Departed Spirits

Man's orientation is from his natural position as an inhabitant of the earth. That perspective is often referred to as a worldview. Many religions enlarge it to an all-encompassing, immaterial, universal panaorama. Consequently a man like Job might explain his destiny saying "for I know that You will bring me to death and to the house of meeting for all living" (Job 30:23). If it was as simple as that then there would be nothing to be concerned about. However, do God's higher purposes intervene to determine people's fates? "'He will put the sheep on His right and the goats on the left'" (Mt 25:33). "Will You perform wonders for the dead? Will the departed spirits rise and praise you" (Ps 88:10). "Will your lovingkindness be declared in the grave? Your faithfulness in Abaddon?" (:11). David said God "will not abandon my soul to Hades" (Ac 2:27). "Turn Your gaze from me, that I may smile again before I depart and am no more" (Ps 39:13).

"Stolen water is sweet" (Pr 9:17). "But he does not know that the dead are there, that her guests are in the depths of Sheol" (:18). "Do not let your heart turn aside to [the harlot's] ways" (Pr 7:25). "Her house is the way to Sheol, descending to the chambers of death" (:27). "Let death come deceitfully upon them; let them go down to Sheol" (Ps 55:15). "The wicked will return to Sheol, even all the nations who forget God" (Ps 9:17). "The dead will not live, the departed spirits will not rise, therefore You have punished and destroyed them" (Isa 26:14). "You will be brought down to Hades" (Lk 10:19) which is the abode of departed spirits.