1 Samuel 28:3-15 NRSV
[3]
Now Samuel had died, and all Israel had mourned for him and buried him in Ramah, his own city. Saul had expelled the mediums and the wizards from the land. [4] The Philistines assembled, and came and encamped at Shunem. Saul gathered all Israel, and they encamped at Gilboa. [5] When Saul saw the army of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart trembled greatly. [6] When Saul inquired of the Lord, the Lord did not answer him, not by dreams, or by Urim, or by prophets. [7] Then Saul said to his servants, “Seek out for me a woman who is a medium, so that I may go to her and inquire of her.” His servants said to him, “There is a medium at Endor.” [8] So Saul disguised himself and put on other clothes and went there, he and two men with him. They came to the woman by night. And he said, “
Consult a spirit for me, and bring up for me the one whom I name to you.” [9] The woman said to him, “Surely you know what Saul has done, how he has cut off the mediums and the wizards from the land. Why then are you laying a snare for my life to bring about my death?” [10] But Saul swore to her by the Lord, “As the Lord lives, no punishment shall come upon you for this thing.” [11] Then the woman said, “
Whom shall I bring up for you?” He answered, “
Bring up Samuel for me.” [12] When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out with a loud voice; and the woman said to Saul, “Why have you deceived me? You are Saul!” [13] The king said to her, “Have no fear; what do you see?” The woman said to Saul, “I see a divine being coming up out of the ground.” [14] He said to her, “What is his appearance?” She said, “An old man is coming up; he is wrapped in a robe.”
So Saul knew that it was Samuel, and he bowed with his face to the ground, and did obeisance. [15]
Then Samuel said to Saul, “Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?” Saul answered, “I am in great distress, for the Philistines are warring against me, and God has turned away from me and answers me no more, either by prophets or by dreams; so I have summoned you to tell me what I should do.”
Job 10:20-22 NRSV
[20] Are not the days of my life few? Let me alone, that I may find a little comfort [21] before I go, never to return, to the land of gloom and deep darkness, [22]
the land of gloom and chaos, where light is like darkness.”
Isaiah 14:9-15 NRSV
[9]
Sheol beneath is stirred up to meet you when you come;
it rouses the shades to greet you, all who were leaders of the earth; it raises from their thrones all who were kings of the nations. [10]
All of them will speak and say to you: “You too have become as weak as we! You have become like us!” [11] Your pomp is brought down to Sheol, and the sound of your harps; maggots are the bed beneath you, and worms are your covering. [12] How you are fallen from heaven, O Day Star, son of Dawn! How you are cut down to the ground, you who laid the nations low! [13] You said in your heart, “I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit on the mount of assembly on the heights of Zaphon; [14] I will ascend to the tops of the clouds, I will make myself like the Most High.” [15]
But you are brought down to Sheol, to the depths of the Pit.
Ezekiel 32:17-32 NRSV
[17] In the twelfth year, in the first month, on the fifteenth day of the month, the word of the Lord came to me: [18] Mortal, wail over the hordes of Egypt, and send them down, with Egypt and the daughters of majestic nations,
to the world below, with those who go down to the Pit. [19] “Whom do you surpass in beauty? Go down! Be laid to rest with the uncircumcised!” [20] They shall fall among those who are killed by the sword. Egypt has been handed over to the sword; carry away both it and its hordes. [21]
The mighty chiefs shall speak of them, with their helpers, out of the midst of Sheol: “They have come down, they lie still, the uncircumcised, killed by the sword.”
Jonah 2:2-6 NIV
[2] He said: “In my distress I called to the Lord, and he answered me.
From deep in the realm of the dead I called for help, and you listened to my cry. [3] You hurled me into the depths, into the very heart of the seas, and the currents swirled about me; all your waves and breakers swept over me. [4] I said, ‘I have been banished from your sight; yet I will look again toward your holy temple.’ [5] The engulfing waters threatened me, the deep surrounded me; seaweed was wrapped around my head. [6] To the roots of the mountains I sank down;
the earth beneath barred me in forever. But you, Lord my God, brought my life up from the pit.
Numbers 16:31-34 NIV
[31] As soon as he finished saying all this, the ground under them split apart [32] and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them and their households, and all those associated with Korah, together with their possessions. [33]
They went down alive into the realm of the dead, with everything they owned; the earth closed over them, and they perished and were gone from the community. [34] At their cries, all the Israelites around them fled, shouting, “The earth is going to swallow us too!”
Psalms 88:3-12 NRSV
[3] For my soul is full of troubles, and my life draws near to Sheol. [4] I am counted among those who go down to the Pit; I am like those who have no help, [5] like those forsaken among the dead, like the slain that lie in the grave, like those whom you remember no more, for they are cut off from your hand. [6] You have put me in the depths of the Pit, in the regions dark and deep. [7] Your wrath lies heavy upon me, and you overwhelm me with all your waves. Selah [8] You have caused my companions to shun me; you have made me a thing of horror to them. I am shut in so that I cannot escape; [9] my eye grows dim through sorrow. Every day I call on you, O Lord; I spread out my hands to you. [10]
Do you work wonders for the dead? Do the shades rise up to praise you? Selah [11] Is your steadfast love declared in the grave, or your faithfulness in Abaddon? [12] Are your wonders known in the darkness, or your saving help in the land of forgetfulness?
It's pretty clear that the Bible describes an underworld and I'm sorry if you have a problem with the Bible
@CoreyD. Yes, these spirits may be later destroyed or ressurected. But it is still a fact of scripture that a spiritual afterlife is described, living on after death, albeit typically in what is understood to be poetry.
I am not sure why these passages are complicated for you. They're pretty plain and straightforward. But if you have some questions that you'd like to wrestle with, feel free to ask. Otherwise, only you can resolve these theological conflicts that you're facing with what scripture says.
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