Chapter 7: The Dead Know Nothing
Revelation describes Satan's end-time deception:
"And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty."
"Spirits of devils, working miracles."
Satan's final deception involves supernatural manifestations: spirits performing convincing signs that deceive "the kings of the earth and of the whole world." Not just religious leaders. Not just spiritualists (those who claim to communicate with the dead). The whole world.
How will Satan deceive billions of people, including sincere Christians who think they're protected?
They do this by appearing as their deceased loved ones, by manifesting as departed saints, and by impersonating angels, ascended masters, or enlightened beings (all of whom claim to bring messages from "the other side").
If you believe the dead are conscious in heaven or hell or purgatory or the spirit realm, you'll believe the demons when they appear as those dead. You'll accept their messages. You'll follow their guidance. You'll be deceived.
But if you know what Scripture actually teaches (that the dead are unconscious, awaiting resurrection), you'll recognize the spirits for what they are: demons impersonating the dead.
This doctrine isn't academic. It's protective armor against end-time deception.
Full State of the Dead study: https://theremnantthread.com/studies/state-of-dead
Tracing the first lie through history: https://theremnantthread.com/studies/first-lie
Symbol decoder reference: https://theremnantthread.com/studies/symbol-decoder
What Scripture Says About the Dead
The Bible's testimony about death is consistent from Genesis to Revelation: the dead are unconscious, without thought or knowledge, awaiting the resurrection.
The Dead Know Nothing
"For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten. Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun."
"The dead know not any thing."
Not some things. Not limited things. "Not any thing." Zero knowledge. Complete unconsciousness.
The text states that "their love, and their hatred, and their envy" perish. The emotions that defined them in life are gone. The passions that motivated them have perished. The feelings that connected them to the living are finished.
If grandma loved you in life, that love perished at death. She's not watching over you from heaven. She's not guiding you. She doesn't know anything about your life, your struggles, your joys. She knows nothing.
Thoughts Perish the Very Day of Death
"His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish."
Thinking doesn't stop gradually or after some waiting period. It stops that very day (the day of death).
The breath goes forth (the animating principle leaves), the body returns to earth (decomposition begins), and thoughts perish (consciousness ceases).
If thoughts perish, there's no thinking. If there's no thinking, there's no consciousness. If there's no consciousness, the dead cannot communicate with the living.
The Righteous Dead Haven't Ascended
"For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand."
Peter, preaching on the Day of Pentecost, uses King David as proof that the righteous dead haven't gone to heaven. David (a man after God's own heart, faithful king, psalmist, prophet) "is not ascended into the heavens."
If David, centuries after death, wasn't in heaven, who is? If the righteous dead aren't there, where are they?
The answer: in the grave, unconscious, awaiting resurrection.
Death Called "Sleep"
Jesus used a specific word to describe death:
"These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep. Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well. Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep. Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead."
Jesus called death "sleep." The disciples misunderstood, thinking literal sleep. Jesus clarified: "Lazarus is dead." But the terminology remains: death is sleep.
Why use that metaphor? Because sleepers are unconscious. Sleepers aren't aware of their surroundings. Sleepers don't communicate. Sleepers await awakening.
Scripture uses "sleep" for death 53 times. Not once does it describe the dead as "more alive than ever," "finally free," or "watching from heaven." It is always described as sleep: an unconscious rest until awakening.
Paul continues this language:
"But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first."
"Them which are asleep... them which sleep in Jesus... the dead in Christ shall rise."
The righteous dead are sleeping. When will they wake? At Christ's return, when "the dead in Christ shall rise first." Not at the moment of death. Not immediately upon dying. At the resurrection.
What Happens at Death
If the dead aren't in heaven or hell, where are they? What happens when a person dies?
The Formula of Life
"And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul."
The formula:
Dust (body) + Breath of life = Living soul
A soul isn't something you have. It's what you are when body and breath combine. You don't possess an immortal soul housed in a mortal body. You are a soul: a living, breathing, thinking being.
When you die, the formula reverses:
"Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it."
Living soul - Breath of life = Dust
The body returns to dust. The breath (the animating principle, the life force) returns to God who gave it. The living soul ceases to exist as a conscious entity.
Until the Resurrection
"But man dieth, and wasteth away: yea, man giveth up the ghost: and where is he? As the waters fail from the sea, and the flood decayeth and drieth up: So man lieth down, and riseth not: till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep."
"Man lieth down, and riseth not: till the heavens be no more."
How long do the dead sleep? Until the heavens be no more, until the end of this present age, until the resurrection, until Christ returns.
The dead don't go to heaven at death. They don't go to hell at death. They don't go anywhere. They lie down in the grave and sleep until awakening.
The Soul Dies
One more critical point: Scripture never calls the soul immortal. Instead:
"Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die."
"The soul that sinneth, it shall die."
Souls die. They're not immortal. They're not indestructible. The soul that sins dies and ceases to exist as a conscious being until resurrection.
"Immortal soul" is a Greek philosophy imported into Christianity, not a biblical doctrine. Scripture teaches mortal souls that sleep at death and await resurrection.
Then What Are "Ghosts"?
If the dead are unconscious, who appears at séances? Who gives messages through mediums? Who manifests as departed loved ones with accurate personal information?
The answer Scripture gives is clear: demons.
Satan Transforms as an Angel of Light
"And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works."
Satan doesn't appear as a red demon with horns and a pitchfork. He transforms "as an angel of light," appearing good, trustworthy, enlightened, heavenly.
If Satan can impersonate an angel of light, his demons can certainly impersonate deceased humans. They've watched these people their entire lives. They know their mannerisms, beliefs, relationships, secrets. They can replicate appearance, voice, personality.
The impersonation isn't proof the dead are conscious. It's proof the demons are intelligent.
Seducing Spirits and Doctrines of Devils
"Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils."
"Seducing spirits" with "doctrines of devils."
These spirits don't announce themselves as demons. They seduce by deceiving, appearing trustworthy, and teaching doctrines that sound enlightened but originate with devils.
What doctrine do they universally teach? The immortal soul. Conscious existence after death. Communication with the departed. Messages from the other side.
Every false religion, every occult practice, every New Age teaching promotes some version of the immortal soul doctrine. Why? Because if you believe the dead are conscious, you'll believe demons when they impersonate them.
Great Signs and Wonders
"For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect."
End-time deception involves "great signs and wonders," supernatural manifestations powerful enough to deceive even the elect, if that were possible.
Demons have supernatural power. They can manifest physically, produce phenomena, know hidden information, predict some future events. They're intelligent, ancient, and dedicated to deception.
When a "spirit" appears claiming to be your deceased grandmother, knowing details only she knew, speaking with her voice, showing her face. You're not witnessing proof of life after death. You're witnessing a demon who observed your grandmother for 80 years, knows everything about her, and is now using that knowledge to deceive you.
Familiar Spirits
Scripture calls these entities "familiar spirits." Not because they're friendly, but because they're familiar with the deceased. They know intimate details. They observed the person's life. They can replicate the familiar traits.
"Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I am the LORD your God."
Why "regard not" these spirits? Why refuse contact? Because they're demons, not departed loved ones. Because communication with them defiles you. Because they lead away from God.
Why God Forbids Spiritualism
God doesn't prohibit communication with the dead because it's impossible. He prohibits it because it's dangerous. You're not contacting the dead; you're contacting demons.
The Prohibitions Are Absolute
"A man also or woman that hath a familiar spirit, or that is a wizard, shall surely be put to death: they shall stone them with stones: their blood shall be upon them."
Under the Old Testament law, mediums and spiritists received the death penalty. The harshest possible judgment. Why?
Because they weren't harmless fortune-tellers. They were gateways to demonic contact, channels for satanic deception, threats to the entire community's spiritual safety.
"There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch. Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD: and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee."
Necromancy (attempting to communicate with the dead) is listed alongside child sacrifice as an abomination, sharing the same category, the same severity, the same judgment.
God doesn't call things abominations lightly. The severity of the prohibition matches the danger of the practice.
The Test of Truth
"And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? for the living to the dead? To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them."
When people tell you to consult the dead, God's response is clear: "should not a people seek unto their God?"
Why would you seek answers from the dead when you can seek the living God? Why consult spirits when you have Scripture, "the law and to the testimony"?
The verdict is clear: "if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them."
They have no light, only darkness and demonic deception. If the spirits don't speak according to Scripture, they're not from God.
The Book of Enoch Explains the Origin
Why do demons impersonate the dead? Where did demons come from? Why do they seek to inhabit bodies?
The Book of 1 Enoch, preserved by the Ethiopian Orthodox Church and quoted by Jude, provides context:1 The Book of 1 Enoch is considered Scripture by the Ethiopian Orthodox Church and is quoted directly by Jude (verses 14-15), demonstrating at least partial apostolic acceptance. However, it's not part of the Protestant or Catholic canon. The interpretation presented here (that demons are disembodied spirits of the Nephilim, the Genesis 6 giants) comes from 1 Enoch chapters 6-16 and is treated as supporting context for understanding demonic origin and behavior, not as primary doctrinal authority. The core biblical teaching (dead are unconscious, "ghosts" are demons) stands independently of Enoch's testimony. Protestant readers may prefer to focus on the canonical Scripture references (Genesis 6:1-4, Jude 14-15, 2 Peter 2:4) without accepting the full Enochian framework. [Deuterocanonical source used for historical context; core argument stands on canonical Scripture]
The Genesis 6 Account
"And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them, That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose... There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown."
"Sons of God" (angels) bred with human women, producing giants (Nephilim). This hybrid race corrupted the earth, leading to the flood.
Enoch's Explanation
The Book of Enoch expands this account: The Watchers (fallen angels) descended to Mount Hermon, took oaths to commit this transgression together, married human women, and produced giant offspring. When the giants died (many in the flood), their spirits, being neither fully angelic nor fully human, became demons: disembodied spirits seeking hosts, knowing they're judged, working to deceive humanity before their final destruction.
Jude Confirms Enoch
"And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him."
Jude quotes 1 Enoch directly, establishing apostolic acceptance of the book's testimony. Peter also references these fallen angels:
"For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment."
Why This Explains Demonic Behavior
Demons know personal details because they've observed humanity for millennia. They perform miracles because they're fallen angels with supernatural power. They seek embodiment because they lost their physical forms. They impersonate the dead because deception is their nature, and because people believe it.
If you understand that demons are ancient, intelligent, observant beings who've watched human families for generations, their ability to impersonate the deceased makes perfect sense.
Why Satan Promotes the Immortal Soul Lie
Every false religion teaches some version of the immortal soul doctrine:
- Catholic Church: Immortal souls go to heaven, hell, or purgatory at death
- Protestant churches: "Absent from the body, present with the Lord" instantly
- Islam: Souls await judgment in Barzakh (intermediate state)
- Hinduism: Reincarnation through endless cycles
- Buddhism: Rebirth until achieving nirvana
- New Age: Ascended masters, spirit guides, higher selves
- Spiritualism: Direct communication with the dead
Why do all false systems agree on this one point?
Because the immortal soul lie enables Satan's end-time deception.
If You Believe the Dead Are Conscious...
- You'll believe demons when they appear as deceased loved ones
- You'll accept messages from "spirit guides" and "ascended masters"
- You'll pray to dead saints (Catholic practice)
- You'll pay for masses for souls in purgatory
- You'll consult mediums for guidance
- You'll follow teachings from channeled entities
- You'll trust experiences over Scripture
If You Know the Dead Are Unconscious...
- You'll recognize "spirits" as demons
- You'll reject messages from "the other side"
- You'll worship God alone, not saints
- You'll trust Scripture over experiences
- You'll be protected from Revelation 16's demonic spirits working miracles
The biblical truth about death is your armor against end-time deception.
These errors work together by design. Both trace to the same source: Greek philosophy filtered through the Roman Catholic Church's councils. Plato taught the immortal soul; Augustine cemented it. Constantine established Sunday; Laodicea enforced it. Both follow the same pattern, derive from the same authority, and lead to the same destination.
The immortal soul lie opens the door to spiritualism. If you believe the dead are conscious, you'll believe demons when they appear as your deceased grandmother. Sunday sacredness creates a bond of sympathy with the Roman Catholic Church. If you keep their day, you've acknowledged their authority over Scripture whether you realize it or not.
One error enables deception. The other enforces allegiance. Together, they form a complete system: accept the lie about death, you're vulnerable to spirits; accept the lie about the day, you're bound to the Roman Catholic Church. Reject both, and you stand on Scripture alone.
Babylon's Lie vs. Biblical Truth
Babylon teaches: The dead are conscious and can communicate.
Scripture teaches: The dead know nothing and await resurrection.
One doctrine opens you to demonic deception. The other protects you with truth.
The remnant, who "keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ" (Revelation 12:17), hold fast to what Scripture actually teaches, even when it contradicts popular Christianity, even when it seems harsh to say grandma isn't watching from heaven, even when it costs them the comfort of believing loved ones are "in a better place."
Truth matters more than comfort. Scripture matters more than tradition. Protection from deception matters more than soothing lies.
The Serpent's Promise: From Eden to Silicon Valley
The serpent's first lie was "Ye shall not surely die" (Genesis 3:4). Every generation since has dressed this lie in new clothing.
In 1818, Mary Shelley's Frankenstein warned of scientists "playing God," seeking immortality through galvanism and stitched corpses. Victor Frankenstein's creation turned monstrous, a warning unheeded.2 Mary Shelley, Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus (London: Lackington, Hughes, Harding, Mavor & Jones, 1818). Shelley was 18 when she wrote the novel, exploring the consequences of humans pursuing God-like creative power. The novel established the "playing God" theme that runs through all subsequent science fiction about artificial life.
In 1883, Friedrich Nietzsche declared "God is dead" and called humanity to become the Übermensch, to transcend its limitations by will alone. Man would become his own god. The philosopher George Ellis noted this led directly to nihilism: when you kill God, meaning dies.3 Friedrich Nietzsche, Also sprach Zarathustra (Chemnitz: Ernst Schmeitzner, 1883). The Übermensch concept proposed that humanity must transcend itself after "the death of God" removed traditional sources of meaning. George Ellis, systems theorist, critiqued the philosophical consequences in his work on cosmology and ethics.
In 1957, Julian Huxley (grandson of Darwin's champion Thomas Huxley, president of the British Eugenics Society until 1962) popularized "transhumanism": a "religion without revelation" where humanity evolves itself into divinity. His brother Aldous wrote Brave New World as warning; Julian missed the message.4 Nick Bostrom, "A History of Transhumanist Thought," Journal of Evolution and Technology 14, no. 1 (2005), available at https://nickbostrom.com/papers/a-history-of-transhumanist-thought/. Julian Huxley served as first Director-General of UNESCO and president of the British Eugenics Society (1959-1962). His 1957 essay "Transhumanism" popularized the term.
Today, Google engineer Ray Kurzweil swallows over 100 pills daily, hoping to live until 2045 when he believes we will "upload" our consciousness into machines and achieve "virtual immortality." Kurzweil co-founded Singularity University with Google's CEO Larry Page. Amazon's Bezos pours billions into life extension through Altos Labs. Google's Calico Labs pursues "radical life extension." Silicon Valley's richest men race to solve death.5 Andrew Nikiforuk, "Ray Kurzweil, Evangelist of Techno-Immortality," The Tyee, December 6, 2024. Available at: https://thetyee.ca/Culture/2024/12/06/Ray-Kurzweil-Evangelist-Techno-Immortality/. Archived at: https://web.archive.org/web/20250914114622/https://thetyee.ca/Culture/2024/12/06/Ray-Kurzweil-Evangelist-Techno-Immortality/. Kurzweil predicts "the Singularity" by 2045 when AI will exceed human intelligence and enable consciousness uploading. Google's Calico Labs (founded 2013 by Larry Page) and Amazon-funded Altos Labs pursue life extension research.
The clothing changes. Egyptian pyramids give way to medieval alchemy, then to quantum computers. But the serpent's promise remains: "Ye shall not surely die."
Physicist Frank Tipler's The Physics of Immortality (1994) claims superintelligent computers at the end of time will resurrect all humans as digital simulations (the "Omega Point" theory). Theologian John Polkinghorne called it "a cosmic tower of Babel."6 Frank J. Tipler, The Physics of Immortality: Modern Cosmology, God and the Resurrection of the Dead (New York: Doubleday, 1994). Physicist David Deutsch initially defended Tipler's physics but later called the theory "refuted" and "ruled out by observation." John Polkinghorne's critique appears in "Breaking a Taboo: Frank Tipler's The Physics of Immortality," Zygon: Journal of Religion and Science (1995). The description is apt. Humanity building toward heaven without God is the oldest rebellion, dressed in mathematical formulas.
Yet Scripture declares: "The living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing" (Ecclesiastes 9:5). There is no consciousness to upload. The soul that sinneth, it shall die (Ezekiel 18:20). Only Christ holds the keys of death (Revelation 1:18), not Omega Point computers, not cryogenic tanks, not digital clouds.
The Übermensch is Lucifer's role repackaged for philosophical consumption. The singularity is the Tower of Babel rebuilt in silicon.
Objections Considered
Several passages are cited against soul sleep. Honest examination requires addressing them directly.
"Fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell" (Matthew 10:28)
This verse is often cited to prove the soul survives bodily death. But read what it actually says: God can destroy the soul. He does not torment it eternally, He destroys it. The Greek apollumi means to destroy utterly, to perish, to be lost. If souls were inherently immortal, they couldn't be destroyed. This verse actually supports conditional immortality: souls can die, and God can destroy them.
"Absent from the body... present with the Lord" (2 Corinthians 5:8)
Read the full context (2 Corinthians 5:1-10). Paul describes putting on "our house which is from heaven," the resurrection body. He says we're "absent from the body" when we receive that heavenly house. When does that happen? At the resurrection, not at death. Paul's "present with the Lord" is resurrection hope, not immediate consciousness after death. The unconscious dead experience no passage of time; from their perspective, death and resurrection are instantaneous.
"To depart, and to be with Christ" (Philippians 1:23)
Same principle. Paul desires to depart and be with Christ, and from the sleeper's perspective, that happens instantly. A person who dies at 30 and rises at the resurrection experiences no waiting. For them it is death, then Christ, with no subjective time between. Paul isn't describing a disembodied intermediate state; he's describing resurrection hope from the perspective of one who will experience no waiting.
"Today shalt thou be with me in paradise" (Luke 23:43)
Greek manuscripts have no punctuation. The comma placement is a translator's choice. It could read: "I say unto thee today, thou shalt be with me in paradise," with "today" modifying when Jesus speaks, not when the thief arrives. This reading fits the context: Jesus, dying in apparent defeat, assures the thief today (at this moment of seeming failure) that paradise awaits.
Moreover, Jesus wasn't in paradise that day. He told Mary three days later: "I am not yet ascended to my Father" (John 20:17). If Jesus wasn't in paradise on Friday, neither was the thief. The promise was for the future resurrection, not that afternoon.
These verses, examined carefully, don't contradict soul sleep. They describe resurrection hope from the perspective of those who will experience no waiting. The dead know nothing, but they also wait for nothing. Death, then the Lord. No subjective gap between.
The Rich Man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31)
Jesus tells of a rich man in torment and Lazarus comforted in "Abraham's bosom." Doesn't this prove the dead are conscious?
This is a parable, introduced with "There was a certain rich man," the same formula Jesus uses for other parables. Parables use familiar imagery to make spiritual points; they aren't doctrinal statements about cosmology.
If taken literally, we'd have to believe: Abraham's bosom can hold billions of people; flames are visible across a gulf yet can't spread; the rich man has a tongue and can speak despite being dead; a drop of water could cool someone in fire. The imagery is clearly symbolic.
Jesus was addressing Pharisees who believed in conscious death (Luke 16:14). He used their own erroneous beliefs to make a point: if someone won't believe "Moses and the prophets," they won't believe even if one rose from the dead (Luke 16:31), a prophecy about themselves, since they would reject Jesus after His resurrection.
The parable teaches about reversal of fortune and the sufficiency of Scripture, not afterlife geography. Interpreting a parable literally while ignoring direct statements like "the dead know not any thing" (Ecclesiastes 9:5) inverts proper biblical interpretation.
Moses and Elijah at the Transfiguration (Mark 9:4-5)
Moses and Elijah appeared conscious, talking with Jesus on the mountain. Doesn't this prove the righteous dead are aware?
Two points: First, Elijah never died. He was taken to heaven alive in a chariot of fire (2 Kings 2:11). His presence proves nothing about the state of the dead; he isn't one of them.
Second, Moses was likely resurrected. Jude 9 describes a dispute between Michael and the devil "about the body of Moses." If Moses were simply a disembodied soul, why fight over his body? The dispute implies bodily resurrection: Moses raised as a special case, as Christ would later be, as Lazarus was during Jesus' ministry.
The Transfiguration shows two exceptional individuals (one who never died, one apparently resurrected), not the normal state of all the dead. Generalizing from two exceptions to deny the clear testimony of Ecclesiastes, Psalms, and Paul reverses sound interpretation.
"Cloud of witnesses" (Hebrews 12:1)
"Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses." Doesn't this mean dead saints watch us from heaven?
Read the context. Hebrews 11 catalogs the faithful: Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Rahab, David, Samuel, the prophets. These are "witnesses" in the sense of testimony. Their lives witness to faith, not that they're currently observing us.
The Greek martys (witness) means one who testifies or bears witness. A witness at trial testifies to what they've seen; they don't necessarily watch continuously. We speak of "the evidence witnesses to X" without implying the evidence is conscious.
These heroes of faith are witnesses to us: their recorded lives testify that faith is possible. They're not witnesses of us (watching from celestial bleachers). The author is saying: look at their example, run your race. Not: they're watching you run.
Peter said David "is not ascended into the heavens" (Acts 2:34). If David isn't consciously observing, neither is the rest of Hebrews 11's honor roll. They testified in life; that testimony remains; they sleep until resurrection.
Questions to Answer
If "the dead know not any thing" (Ecclesiastes 9:5) and "his thoughts perish" (Psalm 146:4), who is your deceased grandmother communicating with at the séance?
She's not thinking. She's not conscious. She doesn't know anything. So who's pretending to be her, knowing details about your childhood? Demons impersonating the dead, exactly what Scripture forbids contacting.
Why would God command "regard not them that have familiar spirits" (Leviticus 19:31) if the dead could actually communicate?
Either God forbade something impossible, or He forbade contacting demons who are familiar with (impersonate) the deceased. Which makes more sense?
If the dead are unconscious until resurrection, why does Satan promote "immortal soul" doctrine through every false religion, including Catholic purgatory, Protestant "heaven now," New Age reincarnation, and spiritualism?
Because if you believe the dead are conscious, you'll believe demons when they impersonate them. The immortal soul lie enables Satan's end-time deception. No conscious dead = no séances, no purgatory, no praying to saints, no reincarnation.
When loved ones report "contact" with deceased relatives who give accurate personal information, does that prove the dead are alive, or does it prove demons have been watching?
Demons observed your grandmother for 80 years. They know what she said, how she acted, what she believed. Accurate impersonation doesn't prove she's conscious; it proves her impersonator is intelligent.