Can the dead speak? The Bible tells us not to try to communicate with the dead. Houdini spent quite a bit of time trying to communicate with his dead mother and in the process found many fraudulent “spiritualists” or “clairvoyants.”[1] The Old Testament Prophet Isaiah warned,
“And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter; should not a people seek unto their God? For the living to the dead.”[2]
In the book of Leviticus God had said through Moses,
“Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither after wizards, to be defiled by them: I am the Lord your God.”[3]
Whoopi Goldberg made the concept of hearing from the dead quite popular in the movie “Ghost,”[4] and there have been books written by various clairvoyants claiming to have received messages from former famous personalities.[5] One thing is for sure, people are interested in the spiritual world and like Houdini long to hear from their departed loved ones
But because God’s word tells us not to go to “white witches” or “spiritualists” or “clairvoyants” to communicate with the dead, does that mean that there is no communication between the dead and the living? Then how do we account for the thousands of people who claim to have heard the voice of their loved one warning them of impending danger?
Some claim to have smelled their former loved one’s perfume. Others had dreams where their departed loved one spoke to them leaving them a message of love and encouragement. If God doesn’t permit such communication, how can we explain such events? Was it the devil and therefore evil? But why did it bring good fruit? Or was it the person’s imagination? Or did God allow such communication in time of dire emergency to save a life or encourage someone in time of deep distress or danger?[6]
Just how God operates the spiritual world is much of a mystery to us. As Paul wrote,
“Now we see through a glass darkly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know even as I am also known.”[7]
But we do know from God’s word that he speaks to us in dreams, visions, a still small voice,[8] and through the voice of prophecy.[9] God’s word says,
“Call upon Me and I will answer you and show you great and mighty things that you know not.”[10]
In the gospel of Luke we see Jesus marveling about the centurion’s understanding of the spiritual world.[11] Was he marveling because the centurion had understood how the spirit world works? The centurion had told Jesus not to come into his house but to speak the word and it would be done. The centurion would command his soldiers and they would obey orders and carry messages and do tasks. Was he alluding to Jesus authority in the spirit world similar to his own? Did he mean that Jesus could send an angel to do the work, in this case the healing, and not have to go Himself?
In Daniel, we see the Prince of Persia, a demon, delaying for three weeks the angel who is bringing a message to Daniel.[12] Even in the book of Hebrews we see “a great cloud of witnesses” that compasses us about.[13] Could they also be available to work as messengers like Gabriel and Michael?
In Revelation we see the angel telling John that he is a fellow servant & not to be worshiped. Was the angel or spiritual being actually a former prophet in service for God, as he seems to put himself on even level with John, or was he an actual angel? These questions are hard to answer.[14]The author of Hebrews tells us that some have entertained angels unawares.[15] Therefore, we know that angels do in fact sometimes walk among us.
About six years ago, my twenty-seven year old son died in a swimming accident. After finishing his education in England he had been offered a job in Bermuda at $50,000 a year. He took it. Six months later, at midnight, I received the phone call that every parent dreads. ‘Your child has gone missing.’ His clothing has been found on the beach front near to his home. He has missed work for the first time in six months. I immediately got on my knees and cried out to God, as any parent would, imploring for my son’s safety.
No sooner had I begun to pray than I saw, in my mind’s eye, a vision. My son was entering into the Heavenly City. A crowd had gathered to meet him. I saw my recently-departed father and a close friend who had died from cancer a few months earlier. Everyone was hugging my son with warm hugs, like a great celebration or graduation. At that moment, I knew my son was with the Lord and we would not find him alive. Some will say, “That was your imagination, how could you have a vision?” How, I do not know, but his body was found five days later.
I made my arrangements to fly to Bermuda. I wanted to take care of his things and send his body back to Europe where he had been born and lived. While sorting through his things in the little cottage he had rented, a wave of emotions hit me like a tsunami. “Why, God? Why, God? Why did this happen? Why my son who was hard-working, friendly and had so many good qualities?”
I had walked down to cliff where his clothes had been found above the churning waters of the Caribbean at a local diving spot. The tide was high and rough. If I dove in, could I make it through those troubled waters to the mouth of the little natural pool where bathers would swim peacefully some forty meters away? The voice of conscience told me it was too dangerous. Besides, I knew not where the hidden rocks stood beneath the waves that had injured many a young diver.
When I got back to his apartment, I was still in emotional turmoil. Desperately, with tears forming constantly in my eyes, I opened up my computer and logged in. I had a message on Facebook: my son’s former girlfriend had written me. While she had been taking time to listen to the Lord and receive from Him some encouraging words for me in prophecy, she heard my son’s voice in her voice of conscience. “Tell my father not to be discouraged. Tell him I’m okay. Now I understand all that he had tried to teach me. Tell him I am thankful for all he did and not to worry about me. I am okay.” She thanked the Lord for the privilege of receiving this message and sent it on to me.
As I read those words, tears swelled in my eyes. But they were not tears of despair and anguish, but tears of joy and comfort knowing that my son was okay. He was safe in the arms of Jesus. You may say, “It was a figment of her imagination.” Maybe it was. All I know, I was encouraged and through those words found strength to continue on in the face of one of life’s most difficult tests: the death of one’s child.
You ask “Do the dead speak?” I do not believe they do. I will not go to a clairvoyant or spiritualist or white witch seeking to hear from the beyond. God’s word strictly forbids this and God punished Saul for doing such.
"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 inquire of it; and inquired not of the Lord: therefore He slew him, and turned the kingdom unto David the son of Jesse.”[16]
Saul should have sought the Lord and been patient for the Lord’s answer. But he went ahead in his own strength and disobeyed the Lord and sought counsel of a clairvoyant, which the Lord strictly forbids.
Nevertheless, God can let us receive a message from beyond if we are truly seeking Him to encourage us and help us continue on in our fight of faith. If we are seeking the Lord and not to clairvoyants, He may even send a message from a departed loved one in a dream, a whisper, or a still small voice in our conscience.
My mother had this experience when her godfather died. She dreamed about him the same night he died and he told her he had come to say good-bye. The next morning her auntie called to pass on the message of her godfather’s death which my mother already knew through her dream. Many people have had experiences similar where God has allowed them to receive a message from a departed loved one.
How God sends the message is His business. Whether or not it was my son speaking to his former girlfriend or an angel disguising himself as my son or Jesus himself speaking as my son, or the girlfriend’s own wishful imaginative thinking, I do not know. I do know that I was encouraged and strengthened in that difficult time. I was able to face that dark hour in faith and with the knowledge that my son was okay. He was with Jesus.
“All things truly do work together for good to them that love God.”[17]
She called upon the Lord and He answered and He gave her just the message I needed to be inspired and encouraged and find the faith to continue on in life’s difficult journey. The result of her listening to the Lord, accepting the message, and sending it on to me bore good fruit in my life. Jesus said,
“and by their fruits you shall know them.”[18]
Therefore, I can conclude it was from the Lord.
Are you calling upon the Lord and learning to hear His still, small voice in your heart? He may have a message for you. He may even let a dear departed love one send something back to you to help lift your burden in time of trouble. He may give you a vision, or a dream, or you may have a sensation. Or you may hear His still, small voice in your heart telling you,
‘This is the way, walk in it.’[19] “Ask and ye shall receive, seek and ye shall find. Knock and it shall be opened unto you”.[20]
Are you knocking on Heaven’s door for the answers that you need? Please do it. You won’t be disappointed!
Footnotes
2. Isaiah 8:19
3. Leviticus 19:31
7. 1 Corinthians 13:12
9. Joel 2:28
10. Jeremiah 33:3
11. Luke 7:1-9
12. Daniel 10
13. Hebrews 12:1
14. Revelation 19:10
15. Hebrews 13:2
16. 1 Chronicles 10:13-14
17. Romans 8:28
18. Matthew 7:20
19. Isaiah 32:21
20. Matthew 7:7
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