These are two major parts of Christianity, I am curious to know if the Jews of the Old Testament time believed in an afterlife and if they believed in demons.
I have read various parts of the OT where I believe it refers to demons or evil spirits posing as gods, it has also been rumored that King Solomon was an exorcist.
Then again, if the traditional Jews did believe in an afterlife, why have some Orthodox Jews chosen only to live their lives in the material world? It seems that allot of praciticing Jewish circles reject the idea of judgement after death and profess to spirituality in harmony with God for life-filled blessings, no souls or eternal life or anything.
So can I have an informed opinion?
Well ...Since there were laws forbiding seances and consulting a spiritist ...I am guesing they had to believe in an afterlife...
Lev 20:27 Prohibition against Spiritists and Mediums
" 'A man or woman who has in them a spirit of the dead or a familiar spirit must be put to death. They must pelt them with stones; their blood guilt is on themselves.' "
1Sa 28:6 So Saul inquired of the LORD, but the LORD did not answer him — not by dreams nor by Urim nor by the prophets.
1Sa 28:7 So Saul instructed his servants, "Find me a woman who is a medium, so that I may go to her and inquire of her." His servants replied to him, "There is a woman who is a medium in Endor."
1Sa 28:8 So Saul disguised himself and put on other clothing and left, accompanied by two of his men. They came to the woman at night and said, "Use your ritual pit to conjure up for me the one I tell you."
1Sa 28:9 But the woman said to him, "Look, you are aware of what Saul has done; he has removed the mediums and magicians from the land! Why are you trapping me so you can put me to death?"
1Sa 28:10 But Saul swore an oath to her by the LORD, "As surely as the LORD lives, you will not incur guilt in this matter!"
1Sa 28:11 The woman replied, "Who is it that I should bring up for you?" He said, "Bring up for me Samuel."
1Sa 28:12 When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out loudly. The woman said to Saul, "Why have you deceived me? You are Saul!"
1Sa 28:13 The king said to her, "Don't be afraid! What have you seen?" The woman replied to Saul, "I have seen one like a god coming up from the ground!"
1Sa 28:14 He said to her, "What about his appearance?" She said, "An old man is coming up! He is wrapped in a robe!"
Then Saul realized it was Samuel, and he bowed his face toward the ground and kneeled down.
1Sa 28:15 Samuel said to Saul, "Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?" Saul replied, "I am terribly troubled! The Philistines are fighting against me and God has turned away from me. He does not answer me — not by the prophets nor by dreams. So I have called on you to tell me what I should do."
1Sa 28:16 Samuel said, "Why are you asking me, now that the LORD has turned away from you and has become your enemy?
1Sa 28:17 The LORD has done exactly as I prophesied! The LORD has torn the kingdom from your hand and has given it to your neighbor David!
1Sa 28:18 Since you did not obey the LORD and did not carry out his fierce anger against the Amalekites, the LORD has done this thing to you today.
1Sa 28:19 The LORD will hand you and Israel over to the Philistines! Tomorrow both you and your sons will be with me. The LORD will also hand the army of Israel over to the Philistines!"
Deu 32:16 They made him jealous with other gods,
they enraged him with abhorrent idols.
Deu 32:17 They sacrificed to demons,not God,
to gods they had not known;
to new gods who had recently come along,
gods your ancestors had not known about.
Psa 106:34 They did not destroy the nations,
as the LORD had commanded them to do.
Psa 106:35 They mixed in with the nations
and learned their ways.
Psa 106:36 They worshiped their idols,
which became a snare to them.
Psa 106:37 They sacrificed their sons and daughters to demons.
Then again, if the traditional Jews did believe in an afterlife, why have some Orthodox Jews chosen only to live their lives in the material world? It seems that allot of praciticing Jewish circles reject the idea of judgement after death and profess to spirituality in harmony with God for life-filled blessings, no souls or eternal life or anything.
I think there are many professing christians living that way as well...They will say with their lips that they believe in judgment but they do not live that way....
That's what I see anyway...
Blessings ... Missy
