Ghost stories

 "From ghoulies and ghosties
And long-leggedy beasties
And things that go bump in the night,
Good Lord, deliver us!"

-Scottish prayer

Photo by Neven Krcmarek on Unsplash

Because it's Halloween week, let's take a look at some ghost stories found in the Bible!

The ghost of Samuel - In 1 Samuel 28, King Saul is terrified by the Philistine army that has assembled. He prays to God for guidance, but receives no answer, and so decides to seek out a medium - someone who might consult a spirit on his behalf. Putting on a disguise, Saul travels to see the medium, or witch, of Endor, and asks her to consult the spirit of the prophet Samuel, who had recently died. Samuel is indeed summoned, but the news for Saul is not good. Seeking out the dead is expressly forbidden, and Saul's actions here highlight just how far he's fallen from favor. In contrast to the faithful Samuel, Saul is seen as faithless and disobedient, and as a result, his kingdom is torn away from him and given instead to David.

Jesus on the water - Following the feeding of the 5,000 in Matthew's Gospel, Jesus puts the disciples in a boat and sends them out ahead of him across the sea. Early the next morning, he came walking toward them on the sea, and when the disciples see him, they are terrified because they think it is a ghost approaching them! But Jesus speaks and reassures them - "Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid."

The resurrected Jesus - When Jesus appears to the disciples following his resurrection, he seems at first to be a ghost - moving through locked doors and standing among them. But, when Jesus shows them his wounded body, and eats in front of them, they see that he is indeed alive. From Luke 24: "Why are you frightened, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? Look at my hands and my feet; see that it is I myself. Touch me and see; for a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have." 

The Holy Ghost - The Holy Spirit and Holy Ghost are one and the same; "spirit" derives from the Latin translation, and "ghost" from Old English. This third person of the Trinity is present throughout the Bible, most notably at creation, and then in the form of tongues of fire and a dove, descending on the gathered believers at Pentecost. 

When scary or surprising things happen in our lives, we can feel disoriented and afraid. In those times, we trust that the Holy Spirit is there with us, providing strength and comfort and encouragement. We give thanks for a God who is present always, in the tricks and treats of life!