Dear Reader,

You’ve expressed interest in a subject that does not appear much in the pages of the Holy Bible! People have different feelings about the subject, and I suppose our cultural background has a lot to do with how we might feel about the practice, but at any rate, let’s look at the issue and see if we can arrive at some answers.

In researching the subject, I have found at least six cases where persons were burned upon their deaths, although, in at least one of those cases, perhaps two, the fire caused the death. They were Achan and his family, in Joshua 7:25; the bones of King Saul and his sons, in I Samuel 31:12; the bones of the false prophets, or heathen priests, in II Kings 23:16, 20; Samson’s wife and father-in-law, in Judges 15:6; Moab burned the bones of the kings of Edom, in Amos 2:1; the bones of the men who died in desolation, Amos 6:10; and in one case, the fire from the Lord went out and consumed 250 men who had risen up against Moses, in Numbers 16:35. One common trait is evident in all of these cases, except the kings of Edom whose bones were burned by Moab, and that trait is that all of these people were evil. It is a fact that one thing the Jewish people wanted, and especially during the Old Testament era, was a decent burial, and for them to be cremated appears to negate the dignity of a proper laying away. Therefore, cremation was an act of disrespect in some ways.

Perhaps the strong desire for a proper burial is not as prevalent for us in this day, but another factor does enter the picture, at least to a degree. That factor is related to motive more than to what may be right or wrong. Let me explain. If a person chooses cremation over casket burial so that God would not be able to resurrect his/her body, then motive enters the picture. On the other hand, if funeral costs are too high, or if burial space is limited, or contagious disease is involved, cremation may be a way of burial that would be legal, proper, and morally alright.

Another factor may carry even more weight, and that is the desire of the person expressed to others before they die. In many cultures, honoring the wishes of the deceased is very important, because it is the last opportunity of showing respect for the one who has gone on. In any case, God can and does give us guidance in our individual lives, and helps us make the proper choices.

Oh, and by the way, it will be no problem for God to pull ashes back together at the Resurrection, so you don’t need to let that worry you!

Thanks for reading,
Pastor Ritchey