A New England Haunting
There are countless beliefs concerning what happens to us after we die. Some believe that we come back as little children and have to live life after life until we get things right. Others believe we just wink out like a light being turned off. One of the most popular is that Heaven or Hell awaits us right after death, depending on our deeds in this lifetime and that some can get lost on their way there - lingering here on earth until they can pass over. This belief seems to go hand in hand with the theory that our loved ones in Heaven can visit us, or can be contacted by gifted individuals here. One of the less popular theories is the Biblical theory that asserts that there are no ghosts, only demons who masquerade as the spirits of our deceased loved ones.
I know I grew up believing in ghosts - good ones and bad ones. I spent a large part of my adult life involved in the paranormal world, investigating the unseen world. Later in life, after hearing everything that mankind had to say about the subject, I began to wonder what God said about it. I began to wonder what the Bible said about the state of the dead. Here are some of the things that I found, which led me to write "Cast Down".
Daniel 12:2 says this - Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt
Psalms 13:3 Consider and hear me, O Lord my God: lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death
1 Corinthians 15:51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, (referring to the passages in Thessalonians concerning those who are alive and remain when Christ returns)
Job 14:12 So man lieth down, and riseth not: till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep.
2 Samuel 7:12 And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom.
John 11:13 Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep.
John 11:11 These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep.
1 Thessalonians 4:14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
1 Kings 1:21 Otherwise it shall come to pass, when my lord the king shall sleep with his fathers, that I and my son Solomon shall be counted offenders.
Acts 13:36 For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep, and was laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption:
Job 7:21 And why dost thou not pardon my transgression, and take away mine iniquity? for now shall I sleep in the dust; and thou shalt seek me in the morning, but I shall not be.
Deuteronomy 31:16 And the Lord said unto Moses, Behold, thou shalt sleep with thy fathers; and this people will rise up, and go a whoring after the gods of the strangers of the land, whither they go to be among them, and will forsake me, and break my covenant which I have made with them.
1 Kings 2:10 So David slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David.
1 Kings 22:50 And Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David his father: and Jehoram his son reigned in his stead.
1 Kings 11:43 And Solomon slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David his father: and Rehoboam his son reigned in his stead.
Matthew 9:24 He said unto them, Give place: for the maid is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn.
Ephesians 5:14 Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.
Isaiah 26:19 Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.
The above is only a partial list of what I've found in my studies. These scriptures led me to some pretty logical conclusions. When IS Judgement Day, according to the Bible? Is it something that happens immediately and individually for each person after death? Or is it one singular event that occurs when Christ returns? If it's just one singular event, as scripture tells us, then how can our loved ones already be in Heaven right now? Even if they were somehow granted VIP passes to get there before Judgement Day, and are looking down on us in our trials and suffering here on earth then how can there be "no tears in Heaven"? How happy could our loved ones be up there looking down on what goes on here on earth?
I have no doubt that there are "spirits" around us at all times. I have no doubt that some people see things that they honestly believe are departed humans. So, why is the belief in ghosts so prevalent in our society? 1Timothy 4:1 says; Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils.
Daniel 12:2 says this - Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt
Psalms 13:3 Consider and hear me, O Lord my God: lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death
1 Corinthians 15:51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, (referring to the passages in Thessalonians concerning those who are alive and remain when Christ returns)
Job 14:12 So man lieth down, and riseth not: till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep.
2 Samuel 7:12 And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom.
John 11:13 Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep.
John 11:11 These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep.
1 Thessalonians 4:14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
1 Kings 1:21 Otherwise it shall come to pass, when my lord the king shall sleep with his fathers, that I and my son Solomon shall be counted offenders.
Acts 13:36 For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep, and was laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption:
Job 7:21 And why dost thou not pardon my transgression, and take away mine iniquity? for now shall I sleep in the dust; and thou shalt seek me in the morning, but I shall not be.
Deuteronomy 31:16 And the Lord said unto Moses, Behold, thou shalt sleep with thy fathers; and this people will rise up, and go a whoring after the gods of the strangers of the land, whither they go to be among them, and will forsake me, and break my covenant which I have made with them.
1 Kings 2:10 So David slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David.
1 Kings 22:50 And Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David his father: and Jehoram his son reigned in his stead.
1 Kings 11:43 And Solomon slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David his father: and Rehoboam his son reigned in his stead.
Matthew 9:24 He said unto them, Give place: for the maid is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn.
Ephesians 5:14 Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.
Isaiah 26:19 Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.
The above is only a partial list of what I've found in my studies. These scriptures led me to some pretty logical conclusions. When IS Judgement Day, according to the Bible? Is it something that happens immediately and individually for each person after death? Or is it one singular event that occurs when Christ returns? If it's just one singular event, as scripture tells us, then how can our loved ones already be in Heaven right now? Even if they were somehow granted VIP passes to get there before Judgement Day, and are looking down on us in our trials and suffering here on earth then how can there be "no tears in Heaven"? How happy could our loved ones be up there looking down on what goes on here on earth?
I have no doubt that there are "spirits" around us at all times. I have no doubt that some people see things that they honestly believe are departed humans. So, why is the belief in ghosts so prevalent in our society? 1Timothy 4:1 says; Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils.
The devil has an agenda. His goal is to get us to take our eyes off of God. If we start believing things that go against what the Word of God says, then we're believing someone other than God... and the devil wins. Something as seemingly harmless as the notion that our departed loved ones are still with us in spirit, an idea that brings a great many people comfort is actually a dangerous thing because it takes our eyes off the Lord, and He is who we should be looking to for comfort - not mediums and other occult practitioners who defy the will and word of God and lead us down the broad road to destruction.
I authored "Cast Down" not only to entertain readers with a good scary story, but to enlighten as well. Cast Down is a terrifying tale that is being enjoyed by believers and non-believers, both, but it's my sincere hope that that the readers will take something more away from the story than just an uneasy night of sleep.
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