The Dead Interceding for Us Here on Earth
2 Maccabees 15: 11-16: He armed each of them not so much with confidence in shields and spears as with the inspiration of brave words, and he cheered them all by relating a dream, a sort of vision, which was worthy of belief. What he saw was this: Onias, who had been high priest, a noble and good man, of modest bearing and gentle manner, one who spoke fittingly and had been trained from childhood in all that belongs to excellence, was praying with outstretched hands for the whole body of the Jews. Then likewise a man appeared, distinguished by his gray hair and dignity, and of marvelous majesty and authority. And Onias spoke, saying, "This is a man who loves the brethren and prays much for the people and the holy city, Jeremiah, the prophet of God." Jeremiah stretched out his right hand and gave to Judas a golden sword, and as he gave it he addressed him thus: “Take this holy sword, a gift from God, with which you will strike down your adversaries.”
**(NOTE - Here the dead Onias and the dead Jeremiah appear on earth, and it is revealed that Onias and Jeremiah intercede and pray for their people on earth)
Luke 16: 19-31: “There was a rich man, who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus, full of sores, who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man’s table; moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. **The rich man also died and was buried; and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes, and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus in his bosom. And he called out, Father Abraham, have mercy upon me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue;** for I am in anguish in this flame.' But Abraham said, Son, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner evil things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.’ And he said, **Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father's house, for I have five brothers, so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.**' But Abraham said, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.’ And he said, No, father Abraham; but if some one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.' He said to him, If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced if some one should rise from the dead.’”
Revelation 6: 9-11 When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar **the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God **and for the witness they had borne; they cried out with a loud voice, “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before thou wilt judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell upon the earth?” Then they were each given a white robe and told to rest a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brethren should be complete, who were to be killed as they themselves had been.
(**NOTE – Here the dead saints in heaven are asking God to stop the slaughter of us believers here on earth by taking out the enemy’s footsoldiers).
. During the time of Jesus, the Apostles, and the real early Church fathers, there was no book called the Bible. Most of the teachings of the Apostles were thought and spread by orally. Letters and Epistles where some of the only writings of the Apostles. Most of the writings were we get the bible from where from their followers (Church fathers). The Canons in the first 300 years were all spread out throughout the land, and there were MANY of them, some false and others authentic. It’s not until the council of Rome (382) under Pope Damasus 1st produces Damasian list with 46 OT and 27 NT books.