This quarter we are studying how biblical allusions, among other things, help us interpret prophecy. The last book of the Bible truly becomes a revelation of Christ for those who are grounded in biblical teachings. One of these teachings is about what happens when a person dies, and another is about who the angels are.

One of the saddest things I have ever had to do was go to a funeral for a little girl who was hit and killed by a car. At the funeral, the minister talked about how much fun Jesus and the little girl were having in heaven right now. I thought, how cruel the minister was to make Jesus look as though he deprived the poor mother of her daughter so He could play with her!

Jesus does not break our hearts and tear our world apart so He can have fun with our loved ones while we suffer. Jesus will be reunited with the little girl at the same time the mother is –  at the Second Coming. This is why it is so important to study the topic of death in the light of the cross,  the light of God’s love. 

Image © Kevin Carden at Goodsalt.com

The minister even referred to King David as going straight to heaven to be with his son who had died. After the service, I wanted to mention to the minister what Peter said in Acts 2 while sharing the prophecies about Jesus in Scripture. 

“For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he says himself: ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.” Acts 2:34-35 NKJV

Peter clarifies that David’s prophecy was about Jesus and not himself, as David has not gone to heaven yet, but remains in his grave, awaiting the resurrection. 

The minister then talked about how the little girl who died is now an angel watching over us. Many believe that angels are our dead loved ones. They find comfort in the false idea that our dead loved ones are watching over us, but this lie not only leads to spiritualism, but it also leads to idolatry. It puts dead loved ones in the place of God. I find it comforting to know that God is watching over me. Why would I think my dead loved ones watching over me would be more comforting than God watching over me, when my soul hungers and thirsts for God’s love more than my family’s love? 

Nowhere does the Bible teach that our dead loved ones are angels. As a matter of fact, in Genesis we read:

So He drove out the man; and He placed cherubim at the east of the garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life. Genesis 3:24 NKJV

We know cherubim are angels. Genesis 3:24 refers to cherubim before anyone has died. Therefore, angels are clearly not our dead loved ones. God Himself and the angels of heaven are watching over us now and directing the mission of saving the people of this world, while our dead ones are resting from their labors. I find that way more thrilling and amazing than the lie that my dead loved ones are watching over me. The Bible teaches me that our dead loved ones are taking a deserved rest. 

Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.’ ” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them.” Revelation 14:13 NKJV

The word angels means “messengers,” and the Bible refers to two heavenly messengers by name. One is  “Gabriel” in Daniel 8:15,16; Daniel 9:21; Luke 1:19, 26. Daniel and Revelation also refer to “Michael,” who is identified as the archangel/chief angel (Jude 1:19) and leader of the angels who fought against “the dragon” in heaven and cast him out (Rev. 12:7). Daniel tells of Michael personally intervening in the affairs of this earth (Daniel 10:13,21 and Daniel 12:1).  Knowing this helps us interpret Revelation correctly.

While looking at Genesis and Revelation, let’s look at another passage that the lie of spiritualism has skewed. 

When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held. And they cried with a loud voice, saying, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” Then a white robe was given to each of them; and it was said to them that they should rest a little while longer, until both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren, who would be killed as they were, was completed. Revelation 6:9-11 NKJV

Many twist this passage to say that the souls of dead loved ones are literally under the altar in heaven. This makes no sense literally, as we will not be living under an altar in heaven. Plus, if the dead are currently in heaven, why would they be asking for vengeance against those who put them in heaven? Knowing that the dead rest in their graves keeps us from misinterpreting this passage. 

Remember in Genesis 4:10 God tells Cain that Abel’s blood was crying out for vengeance. Abel’s blood was not literally crying out. It was symbolic. The situation was symbolically crying out for justice. Likewise, in Revelation 6:9-11, the situation symbolically cries out for justice, while the dead continue to rest. 

From Genesis to Revelation, the Bible is clear that God is love. God loves us more than our family loves us, and therefore the truth about God and angels is comforting, knowing God Himself and His angels are watching over us, and not our dead loved ones. God will also not tear a young mother’s world apart so He can have fun with the mother’s child. When a child dies, God will be reunited with the child at the same time the mother is – at the Second Coming. 

The Revelation was never meant to be a “closed” book, difficult to interpret. To all diligent Bible students, the Revelation is truly a revelation of Christ. So, if you want to understand Revelation better, spend more time in really studying the rest of the Bible. Don’t confine your Bible study a weekly Sabbath School lesson, but study the Bible, book by book, remembering that Christ Himself is the ultimate revelation of God. Then you will understand the message God put in each of the 66 books of the Bible, including the Revelation. 

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