In our previous study, we defined what is meant by the term “Zombie” and then we proceeded to list some news stories involving what some have described as “Zombies”.  Then, finally, we gave a listing of 9 representative verses found in the Bible that seem to speak of “Zombie” activity and a coming “Zombie Apocalypse”.

In this part of our study, let’s examine the Bible references that we previously mentioned to see whether any of them speak of Zombie activity (when we keep them in their proper context)…

There are the verses we looked at in part 1, that appear to speak of Zombie activity, now and in the last days….

1. Zech 14:12-15 (KJV) – And this shall be the plague wherewith the LORD will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem;  Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet, and their eyes shall consume away in their holes, and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth.  And it shall come to pass in that day, [that] a great tumult from the LORD shall be among them; and they shall lay hold every one on the hand of his neighbour, and his hand shall rise up against the hand of his neighbour.  And Judah also shall fight at Jerusalem; and the wealth of all the heathen round about shall be gathered together, gold, and silver, and apparel, in great abundance.  And so shall be the plague of the horse, of the mule, of the camel, and of the ass, and of all the beasts that shall be in these tents, as this plague.
   1. The Context: If we look at the entire chapter of  Zechariah 14 we learn that this chapter is describing Christ’s second coming with His saints (vs 1-11) and the final destruction of the enemies of God’s people that will take place following His coming. (vs 12-15) and the eternal worship of God that takes place (vs 16-21).  This helps us to understand that God’s final judgment that falls will be sudden, swift, and complete.

2. Mark 5:1-5 – And they came  over unto the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes. And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, Who had [his] dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains:  Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any [man] tame him. And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones.
   1. The Context: Here, we are clearly told that this man was possessed with an evil spirit (Mark 5:2).   This was the cause of His perverted acts.  We also find that this man finds  miraculous healing and release from the demon possession in the power and grace of the Lord.  This healing resulted in Him being restored to His right mind and once again living a  normal life among the people of the city (vs 13-20)

3. Ps 27:1-5 [A      Psalm] of David. The LORD [is]  my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD [is] the strength of my life; of  whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked, [even] mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell. Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this [will] I [be] confident.  One [thing] have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple. For in the time of  trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock.
   1. The Context: Here David is describing those who are called “wicked”, “mine enemies” and “my foes”.  These were those who were within his kingdom who wanted him removed from the throne and defeated  permanently.  He describes their attitude towards him as wanting to “eat up my flesh”. In other words, they wanted him destroyed for their own personal gain… much like an animal is slain to give nourishment to those who killed and then ate its flesh.  Notice a part of their actions against him involved them encamping against him and creating a war against him.  This is a far cry  from mindless Zombies seeking out who they may eat.   Also please keep in mind this is an account of an historical event.  Not only the Bible, but many other historical sources speak of rebellion and mutiny taking place among the followers of David.  Even David’s son, Absalom, turned against His father and, with the aid of his army, chased David from his throne and sought to take his life. (2 Sam 15: – 2 Sam 18:) There is absolutely no historical sources that speak of a Zombie uprising in the days of David.

4. Ezek 37:1-14 The hand of the LORD was upon me, and carried me out in the spirit of the LORD, and set me down in the midst of the valley which [was] full of bones, And      caused me to pass by them round about: and, behold, [there were] very many in the open valley; and, lo, [they were] very dry.  And he said unto me, Son of man, can these  bones live? And I answered, O Lord GOD, thou knowest.  Again he said unto me,  prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the LORD.  Thus saith the Lord GOD unto these bones;  Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live:  And I will lay sinews upon you, and will bring up flesh upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and ye shall live; and ye shall know that I [am] the LORD.  So I prophesied as I was commanded: and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone.  And when I beheld, lo, the sinews and the flesh came up upon them, and the skin covered them above: but [there was] no breath in them.  Then said he unto me, Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.  So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army.  Then he said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel: behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut off for our parts.  Therefore prophesy and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel.  And ye shall know that I [am] the LORD, when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up out of your graves,  And shall put my spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land: then shall ye know      that I the LORD have spoken [it], and performed [it], saith the LORD.
   1. The Context: First of all, please notice this is not an actual event but it is a vision that Ezekiel is receiving from God (vs 1).  The message of this vision is explained in vs 9-10 and 11-13.        Here, we find that as Ezekiel would preach to the nation of Judah, they would respond to His message and Jehovah would send a great revival  to the land and graciously allow them to return from the Babylonian captivity that they were currently experiencing.  This return from captivity is pictured by dry bones being brought back to life as the result of Ezekiel’s preaching.  Those who were rebellious and “dead” to Jehovah, would be brought back to their land to experience a relationship with God once again.  Keep in mind death is a reference to separation, in this case, separation from God Almighty due to sin.  Life is a picture of restoration and communion, in this case renewed communion with Jehovah that stems from repentance at the message of Ezekiel.

5. Matt 27:51-53 And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;  And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,  And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.
   1. The Context: This event took place immediately following  the crucifixion of Christ on the cross.    Please keep in mind, other resurrections from the dead have taken place throughout Bible history…. (1 Kng 17:21-24, 2 Kng 4:32-35, 2 Kng       13:20-21, John 11:43-44, Luke 7:12-17, Mrk 5:39-40, Acts 20:9-12, Acts 9:36-43) All of these resurrections involve dead people whose physical bodies are brought out of the tomb and reunited with their eternal spirit.  They were human beings  with body, soul and spirit (including all their mental faculties) who would later die, just as all other fallen men would die. The resurrection of Matt 27 is no exception to this type of resurrection. There is absolutely no reason to believe that this resurrection involved any type of Zombie activity whatsoever.   Why did this resurrection take place?  It was clear proof that Christ had gained victory over the death and was the source of life for all who believe in Him.  (1 Cor 15:21-26, Heb 2:14-15)  This resurrection is both proof and a picture of the future resurrection of all of God’s people (1 Thess 4:13-18)   This multiple resurrection was one of the greatest of proofs of His death through which we can receive eternal life and His great power as the Sovereign Lord over all, even death itself.

6. Gal 5:13-15 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only [use] not liberty      for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, [even] in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.  But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.
   1. The Context: In the context of these verses we are speaking of the need for God’s people to keep the moral law of God to have a proper testimony in the eyes of the lost world. Although we have been granted freedom from the penalty and bondage of the law we are to still keep the moral law of God as a testimony of His holiness. Paul,  teaches us that by loving our neighbor as we should it will guarantee we       treat them as the law instructs us.  But if we do not love others as we should, then we will be abusing them.  This abuse described as… “ye bite and devour one another”.        Biting here is speaking of harming and causing pain to others,       while devouring speaks of using others for our own personal gain.  It is clear, contextually, that the biting and devouring is simply symbolic of abusing and selfishly using others.

7. Ps 53:4-5 Have the workers of iniquity no knowledge? who eat up my people [as]      they eat bread: they have not called upon God.  There were they in great fear, [where] no fear was: for God hath scattered the bones of him that encampeth [against] thee: thou hast put [them] to shame, because God hath despised them.
   1. The  Context: Here we find that the lost of the world selfishly treat God’s people attempting to misuse them for their own personal gain.  Although the wicked       abuse God’s people as if they will never face judgment for their actions, someday they will fear and be put to shame because God will judge them in the last days.

8. Job 31:29-32 If I rejoiced at the destruction of him that hated me, or lifted up myself when evil found him: Neither have I  suffered my mouth to sin by wishing a curse to his soul.  If the men of my tabernacle said not, Oh that we had of his flesh! we cannot be satisfied.  The stranger did not lodge in the street: [but] I opened my doors to the      traveller.
   1. The Context:  Job is describing those who had opposed him during his prosperous years. Job is declaring he had committed no unconfessed sin that would merit the trials that he was facing.   Job proves that he treats others justly by referring to those who served Him in His household. He tells us that those servants and stewards that were the closest to him supported him and was sympathetic towards him.  They did not oppose Job, nor desired to take advantage of Him. He had treated them fairly and with kindness; therefore, they did not say “Oh that we had of his flesh! we cannot be satisfied”  Picturing abusive treatment to gain selfishly from Job.  

9. Isa 26:19-20 Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.  Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast.
   1. The Context:  This section of Scripture is speaking of the resurrection of the believer’s body immediately prior to the Lord’s judgment falling upon the lost. (1       Cor 15:20-28) This same resurrection is described in Rev 14:15-19 as the  first harvest, with the second harvest picturing the Lord’s wrath then falling upon lost mankind.

Summary of our study so far….

In this part of our study we have seen that when we keep all of the “Zombie” verses in the context of God’s Word we find that NONE of them are actually speaking of Zombies.  Folks, there is a very mighty lesson to be learned in this study.  The importance of keeping verses in context cannot be overemphasized.  As far as I am concerned keeping verses in their proper context is the MOST IMPORTANT rule to follow in Biblical interpretation.  Most, if not all of the false teachings found within Christendom is the direct result of misapplying and misunderstanding verse due to an improper understanding of their context.

By the way, before I forget, there is one other verse we looked at in our previous study that I need to address.  Remember I made the comment that “Since we have a three-fold affirmation of Zombie activity isn’t that enough to prove they exist?  According to the Bible… “a threefold cord is not quickly broken.” (Eccl 4:12).

In this example, once again, on purpose, I used a verse out of context.  When Eccl 4:12 makes the statement that “a threefold cord cannot be easily broken”, it is not referring to three pieces of evidence being infallible proof of a theory.  It is actually saying that a man who is involved in a conflict, if he has three friends, is almost invincible.  How do we know this is the true meaning to the verse?  Listen to the verses in context…

Eccl 4:9-12 – “Two [are] better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour.  For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him [that is] alone when he falleth; for [he hath] not another to help him up. Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm [alone]? And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

In this part of our study we have seen a very important point.  Verses must be kept in the context of the rest of the Bible for us to come to the correct understanding of their meaning.

Ending thoughts before Part #3…

But there is another very important point that we have learned.  There are NO verses in the Bible that refer to Zombies or a coming Zombie Apocalypse.   If that is so, then the next logical question is this…  how do we explain all the perverted events reported in the news that were being attributed to Zombie activity.  If there are no Zombies what is going on?

In the last part of our study we will try to see some possible explanations that the Bible gives us for the current supposed “Zombie” activity that is taking place in the fallen world around us.

May the Lord bless you as you seek His truth.

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