Bury or cremate?

To my fellow believers who belief in Yahauh and Yahusha, I write this message about what happens to our body upon death. Some people are buried and some people are cremated, so my question was what is the preferred manner according to Yahuah (scripture). The scripture does not tell us how we should be put to rest once we die but many places in scripture it speaks about burial and burning by flames (cremated).

Cremation historically is a practice of pagan people. In India the ashes of the cremated are spread over the “sacred” Ganges river to commune with the river deity.

Pagans believed that the rising flames of a cremation fire helped the soul rise to heaven.

In the Bible, burning of human beings was reserved for only two reasons: for serious offenders and for those who were cursed.

For instance, a man who marries both a woman and her mother was to be consumed in fire (Leviticus 20:14). A daughter of a priest who becomes a prostitute also was to be destroyed in flames (Leviticus 21:9).

An example of Yahuah (Heavenly Father) Himself carrying out this law was Sodom and Gomorrah, cities Yahuah destroyed by fire because they were practicing homosexuality and other sins. Furthermore, Israel burned the cities of their conquered heathen enemies in a demonstration of total, destructive judgment (see Jericho, Ai, Hazor, Laish, etc.)

Individually, in Joshua 7:15 we read that Achan sinned and brought judgment on Israel by taking items from Jericho that were devoted to fiery destruction. Israel stoned him and his family and then burned their bodies. The Scriptural practice for the upright was burial, not cremation.

Abraham bought a burial cave called Machpelah for himself and his family - Genesis 23.

 Joseph was embalmed and placed in a coffin - Genesis 50:26.

Yahuah Himself buried Moses - Deuteronomy 34:6.

King Saul's bones were spared and King David later buried them properly.

Moses took the bones of Joseph from Egypt as the sons of Israel had vowed to do.

Joseph was so devout that even at death he was concerned that his very bones would not remain in a pagan land. Joseph’s bones were buried in Shechem, where Yahuah first appeared to Abraham.

These examples show the regard we should have for bodily remains and provide a proper burial if at all possible.

Cremation completely obliterates the body and reduces it to nothing but ashes.

This is a mark of total destruction that Yahuah reserves for the truly wicked.

Malachi 4:3 reads, “And you shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do, says Yahuah of hosts.”

Lack of a proper burial is a sign of Yahuah’s judgment.

See 1Kings 14:10-11 therefore, see, I am bringing evil to the house of Jeroboam, and shall cut off from Jeroboam every male in Israel, whether shut up or left at large, and sweep away the remnant of the house of Jeroboam, as one sweeps away dung until it is all gone.  Those of Jeroboam who die in the city the dogs do eat, and those who die in the field the birds of the heavens do eat, for Yahuah has spoken it!” ’ 

Jeremiah 7:33 “And the corpses of this people shall be food for the birds of the heavens and for the beasts of the earth, with none to frighten them away.

Ezekiel 29:5 “And I shall leave you in the wilderness, you and all the fish of your rivers. On the face of the field you shall fall, and you shall not be picked up or gathered. I shall give you as food to the beasts of the field and to the birds of the heavens.

The people will so hate the two witnesses in Revelation 11:9 that they won’t give them a burial.

Even our Saviour was wrapped in a linen cloth and put in a tomb owned by Joseph of Arimathaea.

Many other examples show that burial, not cremation, is the proper way.

True Believers attest to their belief in a future resurrection of the body by being buried to await the trumpet call when they will be given spirit bodies - 1Corinthians 15:52.

I pray we ask Yahuah for His guidance!