Do Our Ancestors Watch Over Us?

When someone dies, are they simply lost to us?  Are they absorbed into the Heavenly choir, never to think of us again?  Do they sink into a suspended animation, aware of nothing at all? 

Even for Christians who believe in the promise of eternal life, death can still have a cruel sting for those left behind on earth.  Our loved ones go on to a better place, but we are left with silence.

A Human Universal:

I was at a friend's wedding a couple years back.  His wonderful mother had tragically passed away a year before the wedding.  When the best man gave the toast, he confidently asserted that the groom’s mother was smiling down upon them that day.  People nodded in agreement and others got a bit teary (me!).  Absolutely no one stood up and said, “That is theologically inaccurate!”

It is a common sentiment - and a comforting one.  But I understand there are some groups Bible-reading folks who actually would object to the sentiment expressed by the speaker.  So I thought I’d take a closer Biblical look at this question: 

                Are our beloved dead really able to watch us? 

                Is this a question that Scripture addresses? 

You bet. 

There are a number of places one could look, but I’m going to highlight the three major ones.

Bibling! 

The Parable of the Lost Sheep:  Jesus tells a parable of a good shepherd leaving his entire flock to search for a single lost sheep.  At the conclusion of this parable, He says,

“There will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.”  - Luke 15:7

In saying this, Jesus indicates that those in Heaven are capable of knowing that such an event occurred. 

The Martyrs in Heaven: The book of Revelation is largely a vision of Heaven which was given to John.  As the vision begins, he sees the souls of people who had been martyred on earth.  That is to say, they’re dead.  However, they call out to the Lord saying:

“How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?”  - Revelation 6:10

This passage tells us they are conscious, able to communicate, and apparently aware that the vindication they seek has not yet begun to transpire on Earth.

The Cloud of Witnesses:  The letter to the Hebrews features a long section listing the righteous actions of the Old Testament heroes in chapter 11.  As the author concludes this litany of heroes he says,

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us.” – Hebrews 12:1

In saying this, the author of Hebrews is giving us the sense that these Old Testament heroes are in Heaven watching us.      

A Counter Example?

This is a reference to the book of Ecclesiastes, which says:

“For the living know they will die, but the dead no longer know anything” - Ecclesiastes 9:5  

Some groups seize upon that statement to propose that the dead go into a state of suspended consciousness called “soul sleep”.  In this state they would cease to have any conscious experience or awareness until the resurrection of the dead.

What they fail to take into account is the type of literature one is reading in the book of Ecclesiastes.  Right from the start, the author says his task is to record the wisdom of world.  He says:

“I, the Teacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem.  I applied my mind to study and to explore by wisdom all that is done under the heavens. What a heavy burden God has laid on mankind!  I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind.” – Ecclesiastes 1: 12-14

What follows is a cynical, pessimistic description of the world from an outlook that is devoid of God.  So you get gems like, “wine gives cheer to life while money is the answer to everything” [Ecc 10:19] and statements saying life is horrible and not worth living [Ecc 4:3].  It is in that perspective that the author says, “the dead know nothing.”

In other words, that WOULD be the case in a Godless universe.  But since god DOES exist, we should suspect the opposite of being true.

Trusting Your Feelings:

Throughout human history, cultures have sought out ways to commune with their ancestors and their deceased loved ones.  We can look at these efforts as an expression of a deep longing of the human heart.  It is the hope that our loved ones are not simply lost to us.  That we can, somehow, continue to share our lives with them despite their absence. 

That hope points us to something true.