Do The Dead Rise Up And Praise Yahweh?
Psalm 88 reads,
A Song. A Psalm by the sons of Korah. For the Chief Musician. To the tune of "The Suffering of Affliction." A contemplation by Heman, the Ezrahite.
88:1
Yahweh, the God of my salvation,88:2
Let my prayer enter into your presence.88:3
For my soul is full of troubles.88:4
I am counted among those who go down into the pit.88:6
You have laid me in the lowest pit,88:7
Your wrath lies heavily on me.Selah.
88:8
You have taken my friends from me.88:9
My eyes are dim from grief.88:10
Do you show wonders to the dead?Selah.
88:11
Is your lovingkindness declared in the grave?88:12
Are your wonders made known in the dark?88:13
But to you, Yahweh, I have cried.88:14
Yahweh, why do you reject my soul?88:15
I am afflicted and ready to die from my youth up.88:16
Your fierce wrath has gone over me.88:17
They came around me like water all day long.88:18
You have put lover and friend far from me,It seems to me that this Psalm is speaking of Yah'shuah the Christ.
Psalm 115:17-18 reads,
115:17
The dead don’t praise Yah,115:18
But we will bless Yah,Praise Yah!
It is implied that only those who are alive can praise Yah, seeing that those who are dead do not praise Yah.
Therefore, taken together with Psalm 88:10, it should be clear that for a dead person to praise Yahweh such a person must indeed be raised from the dead.
Have dead people ever risen up?
Yahweh Raised To Life A Dead Boy After Elijah's Prayer
1 Kings 17:17-24 reads,
17:17
It happened after these things, that the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, fell sick; and his sickness was so sore, that there was no breath left in him. 17:18She said to Elijah, What have I to do with you, you man of God? You are come to me to bring my sin to memory, and to kill my son! 17:19He said to her, Give me your son. He took him out of her bosom, and carried him up into the chamber, where he abode, and laid him on his own bed. 17:20He cried to Yahweh, and said, Yahweh my God, have you also brought evil on the widow with whom I sojourn, by killing her son? 17:21He stretched himself on the child three times, and cried to Yahweh, and said, Yahweh my God, please let this child’s soul come into him again. 17:22Yahweh listened to the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came into him again, and he revived. 17:23Elijah took the child, and brought him down out of the chamber into the house, and delivered him to his mother; and Elijah said, Behold, your son lives. 17:24The woman said to Elijah, Now I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of Yahweh in your mouth is truth.The sign of Yahweh raising to life the dead son of the woman showed her that Elijah was indeed a man of Yahweh and that Yahweh's word was in Elijah's mouth.
It should also be clear that Elijah did not have power to raise the dead child back to life. That power resides in Yahweh, and it is Yahweh who facilitated the "child's soul" coming into him again, thereby restoring life to the child.
A Body Without A Spirit Is Lifeless
It appears that the "child's soul" indeed had power to enliven the child's flesh. For when the "child's soul" was not in him "there was no breath left in him". But when the "child's soul" came "into him again" breath was indeed restored to him "and he revived". It therefore appears that those who are living have their "soul" or spirit in them, facilitating their breathing capabilities. But those who are dead do not have their "soul" or spirit in them, thereby ensuring that there is no breath in them, even though their very same flesh is in exactly the same atmosphere it was in while it was alive.
Yahweh Determines The Length Of Life Of Flesh
Seeing that a human's "soul" or spirit is under Yahweh's command, and either inhabits or departs from a person's flesh at Yahweh's command, it should be clear that it is Yahweh who determines the lives of all those who live. He determines when their lives commence, and he determines when their lives end. And of those who have died he determines whether they remain dead or whether they live again. And of those dead he determines live again he determines also the times at which they will live again. Seeing that human "souls" or spirits are under Yahweh's command it is Yahweh who indeed determines the various parameters of human life.
Yahweh Raised To Life A Dead Boy After Elisha's Prayer
2 Kings 4:17-37 reads,
4:17
The woman conceived, and bore a son at that season, when the time came round, as Elisha had said to her. 4:18When the child was grown, it fell on a day, that he went out to his father to the reapers. 4:19He said to his father, My head, my head. He said to his servant, Carry him to his mother. 4:20When he had taken him, and brought him to his mother, he sat on her knees until noon, and then died.4:21
She went up and laid him on the bed of the man of God, and shut the door on him, and went out. 4:22She called to her husband, and said, Please send me one of the servants, and one of the donkeys, that I may run to the man of God, and come again. 4:23He said, Why will you go to him today? It is neither new moon nor Sabbath. She said, It shall be well. 4:24Then she saddled a donkey, and said to her servant, Drive, and go forward; don’t slacken me the riding, except I bid you. 4:25So she went, and came to the man of God to Mount Carmel. It happened, when the man of God saw her afar off, that he said to Gehazi his servant, Behold, yonder is the Shunammite: 4:26please run now to meet her, and ask her, Is it well with you? Is it well with your husband? Is it well with the child? She answered, It is well.4:27
When she came to the man of God to the hill, she caught hold of his feet. Gehazi came near to thrust her away; but the man of God said, Let her alone: for her soul is vexed within her; and Yahweh has hid it from me, and has not told me. 4:28Then she said, Did I desire a son of my lord? Didn’t I say, Do not deceive me? 4:29Then he said to Gehazi, Gird up your loins, and take my staff in your hand, and go your way: if you meet any man, Don’t greet him; and if anyone greets you, don’t answer him again: and lay my staff on the face of the child. 4:30The mother of the child said, As Yahweh lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you. He arose, and followed her.4:31
Gehazi passed on before them, and laid the staff on the face of the child; but there was neither voice, nor hearing. Therefore he returned to meet him, and told him, saying, The child has not awakened. 4:32When Elisha was come into the house, behold, the child was dead, and laid on his bed. 4:33He went in therefore, and shut the door on them both, and prayed to Yahweh. 4:34He went up, and lay on the child, and put his mouth on his mouth, and his eyes on his eyes, and his hands on his hands: and he stretched himself on him; and the flesh of the child grew warm. 4:35Then he returned, and walked in the house once back and forth; and went up, and stretched himself on him: and the child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes. 4:36He called Gehazi, and said, Call this Shunammite. So he called her. When she was come in to him, he said, Take up your son. 4:37Then she went in, and fell at his feet, and bowed herself to the ground; and she took up her son, and went out.It should therefore be evident that dead people have indeed been raised to life.
Elisha's Dealings With The Shunammite Woman Prophetic Of Yah'shuah The Christ
It seems to me that this matter of Elisha's dealings with the Shunammite woman was prophetic of Yah'shuah the Christ. For just as the Shunammite's son was a son of promise, so also was Yah'shuah a son of promise. Just as the Shunammite's son died and was restored to life by Yahweh, so also did Yah'shuah die and was restored to life by Yahweh. It therefore seems to me that this matter of the Shunammite's son was to show Yahweh's people that he indeed has power to raise to life the dead, such that when he would raise to life his own Son, Yah'shuah, people would indeed believe it.
Where Is The Assembly Of The Dead?
Proverbs 21:16 reads,
21:16
The man who wanders out of the way of understandingWhere is the assembly of the dead?
Ecclesiastes 9:3-6 reads,
9:3
This is an evil in all that is done under the sun, that there is one event to all: yes also, the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that they go to the dead. 9:4For to him who is joined with all the living there is hope; for a living dog is better than a dead lion. 9:5For the living know that they will die, but the dead don’t know anything, neither do they have any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten. 9:6Also their love, their hatred, and their envy has perished long ago; neither have they any more a portion forever in anything that is done under the sun.Where are the dead? Their bodies remain on earth and eventually disintegrate into the earth. But where do their spirits go, after these have gone out of their bodies (flesh)?
9:5 agrees with Psalm 88:10 and 115:17. For those who know nothing indeed cannot praise Yahweh and are in silence.
It Is Possible To Consult With The Dead!
Isaiah 8:19-20 reads,
8:19
When they shall tell you, "Consult with those who have familiar spirits and with the wizards, who chirp and who mutter:" shouldn’t a people consult with their God? On behalf of the living should they consult with the dead? 8:20To the law and to the testimony! If they don’t speak according to this word, surely there is no morning for them.8:19 indicates that consultation with those having familiar spirits is equivalent to consultation with the dead. Implying that familiar spirits are either the spirits of dead people or can communicate with the spirits of dead people!
Spirits Of The Dead Can Communicate With Humans Via Familiar Spirits
It appears that the spirits of the dead cannot communicate with human beings directly, and can only do so via humans who have familiar spirits.
What quality do familiar spirits have that facilitate their communication with the spirits of dead people and relaying whatever communication they have to humans via those humans that they inhabit?
It seems to me that the scriptures that talk of the dead knowing nothing refer to the totality of the human person, including both flesh and the spirit that enlivens the flesh. If the spirit that enlivens the flesh is absent from the flesh that flesh or person is dead, and that flesh or person knows nothing. And when this spirit is again present in the flesh, after a period of absence, then that flesh or person lives again, and knows the various things that it knew prior to the absence of the spirit in it. It therefore appears that the knowledge a person has resides in that person's spirit.
Human Spirits Exist Independent Of The Body
It should also be noted that the spirit in a person's flesh has an existence independent of that person's flesh. For when Elijah prayed that Yahweh revive the widow's son he prayed that the widow's son's spirit return to him. Implying that the widow's son's spirit was elsewhere at the time that the widow's son was dead. So where was the widow's son's spirit existing during the time that it was not in the widow's son's flesh?
Isaiah 14:9 reads,
14:9
Sheol from beneath is moved for you to meet you at your coming; it stirs up the dead for you, even all the chief ones of the earth; it has raised up from their thrones all the kings of the nations.Sheol appears to be the place where the dead are located. Is Sheol simply the earth, or is it a place for the spirits of the dead?
Isaiah 26:19 reads,
26:19
Your dead shall live; my dead bodies shall arise. Awake and sing, you who dwell in the dust; for your dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast forth the dead.A prophecy for future fulfilment - the dead shall live again!
Also, this verse indicates that the current habitation of the dead is the earth. And the dead that it talks of are "dead bodies" - flesh. In other words, the earth, into which disintegrated bodies lies, will cast forth those disintegrated bodies into new bodies capable of living. It then appears that Yahweh will command the spirits of the dead to inhabit these bodies, thereby enabling these fleshly bodies to live, seeing that fleshly bodies live only when inhabited by their spirits.
Yah'shuah Raised Jairus' Dead Daughter To Life
Matthew 9:18-19, 23-26 reads,
9:18
While he told these things to them, behold, a ruler came and worshiped him, saying, "My daughter has just died, but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live."9:19
Jesus got up and followed him, as did his disciples.9:23
When Jesus came into the ruler’s house, and saw the flute players, and the crowd in noisy disorder, 9:24he said to them, "Make room, because the young lady isn’t dead, but sleeping."They were ridiculing him. 9:25But when the crowd was put out, he entered in, took her by the hand, and the young lady arose. 9:26The report of this went out into all that land.
Going by Yah'shuah's words it appears that death is just a state of sleep - prolonged sleep. The reason it is prolonged is that the dead person's spirit that previously resided in his body no longer resides there, with the result that the body ceases to have life.
Going by what happened in Elijah's case it appears that when Yah'shuah raised the young lady from death to life what happened was that her spirit returned to her body, thereby enabling her to live again.
Mark 5:22-23, 35-43 reads,
5:22
Behold, one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name, came; and seeing him, he fell at his feet, 5:23and begged him much, saying, "My little daughter is at the point of death. Please come and lay your hands on her, that she may be made healthy, and live."5:24
He went with him, and a great multitude followed him, and they pressed upon him on all sides.5:35
While he was still speaking, they came from the synagogue ruler’s house saying, "Your daughter is dead. Why bother the Teacher any more?"5:36
But Jesus, not heeding the word spoken, immediately said to the ruler of the synagogue, "Don’t be afraid, only believe." 5:37He allowed no one to follow him, except Peter, James, and John the brother of James. 5:38He came to the synagogue ruler’s house, and he saw an uproar, weeping, and great wailing. 5:39When he had entered in, he said to them, "Why do you make an uproar and weep? The child is not dead, but is asleep."5:40
They laughed him to scorn. But he, having put them all out, took the father of the child and her mother and those who were with him, and went in where the child was lying. 5:41Taking the child by the hand, he said to her, "Talitha cumi;" which means, being interpreted, "Young lady, I tell you, get up." 5:42Immediately the young lady rose up, and walked, for she was twelve years old. They were amazed with great amazement. 5:43He charged them much that no one should know this, and commanded that something should be given to her to eat.Luke 8:41-42, 49-55 reads,
8:41
Behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue. He fell down at Jesus’ feet, and begged him to come into his house, 8:42for he had an only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she was dying. But as he went, the multitudes thronged him.8:49
While he still spoke, one from the ruler of the synagogue’s house came, saying to him, "Your daughter is dead. Don’t trouble the Teacher."8:50
But Jesus hearing it, answered him, "Don’t be afraid. Only believe, and she will be healed."8:51
When he came to the house, he didn’t allow anyone to enter in, except Peter, John, James, the father of the girl, and her mother. 8:52All were weeping and mourning her, but he said, "Don’t weep. She isn’t dead, but sleeping."8:53
They laughed him to scorn, knowing that she was dead. 8:54But he put them all outside, and taking her by the hand, he called, saying, "Little girl, arise!" 8:55Her spirit returned, and she rose up immediately. He commanded that something be given to her to eat. 8:56Her parents were amazed, but he charged them to tell no one what had been done.Luke's account, especially 8:55, confirms what was seen earlier on when Elijah prayed that Yahweh raise to life the son of the widow with whom he was sojourning. For in that case the "child's soul" or spirit returned to him. And in this case of Yah'shuah raising to life Jairus' daughter, "her spirit returned, and she rose up immediately". It should therefore be clear that when one's spirit is in one body one is alive. When one's spirit departs from one's body one is dead!
Yah'shuah Raised Up To Life A Number Of Dead People
Matthew 11:2-6 reads,
11:2
Now when John heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples 11:3and said to him, "Are you he who comes, or should we look for another?"11:4
Jesus answered them, "Go and tell John the things which you hear and see: 11:5the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them. 11:6Blessed is he who finds no occasion for stumbling in me."It is evident from Yah'shuah's words that he raised up to life more than one dead person.
Luke 7:11-23 reads,
7:11
It happened soon afterwards, that he went to a city called Nain. Many of his disciples went with him, along with a great multitude. 7:12Now when he drew near to the gate of the city, behold, one who was dead was carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. Many people of the city were with her. 7:13When the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said to her, "Don’t cry." 7:14He came near and touched the coffin, and the bearers stood still. He said, "Young man, I tell you, arise!" 7:15He who was dead sat up, and began to speak. He gave him to his mother.7:16
Fear took hold of all, and they glorified God, saying, "A great prophet has arisen among us!" and, "God has visited his people!" 7:17This report went out concerning him in the whole of Judea, and in all the surrounding region.7:18
The disciples of John told him about all these things. 7:19John, calling to himself two of his disciples, sent them to Jesus, saying, "Are you he who comes, or should we look for another?" 7:20When the men had come to him, they said, "John the Baptizer has sent us to you, saying, ‘Are you he who comes, or should we look for another?’"7:21
In that hour he cured many of diseases and plagues and evil spirits; and to many who were blind he gave sight. 7:22Jesus answered them, "Go and tell John the things which you have seen and heard: that the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them. 7:23Blessed is he who is not offended by me."Herod The Tetrarch Believed In The Resurrection Of The Dead
Matthew 14:1-2 reads,
14:1
At that time, Herod the tetrarch heard the report concerning Jesus, 14:2and said to his servants, "This is John the Baptizer. He is risen from the dead. That is why these powers work in him."Herod's words show that he believed that the dead could indeed rise again in fleshly bodies and live human lives are previously. Seeing that the Scripture affirms Herod's belief, it appears that Herod came to so believe based on scriptural teaching.
Mark 6:12-16 reads,
6:12
They went out and preached that people should repent. 6:13They cast out many demons, and anointed many with oil who were sick, and healed them. 6:14King Herod heard this, for his name had become known, and he said, "John the Baptizer has risen from the dead, and therefore these powers work in him." 6:15But others said, "It is Elijah." Others said, "It is the Prophet, or like one of the prophets." 6:16But Herod, when he heard this, said, "This is John, whom I beheaded. He has risen from the dead."Luke 9:7-9 reads,
9:7
Now Herod the tetrarch heard of all that was done by him; and he was very perplexed, because it was said by some that John had risen from the dead, 9:8and by some that Elijah had appeared, and by others that one of the old prophets had risen again. 9:9Herod said, "John I beheaded, but who is this, about whom I hear such things?" He sought to see him.It is evident that the people in Yah'shuah and Herod's time believed in a rising from the dead.
Yah'shuah Prophesied His Resurrection From The Dead
Matthew 17:1-9 reads,
17:1
After six days, Jesus took with him Peter, James, and John his brother, and brought them up into a high mountain by themselves. 17:2He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his garments became as white as the light. 17:3Behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them talking with him.17:4
Peter answered, and said to Jesus, "Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you want, let’s make three tents here: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah."17:5
While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them. Behold, a voice came out of the cloud, saying, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Listen to him."17:6
When the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces, and were very afraid. 17:7Jesus came and touched them and said, "Get up, and don’t be afraid." 17:8Lifting up their eyes, they saw no one, except Jesus alone. 17:9As they were coming down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them, saying, "Don’t tell anyone what you saw, until the Son of Man has risen from the dead."Yah'shuah prophesied that he would indeed rise from the dead, thereby also prophesying that he would indeed die. Yah'shuah therefore firmly believed that the dead indeed rise to life.
Mark 9:1-10 reads,
9:1
He said to them, "Most assuredly I tell you, there are some standing here who will in no way taste death, until they see the kingdom of God come with power."9:2
After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James, and John, and brought them up onto a high mountain privately by themselves, and he was changed into another form in front of them. 9:3His clothing became glistening, exceedingly white, like snow, such as no launderer on earth can whiten them. 9:4Elijah and Moses appeared to them, and they were talking with Jesus.9:5
Peter answered Jesus, "Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let’s make three tents: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah." 9:6For he didn’t know what to say, for they were very afraid.9:7
A cloud came, overshadowing them, and a voice came out of the cloud, "This is my beloved Son. Listen to him."9:8
Suddenly looking around, they saw no one with them any more, except Jesus only.9:9
As they were coming down from the mountain, he charged them that they should tell no one what things they had seen, until the Son of Man had risen again from the dead. 9:10They kept the saying, questioning among themselves what the rising again from the dead should mean.[Previous Section] [Contents] [Next Section]
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