations and people are regarded by God as less than a drop in a bucket. Yet in Christ, humanity finds its true value.

The dead do not live. God strictly forbids communication with the dead, for it provides a foothold for demons. While the pain of loss may tempt us toward erroneous beliefs—such as imagining our loved ones still alive, accessible, or worthy of veneration—God calls us to take courage.

He directs us not to rely on humanity but to fix our eyes on the living Christ. Jesus, as the head of humanity, stands resurrected. In Him, even the dead are accounted as though alive—not because of their own merit but because He has redeemed them.

Christ has conquered the grave and restored the broken connection between humanity and God. Thus, there is no need to seek contact with the dead; we are called to fellowship with the living God, who will one day raise His people to life.

This living Savior serves as our High Priest, bringing about our salvation:

Hebrews 7:15-25
"And it is yet far more evident if, in the likeness of Melchizedek, there arises another Priest
who has come, not according to the law of a fleshly commandment, but according to the power of an endless life.
For He testifies: 'You are a Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.'
... Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them."