What Does the Bible Say about Haunted Houses?

One day, during my pastorate, I was approached by a young couple. “Pastor,” they said, “we have a ghost in our house.” This was not a statement I was prepared for. In fact, I nearly laughed, thinking it was a prank. However, the couple was unnervingly serious. 

They proceeded to tell me specifics about this “haunting.” Apparently, both of them had seen the apparition of a young adult female. Always in the same room. Occasionally, it would hover atop their bed. Other paranormal phenomenon occurred in this room. Not only were there “cold spots,” but swarms of horseflies would sometimes cluster upon the single window in that room. Nevertheless, as far as they knew, the house had no history of overt occultism or evil.

So was the house haunted? Or was this young couple simply mistaken? How to Handle Ghosts is typically not a topic included in ministerial training. It started me on a quest to understand what the Bible says about haunted houses. Here’s some of the conclusions I’ve reached. 

First, there are no examples of haunted houses in the Bible. Yes, there are examples of households being cursed. For example, Proverbs 3:33 says, “The curse of the Lord is on the house of the wicked, But He blesses the home of the just” (NKJV). Sometimes, this “curse” appears to manifest in one’s genealogy. Eli, the high priest during the reign of the judges, had his “house” cursed by an unknown prophet (I Sam. 2:27-33). This curse was initiated by Eli’s sloth and wickedness, and led to his sons’ corruption of the temple. Thus, the prophet pronounced a curse: “all your descendants will die in the prime of life” (vs. 33). But while divine curses often relate to one’s genealogical “household,” it can also relate to a physical structure or possessions. Speaking of a curse being issued across the land, Ezekiel writes,

The LORD Almighty declares, ‘I will send [the curse] out, and it will enter the house of the thief and the house of anyone who swears falsely by my name. It will remain in that house and destroy it completely, both its timbers and its stones'” (Zech. 5:3 NIV).

Here, the divine curse affects a house’s actual “timber” and “stones.” So in this sense, a “household” curse could relate to a family and its ancestral lineage and/or the actual dwelling place of the cursed family.

There are, of course, examples of demonized individuals dwelling in physical places. In Acts 19:16, evil spirits residing in a demonized man leapt upon a group of would-be exorcists and chased them from the house. However, in such cases, the physical dwelling place of the demonized is not viewed as haunted. Its “timber” and “stones” are not demonized. The man living inside requires deliverance, not the structure.

While there are no examples of actual haunted houses in Scripture, there are examples of households and families that are divinely cursed. Sometimes this curse even extends to the physical properties of the house. Disrepair or destruction may visit a structure as part of a household curse. Nevertheless, though evil entities can be attached to individuals, there is little evidence to suggest that evil spirits can actually “possess” a physical dwelling. Which leads to my second point.

One of the biblical arguments against haunted houses is that “nothing is unclean in itself” (Rom. 14:14). This retort was issued by the Apostle Paul regarding “unclean” things, like meat sacrificed to idols. His argument is, “things” aren’t inherently evil. People can use things for evil purposes and defile them, but objects aren’t inherently evil. The apple wasn’t evil. It was Adam and Eve’s taking of it that was.

Of course, some things are specifically designed for evil. A good example is a Ouija board. Ouija boards consist of two objects: a board (marked with letters, numerals, and symbols) and a planchette. Perhaps those items could be used for other things. For example, if I was lost in the wilderness, I could burn the Ouija board for warmth. (Not sure why anyone would have a Ouija board in the wilderness, but just go with it.) In this sense, a Ouija board could be used for good, depending upon its user. But by design, Ouija boards are intended as tools to contact disembodied spirits. Again, this doesn’t make them inherently evil. The wood on a Ouija board is qualitatively little different than the wood on a checker board. Nevertheless, the intended use of a checker board is far more innocuous than that of a Ouija board. This doesn’t mean that Ouija boards are harmless. Especially if someone conjoins the 1.) design and make-up of the object with 2.) nefarious intent. Can evil spirits attach themselves to Ouija boards? Here’s where it gets tricky.

Gadarene demoniac

The Bible teaches that demons attach themselves to people or other living things. When speaking of the return of an unclean spirit, Jesus referred to its residence as a “house.” (Matt. 12:43-45). “When an impure spirit comes out of a person, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left…'” (Vss. 44-45). The human person houses the spirit. In the account of the Gadarene demoniac, the demons pleaded with Jesus to be cast into the swine rather than be left without a host (Mk. 5:1-20). Apparently, animals are the last resort for demonic habitation. In this sense, demons attach themselves to living things, not structures or objects. Occult objects, like the Ouija board, simply act as a conduit or tool for a person’s evil, misguided desires. Demons may, perhaps, dwell in proximity to such objects, but they don’t indwell them.

(Note: The subject of ghosts is a larger, and similarly complex, subject. In this post, I’m focusing more on haunted houses than what the Bible says about ghosts. For a more detailed discussion about ghosts, see my posts Are All Ghosts “Demons”? and Ghosts and Quantum Theory. Also, some distinguish between ghosts and demons. Theologian Michael Heiser notes that Scripture employs uniquely different words for ‘ghost’ and ‘demon.’ If a distinction between ghosts and demons can be made, it follows then that ghosts may align differently to physical locations than demons.)

So how does this apply to houses? Well, again, houses aren’t inherently evil. The wood, concrete, insulation, etc. aren’t evil. However, buildings can be used or built to house evil. For example, while researching one of my novels, I visited Templo Santa Muerte, the Holy Death Temple, in Los Angeles. This is an actual church for those who practice Santa Muerte. Inside, it was a small church with maybe a dozen pews. On the altar, stood a life-size skeleton bedecked with flowers and wreaths, surrounded by vigil candles and trinkets. It was really creepy. Nevertheless, the church, basically, occupies a strip mall. So is that strip mall “possessed”? Or is it just that unit? If so, are the carpet, doors, and water faucets somehow evil? 

It’s a complex question. If anything, distinguishing objects used for evil purposes from the intent of the user is important. This includes houses. Spirits cannot “possess” houses, but they can attach themselves to people (and swine). In this sense, “haunted houses” are often purged by delivering someone from an evil spirit. The “possession” plagues the occupants, not the house. By breaking one’s ties to evil or a generational curse, the house is cleansed. This brings me to a third point,

Scripture does teach that actual “places” can be defiled by evil. For example, the Bible seems to suggest that certain ground can be “hallowed” or “holy.” When Moses approached the burning bush, God commanded him to remove his shoes because he was standing on “holy ground” (Ex. 3:5). Likewise, the commander of the Lord’s army told Joshua to take off his sandals because he stood on holy ground (Josh. 5:15). Likewise, the physical temple was described as a sacred space which required appropriate reverence to approach and enter. But if an actual location or dwelling can be hallowed, could it not also be… unhallowed? As mentioned, the Bible does not teach that objects can be “possessed.” Demons reside in people, not things. Nevertheless, Scripture does suggest that territories or locations can be overshadowed by evil.

A good example of this is the Prince of Persia. While fasting and praying, the prophet Daniel received an angelic visit from the archangel Michael. This powerful being explains to Daniel that he was delayed because he was fighting the “prince of Persia” (Dan. 10:13). Many theologians have concluded that the prince of Persia was an equally powerful angelic being who ruled over Persia, a specific geographical area, and resisted Michael. This has led some Christians to develop a theology regarding “territorial spirits”—demonic entities which rule over specific regions, cities, or locations. This concept also relates to the division of the land in Scripture (Deut. 32:8-9) which describes how God divided the nations of the earth among the “sons of God.” Some suggest that this passage refers to the origin of territorial spirits, beings who were once angels that administered the earth on behalf of God. Furthermore, in the Book of Revelation, Jesus called Pergamum the place where “Satan’s throne is” (Rev. 2:13 KJV). And when speaking about Smyrna, Christ described the city as housing “the synagogue of Satan” (Rev. 2:9-10 KJV). More broadly, earth is described as being under Satan’s rule. He is called “the god of this world” (II Cor. 4:4) and the “ruler of this world” (Jn. 14:30). In this sense, it’s possible that certain territories or places could be hotbeds of evil and Satanic activity. For instance, cities that are overrun with poverty, crime, drug addiction, sex trafficking, or occultism may be tethered to demonic “principalities and powers” (Eph. 6:12 KJV) which occupy that area. Not coincidentally, Ephesus, the church to whom Paul was addressing that epistle, was home to one of the famed Seven Wonders of the World — the Temple of Artemis. Artemis was known to the Romans as Diana. The worship of Diana was central to the economy of Ephesus. So, again, we can see devilish entities having certain geographical boundaries and/or import. 

Another example of this dynamic could be that of Gehenna. This was a location south of Jerusalem called the “Valley of [the sons of] Hinnom.” Here, some of the ancient Israelites had sacrificed their children to the Canaanite god Molech (II Chron. 28:3; 33:6; Jer. 7:31). In later years, Gehenna came to be viewed as an unclean place. It was used for burning trash from the city of Jerusalem. In fact, Jesus sometimes used Gehenna as an illustration of hell (Mk. 9:43; Lk. 12:5; Matt. 23:15). A contemporary parallel could be places like Auschwitz and Dachau. Because of the great atrocities committed there, the earth is seen as desecrated, unholy ground. Some place abortion clinics and locations of mass murder or abuse in a similar category.

Gehenna

All this could lead us to ask whether certain houses or geographical locations might exist in a similar state. Perhaps through an occult ritual or atrocity a site has become desecrated. Would that make it a haunted house? Perhaps. In the case of territorial spirits, a house that is overshadowed by evil, for whatever reason, could represent a microcosm of a larger type of geographical evil. Again, the primary question would be what is tethering said evil to a particular place. Some exorcists make a distinction between between demonic infestation and possession. While a location cannot be “possessed,” it can be “infested.” Demons are drawn to particular places because of territorial rule or historic evil; they are attracted to the residue of evil, atrocity, or tragedy. 

Furthermore, there’s numerous references to household blessings mentioned in Scripture. As mentioned earlier, the writer of Proverbs said, “God curses the house of the wicked but blesses the house of the righteous” (Prov. 3:33). If God actually “curses the house of the wicked,” how would such a divine curse manifest? When Jesus sent His apostles out, He commanded them, “Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace be to this house!'” (Lk. 10:15). The fact that “peace” and “blessings” can rest upon a house, is an important concept to remember when discussing cursed houses. The Passover was the ultimate household blessing wherein the blood of lamb, sprinkled on the doorpost, caused the death angel to pass-over the dwelling (Ex. 12:13-28). For these reasons, household blessings have become a traditional practice among many Christians and churches. Not only are they seen as a pre-emptive “cleansing” of residual evil, but as a declaration and appeal of Heavenly Protection. 

So what does the Bible teach about haunted houses? Firstly, it makes no direct mention of haunted houses. Yes, there are household blessings and curses. Yet things (like houses) aren’t inherently evil. Demons attach themselves to people, not places. Nevertheless, not only can certain areas be overshadowed by evil spirits, but certain ground can be cursed. Gehenna was not possessed. However, the land was defiled by its awful history. Therefore, I’d have to conclude that hauntings and haunted houses are biblically possible. Just like a Ouija board can be an avatar or conductor for evil, a certain location may act as a funnel for Darkness. However, as Christians, we believe that whatever evil exists within or in proximity to a certain location, is sourced in something other than the actual structure or land. As such, ritualistic cleansings or exorcisms could be an option. Unless, like Gehenna, a location is so defiled and spiritually polluted that abandonment is the only recourse.

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At this point, you may be wondering how I responded to the young couple who’d claimed they had a ghost in their house. Well, I visited them and asked some specific questions about the house. Did they know anything about its history or previous owners? They did not. It was an older house, built in the 40’s or 50’s. It occupied a large lot and was surrounded by olive and other fruit trees. The bedroom they’d experienced the paranormal phenomenon in sat partly below ground. Its single window was at ground level. This was the window where’d they’d encountered a swarm of horseflies. We walked through every room of the house, reading Scripture and praying. There were no dramatics. No poltergeist activity. No disembodied voices. After a short while, we wrapped things up and I left. They never reported another incident after that. Whether or not there really was something there remains a mystery. If that young couple was to be believed, then whatever was there was driven off by prayer and Scripture. Only God knows.