What Does The Bible Say About Cremation Verses Burial

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I. What Does The Bible Say About Cremation?1. Let me start by saying the Bible does not say anything aboutcremation per se. But we do find several instances in thescriptures where cremations were either performed or commandedby God as a judgment for sin.(A) Let’s begin with one we are very familiar with, and that is thedestruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. Please turn with me toGenesis 19.Remember the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were guiltyof all kinds of grave sins against God, with homosexualitybeing the most prevalent. After sending angels to getAbraham’s nephew, Lot, and his family out of Sodom, Godsent his judgment upon Sodom and Gomorrah.23 The sun had risen upon the earth when Lot entered Zoar.24 Then the Lord rained brimstone and fire on Sodom andGomorrah, from the Lord out of the heavens.25 So He overthrew those cities, all the plain, all the inhabitantsof the cities, and what grew on the ground.God’s righteous judgment against these two cities resulted ina mass cremation of all the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrahand the surrounding area.(B) Let’s look at another instance of cremation. Turn to Joshua 7.Here we find the account of Achan. Achan, you remember hadtaken “spoils” from the fallen city of Jericho after God commandedthe Israelites to take nothing from the city. Achan hid theseitems in his tent.And in the days that followed, the Israelites started losingon the battlefield, and couldn’t understand why. That is untilAchan’s secret sin was exposed. In verses 24,25 we seeJoshua carrying out God’s judgment against Achan and hisfamily.
24 Then Joshua, and all Israel with him, took Achan the sonof Zerah, the silver, the garment, the wedge of gold, hissons, his daughters, his oxen, his donkeys, his sheep, histent, and all that he had, and they brought them to theValley of Achor.25 And Joshua said, “Why have you troubled us? The Lordwill trouble you this day.” So all Israel stoned him withstones; and they burned them with fire after they hadstoned them with stones.(C) Now turn with me I Samuel 31.In this account King Saul and his troops had engaged thePhilistine army in battle. The Philistine army killed King Saul’sthree sons, most notably, Jonathan.After being wounded by a Philistine arrow, King Saul askedhis armor bearer to kill him to spare him from being killed bythe Philistines. When his armor bearer refused, King Saulfell on his own sword and took his life.When the Philistine army discovered the bodies of King Sauland his sons among the dead, they cut off Saul’s head andfastened the bodies of Saul and his sons on the wall ofBeth Shan as “trophies.”Let’s pick up the record in VERSES 11-13.11 Now when the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead heard what thePhilistines had done to Saul,12 all the valiant men arose and traveled all night, and took the bodyof Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Beth Shan; andthey came to Jabesh and burned them there.13 Then they took their bones and buried themunder thetamarisk tree at Jabesh, and fasted seven days.(1 Samuel 31:11-13 NKJV)
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What Does The Bible Say About Cremation Verses Burial

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