are there any universalists here?????
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There are many many many Scriptures that attest to the fact that death is the final everlasting punishment for the person who refuses to accept the shed righteous blood of Jesus Christ as a covering for their sin.
The lost perish and are no more.
Strong's concordance word 622 Perish
apollumi: to destroy, destroy utterly
Original Word: ἀπόλλυμι
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: apollumi
Phonetic Spelling: (ap-ol'-loo-mee)
Short Definition: I destroy, lose, am perishing
Definition: (a) I kill, destroy, (b) I lose, mid: I am perishing (the resultant death being viewed as certain).HELPS Word-studies
622 apóllymi (from 575 /apó, "away from," which intensifies ollymi, "to destroy") – properly, fully destroy, cutting off entirely (note the force of the prefix, 575 /apó).
622 /apóllymi ("violently/completely perish") implies permanent (absolute) destruction, i.e. to cancel out (remove); "to die, with the implication of ruin and destruction" (L & N, 1, 23.106); cause to be lost (utterly perish) by experiencing a miserable end.
Matt 7:13
Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad
that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it.
Matthew 10:28
Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but
rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
Luke 13:3
I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.
Here, the Greek word for perish is apoleisthe, which
means to utterly destroy, kill, slay, demolish, make void.
Jesus says that the end for the unrighteous will be the same as for those
in the days of Noah (Luke 17:27), "the flood came and destroyed them all"
(not tortured). And it will be the same as for Sodom (verse 29)
"destroyed them" (not tortured).
John 3:16
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that
whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.
So a person either receives eternal life, or they perish. Nothing about eternal torment there.
John 5:24, Jesus said
"Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has
eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life."
Romans 6:23
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift
of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Note: Death, not eternal torment.
1 Corinthians 3:17
If any man destroys the temple of God, God will destroy him,
for the temple of God is holy, and that is what you are.
Please, note again: Destroy, not torture alive forever.
Galations 6:8
For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption
(phthoran), but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.
phthoran: From phtheiro; decay, i.e. Ruin (spontaneous or inflicted, literally or figuratively) -- corruption, destroy, perish. The one who sows to his own flesh reaps destruction, not eternal living torment.
2 Thessalonians 1:9
These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from
the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power,
Destruction, not eternal living torment. The Greek word is olethron: destruction. From a primary ollumi (to destroy; a prolonged form); ruination, i.e. Death, punishment -- destruction.
Hebrews 10:39
But we are not of those who shrink back to destruction,
but of those who have faith to the preserving of the soul.
James 1:15b
and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death.
James 4:12a
There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the
One who is able to save and to destroy;
2 Peter 3:7
But by His word the present heavens and earth are being reserved for
fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.
2 Peter 3:9
The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient
toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.
All ungodly men will perish unless they repent.
1 John 5:12
He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life.
If you are not alive you cannot be tormented!
Jude 5
Now I desire to remind you, though you know all things once for all, that the Lord, after saving a people out of the land of Egypt, subsequently destroyed those who did not believe.
Revelation 2:11b
He who overcomes will not be hurt by the second death.
The living and the dead will be judged on the last day. Those in
Christ will not experience the second death. Those not in Christ
will experience a second death. This second death is their destruction.
How can it be any clearer?
Revelation 17:8
The beast that you saw was, and is not, and is about to come up out of the abyss and go to destruction.
The lake of fire was created for the devil and his angels.
Revelation 20:14-15
Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
John interprets this for us: the lake of fire is the second death. If anyone's name is not in the book of life, he experiences the second death. This is exactly what it says, death.
Revelation 21:8
“But for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”
They will undergo the second death, which means they are dead!
After the first sin, what was the promised consequence? God said that it was death. God didn't tell them that they would be given eternal life being tormented in hell. If eternal torture in hell is the consequence, it is jarringly missing from any statement by God to Adam and Eve. God even barred Adam and Eve from the garden to prevent them eating from the tree of life and living forever in their state of sin. Paul explains this: Romans 6:23, The wages of sin is death. This is obvious, Paul said what the wages of sin is and it is not to be burned alive forever after you are dead.
Ezekiel 18:4
The soul who sins will die.
Psalm 1:4-6
Not so the wicked!
They are like chaff
that the wind blows away.
Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.
For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.
Psalm 9:5
You have rebuked the nations and destroyed the wicked;
you have blotted out their name for ever and ever.
Psalm 9:6
even the memory of them has perished.
Psalm 34:16
but the face of the LORD is against those who do evil,
to blot out their name from the earth.
Psalm 37:9
For those who are evil will be destroyed,
Psalm 37:20
But the wicked will perish:
Psalm 37:22
those he curses will be destroyed
Psalm 37:28b
Wrongdoers will be completely destroyed
Psalm 37:34
when the wicked are destroyed, you will see it.
Psalm 37:38
But all sinners will be destroyed;
there will be no future for the wicked.
Ecclesiastes 9:5
the dead know nothing
Following the resurrection and judgement of all is when the mortal put on the
immortal, not before. Then too shall the corruptible put on the incorruptible.
See 1 Corinthians 15:54~ Death will be swallowed up in victory.
In fact, Jesus Christ has already overcome death.
Death and Hell will be thrown into the lake of fire.
The lost perish and are no more.
Strong's concordance word 622 Perish
apollumi: to destroy, destroy utterly
Original Word: ἀπόλλυμι
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: apollumi
Phonetic Spelling: (ap-ol'-loo-mee)
Short Definition: I destroy, lose, am perishing
Definition: (a) I kill, destroy, (b) I lose, mid: I am perishing (the resultant death being viewed as certain).HELPS Word-studies
622 apóllymi (from 575 /apó, "away from," which intensifies ollymi, "to destroy") – properly, fully destroy, cutting off entirely (note the force of the prefix, 575 /apó).
622 /apóllymi ("violently/completely perish") implies permanent (absolute) destruction, i.e. to cancel out (remove); "to die, with the implication of ruin and destruction" (L & N, 1, 23.106); cause to be lost (utterly perish) by experiencing a miserable end.
Matt 7:13
Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad
that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it.
Matthew 10:28
Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but
rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
Luke 13:3
I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.
Here, the Greek word for perish is apoleisthe, which
means to utterly destroy, kill, slay, demolish, make void.
Jesus says that the end for the unrighteous will be the same as for those
in the days of Noah (Luke 17:27), "the flood came and destroyed them all"
(not tortured). And it will be the same as for Sodom (verse 29)
"destroyed them" (not tortured).
John 3:16
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that
whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.
So a person either receives eternal life, or they perish. Nothing about eternal torment there.
John 5:24, Jesus said
"Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has
eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life."
Romans 6:23
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift
of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Note: Death, not eternal torment.
1 Corinthians 3:17
If any man destroys the temple of God, God will destroy him,
for the temple of God is holy, and that is what you are.
Please, note again: Destroy, not torture alive forever.
Galations 6:8
For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption
(phthoran), but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.
phthoran: From phtheiro; decay, i.e. Ruin (spontaneous or inflicted, literally or figuratively) -- corruption, destroy, perish. The one who sows to his own flesh reaps destruction, not eternal living torment.
2 Thessalonians 1:9
These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from
the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power,
Destruction, not eternal living torment. The Greek word is olethron: destruction. From a primary ollumi (to destroy; a prolonged form); ruination, i.e. Death, punishment -- destruction.
Hebrews 10:39
But we are not of those who shrink back to destruction,
but of those who have faith to the preserving of the soul.
James 1:15b
and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death.
James 4:12a
There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the
One who is able to save and to destroy;
2 Peter 3:7
But by His word the present heavens and earth are being reserved for
fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.
2 Peter 3:9
The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient
toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.
All ungodly men will perish unless they repent.
1 John 5:12
He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life.
If you are not alive you cannot be tormented!
Jude 5
Now I desire to remind you, though you know all things once for all, that the Lord, after saving a people out of the land of Egypt, subsequently destroyed those who did not believe.
Revelation 2:11b
He who overcomes will not be hurt by the second death.
The living and the dead will be judged on the last day. Those in
Christ will not experience the second death. Those not in Christ
will experience a second death. This second death is their destruction.
How can it be any clearer?
Revelation 17:8
The beast that you saw was, and is not, and is about to come up out of the abyss and go to destruction.
The lake of fire was created for the devil and his angels.
Revelation 20:14-15
Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
John interprets this for us: the lake of fire is the second death. If anyone's name is not in the book of life, he experiences the second death. This is exactly what it says, death.
Revelation 21:8
“But for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”
They will undergo the second death, which means they are dead!
After the first sin, what was the promised consequence? God said that it was death. God didn't tell them that they would be given eternal life being tormented in hell. If eternal torture in hell is the consequence, it is jarringly missing from any statement by God to Adam and Eve. God even barred Adam and Eve from the garden to prevent them eating from the tree of life and living forever in their state of sin. Paul explains this: Romans 6:23, The wages of sin is death. This is obvious, Paul said what the wages of sin is and it is not to be burned alive forever after you are dead.
Ezekiel 18:4
The soul who sins will die.
Psalm 1:4-6
Not so the wicked!
They are like chaff
that the wind blows away.
Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.
For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.
Psalm 9:5
You have rebuked the nations and destroyed the wicked;
you have blotted out their name for ever and ever.
Psalm 9:6
even the memory of them has perished.
Psalm 34:16
but the face of the LORD is against those who do evil,
to blot out their name from the earth.
Psalm 37:9
For those who are evil will be destroyed,
Psalm 37:20
But the wicked will perish:
Psalm 37:22
those he curses will be destroyed
Psalm 37:28b
Wrongdoers will be completely destroyed
Psalm 37:34
when the wicked are destroyed, you will see it.
Psalm 37:38
But all sinners will be destroyed;
there will be no future for the wicked.
Ecclesiastes 9:5
the dead know nothing
Following the resurrection and judgement of all is when the mortal put on the
immortal, not before. Then too shall the corruptible put on the incorruptible.
See 1 Corinthians 15:54~ Death will be swallowed up in victory.
In fact, Jesus Christ has already overcome death.
Death and Hell will be thrown into the lake of fire.
One thing that "The Church" has adopted is what I call "The PBS Dinosaur Conclusion."
What this means is just what they do on TV.......
"We don't know how old the Earth is."
"But, it may be millions of years old."
"And dinosaurs might have lived before man."
"But, man might have lived with them."
Nothing wrong with those speculations. Because that really IS all we know.
But then, they do what The Church does in many instances.
"Since we know the Earth is 800,000,000 years old, it is obvious that man killed off all the dinosaurs during that time span, since we haven't found any fossils that prove differently."
What this means is just what they do on TV.......
"We don't know how old the Earth is."
"But, it may be millions of years old."
"And dinosaurs might have lived before man."
"But, man might have lived with them."
Nothing wrong with those speculations. Because that really IS all we know.
But then, they do what The Church does in many instances.
"Since we know the Earth is 800,000,000 years old, it is obvious that man killed off all the dinosaurs during that time span, since we haven't found any fossils that prove differently."
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It is God's goodness that leads men to repentance. That is your starting premise. Not Hell, but God's grace. You reveal that while Hell is a reality, it is not an ultimatum of choice/demand but rather of circumstance. You explain historically what happened with Adam and Eve, its consequences on man, and what God the Father decided to do (send Jesus). God isn't out to get them for their sins or punish them, but Jesus, Himself, took the penalty of their wrongs. You inform them that God doesn't hold their sins against them, that Christ is the propitiation, and that He wants to be reconciled to them.
He doesn't condemn them, His desire is that they be saved. You don't need to threaten a person and use Hell, condemn them for their sin or anything of that sort. The Holy Spirit will convict them of sin, righteousness, and judgement. Your job is to tell them the good news of Jesus Christ, and minister to them love. Operate in the gifts the Lord has given you, and operate in authority (the name of Jesus), to bring healing (sometimes physical, sometimes emotional). You, working with God, reveal to them His goodness that leads them to repentance.
He doesn't condemn them, His desire is that they be saved. You don't need to threaten a person and use Hell, condemn them for their sin or anything of that sort. The Holy Spirit will convict them of sin, righteousness, and judgement. Your job is to tell them the good news of Jesus Christ, and minister to them love. Operate in the gifts the Lord has given you, and operate in authority (the name of Jesus), to bring healing (sometimes physical, sometimes emotional). You, working with God, reveal to them His goodness that leads them to repentance.
Yes, it is sad that Christians do not accept what Scripture plainly teaches...
they throw over a multitude of Scriptures that explicitly state that death
is the end result of sin, and utter destruction of body and soul via the
second death is the fate of those whose names are not written in the
Lamb's book of life. They throw the multitude of Scripture over in favor
of one parable, which they make up all kinds of others things out of, such
as saying it cannot be a parable since real people are named in it (gee,
I wonder who made up that phony rule and when it came into existence?),
combined with a few verses at most from the highly symbolic book of Revelation.
Explicit Scriptures naming death as the end result are stacked close to fifty to one
AGAINST the popular view. Why has it become so popular when it flies against
so many other Scriptures, not to mention the very nature of God?
They promote the lie of Satan at the heart of the very fall of all creation.
they throw over a multitude of Scriptures that explicitly state that death
is the end result of sin, and utter destruction of body and soul via the
second death is the fate of those whose names are not written in the
Lamb's book of life. They throw the multitude of Scripture over in favor
of one parable, which they make up all kinds of others things out of, such
as saying it cannot be a parable since real people are named in it (gee,
I wonder who made up that phony rule and when it came into existence?),
combined with a few verses at most from the highly symbolic book of Revelation.
Explicit Scriptures naming death as the end result are stacked close to fifty to one
AGAINST the popular view. Why has it become so popular when it flies against
so many other Scriptures, not to mention the very nature of God?
They promote the lie of Satan at the heart of the very fall of all creation.
See here's the deal...
Perhaps many of you have wonderful lives with a few bad times sprinkled here and there.
For most of the world, every day is a living Hell... including mine.
So just because you have it good, doesn't mean everyone else does.
Mock and make fun all you want, but until you walk in the shoes of children for example, trapped in sex rings, you will never see this world for what it is.
Tortured day after day by corporations you buy from.
Killed and slaughtered by politicians you voted for.
How is this fair?
Do you care?
This forum Truly contains some of the most naïve people I've ever come across.
Perhaps many of you have wonderful lives with a few bad times sprinkled here and there.
For most of the world, every day is a living Hell... including mine.
So just because you have it good, doesn't mean everyone else does.
Mock and make fun all you want, but until you walk in the shoes of children for example, trapped in sex rings, you will never see this world for what it is.
Tortured day after day by corporations you buy from.
Killed and slaughtered by politicians you voted for.
How is this fair?
Do you care?
This forum Truly contains some of the most naïve people I've ever come across.
Mat 10:28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
Strongs
G622 apollumi ap-ol'-loo-mee
from G575 and the base of G3639;
to destroy fully (reflexively, to perish, or lose), literally or figuratively:--
destroy, die, lose, mar, perish.
--------------------------------
ἀπόλλυμιB.Mid. ἀπόλλυμαι, fut. -ολοῦμαι, ionic -ολέομαι with part. ἀπολεύμενος: aor2 -ωλόμην: perf. -όλωλα: plup. ἀπολώλειν:— to perish utterly, die, Il.; c. acc. cogn., ἀπ. κακὸν μόρον, αἰπὺν ὄλεθρονOd.; to be undone, id=Od.; ἀπόλωλας you are done for, lost, ruined, Ar.; as an imprecation, κάκιστ᾽ἀπολοίμην id=Ar.; in fut. part., ὦ κάκιστ᾽ ἀπολούμενε oh destined to a miserable end! i. e. oh villain, scoundrel! Ar.
Strongs
G622 apollumi ap-ol'-loo-mee
from G575 and the base of G3639;
to destroy fully (reflexively, to perish, or lose), literally or figuratively:--
destroy, die, lose, mar, perish.
--------------------------------
ἀπόλλυμιB.Mid. ἀπόλλυμαι, fut. -ολοῦμαι, ionic -ολέομαι with part. ἀπολεύμενος: aor2 -ωλόμην: perf. -όλωλα: plup. ἀπολώλειν:— to perish utterly, die, Il.; c. acc. cogn., ἀπ. κακὸν μόρον, αἰπὺν ὄλεθρονOd.; to be undone, id=Od.; ἀπόλωλας you are done for, lost, ruined, Ar.; as an imprecation, κάκιστ᾽ἀπολοίμην id=Ar.; in fut. part., ὦ κάκιστ᾽ ἀπολούμενε oh destined to a miserable end! i. e. oh villain, scoundrel! Ar.
II.to be lost, slip away, vanish, of the water eluding Tantalus, Od.; of sleep, Il.
Your patronizing attitude is not required either. I accept what Scripture teaches. Hell is the grave. It symbolizes death, which is consistently taught as the wages of sin from Genesis onward. Those whose names are not found in the Lamb's book of life pass into the second death. Then death and hell are also done away with, thrown into the lake of fire. Many cannot even get their terminology straight but they want me to accept their teaching? Too funny except for how pathetic it it truly is. God also explicitly says He never thought of burning people. The lie at the heart of the fall of all creation is promoted all the time and it saddens me that you are so deceived.
It's all contractual. Everything has to be done according to the Law.
Thus, Jesus had to be made sin for us, but he never sinned.
This he had to go through in order to get the Title Deed back.
Fine print and all.
Maybe not Mary's Womb per se, but where do you think he was for those three days and nights?
What's the point of visiting those in Hell to preach to them?
He was visiting the unborn to guide them into a better life and to tell them not to make the same mistake twice.
The "Heart" of the "Earth"...
Thus, Jesus had to be made sin for us, but he never sinned.
This he had to go through in order to get the Title Deed back.
Fine print and all.
Maybe not Mary's Womb per se, but where do you think he was for those three days and nights?
What's the point of visiting those in Hell to preach to them?
He was visiting the unborn to guide them into a better life and to tell them not to make the same mistake twice.
The "Heart" of the "Earth"...
People here don't even understand what 'Eternal Punishment' means.
I'll try and explain it...
"Little Johnny's parents decide not to give Little Johnny his allowance for two weeks"
^^^
That is a temporary punishment
"Little Johnny's parents decide not to give Little Johnny his allowance for all of eternity"
^^^
That is an eternal punishment
Note that Little Johnny isn't being brutally tortured for ever and ever.
Does anyone see the difference?
I'll try and explain it...
"Little Johnny's parents decide not to give Little Johnny his allowance for two weeks"
^^^
That is a temporary punishment
"Little Johnny's parents decide not to give Little Johnny his allowance for all of eternity"
^^^
That is an eternal punishment
Note that Little Johnny isn't being brutally tortured for ever and ever.
Does anyone see the difference?
I believe I have posted on Sheol already.
Hades is another word wrongly translated as hell.
HADES
Hades in Greek, as Sheol in Hebrew, is the general term for the place of the dead. The Greek had another word for "grave" used specifically. This was mnemeion, as in --
So it is definitely established that the Holy Spirit uses the word Hades as an equivalent for Sheol. And the Septuagint (Greek translation of Old Testament) uses the word Hades throughout for Sheol. So whatever Sheol means, so we are to understand Hades.
Hades in Greek, has just the same primary meaning as Sheol in Hebrew and "hell" in English. It is derived, according to the lexicons, from eidon, "to see," with the prefix a, meaning "not," therefore it means "not seen," or "unseen."
All 11 passages where Hades occurs are consistent with the meaning of Sheol -- the universal hidden resting place of all the dead, and none give any possible suggestion of, or support to, the orthodox ideas of hell, except one, Luke 16:23, the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus, which will be examined later.
This is the only instance, of all the 76 occurrences of Sheol and Hades, that gives any hint of consciousness or torment, and it will be apparent when we examine it that Christ is speaking in parables, and is using a popular superstition to confound its own supporters.
In Rev. 20:13-14, we learn that Hades ("hell" in our version) is to be "cast into the lake of fire." To the orthodox conception, this presents an absurd paradox. To them, Hades IS hell, and the lake of fire is hell, therefore hell is going to be cast into hell, and that will be the end of hell -- how then can hell be eternal? And what is the hell that hell is cast into in order to destroy hell?
But in the true Scriptural picture there is harmony and reason. Hades is the grave and the lake of fire is a symbol of everlasting destruction. As the final glorious conclusion, death and the grave, the signs and inseparable accompaniments of this mortal dispensation, are to be abolished, destroyed, consumed. Paul says similarly (1 Cor. 15:26) --
Death and Hades (the grave) will have followed all other traces of mortality and evil into eternal oblivion. THIS is Hades (the grave) being cast into the lake of fire -- completely consumed and obliterated.
Paul says later in the same chapter (1 Cor. 15:54) --
But death and the grave DO claim them, but they do not eternally prevail over them. At his return, he will use these keys, and all whom he calls from the graves will come forth (John 5:28) just as he called Lazarus from the grave and he came forth. To this Paul refers when he says (1 Cor. 15:55-57) --
power to open its gates and release those held therein.
Hades is another word wrongly translated as hell.
HADES
Hades in Greek, as Sheol in Hebrew, is the general term for the place of the dead. The Greek had another word for "grave" used specifically. This was mnemeion, as in --
- "Jesus therefore cometh to the grave -- mnemeion" (John 11:38).
"The graves -- mnemeion -- were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose" (Matt. 27:52).
So it is definitely established that the Holy Spirit uses the word Hades as an equivalent for Sheol. And the Septuagint (Greek translation of Old Testament) uses the word Hades throughout for Sheol. So whatever Sheol means, so we are to understand Hades.
Hades in Greek, has just the same primary meaning as Sheol in Hebrew and "hell" in English. It is derived, according to the lexicons, from eidon, "to see," with the prefix a, meaning "not," therefore it means "not seen," or "unseen."
All 11 passages where Hades occurs are consistent with the meaning of Sheol -- the universal hidden resting place of all the dead, and none give any possible suggestion of, or support to, the orthodox ideas of hell, except one, Luke 16:23, the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus, which will be examined later.
This is the only instance, of all the 76 occurrences of Sheol and Hades, that gives any hint of consciousness or torment, and it will be apparent when we examine it that Christ is speaking in parables, and is using a popular superstition to confound its own supporters.
In Rev. 20:13-14, we learn that Hades ("hell" in our version) is to be "cast into the lake of fire." To the orthodox conception, this presents an absurd paradox. To them, Hades IS hell, and the lake of fire is hell, therefore hell is going to be cast into hell, and that will be the end of hell -- how then can hell be eternal? And what is the hell that hell is cast into in order to destroy hell?
But in the true Scriptural picture there is harmony and reason. Hades is the grave and the lake of fire is a symbol of everlasting destruction. As the final glorious conclusion, death and the grave, the signs and inseparable accompaniments of this mortal dispensation, are to be abolished, destroyed, consumed. Paul says similarly (1 Cor. 15:26) --
- "The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death."
Death and Hades (the grave) will have followed all other traces of mortality and evil into eternal oblivion. THIS is Hades (the grave) being cast into the lake of fire -- completely consumed and obliterated.
Paul says later in the same chapter (1 Cor. 15:54) --
- "So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory."
- "Upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."
- "I have the keys of Hades and of death" (Rev. 1:18).
But death and the grave DO claim them, but they do not eternally prevail over them. At his return, he will use these keys, and all whom he calls from the graves will come forth (John 5:28) just as he called Lazarus from the grave and he came forth. To this Paul refers when he says (1 Cor. 15:55-57) --
- "O Death, where is thy sting? O Grave, where is thy victory? . . .
"Thanks be to God who giveth us the victory through Jesus Christ our Lord!"
power to open its gates and release those held therein.