Coast to Coast AM - Oct 29 2008 - Ghosts in the Ancient World

Ghosts in the Ancient World

Expert in theology and biblical languages Mike Heiser discussed ghosts & spirits in the Bible and other ancient literature. The Old Testament occasionally writes of spirits of the deceased and differentiates them from demons. But mostly, the Bible makes prohibitions against contact with the dead (necromancy), such as with a medium. One exception is the incident involving Saul and the Witch of Endor (see below).

Belief in disembodied spirits and the underworld was prevalent across many ancient cultures such as in Israel, Egypt, Mesopotamia and Assyria. Interactions between the living and their family ancestors was common place-- in Mesopotamia, the dead were thought to lead normal leaves and even pay taxes, he noted. In the Egyptian concept of the afterlife, the "akh" was a spirit or ghost that could dwell in our realm.

The underworld (called Sheol by the Hebrews) had its own "cosmic geography" with both good and bad areas, such as the abyss, pit, meadows, and fields, and was inhabited by a range of beings, including angels, demons, and departed spirits, he detailed. Heiser also touched on his study of Sitchin, UFOs and ETs. :wave: