Questions and Answers
HOW CAN ANYONE POSSIBLY BE HAPPY IN
HEAVEN WHEN HE KNOWS THAT SOME OF HIS
LOVED ONES ARE SUFFERING ETERNALLY IN HELL?
It seems clear that those in heaven will completely forget their
sinful loved ones ever lived. We read in Psalms 112:6 "The righteous
will be in everlasting remembrance." Job 24:19-20 says, "Drought and
heat consume the snow waters; so doth the grave (here the word is
Sheol, abode of spirits, not Queber the grave in which the body
is buried) so doth the grave (Sheol) those which have sinned. The
womb (the mother), shall forget him (the sinner) . . . He shall no more
be remembered." In Isaiah we read, "For behold I create new heavens
and a new earth! and the former shall not be remembered, nor come
into mind."
Here then is God's own answer to this question of how anyone can
be happy in heaven when some of his loved ones are in hell. After
the unrighteous have appeared at the final judgment, and have been
sentenced to the final hell the lake of fire, the fact that unrighteous
loved ones ever lived will be forever erased from the memories of
the righteous.
WHAT IS THE TRUTH ABOUT PURGATORY?
According to the teaching of the Catholic Church, "purgatory" is
supposed to be a "place of purification." The Catholics believe the
souls of men at death must wait for a while in purgatory, and be
purged' from their sins by physical suffering, before they can enter
heaven. They believe the souls in the torments of purgatory can do
nothing to deliver themselves, but only "prayers" and "masses"
said by the living, can get them out.
Here is a statement made by one of the most well-known Catholic
authorities of America. It is taken from page 205 of his book entitled
"The Faith of Our Fathers," which was published in 1904.
"The Catholic Church teaches that besides a place of eternal torment
for the wicked, and everlasting rest for the righteous, there exists
in the next life a middle state of temporary punishment, allotted for
those who.have died in venial sin, or who have not satisfied the justice
of God for sfhs already forgiven. She also teaches us that although
the souls consigned to this intermediate state, commonly called purga-
tory, cannot help themselves, they may be aided by the suffrages (prayers)
of the faithful on earth. The existence of purgatory naturally implies
the correlative dogma -- the utility of praying for the dead for
the souls consigned to this middle state have not reached the term
of their journey. They are still exiles from heaven, and fit subjects for
divine clemency."
Now this scholarly gentleman doesn't even submit one scripture
reference in proof of this doctrine of purgatory. If this doctrine were
really true, it is reasonable that we should expect to find some proof
of it in the Bible, but we can emphatically state that not even one
single reference can be found to support such a theory. The word purga-
tory is nowhere found in the Bible. This doctrine is based not upon
scripture, but upon the traditions of the Catholic Church, which are
without value to the believer in the Word of God.
The belief in purgatory is paganism. The idea of purgatory was
not advanced as a doctrine until about 600 A.D. The purpose of this
unscriptural doctrine was to get additional money for the church.
The treasury could be greatly increased by charging people large fees
for the saying of "prayers" and "masses" to deliver the souls of their
helpless loved ones from the awful torments of purgatory.
Millions who have been ignorant of the Bible, have been induced
to pay hard earned money to Catholic clergymen to say prayers and
masses for the dead, in the hope it would relieve the "terrible
sufferings" of their helpless loved ones and bring them a little closer
to heaven.
How absurd! The road to heaven doesn't run through hell (a purgatory
of suffering). Not only is this doctrine unscriptural, but there is
no possible need of a purgatory, a place of purification, for the Bible
says, "the blood of Jesus Christ his Son, cleaneth us from all sin."
I John 1:7.
CAN THE LIVING AND DEAD COMMUNICATE?
AND
WHAT IS THE TRUTH ABOUT SPIRITUALISM?
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The question, "Can the living and dead communicate?" is age old.
Volumes have been written on the subject. Among those who believe
that the living and dead can communicate are the Spiritualists, who
have a false system known as "Spiritualism," which should be called,
'according to the Bible, "Spiritism," not "Spiritualism."
In this false cult, a medium, usually a woman, is one who supposedly
contacts the spirit of a loved one, and brings it into the presence of
the friend or relative who wishes to communicate with it.
A communication with a spirit is called a "séance," and strange
to say these mediums will not even attempt a "séance" except in the
dark. They fear the light, and invariably work in the dark.
There has been a great deal of research into spiritualism and other
like cults to find out if it is really true that the living and the dead
can communicate. But in all the research on this subject, there has
never been found one proven case in which they did.
The Scientific American Magazine offered five thousand dollars, half
of which was to be given to the first medium who could present a
proven case of psychic phenomena, such as table-tipping or spirit
writing produced by supernatural origin. The other half of the five
thousand was to be given to the medium who could present a proven
case of psychic phenomenon, such as a trance communication, produced
through the personality of the medium.
A great many mediums made it known they were going to
try for the five thousand dollars, but later when it was learned
the world famous Mr. Houdini, who was considered the greatest author-
ity on so-called "magical works," was to be the head of the investigation
committee, most of those who entered the competition withdrew, for
he had already exposed many of them as tricksters.
In all the efforts put forth by all the mediums of the different
nationalities who competed, not one case of spirit communication had
been proved genuine. The five thousand dollars is still unclaimed.
After Mr. Houdini's death, mediums claimed Houdini's spirit
returned in their seances. They claimed this to make it appear
Mr. Houdini had been wrong in his previous attitude toward spiritualism. But when Mrs. Houdini, in order to expose them, declared
she would give a medium ten thousand dollars who could reproduce
a message of ten words written by Houdini's spirit, they were
immediately silenced, and have not been heard from since.
The Science and Invention Magazine offered twenty-one thousand
dollars' for any trick or phenomenon that could not be reproduced by
ordinary means. Mr. Joseph Dunninger, the man at the head of the
investigating committee, was able to reproduce and duplicate by ordinary means, every trick that mediums submitted, and in most cases,
he was able to perform the same thing in about one-tenth of the time
that it took the medium fake to do it.
Any good stage magician can duplicate any of spiritualism's spirit
communications. Houdini, Herman, Blackstone, and many others have
specialized in reproducing such, not in the dark as the mediums find
it necessary to do, but in the extremely bright light of the stage. Black-
stone offered one thousand dollars to any medium who could do any
psychic trick under darkness that he could not duplicate in the light.
A strange experience was had by a young woman and her companion
who were investigating and making a survey of the many spiritualists'
meetings in Los Angeles for one of the Los Angeles daily newspapers.
At the very first seance they attended, the young woman expressed her
desire to communicate with the spirit of her dead husband. Her compan-
ion asked to communicate with the spirit of his dead sister. To their
great surprise, they each had the opportunity of talking with the spirit
of their loved ones. Both the woman and her companion learned a
great deal about the frauds of spiritualism, for she had never been
married, and her companion never had a sister.
Some very interesting records have been prepared by Dr. John E.
Purdon, of Dublin University, from some of his extensive psychic
research. By an instrument that records the variations of the increasing
and decreasing pulse beats, it was absolutely proved that the record
of a person entering a condition of insanity was exactly like that of
a medium who was going into a trance condition. It was shown that
the pulse variations of a terrible maniac were identical with those
of a medium when fully in a trance. And the records of one recovering
from insanity corresponded to those of a medium coming out of a
trance condition. The pulse variation of a person who had been insane,
but was then cured, were identical to the ordinary daily variations
of a medium.
This does not necessarily imply that the medium is insane while
in the trance, but it does show that the medium has given up mental
control.
While a great percentage of their so-called spirit communications
are pure fake, in many, the supernatural is involved.
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY
CONCERNING SPIRITUALISM?
The Bible is very clear on the subject of spiritualism, (spiritism).
The Bible exposes its fraud and tells us the source of its power, and
definitely warns man of the consequences of becoming entangled in
it. Just before we go into what the Bible says concerning spiritism,
it will be well to note that spiritualists deny the deity of Jesus; they
deny the personality of the Holy Spirit; they deny the existence of
the devil; they declare that man never had a fall -- there is no
resurrection and no judgment. They deny the inspiration of the
Bible, and the truth concerning hell. The Old Testament to them,
is no more than Jewish history, and the New Testament is made up
of traditions and theological speculations by unknown persons. They
leave out the record of Saul's disobedience with the witch (the medium)
at Endor, in I Samuel 28; for this would put them out of business.
Spiritualists believe that Christ was a medium and that He was an
advanced spirit in the sixth sphere.
Spiritualism is sternly forbidden by God.
"Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after
wizards, to be defiled by them. I am the Lord your God." Leviticus
19:31. In Old Testament days, spiritualist mediums were to be stoned.
"A man also or woman that hath a. familiar spirit, or that is a wizard,
shall surely be put to death, they shall stone them with stones; their
blood shall be upon them." Leviticus 20:27.
SPIRITUALISM IS STERNLY FORBIDDEN BY GOD.
BITTER CONDEMNATION IS UPON THOSE
WHO CONSULT MEDIUMS
"And the soul that turneth after such as have familiar spirits, and
after wizards, to go a-whoring after them. I will even set my face
against that soul, and will cut him off from among his people." Leviticus
20:6.
And according to Deuteronomy 18:10-12 it is an abomination unto
God for anyone to try to use divination, or to be a consulter with
familiar spirits, or a wizard.
Divination is the attempt to foretell events yet in the future. The
"Diviner" uses many varied means such as gazing bowls, etc. The
word appears in the Bible thirty-six times, while the word "wizard"
is found eleven times. The Phrase "familiar spirits" is found Fifteen
times, and always involves bitter condemnation.
There are various kinds of spirits mentioned in the Bible. There
are "unclean spirits," "evil spirits," "lying spirits," "familiar spirits,"
etc. Each kind has its particular purpose in Satan's kingdom, but the
kind we are interested in here is the "familiar spirit." The name in
itself is highly significant. "Familiar spirits" "familiarize" themselves
with individuals. They can hear and learn the secrets only known
by certain persons, and after the death of individuals, they impersonate
the dead and reveal and disclose information regarding them.
A medium, or one who has a "familiar spirit" is capable through
this familiar spirit, to impersonate human beings who have died.
When people ask us "Can the living and dead communicate?" and
when they advise us to seek communication with departed spirits,
we should answer them with Isaiah 8:19. "And when they shall say
unto you, seek unto them that have familiar spirits and unto the wizards
that peep and mutter, should not a people seek their God? On behalf
of the living why should we seek unto the dead?"
The next verse goes on to tell us why some seek spirit communications
in spite of what the Word of God says against it.
"Look to the Law and to the testimony and if they speak not according
to this word, surely there is no light in them."
Then, according to the word of God, those who do such things are
in darkness as to God's true teachings -- they have no light, and
we can readily see that this is true for in a preceding paragraph we
mentioned a few fundamental points of doctrine that spiritualists deny.
In order to start a riot in a spiritist seance, all one would have to
do is mention the blood of Christ, and hell would boil over. From
then on you would never need doubt the satanic origin and nature of
spiritualism.
KING SAUL AND THE MEDIUM AT ENDOR
The account of King Saul with the "Witch of Endor" was put in
the Bible to expose the fraud of spiritualism, and to show for all time
that any attempt at spirit communication is a sin and is sternly forbidden
by God.
King Saul died because of the sin of consulting a medium. This
is plainly stated in I Chronicles 10:13.
"So Saul died for his transgression which he committed against the
Lord, even against the word of the Lord, which he kept not, and also
for asking counsel of one that had a familiar spirit, to enquire of it."
The account of King Saul and the "Witch of Endor" is found in
the twenty-eight chapter of First Samuel. Here is the story.
The Philistines had gathered their armies together to fight against
Israel. And when Saul, King of Israel saw the host of Philistines,
he was afraid and his heart greatly trembled, and he was sore distressed
because when he enquired of the Lord, the Lord answered him not.
God did not answer him because he was backslidden and out of God's
will. So Saul said unto his servants, "Seek me a woman that hath
a familiar spirit, that I may go to her, and enquire of her." And his
servants said unto him, "Behold there is a woman that hath a familiar
spirit at Endor."
Previous to this time, King Saul, who had supreme authority, ordered
all the wizards and those who had familiar spirits, either put to death,
or put out of the country, because it was an abomination to God for
anyone to consult them. The practice was sternly forbidden, therefore
Saul disguised himself so the woman would not recognize him.
He knew she would be fearful of losing her life, and would not
attempt a so-called spirit communication for him, if she knew
he was the King the very person who had put to death many of
those who had familiar spirits. Saul became so involved in the very
thing he had forbidden others to do. And so Saul disguised himself
and put on other raiment, and he went, and two men with him and
they came to the woman by night, and he said, "I pray thee, divine
unto me by the familiar spirit, and bring me him up whom I shall
name unto thee."
The woman did not recognize Saul the King, so she told him all
things that the King had done, how he had cut off (killed) those that
had familiar spirits, and wizards from out the land. She told him
he was setting a snare for her that she might be caught in the act
and be put to death. Saul then went deeper in sin, by swearing a
most ridiculous oath. He swore by the name of the Lord, that no punishment
would befall her, for disobeying the law of the Lord. Old Saul
must have been terribly backslidden to swear such an oath.
Then the woman said, "Whom shall I bring up unto thee?" And
Saul answered, "Bring me up Samuel."
This was not an ordinary spiritualistic séance in which a familiar
spirit impersonates the one called for. God intervened in this particular
instance. This is the only instance in the entire Bible where God permitted
the departed spirit of a dead person to return to communicate
with the living. God permitted the witch to be fooled. She must have
been expecting the "familiar spirit" to impersonate Samuel, because
when the spirit of Samuel really appeared, it was such a great surprise
and shock to her, that she screamed with a loud voice. She knew
the devil could not bring back a spirit, but that he could only impersonate one.
This alone exposes the fraud of spiritualism, for when the real thing
happened, instead of the "familiar spirit," she was frightened half to death.
The spirit of Samuel must have revealed to the woman that the
one in disguise was Saul himself, for at this time the woman said,
"Why hast thou deceived me? for thou art Saul."
Then Samuel said to Saul, "Why hast thou disquieted me, to bring
me up?" In this one case God sent the spirit of Samuel back to show
the sin of seeking counsel of those who have "familiar spirits." Samuel
sternly rebuked Saul for what he had done, and because of his sin
Samuel said, "the Lord hath rent the kingdom out of thine hand and
given it to thy neighbor, even to David; Because thou obeyedst not
the voice of the Lord . . . therefore the Lord will also deliver Israel
with thee into the hand of the Philistines; and tomorrow shalt thou
and thy sons be with me." And I Chronicles 10:13 says, "and so Saul
died for his transgression which he committed against the Lord, even
against the word of the Lord, which he kept not, and also for asking
counsel of one that had a familiar spirit, to enquire of it; and he enquired
not of the Lord; therefore He SLEW HIM and turned the kingdom
unto David the son of Jesse."
Samuel's words to Saul, "tomorrow shalt thou and thy sons be with
me," should not be a problem in anyone's mind, for we must remember
that in Samuel's time Sheol or Hades, was the abode of all the departed
spirits, both righteous and unrighteous. The Paradise section for the
righteous, and the place of torment for the wicked, were both in the
one place. Hades, but were separated by a great fixed gulf. So in this
sense they would go to the same place Samuel went, (Hades). Samuel
could be in the Paradise section, while the others could be in the place
of torment. Both would be in the one place (Hades) but in different
compartments.
As further evidence that this was not an ordinary seance in which
a familiar spirit impersonates someone's departed spirit, it is well to
notice that the communication between Samuel and Saul, was a stinging
rebuke in which a severe sentence was pronounced -
in an ordinary séance when the "familiar spirits" impersonate, the
messages always come in a favorable and pleasant language such as
"All is well" or "I wish you were here," etc., the sole purpose being
to deceive souls and to send them to an eternal hell. If messages would
come, such as, "Hell is a terrible place of torment, don't come here,"
then perhaps we'd be partially justified in hearing a little more of
what spiritualists have to say.
The account of Saul and the medium of Endor shows that the ordinary
seance, or spirit communication, is a fraud, and strictly forbidden of
God.
The entire Bible sternly forbids any attempt at this so-called
spirit communication, and it is clear from the references cited, that
those who consult mediums are transgressing God's laws and are committing great sin.
The account of the rich man and Lazarus shows plainly that it is
impossible for the living and the dead to communicate. Luke 16:19.
If the rich man found it was impossible to have Lazarus sent back
to earth to warn the five brethren, how can a medium produce the
"spirit" of the departed dead? This is more evidence that the so-called
spirit communications are produced by "familiar spirits," who impersonate the spirits of the dead.
When the rich man requested Lazarus be sent back to earth
to warn the five brethren, he was told that "They have Moses and
the Prophets (the writings of Moses and the Prophets -- their Bible
at that time) let them hear them." But the rich man was not satisfied,
he wanted more than the Bible to warn his brethren so he reasoned
again "but if one went to them from the dead, they will repent," but
he was told "if they hear not Moses and the Prophets (if they hear
not the Bible) neither will they be persuaded though one rose from
the dead."
Neither of the rich man's requests was granted. Communication
between the living and the dead is impossible. We have the Bible,
and in it is a full revelation of what God wants us to know regarding
the departed dead.
DID LAZARUS DIE TWICE?
Many people have wondered whether or not Lazarus died again after
the Lord raised him from the dead. The Bible makes the answer very
plain. But first, let it be understood that this Lazarus whom Christ
raised from the dead, is not the Lazarus mentioned in the account
of the rich man and Lazarus in Luke 16, but is the Lazarus of Bethany,
the brother of Mary and Martha. The account is recorded in John
II.
At the time Jesus came to the grave, Lazarus had already been
dead four days. Christ commanded that the stone be taken away from
the place where Lazarus was laid. After this was done, Jesus cried
with a loud voice, "Lazarus come forth," and the Scripture says, "And
he that was dead came forth." Concerning the raising of Lazarus, many
have been in doubt as to whether Lazarus' body was a glorified, immortal,
resurrection body like the believer shall receive at the first resurrection,
or whether Lazarus' body was just the old mortal body restored
to life. If Lazarus received a glorified immortal resurrection body, it
would mean that he did not die again (Immortal not subject to
death), and that he must have been, at some later date, taken direct
to heaven in his resurrection body without dying for it can be said
of those who are to be "resurrected," "Neither can they die anymore."
Luke 20:36.
But if Lazarus' body were merely the old mortal body restored to
life, then he went through death the second time. This is the difference
between a "raising to life" and a "resurrection." Now the Bible does
not directly tell us whether Lazarus died again or whether he was
taken to heaven without dying. However, indirectly, the Bible is very
clear on this point. Consider carefully the following references:
In Acts 26:23 we read, "That Christ should suffer, and that He should
be the first that should rise from the dead."
In I Corinthians 15:20, Paul declares that Christ by his resurrection
from the dead, had become "the first fruits of them that slept."
In Colossians 1:18 Christ is called "the first born from the dead,
that in all things He might have the preeminence."
In Revelation 1:15 John calls him, "the first begotten from the dead."
Bear this thought in mind and consider the following:
Several persons were raised from the dead prior to Christ's resurrection.
The son of the widow of Zarephath, raised by Elijah. I Kings
17:22. The son of the Shunammite, II Kings 4:35. Jairus' daughter,
Matthew 9:25 The son of the widow of Nain Luke 7:15, and Lazarus
of Bethany, John 11:44. Now all of these were raised prior to Christ's
- resurrection, yet the four scriptures above definitely declare that Christ
was the first begotten from the dead. He was the first born from the
dead, that in all things He might have the preeminence.
How are we to account for this? The Bible distinctly shows that
Christ was the first to be "resurrected" from the dead with a glorified,
immortal, resurrection body.
He had the preeminence -- he was the "first" of all the dead to
receive a glorified, immortal, resurrection body. It was a body of flesh
and bone capable of being handled, yet able to pass through materials.
Now, on the basis that Christ was the "first" to have a glorified,
immortal, resurrection body, it is certain that the others, who were
raised from the dead prior to the resurrection of Christ, did not have
glorified, immortal bodies, but only had their old mortal bodies "restored
to life," and since they were not raised with glorified, immortal bodies,
they were mortal and subject to death, and therefore must have died
again.
Remember, it can be said of the resurrection saints, "neither can
they die any more," but this was not the case with the widow's son
raised by Elijah, nor with the son of the widow of Nain, nor with
Lazarus. All these were raised prior to Christ's resurrection, and no
one prior to Christ's resurrection received a glorified, immortal body,
because, according to the scripture, Christ was first to receive a body
of that kind -- he had the preeminence in all things.
Therefore the conclusion is, that Lazarus, and all these others, died
again -- they went through death the second time, because they were
not "resurrected" with immortal glorified bodies, but were merely
"raised from the dead," or "restored to life" with their former mortal
bodies.
SOMEONE HAS ASKED, "WHAT DOES THE BIBLE
SAY ABOUT MARRIAGE IN HEAVEN?"
The Bible makes the answer to this question very clear. We refer
to Christ's conversation with the Sadducees, as recorded in Luke 20:34-
36; Mark 12:25; Matthew 22:30.
The Sadducees were a religious group of people who did not believe
in the resurrection of the dead.
"The Sadducees say there is no resurrection, neither angel or
spirit." Acts 23:8. Also Matthew 22:23.
Therefore, on one occasion, a number of these Sadducees came to
Christ in an attempt to ridicule and make fun of the doctrine of the
resurrection. They intended to entangle and confound Christ by asking
him a ridiculous question.
And here is what they said. (paraphrased). "Master, according to
the law of Moses, if a man dies, and leaves no children, the brother
of the man who died, can marry the widow of the dead man, and
bring up children by her."
They continued, "There were seven brothers, and the first brother
married a wife, but later he died, leaving no children. Then the second
brother married the same woman, but later he also died, leaving no
children. Then the third brother married the woman, but he also died,
leaving no children. And the fourth brother married her, and died
leaving no children, and so did the fifth, and the sixth, and the seventh,
and last of all the woman died also."
Then they went on to say "In the resurrection when all these shall
rise from the dead, which of these seven brothers shall have this woman
for his wife?"
The Sadducees no doubt felt that they achieved' great success in
ridiculing the doctrine of the resurrection. No doubt they thought
Christ would be unable to answer them, but Christ silenced them
in a single statement.
He said, "They which shall be counted worthy to obtain that world,
and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in
marriage. Neither can they die anymore; for they are equal unto the
angels." Luke 20:35-36.
Those who will get to the final heaven after the resurrection of
their bodies, neither marry, nor are given in marriage. This shows
that man and wife will not live together in heaven in the "marriage
relation," neither will there be any new marriages. There will be no
need of either of these because procreation will not be necessary, since
the people of heaven will never die. "Neither can they die any more,"
therefore there will be no need to beget more of their number.
Notice the clause of Luke 20:36, "Neither shall they die any more,
for they are equal unto the angels." This does not mean that men and
women become angels when they go to heaven. Angels are a separate
and distinct order of beings. The accounts in Matthew 22:30 and Mark
12:25 render the clause "but are as the angels." The people of heaven
are as the angels of God -- they never die. And since angels never
die, there is no need for them to marry and beget more of their number
either. In these two respects, the angels and the people of heaven,
will be alike.
DOES PETER'S STATEMENT ABOUT "PREACHING TO
THE SPIRITS IN PRISON" MEAN THAT
THERE IS A SECOND CHANCE FOR SALVATION AFTER DEATH?
"For Christ hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that
he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened
by the Spirit; By which also he went and preached unto the spirits
in prison; which sometime were disobedient, when once the long suffering
of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing,
wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water." I Peter 3:18-20.
Many of those who teach that the wicked dead will have the Gospel
preached to them that they might have a second chance for repentance
and salvation, seem to think that this scripture, "preaching to the
spirits in prison," is proof of their theory. Let us examine the passage.
It is clear that this preaching was done between Christ's crucifixion
and resurrection, for His crucifixion is plainly spoken of "Christ hath
also once suffered . . . being put to death in the flesh." Although He
was put to death in the flesh, He (His Spirit) went and preached unto
the spirits in prison" while His body lay motionless in the tomb.
Peter tells us in Acts 2:27, speaking of the death of Christ, that
Christ's soul went to hades, and that His body did not see corruption.
But to which of the two sections in hades did His soul go? The reader
will remember from our study, that before Christ's resurrection and
ascension, all the spirits of the dead departed to hades. (Hades was
divided into two sections, one for the righteous, called Abraham's
bosom, or paradise, separated by a great fixed gulf from the place
of torment, the abode of the unrighteous). We know that Christ went
to the paradise section with the righteous, because, while yet on the
cross, He promised the converted thief that He would meet him in
paradise that day.
Now these "spirits" that Christ preached to, were "in prison." The
scripture says they were "disobedient" and that they lived on the earth
and were disobedient in Noah's day before the flood. Many scholars
say that since the term "spirits in prison" is used without any qualifying
word such as "evil spirits in prison" or "unclean spirits in prison,"
more than likely they are spirits of supernatural beings.
However, such an interpretation could hardly be true, for Chapter
4:6 tells us that the preaching was to them that are dead, that they
might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to
God in the spirit. These could not be the spirits of the fallen angels,
because angels do not die (Luke 20:36) yet here it says in I Peter
4:6 "preached to them that are dead." (That is, to the spirits who
have experienced bodily death).
As further evidence that these were the spirits of men who had
died, we read "that they might be judged according to men in the
flesh." (That is, that they might be judged according to men living
in their bodies, yet at the same time living in the realm of God in
the spirit).
When Christ went to hades, He went to the paradise section and
met the converted thief, and from that place He preached across the
great fixed gulf, to those spirits who were disobedient in Noah's day,
and were now confined in the place of torment in Hades.
THE MEANING OF THE WORD "PREACH"
There are two different words in the New Testament that are translated
"preach." One means "to preach the Gospel," and the other means
"to proclaim" or "to herald" to herald the King or kingdom. In
this passage the word used is "to herald."
There is not the slightest suggestion in the passage that the offer
of salvation was preached to anyone. The King and Kingdom were
heralded. There is not a hint of another chance of salvation for the
spirits of those who had died in sin.
Furthermore, in showing that this does not mean that men will
have a second chance after death, notice that there is not a word which
suggests that any of the spirits were converted by this "preaching."
There is not a single passage in the entire Bible which suggests that
this "preaching" resulted in conversion and salvation. The purpose
of the preaching was not the salvation of those already lost, but the
proclamation of the King and Kingdom.
Still another reason why this passage cannot be used to show that
men will have a second chance for salvation after death, is that this
"preaching" was limited to a certain few spirits. Only those who were
disobedient in Noah's time before the flood, were preached to. We can
go so far as to say, that even if the offer of salvation was preached
to them, there is still absolutely no indication, whatsoever, that any
other spirits ever have heard, or ever will hear any preaching. This
was limited strictly to those of Noah's day.
WAS JONAH DEAD OR ALIVE IN THE WHALE'S BELLY?
The account of Jonah and the whale has been ridiculed by unbelievers
perhaps more than any other story in the Bible, therefore it is of utmost
importance that we understand just exactly what the Bible teaches
concerning Jonah's experience.
However, before we enter into this discourse on Jonah let us make
the following two facts clear: First, was it really a whale that swallowed
Jonah? In the Book of Jonah, chapter one, verse 17, we read,
"Now the Lord had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah." Thus
the original Old Testament account says that it was a prepared fish
- a great fish. In the New Testament account, Matthew 12:40, in the
English King James Version we find the word "whale" substituted
by the translators for the words "huge fish." In the original New Testament
Greek the words that appear here are "Katos Ketos" (huge fish).
It was only the translators who rendered the words "Katos Ketos" as
"whale." Therefore in the original Old and New Testaments, we see
there is no statement telling us that it was really a whale that
swallowed Jonah. However, we do know this, it was a "great fish."
Second, let us note that this is a true incident a real experience
and a historic fact, not just a fable or a fairy tale. How do we know?
First, because it is recorded in the inspired Bible as an actual occurrence,
and second, because Jesus Christ treats it as such. (Matthew
12:39-40). This is sufficient proof for us. If the story of Jonah were
not true, then Jesus Christ, the omniscient Son of God misrepresented
and told a falsehood when He gave it as an actual occurrence. To
disbelieve the story of Jonah and the whale would be to disbelieve
Christ, the Saviour.
In answering this question "Was Jonah dead or alive in the whale's
belly?" we must remember that Jonah's experience typifies God's great
plan of redemption accomplished for us by the Lord Jesus Christ.
Jonah's experience is the one and only sign (type) concerning Christ
that would be given the Jews. Matthew 16:4. How does Jonah typify
Christ? Jonah 1:17 says "And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three
days and three nights." When we turn to the New Testament we find
the words of Christ, Matthew 12:40, "For as Jonah was three days
and three nights in the whale's (fish's) belly; so shall the Son of man
be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth."
Therefore Jonah is a type of Christ on this point, namely, that as
Jonah was three days and three nights in the whale's belly, so was
Christ three days and three nights in the tomb.
Now let us hold this thought in mind for a moment, and consider
the following. Some say, "How could Jonah have remained alive in
the fish's belly for three days and three nights? Jonah could have
easily remained alive in the fish's belly because nothing is impossible
with God (Luke 1:37), but there are two very good reasons which prove
that Jonah did not remain alive in the fish's belly.
First, we have already said that Jonah is a type of Christ, and to
be a more perfect type it would be necessary for Jonah to die and
be restored to life. He would then become a perfect type of Christ
whose ministry was wholly to the Jews until after His death and resurrection.
Now the Scripture says that "Jonah was in the belly of the fish
three days and three nights." That is, his body was in the fish, but
where was his soul? Read the following reference. "Then Jonah prayed
unto the Lord his God out of the fish's belly, and said, I cried by reason
of mine affliction unto the Lord, and he heard me: out of the belly
(hollow place) of hell (Sheol - abode of departed spirits) cried I, and
thou heardest my voice." Jonah 2:1, 2.
In the original Hebrew, the word that appears here for "hell" is
"Sheol."
From this account we find that Jonah began his prayer in the fish's
belly, but we also find that he finished it in Sheol, the abode of departed
spirits. The very fact that Jonah cried from Sheol is proof that he
died. This makes Jonah a more perfect type of Christ. We know that
Christ's soul went to hades (Abode of departed spirits) while His body
lay in the tomb (Acts 2:27), and thus we see that Jonah's soul went
to Sheol (same place as hades) while his body lay in the fish's belly.
Thus we have proved that Jonah actually died, both from typology
and from the original Hebrew Scripture which makes it clear that
Jonah went to Sheol.
Someone may say, "How could Jonah have prayed and cried to the
Lord if his physical life had ceased?" This should not be a problem
in anyone's mind, for the fact of conversations in Sheol-Hades is not
at all inconsistent with the Bible teaching. In the account of the rich
man and the beggar named Lazarus in Luke 16:19-31, we have refer-
ences to conversations in Sheol-Hades, therefore it is easily com-
prehended that Jonah could have made his prayer to God from that
place.
Jonah was just as truly dead and raised again as was any of the
other Bible characters who were restored to life.
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