Page 42 - Prophetic Word Newsletters Archive 2006 by Pastor Randy Shupe

THE BIBLICAL ARGUMENT AGAINST 43
CREMATION OF THE BODY OF A BELIEVER

“NOW ALL THESE THINGS HAPPENED TO THEM
AS EXAMPLES, AND THEY WERE WRITTEN FOR

OUR ADMONITION, ON WHOM THE END
OF THE AGES HAVE COME.”
1 Cor. 10:11

We have seen the positive examples recorded in God’s Word supporting burial. What then do we find
recorded as negative examples that should convince a believer to shun the practice of cremation?
Consider the evidence that God is not only against those who practice cremation, but that He Himself
uses fire as a cursive judgment upon the disobedient:

“THUS SAYS THE LORD: ‘FOR THREE TRANSGRESSIONS OF MOAB, AND NOT FOR FOUR; I WILL
NOT TURN AWAY ITS PUNISHMENT, BECAUSE HE BURNED THE BONES OF THE KING OF EDOM TO

LIME. BUT I WILL SEND A FIRE UPON MOAB, AND IT SHALL DEVOUR…’ ” Amos 2:1-2

“IF A MAN MARRIES A WOMAN AND HER MOTHER, IT IS WICKEDNESS. THEY SHALL BE BURNED
WITH FIRE, BOTH HE AND THEY, THAT THERE MAY BE NO WICKEDNESS AMONG YOU.” Lev. 20:14

“THE DAUGHTER OF ANY PRIEST, IF SHE PROFANES HERSELF BY PLAYING THE HARLOT,
SHE PROFANES HER FATHER. SHE SHALL BE BURNED WITH FIRE.” Lev. 21:9

“AND IT CAME TO PASS, ABOUT THREE MONTHS AFTER, THAT JUDAH WAS TOLD, SAYING,
‘TAMAR YOUR DAUGHTER-IN-LAW HAS PLAYED THE HARLOT; FURTHERMORE SHE IS WITH CHILD

BY HARLOTRY.” SO JUDAH SAID, ‘BRING HER OUT AND LET HER BE BURNED!” Gen.38:24

“ISRAEL HAS SINNED…FOR THEY HAVE EVEN TAKEN SOME OF THE ACCURSED THINGS, AND HAVE
BOTH STOLEN AND DECEIVED; AND THEY HAVE ALSO PUT IT AMONG THEIR OWN STUFF…THEN IT
SHALL BE THAT HE WHO HAS TAKEN WITH THE ACCURSED THING SHALL BE BURNED WITH FIRE,
HE AND ALL THAT HE HAS, BECAUSE HE HAS TRANSGRESSED THE COVENANT OF THE LORD, AND

BECAUSE HE HAS DONE A DISGRACEFUL THING IN ISRAEL…SO ALL ISRAEL STONED HIM WITH
STONES; AND THEY BURNED THEM WITH FIRE AFTER THEY HAD STONED THEM WITH STONES…

SO THE LORD TURNED FROM THE FIERCENESS OF HIS ANGER…” Joshua 7:11,15, 25,26
“THEN NADAB AND ABIHU, THE SONS OF AARON, EACH TOOK HIS CENSER AND PUT FIRE IN IT,

PUT INCENSE ON IT, AND OFFERED PROFANE FIRE BEFORE THE LORD, WHICH HE HAD NOT
COMMANDED THEM. SO FIRE WENT OUT FROM THE LORD AND DEVOURED THEM, AND THEY DIED

BEFORE THE LORD.” Lev. 10:1-2
“AND A FIRE CAME OUT FROM THE LORD AND CONSUMED THE TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY MEN

WHO WERE OFFERING INCENSE…” Numbers 16:35
“THEY WENT UP ON THE BREADTH OF THE EARTH AND SURROUNDED THE CAMP OF THE SAINTS AND THE

BELOVED CITY. AND FIRE CAME DOWN FROM GOD OUT OF HEAVEN AND DEVOURED THEM.” Rev. 20:9

“AND ANYONE NOT FOUND WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF LIFE WAS CAST INTO THE LAKE OF FIRE…
THE COWARDLY, UNBELIEVING, ABOMINABLE, MURDERERS, SEXUALLY IMMORAL, SORCERERS, IDOLATERS,
AND ALL LIARS SHALL HAVE THEIR PART IN THE LAKE OF FIRE WHICH BURNS WITH FIRE AND BRIMSTONE,

WHICH IS THE SECOND DEATH.” Rev. 20:15, 21:8

Fire is God’s judgment upon the unbelieving and the disobedient. The destruction of the physical body by
fire was the final act of His wrath upon those who did abominations before His face. Such an eternal fire
faces the unbeliever and the disobedient. Considering all the above evidence of how God has used the
burning of the bodies of the disobedient and rebellious, why then should a believer in Jesus Christ choose
to have his/her body cremated by fire? Do we want to identify with the punishment of the disobedient or
with the faithful obedient who reverently bury their body in hope of the resurrection?

Satan “deceives the whole world” (Rev.12:9). If we, as followers of God are not careful to take our direction
solely from the Word of God instead of from the misdirection of “the god of this world” (2 Cor.4:4), then we
too can be deceived (Mat. 24:24).