Of all the false doctrines of orthodox Christendom, or any other system of religious speculation, surely it can be safely said that the hideous conception of eternal excruciating agony for nine-tenths of the human race in the flames of hell has been the most destructive of faith in God and belief in the Bible -- the most productive of atheism and skepticism.
There is no greater blasphemy or perversion of Scripture than to attribute such characteristics to God.
True indeed, He reveals Himself as a God of justice and vengeance upon the wicked and disobedient, and His firm declared purpose is to bring every evil work into remembrance and to pour just retribution upon the ungodly.
But He is never portrayed in Scripture as a merciless fiend who delights in the wanton and purposeless eternal torture of His Own creatures.
We are told, on the contrary, that in the great coming day of judgment, the wicked shall, according to their deserts, receive few or many stripes with shame and contempt, and that the end of them all is eternal destruction -- a complete blotting out -- a consuming into smoke and ashes.
The conception of eternal intense torture for the vast majority of mankind, with the few redeemed forever feasting their eyes on the scene with pitiless satisfaction, is so hideous and monstrous that it is difficult to think any rational mind has ever believed it.
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Satan's first lie told over and over again: Ye shall not surely die.
Whereas over and over again we are told explicitly that the wages of sin is death, and that those whose names are not written in the Lamb's book of life pass into the second death. God explicitly says it never entered into His mind to burn people. It is an abomination to Him and yet people promote it.
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HELL
USE IN COMMON VERSION
SHEOL
There is no greater blasphemy or perversion of Scripture than to attribute such characteristics to God.
True indeed, He reveals Himself as a God of justice and vengeance upon the wicked and disobedient, and His firm declared purpose is to bring every evil work into remembrance and to pour just retribution upon the ungodly.
But He is never portrayed in Scripture as a merciless fiend who delights in the wanton and purposeless eternal torture of His Own creatures.
We are told, on the contrary, that in the great coming day of judgment, the wicked shall, according to their deserts, receive few or many stripes with shame and contempt, and that the end of them all is eternal destruction -- a complete blotting out -- a consuming into smoke and ashes.
The conception of eternal intense torture for the vast majority of mankind, with the few redeemed forever feasting their eyes on the scene with pitiless satisfaction, is so hideous and monstrous that it is difficult to think any rational mind has ever believed it.
*
Satan's first lie told over and over again: Ye shall not surely die.
Whereas over and over again we are told explicitly that the wages of sin is death, and that those whose names are not written in the Lamb's book of life pass into the second death. God explicitly says it never entered into His mind to burn people. It is an abomination to Him and yet people promote it.
*
HELL
THE original and root meaning of the English word "hell" is a "covered, hidden, concealed, or secret place." As a verb, to hell or to hele is given in Webster to mean "to cover, conceal, or keep secret," and it is still used in this sense in some parts of England, as to hele a house with a roof, or to hele seeds by covering them.
But this word, like many others, has unfortunately acquired a false ecclesiastical color and meaning.
THE word "hell" occurs in our common version 54 times, 31 in the Old Testament and 23 in the New. It is a translation of 4 different words in the original, one (Sheol) in the Old, and three (Hades, Gehenna, Tartaros) in the New.
The last, Tartaros, occurs but once (2 Pet. 2:4).
Gehenna appears 12 times, it is always translated "hell," and
it is always connected with burning and corruption.
Sheol and Hades, the other two, are synonymous terms, as will be demonstrated, and altogether occur 76 times. 41 times they are translated hell, 32 times grave, and 3 times pit.
While Sheol, Hades and Tartaros refer to the same place or state, Gehenna is entirely different in meaning.
The last, Tartaros, occurs but once (2 Pet. 2:4).
Gehenna appears 12 times, it is always translated "hell," and
it is always connected with burning and corruption.
Sheol and Hades, the other two, are synonymous terms, as will be demonstrated, and altogether occur 76 times. 41 times they are translated hell, 32 times grave, and 3 times pit.
While Sheol, Hades and Tartaros refer to the same place or state, Gehenna is entirely different in meaning.
SHEOL
SHEOL is a term for the place of the dead in general, and for this reason "hell" in its original and uncorrupted meaning is a better word for sheol than "grave" is.
"Grave" primarily means the specific place of a particular corpse or corpses. The Hebrew for this is geber, as --
In all the 65 places where sheol is found, there is not one that gives any countenance to the idea of a place of burning torment of the damned. It is always in the sense of the general hidden state of the dead -- all the dead -- good and bad alike.
And not only is sheol used as the resting place of all the dead indiscriminately, but we have specific mention of righteousness and approved men going there and expecting to go there.
We have seen this of Jacob and Job. Also David (Psa. 88:3), Hezekiah (Isa. 38:10), Christ (Psa. 16:10; Acts 2:31; 3:15), and all the faithful (compare Hos. 13:14 with 1 Cor. 15:54-56).
Sheol is a place of silence --
"Grave" primarily means the specific place of a particular corpse or corpses. The Hebrew for this is geber, as --
- "My grave (geber) which I digged for me" (Gen. 50:5).
- "The king wept at the grave (geber) of Abner" (2 Sam. 3:32).
- "In the grave (sheol) who shall give Thee thanks?"
- "Hell (sheol) and destruction are never full" (Prov. 27:20).
- "I will go down into sheol unto my son mourning."
- "O that Thou wouldest hide me in sheol."
In all the 65 places where sheol is found, there is not one that gives any countenance to the idea of a place of burning torment of the damned. It is always in the sense of the general hidden state of the dead -- all the dead -- good and bad alike.
And not only is sheol used as the resting place of all the dead indiscriminately, but we have specific mention of righteousness and approved men going there and expecting to go there.
We have seen this of Jacob and Job. Also David (Psa. 88:3), Hezekiah (Isa. 38:10), Christ (Psa. 16:10; Acts 2:31; 3:15), and all the faithful (compare Hos. 13:14 with 1 Cor. 15:54-56).
Sheol is a place of silence --
- "Let the wicked be ashamed, and let them be silent in sheol" (Psa. 31:17).
"The dead praise not the Lord, neither any that go down into silence" (Psa. 115:17).
- "In death there is no remembrance of Thee, in sheol who shall give Thee thanks?"
- "There is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in sheol whither thou goest" (Ecc. 9:10).
- "Wilt Thou show wonders to the dead? Shall the dead arise and praise Thee?"
"Shall Thy lovingkindness be declared in sheol? Or Thy faithfulness in destruction?"
"Shall Thy wonders be known in the dark? And Thy righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?" (Psa. 88:10-12). Hell is the GRAVE