DEATH AND BEYOND

Souls and spirits
in the Old Testament

‘Samuel’ the spirit, asked why he had been brought UP – brought up from where? The grave? Hell? The underworld? A holding place for the dead? The implication of this statement makes no distinction between the reward of sinners and the reward of saints. The evil spirit made no distinction between the evil and the righteous and that is exactly what spiritualism does today. Evil and righteousness are seen merely as terms for differing stages of the evolution of our minds with no sense of punishment or reward for what we have done in our time of probation.
After this incident Saul went out into the darkness of night, carrying this burden of horror and hopelessness. The next day, in despair after a disastrous battle, Saul fell on his sword and died committing suicide. There is no peace in the heart away from God. Saul had gone onto Satan’s territory when visiting the medium and we would not expect God to meet with him there. Saul himself did not expect to meet God. He was seeking for other answers. The message that came to Saul was from Satan or one of Satan’s angels counterfeiting the dead prophet.

Isaiah 33:14 says, The sinners of Zion are afraid ... who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? Who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings? Please explain!
This verse speaks of sinners and everlasting burnings and fire. These words are used to support the concept of an ever-burning hell for those who have sinned. Remember the basic Bible principles about life after death – death is a sleep, followed by resurrection. There is a resurrection for the good and another second resurrection for the wicked. It is at the times of resurrection, that God’s rewards are given. The wicked will meet with fire, but it is a fire that burns and cleanses and reduces to ashes. God said clearly - if we sin, we die. Tradition and mythology say that the wicked will meet with life, but of a different kind. God has never said that sinners would be faced with eternal misery and torment forever and ever without end, imposed on them and fuelled, without pity or mercy.
Verses 10-12 speak of more things that are burned and likens the sinner’s fate to them. Stubble, chaff, the lime of the lime kilns, the thorns in the bonfire. All these burn and are gone. But what is the first mention of devouring fire? Using the same book of the Bible to act as a divine commentary on this verse, Isaiah 29:6 says, ‘Thou shalt be visited of the LORD of hosts with thunder, and with earthquake, and great noise, with storm and tempest, and the flame of devouring fire.’ God is the devouring fire.