Shabbat Shalom, and Welcome to "Ask Seek and Knock". There has been a request for this topic that we are presenting today; that being: "Can We Pray for the Dead?" Let's take a deeper look into the scripture to see what we find. We already know that praying to the dead, via mediums or spiritists, is Necromancy, right? lets go to Leviticus 19:31, for confirmation:- Leviticus 19:31 [Yah Scriptures]
- 31 ‘Do not turn to mediums, and do not seek after spiritists to be defiled by them. I am Yahuah your Elohim.
Lets look up the word "Medium" in the NASB Hebrew Lexicon:
Hebrew Word Study - H178
'owb — obe — אוֹב
NASB Hebrew Lexicon
בוֹא
\ob\ (bdb:15b)
Etymology: from an unused word
Definition: a bottle (made from animal skin), a necromancer
Usage: medium(2), medium*(3), mediums(9), spirit(1), wineskins(1).
Other versions of the Scripture tell us that a Medium is the following:
- Leviticus 19:31 [The Apostles Version]: "enchanters"
- Leviticus 19:31 [A Conservitave Version]: "wizards"
- Leviticus 19:31 [Bible in Basic English]: "wonder-workers"
- Leviticus 19:31 [Douary-Rheims Bible]: "soothsayers"
- Leviticus 19:31 [GodsWord Version]: "phychics"
Since we are at it, let us also go to Deuteronomy 18:9-14, for further instruction concerning necromancy.
- Deuteronomy 18:9-14 [Yah Scriptures]
- 9 “When you come into the land which Yahuah your Elohim is giving you, do not learn to do according to the abominations of those gentiles.
- 10 “Let no one be found among you who makes him son or his daughter pass through the fire, or one who practises divination, or a user of magic, or one who interprets omens or a sorcerer,
- 11 or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead.
- 12 “For whoever does these are an abomination to Yahuah, and because of these abominations Yahuah your Elohim drives them out from before you.
- 13 “Be perfect before Yahuah your Elohim.
- 14 for these nations whom you are dispossessing listen to those using magic and to diviners. But as for you, Yahuah your Elohim has not appointed such for you.
This is a very detailed account of what Not To Do, and of course, What To Do. Don't forget that this also lines up with Deuteronomy 13, which we went over the last couple of lessons. Maybe it would be a good idea to go back and read it too. There, you have homework...
Alright, that helps our understanding, and we definitely do not want to be guilty of necromancy. Keeping in mind, necromancy is not praying to Yah for someone that has passed. Before we show examples of necromancy in the Scripture, I would like to point out what our Canon tells us concerning the dead. First, lets take a look at Ecclesiastes 9:5-6, 10 [Yah Scriptures]:
- Ecclesiastes 9:5-6 [Yah Scriptures]:
- 5 For the living know that they shall die, but the dead know naught, nor do they have any more reward, for their remembrance is forgotten.
- 6 Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy have now perished; and they no longer have a share in all that is done under the sun.
This Scripture is telling us that when we are in Sheol, we know nothing. Think about it this way, when your life on earth is over, there is nothing left to do, your flesh is now gone, and is not anymore warring against your spirit, nor is your flesh warring against the spirit of Yah that gave you breath, that too is gone. It's just your spirit now, and you can now rest. Well, we will talk more about that in a bit. As we slide down to Ecclesiastes 9:10; this scripture witnesses to the above scripture we just read. We will comment on this scripture in more detail when we get to 2 Esdras 7.
- Ecclesiastes 9:10 [Yah Scriptures]:
- 10 Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work, nor plan, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in Sheol, where you are going.
Here we see that we are told that the dead know absolutely nothing. As we said earlier concerning 2 Esdras 7, which may seem to contradict this scripture, but, I submit that it does not, and we will explain why, later when we get there. Also, we will just paste a few more scriptures for your understanding as well.
- Psalms 115:17 – The dead do not praise Yah, Nor any going down to silence.
- Psalms 6:5 – For in death there is no remembrance of You; Who gives You thanks in She’ol?
- Psalms 146:4 – His spirit goes out, he returns to his earth; In that day his plans perish.
This is all evidence that once settled in your resting place, you do just that, rest! but does everyone rest that goes to the grave? Again, we will touch on this later when talking about 7 ways that one rests in chambers in Sheol, and just as important, 7 ways in which one's do not rest in Sheol. before we go there, we would like to give examples of those who actually aroused the dead, using a medium who uses familiar spirits, within the scripture, like in, 1 Samual 28:3-19, where Sha'ul had a medium of the spirits, summons Shenu'el from the dead, and Yah actually allowed it. Let's read for ourselves. Warning! This does not go well for Sha'ul (Saul), please don't think for a minute that it would go well for you either if you decided to break the commands of Yah," Knowingly". Even breaking His commands in His Presence, unknowingly, would prove to be tragic as we will also learn later in the study. Let's read this together.
- 1 Samual 28:3-19 [Yah Scriptures]
- 3 And Shemu’ĕl had died, and all Yisra’ĕl had mourned for him and buried him in Ramah, in his own city. And Sha’ul had put away the mediums and the spiritists from the land.
- 4 And the Pelishtites were gathered, and came and encamped at Shunĕm. And Sha’ul gathered all Yisra’ĕl, and they encamped at Gilboa.
- 5 And when Sha’ul saw the army of the Pelishtites, he was afraid, and his heart trembled greatly.
- 6 And Sha’ul inquired of Yahuah, but Yahuah did not answer him, either by dreams or by Urim [Lights, or Fires] or by the neḇi’im [prophets].
- 7 Sha’ul then said to his servants, “Find me a woman who is a medium, to go to her and inquire of her.” And his servants said to him, “Look, there is a woman who is a medium at Ĕyn Dor.”
- 8 And Sha’ul disguised himself and put on other garments, and went, he and two men with him. And they came to the woman by night. And he said, “Please divine for me, and bring up for me the one I shall name.”
- 9 But the woman said to him, “Look, you know what Sha’ul has done, how he has cut off the mediums and the spiritists from the land. Why then do you lay a snare for my life, to put me to death?”
- 10 And Sha’ul swore to her by Yahuah, saying, “As Yahuah lives, no punishment comes upon you for this matter.”
- 11 And the woman said, “Whom do I bring up for you?” So he said, “Bring up Shemu’ĕl for me.”
- 12 And when the woman saw Shemu’ĕl, she cried out with a loud voice. And the woman spoke to Sha’ul, saying, “Why have you deceived me? You yourself are Sha’ul!”
- 13 And the sovereign said to her, “Do not be afraid. What did you see?” And the woman said to Sha’ul, “I saw a spirit coming up out of the earth.”
- 14 And he said to her, “What is his form?” And she said, “An old man is coming up, and he is covered with a mantle.” And Sha’ul knew that it was Shemu’ĕl, and he bowed with his face to the ground and did obeisance.
- 15 And Shemu’ĕl said to Sha’ul, “Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?” And Sha’ul answered, “I am deeply distressed, for the Pelishtites are fighting against me, and Elohim has turned aside from me and does not answer me any more, either by neḇi’im [prophets] nor by dreams. So I have called you, to reveal to me what I should do.
- 16 Then Shemu’ĕl said, “And why do you ask me, seeing Yahuah has turned aside from you and has become your enemy?
- 17 “And Yahuah has done for Himself as He spoke by me. For Yahuah has torn the reign out of your hand and given it to your neighbour, to Dawiḏ.
- 18 “Because you did not obey the voice of Yahuah nor execute His burning wrath upon Amalĕq, therefore Yahuah has done this matter to you today.
- 19 “Further, Yahuah also gives Yisra’ĕl with you into the hand of the Pelishtites. And tomorrow you and your sons are with me. Yahuah also gives the army of Yisra’ĕl into the hand of the Pelishtites.”
If indeed you have not read this account, Yahuah did indeed allow Sha'ul to speak with Shamu'el, and Yah also did receive Sha'ul that next day, as mentioned in 1 Samuel 28 verse 19. Again, while it is possible to call to the dead, it is against the Torah to do so, especially when calling on familiar spirits, or using a medium to get to them. I, for one do not recommend it! Now, we would like to continue with the question, can we or even, should we pray For the dead? Let's go to Ezekial 14 and continue reading together. There is some very important information here that we can glean from concerning this topic "Can We Pray for the Dead". Is it the answer, well, not yet. but lets read together and keep seeking.- Ezekial 14 [Yah Scriptures]
- 1 And some of the elders of Yisra’ĕl came to me and sat before me.
- 2 And the word of Yahuah came to me, saying,
- 3 “Son of man, these men have put up their idols in their hearts, and have put the stumbling-block of their wickedness before their face. Should I let them inquire of Me at all?
- 4 “Therefore speak to them, and you shall say to them, ‘Thus said the Aḏon Yahuah, “Everyone of the house of Yisra’ĕl who puts up his idols in his heart, and puts the stumbling-block of his wickedness before his face, and shall come to the naḇi [prophet] - I Yahuah shall answer him who comes, according to his many idols,
- 5 in order to lay hold of the house of Yisra’ĕl by their heart, for they have become estranged from Me by their idols, all of them.” ’
- 6 “Therefore say to the house of Yisra’ĕl, ‘Thus said the Aḏon Yahuah, “Repent, and turn back from your idols, and turn back your faces from all your abominations.
- 7 “For anyone of the house of Yisra’ĕl, or of the strangers who sojourn in Yisra’ĕl, who separates himself from Me and puts up his idols in his heart and puts the stumbling-block of his wickedness before his face, and shall come to a naḇi to inquire of him concerning Me, I Yahuah shall answer him Myself.
- 8 “And I shall turn My face against that man and make him a sign and a proverb, and I shall cut him off from the midst of My people. And you shall know that I am Yahuah.
- 9 “And if the naḇi is deceived, and shall speak a word, I Yahuah have deceived that naḇi, and shall stretch out My hand against him and destroy him from the midst of My people Yisra’ĕl.
- 10 “And they shall bear their wickedness, the wickedness of the naḇi is the same as the wickedness of the inquirer,
- 11 so that the house of Yisra’ĕl no longer strays from Me, nor be made unclean any more with all their transgressions. And they shall be My people and I be their Elohim,” declares the Aḏon Yahuah.’ ”
- 12 And the word of Yahuah came again to me, saying,
- 13 “Son of man, when a land sins against Me to commit a trespass, and I shall stretch out My hand against it, and cut off its supply of bread and send scarcity of food on it, and cut off man and beast from it,
- 14 even though these three men, Noaḥ, Dani’ĕl, and lyoḇ, were in it, they would deliver only themselves by their righteousness,” declares the Aḏon Yahuah.
- 15 “If I cause an evil beast to pass through the land, and it shall bereave it, and it shall be a wasteland, so that no man passes through because of the beasts,
- 16 even though these three men were in it, as I live,” declares the Aḏon Yahuah, “they would deliver neither sons nor daughters. They alone would be delivered, but the land be a wasteland.
- 17 “Or if I bring a sword on that land, and I shall say, ‘Sword, go through the land,’ and I shall cut off man and beast from it,
- 18 even though these three men were in its midst, as I live,” declares the Aḏon Yahuah, “they would deliver neither sons nor daughters, for they alone would be delivered.
- 19 “Or if I send a pestilence into that land, and I shall pour out My wrath on it in blood, to cut off from it man and beast,
- 20 even though Noaḥ, Dani’ĕl, and lyoḇ were in it, as I live,” declares the Aḏon Yahuah, “they would deliver neither son nor daughter. They would deliver their own lives by their righteousness.”
- 21 For thus said the Aḏon Yahuah, “How much more it shall be when I send My four evil judgments on Yerushalayim: the sword and scarcity of food and evil beasts and pestilence, to cut off man and beast from it?
- 22 “But see, there shall be left in it a remnant who are brought out, both sons and daughters. See, they are coming out to you, and you shall see their ways and their deeds, and shall be comforted concerning the evil which I have brought upon Yerushalayim - all that I have brought upon it.
- 23 “And they shall comfort you, when you see their ways and their deeds. And you shall know that it was not for naught that I have done whatever I did in it,” declares the Aḏon Yahuah.
The first take away from this passage is: Only by one's righteousness can one be delivered from calamity. Allow me to say this another way: This passage is very important, because it stresses the fact that, only the Righteous, those that Love our Elohim and show Him they love Him by Keeping His Way, His Statutes, His Sabbaths, His Festivals, His Feast Days, His Dietary Laws, and His Instructions, will be Loved by Him. Only by one's Righteousness can one be saved. Also, Only be enduring to the end can one be saved. Please understand, we are not blind automatons, just keeping the law like robots. We study to be approved, and we keep His Way because we Love Him, and we Want to do His Will.
Alright, lets continue. Recall with me, if you have read in Genesis Chapter 6, there was a rebellious people before the flood, which were all swept away from the flood, right? Well, as a witness to Genesis 6, I would like for us to visit 1 Peter 3:18-20:
- 1 Peter 3:18-20 [Yah Scriptures]
- 18 Because even Mashiaḥ once suffered for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to Elohim, having been put to death indeed in flesh but made alive in the Ruaḥ,
- 19 in which also He went and proclaimed unto the spirits in prison,
- 20 who were disobedient at one time when the patience of Elohim waited in the days of Noaḥ, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight beings, were saved through water,
While this scripture does get to the point I am trying to make, I would like to compare this text, with a Much Older text, than our current Masoretic New Testament, which is known as the "Aramaic New Testament". I think it is very important to understand that the Older text, the Aramaic text, may be more accurate, and in a way, it may also give hope to those that have loved ones that went to their graves Not Knowing what you and I know today. Let's read it together.
- 1 Peter 3:18-20 [Aramaic New Testament]
- 18. Because The Messiah also died once for the sake of our sins, The Righteous One in the place of sinners, to bring you to God, and he died in body and lived in his Spirit.
- 19. And he preached to those
souls (spirits) who were held in Sheol, - 20. These who from the first were not convinced in the days of Noah when the long-suffering of God commanded that there would be an ark, upon the hope of their repentance*, and only eight souls entered it and were kept alive by water. *
Even though, I feel this text may be more accurate, using the word Sheol rather than Prison, we would like to point out that we have a ⟶ strikethrough ⟵ on the word "Souls". Some things are lost in translation. One of them is, the word Soul in the place of Spirit. firstly, there are no souls in Sheol. WHAT?, that's right! there are only Spirits in Sheol, as a Soul is not a Spirit. Think about it, the word "soul" means a breathing flesh body, and, when one dies, the soul, which is a Fleshly Body that Breathes, goes back to the dust, the breath of life, Spirit of Yah goes back to Him who gave it, and your spirit, my spirit, goes to Sheol when Yahuah Elohim takes back his breath of life, that was lent to you, and I, that gave us breath so that we could live.
To learn more about the differences between the words, Spirit, Body and Soul, please see our study: Spirit, Body, and Soul, Properly Defined.
Beyond the Soul/Spirit issue, concerning the Aramaic NT Scripture (1 Peter 3:18-20). This Passage is telling us that those who died, that lacked understanding of the severity of what was happening in that day, were not in PRISON; No, they were being held in Sheol, a place of rest, and again, they are Not in Shackles, or in a place of Restraint, also known as Tartarus, which is a prison, a chamber reserved for fallen angels. Translation Really Makes a Difference. Knowing that this Much Older Version of the New Testament, the Aramaic NT Scripture, using the term Sheol, and not Prison, opens the door to a new perspective that we may not have considered. Yahusha did not go to preach to the 200 Fallen Angels in Tartarus, He went to preach to the Dead in Sheol, that died as a result of the flood.
Now, It is probably a good idea for us to go ahead and read, for our understanding, scripture, that gives us more knowledge of the chambers below our feet. To do so, lets visit 1 Enoch 22, and 2nd Esdras 7, Starting with: 1 Enoch 22:
- 1 Enoch 22 [Yah Scriptures]
- 1 And then I went to another place, and he showed me in the west another great and high mountain of hard rock.
- 2 And there was in it four hollow places, deep and wide and very smooth. “How smooth are the hollow places and deep and dark to look at.”
- 3 Then Repha’ĕl answered, one of the qodesh messengers who was with me, and said to me, “These hollow places have been created for this very purpose, that the spirits of the beings of the dead should assemble there, even that all the beings of the children of men should assemble here.
- 4 “And these places have been made to receive them till the day of their judgment and till their appointed time, till the great judgment upon them.”
- 5 I saw the spirits of the children of men who were dead, and their voice went forth to the shamayim and petitioned.
- 6 And I asked Repha’ĕl, the messenger who was with me, and I said to him, “This spirit; whose is it whose voice goes forth and petitions?”
- 7 And he answered me saying, “This is the spirit which went forth from Heḇel, whom his brother Qayin slew, and he makes his petition against him till his seed is destroyed from the face of the earth, and his seed is annihilated from amongst the seed of men.”
- 8 Then I asked regarding it, and regarding all the hollow places, “Why is one separated from the other?”
- 9 And he answered me and said to me, “These three have been made that the spirits of the dead might be separated. And such a division has been made for the spirits of the righteous, in which there is the bright spring of water.
- 10 “And such has been made for sinners when they die and are buried in the earth and judgment has not been executed on them in their lifetime.
- 11 “Here their spirits shall be put aside in this great pain till the great day of judgment and punishment and torment of the accursed forever, and retribution for their spirits. There He shall bind them forever.
- 12 “And such a division has been made for the spirits of those who make their petition, who make disclosures concerning their destruction, when they were slain in the days of the sinners.
- 13 “Such has been made for the spirits of men who were not righteous, but sinners, who were complete in transgression, and of the transgressors they shall be companions, but their spirits shall not be slain in the day of judgment nor shall they be raised from there.”
- 14 Then I baraḵ Yahuah of esteem and said, “Baruḵ be Aḏonai, Yahuah of righteousness, who rules forever.”
Here in 1 Enoch 22:3-13, we see that sinners are separated from righteous, and of the righteous, those that are crying out to Yah are also in their own place. Also, if we go to Jude 1:6, we can see a witness, to the Angels who left their first estate, which are indeed in a place of restraint, a Prison.
- Jude 1:6
- 6 And the messengers who did not keep their own principality, but left their own dwelling, He has kept in everlasting shackles under darkness for the judgment of the great day.
That's right, Those two hundred angels that took women to be their wives, and had offspring with them, called Nephilim, and those Nephilim are now dead physically, and roaming the earth as Demons, or Evil Spirits, while their fathers (the fallen angels) are in Tartarus. Let's visit 1 Enoch 15:8-9, before moving on.
- 1 Enoch 15:8-9
- 8 ‘And now, the giants, who are produced from the spirits and flesh, shall be called evil spirits upon the earth, and on the earth shall be their dwelling.
- 9 ‘Evil spirits have proceeded from their bodies; because they are born from men and from the qodesh watchers is their beginning and primal origin; they shall be evil spirits on earth, and evil spirits shall they be called.
Alright, lets keep moving forward, and get more details concerning what happens when one dies, by going to 2 Esdras, Chapter 7. This chapter describes how those that are not going to be in paradise will suffer; however, this may not be exactly what you think, or were taught in Sunday school; as those that were evil, they will not be bouncing from hot rock to hot rock when they die; the lake of fire, comes at the final Judgment. Lets go to 2 Esdras 7, where we will discuss a couple of things. first, I want us to understand, that those that did not overcome, that are thrown into the Lake of Fire, will turn into smoke and ashes, just as 2 Esdras 7:61 tells us. Lets read it together.
- 2 Esdras 7:61
- 61 “I shall not grieve over the great number of those who perish; for they are like mist, and are similar to a flame and smoke - they are lit on fire and burn with heat, and are extinguished.”
Anything or anyone that is placed in the lake of fire that has Not eaten from the Tree of Life, is burned up and turned into smoke and ashes, and they are extinguished. Gone. No Longer to Exist.. Lets also pick up to 2 Esdras 7:78-99, where we will gain an understanding of the teaching concerning death.
- 2 Esdras 7:78-101 [Yah Scriptures]
- 78 “And concerning death, the teaching is: when the decisive decree goes forth from the Most High, that one shall die, as the spirit leaves the body to return to Him again who gave it, first of all it adores the esteem of the Most High.
- 79 “If it is one of those who has mocked and has not guarded the Way of the Most High, who has despised His Law and hated those who revere Elohim;
- 80 such spirits do not enter into dwellings, but shall immediately wander in torture, forever in grief and sorrow in seven ways.
- 81 “The first way, because they have mocked the Law of the Most High.
- 82 “The second way, because they cannot make a good repentance so that they now may live.
- 83 “The third way, they shall see the reward laid up for those who have trusted the Covenants of the Most High.
- 84 “The fourth way, they shall consider the torture laid up for themselves in the last days.
- 85 “The fifth way, they shall see how the dwellings of the others are guarded by messengers in deep rest.
- 86 “The sixth way, they shall see how some of them pass over into torture.
- 87 “The seventh way, which is greater than all the ways that have been spoken, because they shall utterly waste away in confusion and be consumed with shame, and shall wither with fear at seeing the esteem of the Most High in whose presence they sinned while they were alive, and in whose presence they are to be judged in the last days.
So concerning the wicked; do you see anything in there about bouncing from Hot Rock to Hot Rock or Living in a lake of fire when you die? NO. This may seem to fly against the scripture that we discussed earlier, Ecclesiastes 9:5-6, 10, and the Psalms that were read , that tell us the dead rest, but hang in there until we read from verse 88, which will reveal more, and we will see that the previously mentioned Scriptures concerning death, and rest, are true for the righteous. Moving forward to 2 Esdras 7, verse 88.- 2 Esdras 7, verse 88 [Yah Scriptures]
- 88 “And this is the order for those who have guarded the Ways of the Most High, when they are separated from their mortal body:
- 89 “During the time that they lived in it, they laboured to serve the Most High, and withstood danger every hour so they might guard the Law of the Lawgiver perfectly.
- 90 “Therefore this is the teaching concerning them: 91 “Firstly, they shall see with great joy the esteem of He who receives him, for they shall have rest in seven orders.
- 92 “The first order, because they strove with great effort to overcome the wicked thought that was formed with them, so that it might not lead them astray from ḥai unto death.
- 93 “The second order, because they see the confusion in which the beings of the unrighteous wander and the punishment that awaits them.
- 94 “The third order, they see the witness that He who formed them bears concerning them, that throughout their life they guarded the Law with which they were entrusted.
- 95 “The fourth order, they know the rest that they now enjoy, being gathered into their rooms and guarded by messengers in deep rest, and the esteem waiting for them in the last days.
- 96 “The fifth order, they rejoice that they have now escaped what is corruptible and shall inherit what is to come; and they also see the difficulty and toil from which they have been delivered, and the spacious freedom that they are to receive and enjoy in immortality.
- 97 “The sixth order, when it is shown them how their face is to shine like the sun, and how they are to be made like the light of the stars, being incorruptible from then on.
- 98 “The seventh order, which is greater than all that have been spoken, for they shall rejoice with boldness, and shall be confident without confusion, and shall be
glad without fear, for they press forward to see the face of He whom they served in life and from whom they are to receive their reward when esteemed. - 99 “This is the order of the beings of the righteous, which from now on is announced; and the previously spoken are the ways of torture that those who would not pay heed shall suffer from now on.”
- 100 Then I answered and said, “Shall there be time given to the beings after they have been separated from the bodies, to see what you have described to
me?”
- 101 And he said to me, “They shall have freedom for seven days, so that during these seven days they may see that of which you have been told, and afterwards they shall be gathered into their dwellings.”
Earlier we read 2 Esdras 7:78-87 which describes the 7 ways in which a person will be tortured, and like we said earlier, bouncing from hot rock to hot rock is not one of those tortures. They are tortured because they Know they will Not be in the Kingdom of Yah, and will not be with Yahuah Elohim and Messiah Yahusha, and Will Indeed be Placed in the Lake of Fire, whereby they will burn up into smoke and ashes. They will not live forever, they will not eat from the tree of life, nor will they drink from the river of life, again, they will be completely extinguished and turned into Smoke and Ashes, and they Know it. That's the Torture. Likewise, the Elect in the First Resurrection, and those that make it into the kingdom after the final Judgement, and their will be those that Make it into the Kingdom after the final Judgement. Now, Just like the Wicked know their future, So Too do the Righteous Know their Future, as we just read in 2 Esdras 7:88-101. So, as we look at the 7 ways in which the righteous rest, we can actually see an agreement with the canon, however, this scripture (2 Esdras 7:88-101), gives reason and further understanding for their profound rest, and it is Amazing that Yahuah Elohim, would share this with us through Ezra, don't you think? The 66 book Canon does not expand much on the unrighteous in Sheol. 2 Esdras 7 Does. One more think to consider, when in Sheol, one does not see the sun, moon, or stars. They do not know what day it is, nor do they have any worries whatsoever. Knowing they are guarded by Yah's Angels, knowing that they have a place in the kingdom, they are at peace, and They Simply Rest.
Now, even if it seems like we may be drifting from the subject at hand, it was necessary, because we need to have a basic understanding of what happens when one dies before discussing the possibilities of the title of this study.
Moving on, We still need to go through a few more verses in 2 Esdras 7, that being verses 102-105, which may have some bearing on the question at hand as well. Again, that being, "Can We Pray For The Dead".
- 2 Esdras 7:102-105 [Yah Scriptures]
- 102 And I answered and said, “If I have found favour in your eyes, show further to me, your servant, whether on the day of judgment the righteous shall be able to intercede for the unrighteous or to entreat the Most High for them -
- 103 fathers for sons or sons for parents, brothers for brothers, relatives for their relatives or friends for those who are most dear.”
- 104 And he answered me and said, “Since you have found favour in my eyes, I will show you this also. The day of judgment is certain and displays to all the sign of truth. Just as now a father does not send his son, or a son his father, or a master his servant, or a friend his dearest friend, to be sick or sleep or eat or be healed in his place,
- 105 so no one shall ever pray for another on that day, neither shall anyone lay a burden on another, for then all shall bear their own righteousness and
unrighteousness.”
When reading this passage, please keep in mind, this passage is speaking about the day of judgment. On that day, we will no longer be able to intercede on anyone's behalf, why? Because at that time, the reality will be as is mentioned in 2 Esdras 7:32-44. So, lets go there and let Scripture give us understanding.
- 2 Esdras 7:32-44 [Yah Scriptures]
- 32 and the earth shall restore those who are asleep within, and the dust and the secret places shall deliver those who dwell in silence, and those beings who were given to them.
- 33 “And the Most High shall appear upon the seat of judgment, and anguish shall pass away, and patience shall come to an end.
- 34 “But only judgment shall remain, truth shall stand, and belief shall grow strong.
- 35 And the works shall follow, and the rewards be revealed, and the good deeds shall be firm, and wicked deeds shall not reign.
- 36 “The pit of torture shall appear, and opposite shall be the place of rest; and the furnace of Gĕy-Hinnom shall be uncovered and the paradise of delight opposite.
- 37 “Then the Most High shall say to the nations that have been raised from the dead, ‘See, and know whom you have denied, whom you have not served, whose Commands you have despised.
- 38 ‘Look on this side and that; here is delight and rest, and there are fire and torture.’ So He shall speak to them on the day of judgment;
- 39 a day that has no sun or moon or stars,
- 40 or cloud or thunder or lightning, or wind or water or air, or darkness or evening or morning,
- 41 or summer or spring or heat, or winter or frost or cold, or hail or rain or dew,
- 42 or noon or night, or dawn or shining or bright light, but only the splendour of the esteem of the Most High, by which all shall see what has been appointed.
- 43 “It shall last as if for a week of years.
- 44 “This is My judgment and its appointed order; and to you alone have I shown these.”
On this day, Verse 33 and 34, tell us that All Anguish and Patience has passed. It is indeed time for Judgment. At this point in time, it is too late to intercede for anyone. So, right now, while we are here and we are not yet at the door of the final judgment, we can indeed intercede on the behalf of our loved ones. Also, Please Notice that Ezra was the only one that Yahuah told this account to. Therefore, this is the only place whereby you will see this information, for now. While most things have a witness within Scripture, Not All things Require a witness when the information was given to only one man. Alright, I still want to add a few more things before we make any conclusions, or observations concerning praying for the dead.
Consider this, When Yahusha cried with a loud voice, and gave up His Spirit to Yahuah, the vail of the temple was torn, and there was an earthquake, and tombs were opened. Lets read Matthew 27:50-52.
- Matthew 27:50-53
- 50 And Yahusha cried out again with a loud voice, and gave up His spirit.
- 51 And see, the veil of the Mishkan was torn in two from top to bottom, and the earth was shaken, and the rocks were split,
- 52 and the tombs were opened, and many bodies of the qodeshim [set-apart ones, or saints] who had fallen asleep were raised,
- 53 and coming out of the tombs after His resurrection, they went into the qodesh city and appeared to many.
People were actually brought back from the grave after the resurrection of our Messiah. That's right, Dead people came back from the grave, and went into the qodesh city, and appeared to many. Also, lets go to the 2nd book of Adam and Eve 18:7-14, for even more information this topic of coming back from the dead, in the flesh.
- 2 Adam and Eve 18:7-14 [Yah Scriptures]
- 7 But as he came near the cave, his children saw him and ran to the cave, and hugged his neck, crying, and saying to him, “O father, where have you been, and why have you left us because we know you did not want to?” And they spoke again saying, “Father, when you disappeared the lamp over the bodies of our fathers went out, and the bodies were thrown about, and voices came from them.”
- 8 When Yereḏ heard this he was sorry, and went into the cave; and there found the bodies thrown about, the lamp put out, and the fathers themselves praying for his deliverance from the hand of Satan.
- 9 Then Yereḏ fell upon the bodies and embraced them, and said, “My fathers, through your intercession, Elohim delivered me from the hand of Satan! I beg you to ask Elohim to keep me and to hide me from him to the day of my death.”
- 10 Then all the voices ceased except the voice of our father Aḏam, who spoke to Yereḏ by the power of Elohim, just as one would speak to his friend, saying, “Yereḏ, my son, offer gifts to Elohim for having delivered you from the hand of Satan. And when you bring those offerings, offer them on the same altar on which I gave offerings. Even then you must beware of Satan, for he deluded me many a time with his specters, wishing to destroy me, but Elohim delivered me out of his hand.
- 11 “Command your people that they be on their guard against him, and never cease to offer up gifts to Elohim.”
- 12 Then the voice of Aḏam also became silent; and Yereḏ and his children wondered at this. Then they laid the bodies as they were at first; and Yereḏ and his children stood praying the entire night, until break of day.
- 13 Then Yereḏ made an offering and offered it up on the altar, as Aḏam had commanded him. And as he went up to the altar, he prayed to Elohim for mercy and for forgiveness of his sin concerning the lamp going out.
- 14 Then Elohim appeared to Yereḏ on the altar and baraḵ him and his children, and accepted their offerings; and commanded Yereḏ to take of the sacred fire from the altar and light the lamp that shed light on the body of Aḏam.
Here we see again, that, through the power of Yahuah Elohim, there was indeed communication between the dead fathers and Yered. So we are seeing here, that communication with the dead is very much possible, especially if Yahuah makes it happen. His understanding is way beyond our understanding. His Wisdom is way beyond any wisdom, that we as mortals can poses. It is only through His Wisdom that you and I are here today, knowing what we do know in Him. I am going to add a couple scriptures to the mix, which may surprise you as we dive into a deeper discussion on the Topic of this study; "Can We Pray For The Dead?" Jasher 42:30-43:
- Jasher 42:30-43
- 30 And Yosĕph reached his mother’s grave, and Yosĕph hastened and ran to his mother’s grave, and fell upon the grave and wept.
- 31 And Yosĕph cried aloud upon his mother’s grave, and he said, “O my mother, my mother! O you who brought me forth, awake now, and rise and see your son, how he has been sold for a slave, and no one to pity him!
- 32 “O rise and see your son, weep with me because of my troubles, and see the heart of my brothers.
- 33 “Arise my mother, arise! Awake from your sleep for me, and direct your battles against my brothers. O how have they stripped me of my robe, and already sold me twice for a slave, and separated me from my father, and there is no one to pity me?
- 34 “Arise and lay your cause against them before Elohim, and see whom Elohim will justify in the judgment, and whom He will condemn.
- 35 “Arise, O my mother, arise. Awake from your sleep and see my father how his being is with me this day, and comfort him and ease his heart.”
- 36 And Yosĕph continued to speak these words, and Yosĕph cried aloud and wept bitterly upon his mother’s grave. And he ceased speaking, and from bitterness of heart he became still as a stone upon the grave.
- 37 And Yosĕph heard a voice speaking to him from beneath the ground, which answered him with bitterness of heart, and with a voice of weeping and praying in these words:
- 38 “My son, my son Yosĕph, I have heard the voice of your weeping and the voice of your lamentation. I have seen your tears. I know your troubles, my son, and it grieves me for your sake, and abundant grief is added to my grief.
- 39 “Now therefore my son, Yosĕph my son, hope to Yahuah, and wait for Him and do not fear, for Yahuah is with you, He will deliver you from all trouble.
- 40 “Rise my son, go down to Mitsrayim with your masters, and do not fear, for Yahuah is with you, my son.” And she continued to speak similar words to Yosĕph, and she was still.
- 41 And Yosĕph heard this, and he wondered greatly at this, but he continued to weep. And after this one of the Yishma’ĕlites observed him crying and weeping on the grave, and his wrath was kindled against him, and he drove him from there, and he struck him and cursed him.
- 42 And Yosĕph said to the men, “May I find favour in your sight to take me back to my father’s house, and he will give you abundant riches.”
- 43 And they answered him, saying, “Are you not a slave, and where is your father? And if you had a father you would not already twice have been sold for a slave for so little value!” And their wrath was still roused against him, and they continued to strike him and to chastise him, and Yosĕph wept bitterly.
Here we can clearly see Yoseph Crying out to his deceased mother, and Yes, His Mother Answers Him. Oh, and his Mother delivers a very important message to him, which was in verse 40, when she said: "go down to Mitsrayim with your masters, and do not fear, for Yahuah is with you my son. If Yahuah Elohim will use a donkey to deliver a message to someone, he can also use Yoseph's Mother, who was at rest in her chamber, to do the same for Yoseph.
Alright, there's more. We still need to talk about Yahusha's story concerning the Rich man and El'azar. The information here is going to be very important when breaking down the scriptures in this study. Luke 16:19-31:
- Luke 16:19-31 [Yah Scriptures]
- 19 “But there was a certain rich man who used to dress in purple and fine linen and lived luxuriously every day.
- 20 “And there was a certain beggar named El’azar, being covered with sores, who was placed at his gate,
- 21 and longing to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table. Indeed, even the dogs came and licked his sores.
- 22 “And it came to be that the beggar died, and was carried by the messengers to the bosom of Abraham. And the rich man also died and was buried.
- 23 “And while suffering tortures in the grave, having lifted up his eyes, he saw Aḇraham far away, and El’azar in his bosom.
- 24 “And crying out he said, ‘Father Aḇraham, have compassion on me, and send El’azar to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am
suffering in this flame.’ - 25 “But Aḇraham said, ‘Son, remember that in your life you received your good, and likewise El’azar the evil, but now he is comforted and you are suffering.
- 26 ‘And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been put, so that those who want to pass from here to you are unable, nor do those from there
pass to us.’ - 27 “And he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, that you would send him to my father’s house,
- 28 for I have five brothers, let him warn them, lest they also come to this place of torture.’
- 29 “Aḇraham said to him, ‘They have Mosheh and the Neḇi’im, let them hear them.’
- 30 “And he said, ‘No, father Aḇraham, but if someone from the dead goes to them, they shall repent.’
- 31 “But he said to him, ‘If they do not hear Mosheh and the Neḇi’im, neither would they be persuaded even if one should rise from the dead.’ ”
Here, Messiah Yahusha, is indeed delivering a parable, a story, which indicated in this story in verse 26, that there is no way for one to pass through from chamber or location, to another. This parable is also very possibly one taking place on the day of Judgement, as indicated by the rich man speaking of burning, when all evil will be thrown in the lake of fire. Again, it is a parable, a story, but with deep meaning; especially for those considering which side of the fence they want to be on when the day of death, and even the day of Judgment comes.
Now, we have saved one of the most relevant and "to the point scriptures", for such a time as this. Please listen and read with us very carefully, as we go to Maccabees (2) 12:39-45:
- Maccabees (2) 12:39-45
- 39 And on the following day, as the practice had been, Yahuḏah and his army came to take up the bodies of them that were slain, and to bury them with their relatives in their fathers’ graves.
- 40 Now under the cloaks of every one that was slain they found objects dedicated to the idols of Yaḇnĕh, which are forbidden by the Law for the Yahuḏim. Then every man saw that this was the reason why they had been slain.
- 41 All men therefore praised Yahuah the righteous Judge, who had revealed that which was hidden,
- 42 committed themselves to prayer, and begged Him that the sin committed might be completely blotted out of remembrance. Righteous Yahuḏah also encouraged the people to keep themselves from sin, because they saw before their eyes that which came upon those that were slain for their sins.
- 43 And when he had gathered from throughout the army the sum of two thousand draḵmas of silver, he sent it to Yerushalayim to offer a sin offering, acting very well and honourable in doing so, bearing in mind the resurrection.
- 44 For if he had not had expectancy that those that were slain would rise again, it would be unnecessary and worthless to pray for the dead.
- 45 And he also perceived that there was great favour stored up for those who died righteously, which was a qodesh and good thought. So he made an atonement for the dead, that they might be delivered from sin.
WOW, this passage gives a real answer to the question, and kind of a Smoking Gun, if you will. In this case, there was a command that was possibly, unknowingly, broken; and in battle, those that had, broken the command which was in question, died in battle. What did Yahudah do to rectify, or correct, the problem? He Prayed for the dead to our Elohim; but, To be more detailed about what transpired, Yahudah, atoned for the dead by sending an atonement offering to the priests in Yerushalayim to atone for the dead in battle, so that they would be delivered from their sin. And it came to be.
Can we get a witness for this scripture? Possibly, Yes. Lets go to Sirach 7:31-34:
- Sirach 7:31-34 [Yah Scriptures]
- 31 Revere Yahuah, and honour the kohĕn; And give him his portion, as it is Commanded you; The first-fruits, and the guilt offering, and the wave offering,
And the qodesh offering, and the first-fruits of qodeshah. - 32 And stretch out your hand to the poor, That your beraḵah may be perfected.
- 33 A gift has favour in the sight of every living man; And do not hold back for the dead.
- 34 Do not fail to accompany those who weep, And mourn with those who mourn.
I would say that this scripture is indeed telling us not to hold back from praying for the dead to our Elohim. Lets make sure by looking at another version of Sirach 7:33.
Let's take a look at the World English Bible Sirach 7:33:
- Sirach 7:33 [World English Bible]
- A gift has grace in the sight of every living man. Don’t withhold grace for a dead man.
I believe we are indeed seeing a witness here. Lets even get another witness by going to Sirach 22:11-12.
- Sirach 22:11-12
- 11 Weep for the dead, for he has lost the light; And weep for the fool, for he lacks understanding. Make little weeping for the dead, for he is at rest: But the life of the fool is worse than death.
- 12 Seven days men shall mourn for the dead; But all the days of his life for a fool and a wicked man.
This is very similar to Sirach 7:33. Lets take a look at the Sirach 22:11 in the Revised Version for a bit more clarification. - Sirach 22:11 [Revised Version]
- 11 Weep for the dead, for light hath failed him; And weep for a fool, for understanding hath failed him: Weep more sweetly for the dead, because he hath found rest; But the life of the fool is worse than death.
When a believer, a fellow brother weeps for the dead, that person is crying unto Yahuah Elohim, and today, in the name of Yahusha Messiah, they are crying to Yahuah our Elohim, for that loved one that has passed on from life to death. I would say these verses are very much related in that one is crying out, praying, weeping to Yahuah for a lost loved one.
All of the scriptures we just read, and let's not leave out Maccabees (2) 12:39-45, which has all given us a deeper understanding, of not only the term: "necromancy", but also, a deeper understanding of the term: "atonement", and "Prayer for a lost loved one", We can truly see a difference between Praying for the lost ones to our Elohim, Yahuah, and through our High Priest, our Messiah, Yahusha, and contacting the dead via Mediums and Spiritists, which we should know by now is, Necromancy.
Alright, we have unpacked a lot here, but there is more! Starting with 2 Esdras 7:106-109, I would like to do a little digging to see if we can find any kind of remote witness to Maccabees (2) 12:39-45.- 2 Esdras 7:106-109 [Yah Scriptures]
- 106 Then I said, “Aḇraham prayed first for the Seḏomites, and Mosheh for the fathers that sinned in the wilderness;
- 107 and Yahoshua after him for Yisra’ĕl in the time of Aḵan;
- 108 and Shemu’ĕl and Dawiḏ for the destruction; and Shelomoh for those who would come to the Miqdash (Sanctuary);
- 109 and Ĕliyahu for those who received rain; and for the dead, that he might live;
Here in 2 Esdras 7:109, we get yet, another witness, as it brings us to 1 Kings 17:18-23: Which is where Elijah Asks Yahuah Elohim to bring the life back into a dead child, in the flesh. So we see that there are those that pray for a fallen one, to Yahuah, and there are those that pray for Yahuah Elohim, to bring one Back from the dead to be restored in their mortal bodies. Lets read together.
- 1 Kings 17:18-23
- 18 And she said to Ĕliyahu, “What have I to do with you, O man of Elohim? Have you come to me to bring my wickedness to be remembered, and to kill my son?”
- 19 And he said to her, “Give me your son.” So he took him from her arms and took him to the upper room where he was dwelling, and laid him on his own bed,
- 20 and cried out to Yahuah and said, “O Yahuah my Elohim, have You also brought evil on the widow with whom I am sojourning, to kill her son?”
- 21 And he stretched himself out on the child three times, and cried out to Yahuah and said, “O Yahuah my Elohim, I pray, let the life of this child come back to him.”
- 22 And Yahuah heard the voice of Ĕliyahu, and the life of the child came back to him, and he lived.
- 23 And Ĕliyahu took the child and brought him down from the upper room into the house, and gave him to his mother. And Ĕliyahu said, “See, your son lives!”
Eliyahu Prayed to Yahuah, and Yahuah brought back the child to his mortal body. Yah again breathed life back into that physical body and the boy lived. This has happened several times in the scripture, as we see with our very own Messiah, Yahusha, bringing Lazarus back from the grave into his Mortal Body. Lets read John 11:41-44:
- YOḤANAN (John) 11:41-44 [Yah Scriptures]
- 41 So they took away the stone where the dead man was laid. And 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤔𐤏 lifted up His eyes and said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me.
- 42 “And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the crowd standing by I said this, in order that they believe that You sent Me.”
- 43 And when He had said this, He cried with a loud voice, “El’azar, come out!”
- 44 And he who died came out bound feet and hands with wrappings, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤔𐤏 said to them, “Loosen him, and let him go.”
Yes, Lazarus (El'azar) was indeed brought back to life in his mortal body, There is more, lets go to Acts 9:39-41:
- Acts 9:39-41 [Yah Scriptures]
- 39 And having risen up, Kĕpha went with them. And when he arrived, they brought him to the upper room. And all the widows stood beside him weeping, showing the inner garments and outer garments which Dorkas had made while she was with them.
- 40 But Kĕpha sent them all out, and knelt down and prayed. And turning to the body he said, “Taḇitha, arise.” And she opened her eyes, and seeing Kĕpha, she sat up.
- 41 And giving her his hand, he lifted her up. And calling the qodeshim and widows, he presented her alive.
Peter Prayed to our Elohim, and Life came back into Tabitha, and She was restored to her physical body. I am sure you also remember Acts 20, whereby Paul, falls on Eutukos, and it brings the man back to life, that fell 3 stories to his death. Acts 20:9-12:
- Acts 20:9-12 [Yah Scriptures]
- 9 And a certain young man, by name Eutuḵos, was sitting in a window, being overpowered by a deep sleep. As Sha’ul kept on reasoning, he was overcome
by sleep and fell down from the third storey, and was picked up dead. - 10 And Sha’ul, having gone down, fell on him, and embracing him said, “Do not be upset, for his life is in him.”
- 11 Then going up again, and having broken bread and eaten, he talked a long while, even till daybreak, and so went forth.
- 12 And they brought the young man in alive, and were encouraged, not a little.
In this passage, Paul embraces the man and tells the assembly not to be alarmed, that the life is still in the fallen man. We can see in this scripture, and the others as well, that the Set-Apart ones of Yah, do indeed pray for the dead, to our Elohim, and mourn for them as well.
I believe that we have enough information to come to a conclusion. Can we pray for a lost loved one? Perhaps a loved one that was unaware of their sin, or perhaps he or she was aware and remorseful of said sin? The Answer? Here it is: We have a High Priest, Yahusha our Messiah. We cannot atone for the dead loved one, accept through our Messiah Yahusha, our High Priest. Remember, in II Maccabees 12:43, Yahudah Gathered an Offering for those dead (that were quite possibly, unaware of their sin, or maybe they even knew of it, but it was too late), and Yahudah sent the money to Yerushalayim as a sin offering to atone for those people that died. Since that was the case, we can also ask of our Messiah, our High Priest, to atone for our loved one that passed, like Yahudah did for the forgiveness of sins of those that fell in battle. So also, when a loved one dies, and we mourn their loss, who are we praying TO in that time of mourning? Yahuah Elohim, of course, and even in the name of our Messiah, Yahusha. Now, this is just what I think through study in the Scriptures. Our hope is that you consider studying the scripture presented here, and come to your own conclusion. HalleluYah! All Glory to our Elohim!
