On television recently in both the non-fiction and fiction context I have noticed some television series and films which seemingly assume that the spirit world may often consist of departed human souls 'haunting' those human beings which still reside in the temporal state in this earthly realm.
A Biblical perspective:
New American Standard Version
In 1 Samuel 28, Saul visited a woman involved in spiritism, a medium (verse 7) at En-dor.
11 Then the woman said, “Whom shall I bring up for you?” And he said, “Bring up Samuel for me.” 12 When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out with a loud voice; and the woman spoke to Saul, saying, “Why have you deceived me? For you are Saul.” 13 The king said to her, “Do not be afraid; but what do you see?” And the woman said to Saul, “I see a divine being coming up out of the earth.” 14 He said to her, “What is his form?” And she said, “An old man is coming up, and he is wrapped with a robe.” And Saul knew that it was Samuel, and he bowed with his face to the ground and did homage.
15 Then Samuel said to Saul, “Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?” And Saul answered, “I am greatly distressed; for the Philistines are waging war against me, and God has departed from me and no longer answers me, either through prophets or by dreams; therefore I have called you, that you may make known to me what I should do.” 16 Samuel said, “Why then do you ask me, since the Lord has departed from you and has become your adversary? 17 The Lord has done accordingly as He spoke through me; for the Lord has torn the kingdom out of your hand and given it to your neighbor, to David. 18 As you did not obey the Lord and did not execute His fierce wrath on Amalek, so the Lord has done this thing to you this day. 19 Moreover the Lord will also give over Israel along with you into the hands of the Philistines, therefore tomorrow you and your sons will be with me. Indeed the Lord will give over the army of Israel into the hands of the Philistines!”
This would be a rare Biblical example of the spirit of a departed person 'making an appearance'. This was however done in a Biblical, Hebrew Bible context by an Old Testament Prophet for a special purpose on behalf of God. Laurence E. Porter writes that Samuel in spirit form explains that Saul's questions had already been answered previously and been ignored and that the very next day, Saul and his son's of Israel's army would be killed by the Philistines. Porter (1986: 372). From this story and event it should not be reasoned that this is a typical, normative type of occurrence as far a spiritual interaction from the spirit world with the earthly temporal realm.
Where does the departed spirit reside?
New Testament Greek Bauer on page 614 describes Paradise from Luke 23, 2 Corinthians 12 and Revelation 2 as a place above the earth. Now from my philosophical/theological perspective I do not take this plain literally, I reason this is figurative language being used. It is not some place in the clouds, or above the clouds, or even beyond the solar system or beyond the physical universe, as in a place that can be physically found via space/travel. It is a place of a different realm, likely non-physical and definitely spiritual.
The Bible teaches that Paradise is a place where spirits of those persons in Christ go after death, and Old Testament/Hebrew Bible saints went to spiritually after death.
Again, the Bible teaches this using figurative literal language.
I have speculated that because human beings are used to and made for physicality, Paradise may consist of, and I state may consist of, a simulated physicality that seems like earth to the persons that are there.
On the other hand there is the school of thought that when one dies in Christ he or she may almost immediately awaken in the resurrected body making the Paradise references strongly metaphorical as opposed to figurative literal. This will not be immediate, but will seem to be.
This is certainly orthodox and possible, but I question whether Jesus meant this by the use of 'today' to the criminal on the cross. Strong notes that it has to do with now and present. Strong (1890)(1986: 87).
There is also the issue of Paul's 2 Corinthians reference and his willingness to consider departing the body to be with the Lord in Philippians 1. This seems to me points to a somewhat literal understanding of Paradise.
There is not a Biblical concept of deceased New or Old Testament believers hovering around the earthly temporal realm. They would appear to reside in Paradise.
For all persons there is the Biblical concept of the existence of the spirit and judgment after death (Hebrews 9: 27). There is a concept of Hades for those outside of Christ, or a relationship with the God of Hebrew Bible prior to Christ’s atoning work and resurrection. For example in Luke 16 which is the story of the Rich man in Hades and Lazarus in Paradise. It may very well be a parable. Questions can be asked if the dead rich man had a body in Hades? Was he in flames? Would water from the tip of the finger of Lazarus cool off his tongue somewhat from the agony? From scholarship it probably is a parable and not plain literal. Does it mean, however, Hades is not a place at all? Not necessarily so. The parable could be describing a spiritual realm in figurative literal terms. Or describing a place of spiritual punishment similar to being in flames from a temporal earthly human perspective.
Again, from a Biblical perspective there is not licence for those deceased outside of Christ to be viewed as wandering within the earthly temporal realm in spiritual form. They would appear confined to Hades.
As well, in the future with Revelation Chapter 20, Hades is eventually thrown in the lake of fire. The lake of fire appears a figurative literal location for likely resurrected unbelievers outside of Christ. Verse 15 states that anyone’s name not found in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire. So, Biblically anyone not in Christ ends up in this realm.
Literal flames? Not likely, due to the figurative type of language used although possible I suppose if persons have resurrected bodies.
In the future believers participate in the New Heaven and New Earth of Revelation 21-22, 2 Peter 3. See also 1 Corinthians 15.
Really it seems like philosophical nonsense.
These assumptions lead me to reason that too many persons watched too many episodes of Scooby-Doo when they were younger.
'Shaggy'.
If something of the spiritual nature actually is taking place and not something that is just fraudulent or something that can be explained scientifically, the spiritual beings involved would likely not be human at all, but more powerful supernatural beings. This is of course not to preclude the possibility that God himself could be at work, so I shall state that if it is finite supernatural beings involved, those likely would be from a Biblical perspective, angelic and/or demonic beings.
Browning states in regard to angels, that they bear messages from God, they are supernatural, are opposed by evil angels under Satan. Browning (1997: 16). Importantly for our context of potential 'hauntings', Erickson notes that angelic beings have great power and this includes Satanic beings. Erickson (1994: 441). Therefore, they would be potential culprits for actual legitimate 'hauntings' that do take place. One should remember that angelic beings are not a race and so may not all be near identical in nature, however. In other words, from Scripture we cannot be certain, although angelic beings have rankings, if God made them similar ontologically.
BAUER, WALTER (1979) A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, Translated by Eric H. Wahlstrom, Chicago, The University of Chicago Press.
BROWNING, W.R.F. (1997) Dictionary of the Bible, Oxford, Oxford University Press.
ERICKSON, MILLARD (1994) Christian Theology, Grand Rapids, Baker Book House.
PORTER, LAURENCE.E. (1986) ‘1 and 2 Samuel’, in F.F. Bruce (gen.ed.), The International Bible Commentary, Grand Rapids, Marshall Pickering/ Zondervan.
STRONG, J. (1890)(1986) Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, Pickering, Ontario, Welch Publishing Company.
