Mankind has always been interested — even fascinated — with the possibility of speaking with the dead, even by occult means. This interest is not tolerated in scripture: In fact, the practices of sorcery and witchcraft are condemned because they traffic in the forces of spiritual evil, turning people away from God.
    But two Biblical stories, found in Luke 16:19-31 and Genesis 4:1-12, show that God wants us to learn lessons about our relationship with him, even if those lessons come from people long deceased. These passages provide historical testimony about the importance of faithfulness to God. They are, in effect, “messages from the dead.”
    The first story, about the rich fool, speaks to those unprepared to meet God. Specifically, it speaks to those caught up in the materialism and “things” of the world, including almost every human culture on earth.
    In responding to the rich fool’s plea for relief from his fiery torment, Abraham reminded him, “You in your lifetime received your good things” (Luke 16:25). He had been “clothed in purple [the color of royalty] and fine linen and ... feasted sumptuously every day” (Luke 16:19).
    In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus warned, “Woe to you who are rich, for you have already received your comfort,” and encouraged his hearers to build spiritual wealth in heaven, because “where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:19-24).
    You see, the vital thing about wealth is that we seek to be “rich toward God” (Luke 12:21). God wants us to use spiritual wisdom in the pursuit and use of earthly possessions. Wise Solomon wrote, “Do not wear yourself out to get rich; have the wisdom to show restraint. Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle” (Proverbs 23:4-5, NIV).
    There is so much potential good in the use of wealth for the one who seeks the will of God. There is nothing inherently good or bad about wealth; rather, it is in our use or abuse of it. A prime example is that of Nashville’s A. M. Burton (1879-1966), founder of Life and Casualty Insurance Company and a Christian multi-millionaire who literally gave away 90 percent of his income so he wouldn’t have to pay taxes on the remaining 10 percent and could use that much more in service to God.
    But the normal appeal of wealth is for the fulfillment of selfish desires. Paul wrote to Timothy, “Those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and  destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils” (1 Timothy 6:9-10). When those selfish desires have been met — if they ever are — we’ll discover that we aren’t satisfied at all, but are unfulfilled. Edward Arlington Robinson’s 1890s poem, “Richard Cory,” is about a rich kid who had everything and was the envy of everyone, until they learned he had gone home one night and put a bullet in his head.
    The story of Abel (Genesis 4:1-12), youngest son of Adam and Eve, testifies about the blessedness of faith in God. His is the first example of faith in the great chapter of the faithful. The writer said of him, “By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain” (Hebrews 11:4a).
    In our relationship with God, both the content and the spirit of obedience are vital. Jesus once told a Samaritan woman, “God is spirit and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth (John 4:25). Worship according to the truth of God’s word is necessary to please him. Through his acceptable sacrifice, Abel “was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts” (Hebrews 11:4b ESV). Then, “And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks” (Hebrews 11:4c).
    The general context of Hebrews shows the importance of the example of faith in chapter 11. The letter was written to encourage the maintenance of faith in Christ in order to preserve their souls (Hebrews 10:35-39). Maintaining obedient faith in Christ will assure our victory in “the race that is set before us” (Hebrews 12:1).
    God’s word provides us with his will, as well as countless examples of men and women blessed in their obedience of faith. Both the rich fool and faithful Abel testify of the importance of properly prioritizing our lives, and of the nature of faith in God as the basis upon which we can build our lives.