What is Hell ? A small study help

[Ahwatukee]

A small study help for people interested in making their own study of it . I recommend a dictionary of the Bible, concordance specifically like the Strong's . Then you can do a more thorough study into more passages.

The Bible teaches at times in metaphor or figurative language ; like about Hell. The English translation of words from Greek and Hebrew in the Bible doesn't always convey the meaning or give a answer on its own . More so if you go strictly off the English in some cases it can be a negative without closer inspection .

You have to know what The bible says overall and Christ's teachings on any given subject to know what the bible says yourself .

When we're talking about the Final Judgment ; After the Lords Day in Revelation 20 :
That's a time element for when "hell" actually happens.

Part I
For the unfaithful, Hell begins at the time of death in Hades. The real event of the rich man and Lazarus teaches us that both Lazarus and the rich man died, but their spirits departed from there bodies and went down into Hades. There were/are two separate areas of Hades, one a place of comfort/paradise which is where Lazarus and Abraham were and the other place was/is a place of real torment in real flame. There is no symbolism here, as the real names of Lazarus, Abraham and Moses are used, as well as the literal location of Hades. This is the area where the rich man went, still is and will remain until he is resurrected out Hades with the rest of the unrighteous dead at the great white throne judgment (Rev.20:11-15). Once they have been officially judged, they will then be thrown into the lake of fire separated from God for eternity, conscious and aware in torment in flame.

There are three individual words translated as "hell"

Tartaroo/Tartartus = Used once in 2 peter 2:4 and referred to in Jude 6, which is most likely describing the place under the earth where God put the angels who sinned by taking wives from the progeny of mankind and had offspring.

Sheol/Hades = Which is where the spirits of the wicked depart to at the time of the death of the body and which is the same place where the rich man went to and still and where he is in real torment, in real flame.

Gehenna = This is another designation for the lake of fire, everlasting fire and the second death. This is the final place of conscious existing punishment. This is the place that was prepared for Satan and his angels and for all who die in their sins by rejecting Christ.

But currently when a person dies as Christ teaches in His parable of The rich man and Lazarus; they go to heaven on either side of a divide between them.

As previously stated, it is not a parable, but Christ was revealing a literal event and giving us a glimpse into what happens to the spirit at the time of death. When it is forced into being a parable, the meaning is distorted. However, if it is read in its plain literal sense, then there is much to be garnered from it.

The Rich man asked for water to cool his tongue from his torment in the flames ; should call to mind that fact Water symbolizes Eternal life Christ gives: That is what The rich man was in fact asking for , what at that point was too late to obtain .
This would torment any person faced with that reality.

The above is false! Right in the context, the rich man states that he is in torment in the flame and was asking for actual water to touch his tongue. It would have been what he remembered from being alive, which is that water quenches thirst. There is no symbolism here.

The word Torment in Greek means to to test metal for its worth . By analogy its torment .
The rich man's life was found lacking what's required to be on that side of victory with Lazarus . Eternal Life .

Below is the definition of the

Strong's Concordance
basanos: a touchstone (a dark stone used in testing metals), hence examination by torture, torture
Original Word: βάσανος, ου, ἡ
Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine
Transliteration: basanos
Phonetic Spelling: (bas'-an-os)
Definition: a touchstone (a dark stone used in testing metals), examination by torture, torture
Usage: torture, torment, examination by torture.

HELPS Word-studies
Cognate: 931 básanos – originally, a black, silicon-based stone used as "a touchstone" to test the purity of precious metals (like silver and gold). See 928 (basanízō).

[In the papyri, basanos also means, "touchstone," "test" (so P Oxy I. 58.25, ad 288).

931 (basanois) was "originally (from oriental origin) a touchstone; a 'Lydian stone' used for testing gold because pure gold rubbed on it left a peculiar mark. Then it was used for examination by torture. Sickness was often regarded as 'torture' " (WP, 1, 37).]

That examination by torture will be eternal. Notice that the word does not specify an end to the examination by torture. Many people try to use this definition to take away from the fact that punishment is eternal.[/quote]

 

[Ahwatukee]

A small study help for people interested in making their own study of it . I recommend a dictionary of the Bible, concordance specifically like the Strong's . Then you can do a more thorough study into more passages.[/quote

Part II
(Continued)

What happens after The Lords Day written of in Revelation 20? This is really called the Lake of Fire.
The final judgment of God Judges for those who don't make it at the end.

The final judgment is not "for those who don't make it at the end." It is the judgment of all of the unrighteous dead throughout all of history who died without faith. At the great white throne judgment, the dead will receive a resurrected body mete for their punishment in the lake of fire, which cannot be destroyed, but will endure their torment in flame.

The lake of fire is called the Second Death. If we die now we go to heaven or paradise as Christ would call it in another place.
But what happens when you die a second time ? You don't go to another place. You stop existing.

The words forever and ever, everlasting, eternal and no rest day or night, would disagree with you. Everyone who comes into the world exists forever. Life and death are both states of conscious existence. It is ones status with God which determines life and death.

Life = Eternal, conscious existence in the joy of the Lord in the kingdom of God

Death = Eternal, conscious existence in separation from God in the lake of fire

As the event of the rich man and Lazarus and the souls under the altar demonstrate, once a person dies, their spirit is conscious and aware, for both those in the presence of Christ and those in Hades. Moses and Elijah appearing with Christ when He was transfigured is another proof of the conscious existence of the spirit after death.

When Jesus said to the thief, "today you will be with me in paradise," He was referring to their spirits departing and going down to that place of comfort where Abraham and Lazarus were, not heaven. For Jesus said to Mary after He had resurrected, "Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father." Therefore, since Jesus had not yet ascended to the Father, He had not yet gone into heaven, but was in that place of comfort/paradise where Abraham and Lazarus were.

So the struggle many have is with understanding language .Example the torment forever and ever. weeping and gnashing of teeth ; etc .

Torment forever and ever means exactly what it says, which you and others ignore. The language can't get any plainer than that.

Mistakenly perceiving a meteor ; read as literal word for word; is how new doctrines spread and become mainstream traditions, While missing the entire original thought God gave.

The correct way to read the word of God and specifically Revelation is that "if the plain, literal sense makes good sense, then don't seek any other sense. One of the major problems with expositors is applying a symbolic meaning to what is meant to be interpreted literally, which is what is being done to the event of the rich man and Lazarus.

The Lake of Fire is a blotting out of ones soul from existence . That is the second death.
And there can't be any recovery from it because its forever.

The lake of fire is the final place of eternal, conscious existence in the lake of fire for unatoned sin committed against an eternal and Holy God.

There are many who commit suicide today and the reason for this is because they are under the assumption that they will become nonexistent, fade to black. If what you are claiming was true, they would have no punishment at all, because that is what they wanted in the first place. You are dead wrong in your teachings here!

One really good verse to understand all the figurative language used about hell or the lake of fire ; is Psalms 37.
This while using a figure, is more plain to understand .

Psalms 37:18

The LORD knoweth the days of the upright: and their inheritance shall be for ever.

19 They shall not be ashamed in the evil time: and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied.

20 But the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the LORD shall be as the fat of lambs: they shall consume; into smoke shall they consume away.

The word "perish" and being "consumed" is referring to the body, not the spirit. We have other scripture regarding "perish" and "destroy" which are based on the Greek words "olethros, apollumi and apoleia" the definitions of which all state that they do not imply annihilation (extinction), but rather complete loss of well being, eternal ruination.

So the whats the opposite of Perish ?

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish,
but have everlasting life.

apollumi - tropically, to incur the loss of true or eternal life; to be delivered up to eternal misery:

One cannot experience eternal misery unless one exists.

Combined Scripture teaches that punishment in the lake of fire is eternal, conscious existence in separation from God in torment in flame.

 

[Gift1982]

Ahwatukee i dont agree with you about how you interpret scripture. its wrong . but im not going to debate it .you can run on and on all you like with your views. imma just stick with the bible.

 

[dcontroversal]

i dont answer bad and confused people. i call it like it is.

Cop out....and like I said.....Your inability to answer a direct question reeks of either shame or denial......no worries....we can tell by what you say.....!!!

 

[ToastAndTea]

i dont answer bad and confused people. i call it like it is.

Refusing to answer his question only makes you seem like you don't have an answer, which it seems you don't. If you were really sure of what you believed in, you would answer the questions put to you here. But the reality is, you have no answers. You only put forth what others have placed in your mind. It's a simple yes or no. I don't expect you to acknowledge this, however others will see it for what it is.

 

[ToastAndTea]

Ahwatukee i dont agree with you about how you interpret scripture. its wrong . but im not going to debate it .you can run on and on all you like with your views. imma just stick with the bible.

"Imma just stick with the Bible". No, that's not a reasonable defence of your points. The reality is, you don't have a clue what you're trying to say

 

[Gift1982]

Refusing to answer his question only makes you seem like you don't have an answer, which it seems you don't. If you were really sure of what you believed in, you would answer the questions put to you here. But the reality is, you have no answers. You only put forth what others have placed in your mind. It's a simple yes or no. I don't expect you to acknowledge this, however others will see it for what it is.

it only matters what God thinks of me. Not man. if you please men then you will be lead astray . sorry bro.

 

[Ahwatukee]

Since you're in the bad habit of assuming lies and accusations about Christians .
I'm going to assume you an accuser. we know who does that. Who'd you learn that from ?
Something about beams too ..

I'm sure that many unrighteous people would be relieved to hear that you just cease to exist after death, for many who commit suicide are attempting that very thing. In opposition, eternal, conscious separation from God in the lake of fire, is a good reason to fear God.

I concur with ToastAndTea in that, you are teaching a false teaching, distorting the truth regarding God's judgment against those who sin against Him, of which you and others will be held accountable for.

 

[dcontroversal]

Refusing to answer his question only makes you seem like you don't have an answer, which it seems you don't. If you were really sure of what you believed in, you would answer the questions put to you here. But the reality is, you have no answers. You only put forth what others have placed in your mind. It's a simple yes or no. I don't expect you to acknowledge this, however others will see it for what it is.

If someone asks me what I am associated with I have no problem or shame in answering......and notice how defensive he got and accusatory when all I did was ask if he was a JW......his response is similar to almost every JW that has come and gone from this site.....

 

[ToastAndTea]

it only matters what God thinks of me. Not man. if you please men then you will be lead astray . sorry bro.

What would God think of you leading others astray by false doctrine? Still waiting for you to address the earlier points. Oh wait, you can't.

 

[dcontroversal]

"Imma just stick with the Bible". No, that's not a reasonable defence of your points. The reality is, you don't have a clue what you're trying to say

Amen......anyone for cake.......!!

 

[Gift1982]

What would God think of you leading others astray by false doctrine? Still waiting for you to address the earlier points. Oh wait, you can't.

But you are actually doing that yourself . Im not.
i dont need to defend anything because im actually a man of God. not a man of the world that needs to bow to peoples mindless attacks .
nothing i even said in my study is remotely hard or difficult. you all have been taught along some doctrinal line. I have not. im pretty strict with reading and greek and hebrew. i dont need to debate this stuff, because this should be common knowledge,. but since this is the time of famine i expect this kind of replies from strangers on the internet proclaiming in a really loud and rude way that they are Christians and others not . All i gotta see is the fruit you all share here.
all you are sharing is poison . i think i said enough. bye all.

 

[Ahwatukee]

Ahwatukee i dont agree with you about how you interpret scripture. its wrong . but im not going to debate it .you can run on and on all you like with your views. imma just stick with the bible.

It's a good thing that you don't debate me, because you'd lose! The Bible is what I stick with and have done so for the last 45 years. I have done these studies upside down and inside out and have debated them over and over again. How you people can believe in exactly the opposite of what scripture teaches is beyond me. It can only be by pure deception. And though you don't believe me, one day you will find out that you have taught the false teachings of men.

 

[dcontroversal]

i dont need to defend anything because im actually a man of God. not a man of the world that needs to bow to peoples mindless attacks .
But you are actually doing that yourself . Im not. nothing i even said, is remotely hard or difficult. you all have been taught along some doctrinal line. I have not. im pretty strict with reading and greek and hebrew. i dont need to debate this stuff, because this should be common knowledge,. but since this is the time of famine i expect this kind of replies from strangers on the internet proclaiming in a really loud and rude way that they are Christians and others not .

Show that last point or be found a liar....no one accused you but for sure we did ASK YOU.....AND LISTEN PAL....your whole OP is full of error.......go back and read it...a 12 year old sitting in church could shoot holes right through it.....

 

[Ahwatukee]

i dont need to defend anything because im actually a man of God. not a man of the world that needs to bow to peoples mindless attacks .
But you are actually doing that yourself . Im not. nothing i even said, is remotely hard or difficult. you all have been taught along some doctrinal line. I have not. im pretty strict with reading and greek and hebrew. i dont need to debate this stuff, because this should be common knowledge,. but since this is the time of famine i expect this kind of replies from strangers on the internet proclaiming in a really loud and rude way that they are Christians and others not . All i gotta see is the fruit you all share here.
all you are sharing is poison . i think i said enough. bye all.

It's called contending for the faith, which you in part are distorting.

 

[ToastAndTea]

i dont need to defend anything because im actually a man of God. not a man of the world that needs to bow to peoples mindless attacks .
But you are actually doing that yourself . Im not. nothing i even said, is remotely hard or difficult. you all have been taught along some doctrinal line. I have not. im pretty strict with reading and greek and hebrew. i dont need to debate this stuff, because this should be common knowledge,. but since this is the time of famine i expect this kind of replies from strangers on the internet proclaiming in a really loud and rude way that they are Christians and others not . All i gotta see is the fruit you all share here.
all you are sharing is poison . i think i said enough. bye all.

Well the burden of proof is on you, since you were the one making the claims. So sorry to break it to you, but you do have to defend it. At the moment, you've proven nothing. All you've done is try to slither away whenever people try to reason with you because you lack the basic scriptural understanding to debate. I'm not sure if you are a man of God because if you were, you would understand scripture.

And sorry, your line of reasoning doesn't wash with me, I've come from a JW background, so you're not going to try and use that kind of talk with me. I see through it.

 

[blue_ladybug]

Amen......anyone for cake.......!!

 

[ToastAndTea]

That looks delicious

 

[dcontroversal]

Hahaha thanks Blue....let me know when your coming down so I can have your cabin ready haahahaha

 

[dcontroversal]

Well the burden of proof is on you, since you were the one making the claims. So sorry to break it to you, but you do have to defend it. At the moment, you've proven nothing. All you've done is try to slither away whenever people try to reason with you because you lack the basic scriptural understanding to debate. I'm not sure if you are a man of God because if you were, you would understand scripture.

And sorry, your line of reasoning doesn't wash with me, I've come from a JW background, so you're not going to try and use that kind of talk with me. I see through it.

I re-read his OP.....and after a second scan....it is worse than I originally thought......