B-A-C
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It's interesting the word "hell" is not mentioned in the Old Testament, however the word "sheol" is mentioned 65 times (depending which Bible translation you use).
H7585
שׁאל שׁאול
she'ôl she'ôl
sheh-ole', sheh-ole'
From H7592; hades or the world of the dead (as if a subterranian retreat), including its accessories and inmates: - grave, hell, pit.
Sheol is simply the Earth, the ground beneath our feet. The grave. But it is more than that. It was a place that both evil and righteous appear to go.
Job 24:19; "Drought and heat consume the snow waters, So does Sheol those who have sinned.
Psa 9:17; The wicked will return to Sheol, Even all the nations who forget God.
Prov 23:14; You shall strike him with the rod And rescue his soul from Sheol.
Many believe this was just a temporary holding place. (Not to be confused with the Roman Catholic concept of purgatory, the difference being Protestants believe once you die, your eternal fate is already decided. Roman Catholics believe you can be bought (via indulgences and good deeds) back into Heaven even after you have died.)
In the New Testament, there is a new word. "Hades". It is a Greek word similar to the Hebrew notion of Sheol.
ᾅδης
hadēs
hah'-dace
From G1 (as a negative particle) and G1492; properly unseen, that is, “Hades” or the place (state) of departed souls: - grave, hell.
So then, if sheol/hades is just the earth, a pit, a grave, why do we often think of it as a fiery place? Part of the answer may come from the verse below.
Deut 32:22; For a fire is kindled in mine anger, and shall burn unto the lowest hell, and shall consume the earth with her increase, and set on fire the foundations of the mountains.
The other part of this may come from the story of Lazarus and the rich man.
Luke 16:23; "In Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and *saw Abraham far away and Lazarus in his bosom.
Luke 16:24; "And he cried out and said, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus so that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool off my tongue, for I am in agony in this flame.'
Part of the notion that hell/sheol/hades is a temporary holding place comes from the following verses.
Eph 4:8; Therefore it says, "WHEN HE ASCENDED ON HIGH, HE LED CAPTIVE A HOST OF CAPTIVES, AND HE GAVE GIFTS TO MEN."
Eph 4:9; (Now this expression, "He ascended," what does it mean except that He also had descended into the lower parts of the earth?
Eph 4:10; He who descended is Himself also He who ascended far above all the heavens, so that He might fill all things.)
Many take the passage "he led a host of captives" as the righteous who were still in sheol until Christ's death.
Luke 4:18; "THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS UPON ME, BECAUSE HE ANOINTED ME TO PREACH THE GOSPEL TO THE POOR. HE HAS SENT ME TO PROCLAIM RELEASE TO THE CAPTIVES, AND RECOVERY OF SIGHT TO THE BLIND, TO SET FREE THOSE WHO ARE OPPRESSED, (This is a quote if Isa 61:1
Some take "releasing the captives" and "set free" as more than just setting free those who are spiritually oppressed in this current life.
Part of this may come from the verses below.
Psa 16:10; For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol; Nor will You allow Your Holy One to undergo decay.
Psa 49:15; But God will redeem my soul from the power of Sheol, For He will receive me. Selah.
Acts 2:34; "For it was not David who ascended into heaven, but he himself says: 'THE LORD SAID TO MY LORD, "SIT AT MY RIGHT HAND,
Perhaps David expected to go to sheol, at least for a while when he died. If this was the case,
Now if Jesus descended into hell and led the rightous out of it, what about the wicked? Did they stay in sheol/hades? The following verse seems say they do.
Rev 20:13; And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds.
At the beginning of Revelation 20, we see Satan himself is cast into a pit for a thousand years. Some take this be hell. After a thousand years, he will be released into the world again.
Back to the idea, that hell/sheol is a place with fire and flames and torment, this may be the case (it was for the rich man in the story of Lazarus). But after the judgement, some people will be thrown into the lake of fire.
In fact hell itself will be thrown into the lake of fire.
Rev 19:20; And the beast was seized, and with him the false prophet who performed the signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image; these two were thrown alive into the lake of fire which burns with brimstone.
Rev 20:14; Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire.
Rev 20:15; And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
Some people think this burning is a temporary thing. Other's take the verses below to mean it is a permanent punishment.
Rev 20:10; And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.
Matt 25:46; "These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.
Matt 18:8; "If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it from you; it is better for you to enter life crippled or lame, than to have two hands or two feet and be cast into the eternal fire.
2 Thes 1:9; These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power,
Matt 13:42; and will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Matt 13:50; and will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
I have heard more than one person claiming to be a church leader/clergyman (this week alone) say there is no hell. There is no eternal torment.
They can't believe a God who is love would throw anyone into hell. Still others say, this life we are living now is hell. Finally there are those who say, even if there is a hell and the wicked
are "burned up" it will only last an instant. Yet, I don't see any of that in the Bible anywhere.
H7585
שׁאל שׁאול
she'ôl she'ôl
sheh-ole', sheh-ole'
From H7592; hades or the world of the dead (as if a subterranian retreat), including its accessories and inmates: - grave, hell, pit.
Sheol is simply the Earth, the ground beneath our feet. The grave. But it is more than that. It was a place that both evil and righteous appear to go.
Job 24:19; "Drought and heat consume the snow waters, So does Sheol those who have sinned.
Psa 9:17; The wicked will return to Sheol, Even all the nations who forget God.
Prov 23:14; You shall strike him with the rod And rescue his soul from Sheol.
Many believe this was just a temporary holding place. (Not to be confused with the Roman Catholic concept of purgatory, the difference being Protestants believe once you die, your eternal fate is already decided. Roman Catholics believe you can be bought (via indulgences and good deeds) back into Heaven even after you have died.)
In the New Testament, there is a new word. "Hades". It is a Greek word similar to the Hebrew notion of Sheol.
ᾅδης
hadēs
hah'-dace
From G1 (as a negative particle) and G1492; properly unseen, that is, “Hades” or the place (state) of departed souls: - grave, hell.
So then, if sheol/hades is just the earth, a pit, a grave, why do we often think of it as a fiery place? Part of the answer may come from the verse below.
Deut 32:22; For a fire is kindled in mine anger, and shall burn unto the lowest hell, and shall consume the earth with her increase, and set on fire the foundations of the mountains.
The other part of this may come from the story of Lazarus and the rich man.
Luke 16:23; "In Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and *saw Abraham far away and Lazarus in his bosom.
Luke 16:24; "And he cried out and said, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus so that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool off my tongue, for I am in agony in this flame.'
Part of the notion that hell/sheol/hades is a temporary holding place comes from the following verses.
Eph 4:8; Therefore it says, "WHEN HE ASCENDED ON HIGH, HE LED CAPTIVE A HOST OF CAPTIVES, AND HE GAVE GIFTS TO MEN."
Eph 4:9; (Now this expression, "He ascended," what does it mean except that He also had descended into the lower parts of the earth?
Eph 4:10; He who descended is Himself also He who ascended far above all the heavens, so that He might fill all things.)
Many take the passage "he led a host of captives" as the righteous who were still in sheol until Christ's death.
Luke 4:18; "THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS UPON ME, BECAUSE HE ANOINTED ME TO PREACH THE GOSPEL TO THE POOR. HE HAS SENT ME TO PROCLAIM RELEASE TO THE CAPTIVES, AND RECOVERY OF SIGHT TO THE BLIND, TO SET FREE THOSE WHO ARE OPPRESSED, (This is a quote if Isa 61:1
Some take "releasing the captives" and "set free" as more than just setting free those who are spiritually oppressed in this current life.
Part of this may come from the verses below.
Psa 16:10; For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol; Nor will You allow Your Holy One to undergo decay.
Psa 49:15; But God will redeem my soul from the power of Sheol, For He will receive me. Selah.
Acts 2:34; "For it was not David who ascended into heaven, but he himself says: 'THE LORD SAID TO MY LORD, "SIT AT MY RIGHT HAND,
Perhaps David expected to go to sheol, at least for a while when he died. If this was the case,
Now if Jesus descended into hell and led the rightous out of it, what about the wicked? Did they stay in sheol/hades? The following verse seems say they do.
Rev 20:13; And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds.
At the beginning of Revelation 20, we see Satan himself is cast into a pit for a thousand years. Some take this be hell. After a thousand years, he will be released into the world again.
Back to the idea, that hell/sheol is a place with fire and flames and torment, this may be the case (it was for the rich man in the story of Lazarus). But after the judgement, some people will be thrown into the lake of fire.
In fact hell itself will be thrown into the lake of fire.
Rev 19:20; And the beast was seized, and with him the false prophet who performed the signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image; these two were thrown alive into the lake of fire which burns with brimstone.
Rev 20:14; Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire.
Rev 20:15; And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
Some people think this burning is a temporary thing. Other's take the verses below to mean it is a permanent punishment.
Rev 20:10; And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.
Matt 25:46; "These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.
Matt 18:8; "If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it from you; it is better for you to enter life crippled or lame, than to have two hands or two feet and be cast into the eternal fire.
2 Thes 1:9; These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power,
Matt 13:42; and will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Matt 13:50; and will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
I have heard more than one person claiming to be a church leader/clergyman (this week alone) say there is no hell. There is no eternal torment.
They can't believe a God who is love would throw anyone into hell. Still others say, this life we are living now is hell. Finally there are those who say, even if there is a hell and the wicked
are "burned up" it will only last an instant. Yet, I don't see any of that in the Bible anywhere.
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