Hell, Sheol, Hades...

  • Christian Chat is a moderated online Christian community allowing Christians around the world to fellowship with each other in real time chat via webcam, voice, and text, with the Christian Chat app. You can also start or participate in a Bible-based discussion here in the Christian Chat Forums, where members can also share with each other their own videos, pictures, or favorite Christian music.

    If you are a Christian and need encouragement and fellowship, we're here for you! If you are not a Christian but interested in knowing more about Jesus our Lord, you're also welcome! Want to know what the Bible says, and how you can apply it to your life? Join us!

    To make new Christian friends now around the world, click here to join Christian Chat.

GRACE_ambassador

Well-known member
Feb 22, 2021
3,215
1,614
113
Midwest
#1
...Paradise, and the grave

Precious friends, for our further preparation, this is submitted in love:

"
...A proper understanding of what the Bible teaches about Hell,
Sheol, Hades, and the Grave dispels confusion over what happens to
the soul at the time of physical death and guards against being led
astray by those teaching the false doctrines...

...There seems to be some confusion about the meaning of Hell and
who goes there because of the way the Hebrew word Sheol and the
Greek word Hades have been translated in our English Bibles. Since
this confusion has led some into an erroneous understanding of what
the Bible actually teaches about the intermediate state and the final
state of the dead, we think that it is important that we address this
subject...

Sheol is found in the Bible sixty-five times. It is translated “the pit”
three times, “the grave” thirty-one times, and “hell” thirty-one times.
Hades is used eleven times, being rendered “hell” ten times and “grave”
once.

Adding to the confusion is that two other words are also translated hell
in the New Testament. These are Tartarus, which is found once and
Gehenna, which is used twelve times.

The term “Hell” is commonly understood to mean a place of torment
where the souls of the wicked go after physical death. This is true.
However, because Hades in the New Testament and Sheol in the Old
are variously rendered hell or grave, there has been some misunder-
standing about what hell and the grave are. Before looking at these
words though, we should first give our attention to the Greek word
Gehenna...
"
(E Bedore)

IF you wish not dozens of Scriptures, word studies, and many
examples Concerning Truth, Then Please do not attempt This:

FULL study:

Hell, Sheol, Hades, Paradise, and the grave (Part I)
Hell, Sheol, Hades, Paradise, and the grave (Part II)

Study to Be APPROVED Open Bible.png

GRACE And Peace...
 
Oct 12, 2021
165
21
18
#2
...Paradise, and the grave

Precious friends, for our further preparation, this is submitted in love:

"
...A proper understanding of what the Bible teaches about Hell,
Sheol, Hades, and the Grave dispels confusion over what happens to
the soul at the time of physical death and guards against being led
astray by those teaching the false doctrines...

...There seems to be some confusion about the meaning of Hell and
who goes there because of the way the Hebrew word Sheol and the
Greek word Hades have been translated in our English Bibles. Since
this confusion has led some into an erroneous understanding of what
the Bible actually teaches about the intermediate state and the final
state of the dead, we think that it is important that we address this
subject...

Sheol is found in the Bible sixty-five times. It is translated “the pit”
three times, “the grave” thirty-one times, and “hell” thirty-one times.
Hades is used eleven times, being rendered “hell” ten times and “grave”
once.

Adding to the confusion is that two other words are also translated hell
in the New Testament. These are Tartarus, which is found once and
Gehenna, which is used twelve times.

The term “Hell” is commonly understood to mean a place of torment
where the souls of the wicked go after physical death. This is true.
However, because Hades in the New Testament and Sheol in the Old
are variously rendered hell or grave, there has been some misunder-
standing about what hell and the grave are. Before looking at these
words though, we should first give our attention to the Greek word
Gehenna...
"
(E Bedore)

IF you wish not dozens of Scriptures, word studies, and many
examples Concerning Truth, Then Please do not attempt This:

FULL study:

Hell, Sheol, Hades, Paradise, and the grave (Part I)
Hell, Sheol, Hades, Paradise, and the grave (Part II)

View attachment 241065

GRACE And Peace...
I asked YOU to give an exposition for your belief in eternal torture and those words are explicit in that I meant YOU to use your very own words, albeit with links/references to support you, to see IF you actually know what you’re talking about. Because when someone can explain what they profess to know they are able to do so.

You haven’t.

I suggest you read very carefully this most relevant passage of Scripture and THINK about it.

Jeremiah 19:5

They have built places here 4 for worship of the god Baal so that they could sacrifice their children as burnt offerings to him in the fire. Such sacrifices 5 are something I never commanded them to make! They are something I never told them to do! Indeed, such a thing never even entered my mind!”



It never even entered God’s mind to burn people alive for the few MINUTES it would take to die as punishment.

But YOU actually believe that God will do that to people – not for a few minutes – but for ETERNITY.

No, it was never in His mind and never will be because His major character quality is LOVE.

But the Enemy would have that in his mind and got his Baal worshippers to approve it….and do it.
 

awelight

Well-known member
Aug 10, 2020
1,629
490
83
69
#3
I asked YOU to give an exposition for your belief in eternal torture and those words are explicit in that I meant YOU to use your very own words, albeit with links/references to support you, to see IF you actually know what you’re talking about. Because when someone can explain what they profess to know they are able to do so.

You haven’t.

I suggest you read very carefully this most relevant passage of Scripture and THINK about it.

Jeremiah 19:5

They have built places here 4 for worship of the god Baal so that they could sacrifice their children as burnt offerings to him in the fire. Such sacrifices 5 are something I never commanded them to make! They are something I never told them to do! Indeed, such a thing never even entered my mind!”



It never even entered God’s mind to burn people alive for the few MINUTES it would take to die as punishment.

But YOU actually believe that God will do that to people – not for a few minutes – but for ETERNITY.

No, it was never in His mind and never will be because His major character quality is LOVE.

But the Enemy would have that in his mind and got his Baal worshippers to approve it….and do it.
Yes, God is love and many other attributes. He hates, He is wrathful, He is jealous, He is merciful, He is compassionate, He is just and He is true, to mention a few.

For your sake I hope you do not end up in Hell or if you prefer, the place of torment because you are in for a rude awakening.

Is not God an infinite, eternal, God? If one sins against an eternal and infinite God, then can his punishment be for just a brief moment in time? How would that be just? Your sin is against an eternal Holy God, therefore, your sin is eternal... Thus, you punishment must be eternal. The scales must balance.

It may give individuals some sort of comfort, in watering down God's wrath, in the punishment for sin but this view doesn't even make commonsense. However, it is consistent with the "God is Love" movement. Which has blown God's one attribute - Love - completely out of proportion. Watering down sin and the coming judgement. Something that would have been unheard of before the 1960's.
 
Feb 5, 2023
698
230
43
#4
I go with Sheol. Though really as early scripture in God's word tells us, all souls return to the God who gave them.
 

Nehemiah6

Senior Member
Jul 18, 2017
26,074
13,776
113
#5
...A proper understanding of what the Bible teaches about Hell, Sheol, Hades, and the Grave dispels confusion over what happens to the soul at the time of physical death and guards against being led astray by those teaching the false doctrines...
There is no question that there is a great deal of confusion about the afterlife, and what has contributed to that confusion is the indiscriminate use of the words "hell", "grave" and "pit". Therefore here is what Christians should know and be clear about:

1. SHEOL/HADES = the abode of souls and spirits in "the heart of the earth" or in "the lower parts of the earth". Prior to the resurrection of Christ all souls -- righteous and unrighteous went to Sheol/Hades. Then Christ Himself (His soul and spirit) was in Hades for three days and three nights. However, at the time of His resurrection, He took all the OT saints with Him to PARADISE which is in Heaven, and within the New Jerusalem. Ever since, all saints go to Heaven to be with Christ, starting with Stephen (Acts 7 & 8).

2. GEHENNA = ETERNAL HELL = THE LAKE OF FIRE. This is the only word that should have been translated as "Hell". Hell is in "outer darkness" and is presently not occupied. Satan and his evil angels occupy the atmospheric heaven, hence he is called "the prince of the power of the air". Jesus said that Hell was created for the devil and his angels, and that is where they all will go eventually (along with the Antichrist, the False Prophet, and all those who have not been saved by grace).

3 TARTARUS = the prison of the evil angels from before the Flood. This would also be located in the lower parts of the earth.

4. THE BOTTOMLESS PIT = THE ABYSS: This is where demons are confined, but will also be released during the Tribulation. It would appear that the Antichrist himself is one of these demons.

5. There is no such thing as Soul Sleep or Annihilationism. All souls are imperishable and will either be in Heaven or in Hell. Presently the unsaved souls go to Hades, not six feet under the earth.

6. "Sleep" is used as a metaphor for physical death in the Bible. But eternal Hell is also called "the Second Death" which means eternal separation from God in the Lake of Fire.

7. "Death" and "Hades" are personified in Revelation. They are shown riding on a pale horse, but they are also said to be cast into the Lake of Fire. That simply means since there will be no more death on earth, there will be no need for Hades either. Therefore Death and Hades are cast into the Lake of Fire when the unsaved dead are cast into it.

8. Because the word "hell" was mistakenly used for "Hades", false teacher Kenneth Copeland (possibly others) made the preposterous claim that Chirist was dragged down to the Lake of Fire by Satan and his evil angels and suffered the torments of Hell for three days and three nights! That is pure nonsense.
 

awelight

Well-known member
Aug 10, 2020
1,629
490
83
69
#6
There is no question that there is a great deal of confusion about the afterlife, and what has contributed to that confusion is the indiscriminate use of the words "hell", "grave" and "pit". Therefore here is what Christians should know and be clear about:

1. SHEOL/HADES = the abode of souls and spirits in "the heart of the earth" or in "the lower parts of the earth". Prior to the resurrection of Christ all souls -- righteous and unrighteous went to Sheol/Hades. Then Christ Himself (His soul and spirit) was in Hades for three days and three nights. However, at the time of His resurrection, He took all the OT saints with Him to PARADISE which is in Heaven, and within the New Jerusalem. Ever since, all saints go to Heaven to be with Christ, starting with Stephen (Acts 7 & 8).

2. GEHENNA = ETERNAL HELL = THE LAKE OF FIRE. This is the only word that should have been translated as "Hell". Hell is in "outer darkness" and is presently not occupied. Satan and his evil angels occupy the atmospheric heaven, hence he is called "the prince of the power of the air". Jesus said that Hell was created for the devil and his angels, and that is where they all will go eventually (along with the Antichrist, the False Prophet, and all those who have not been saved by grace).

3 TARTARUS = the prison of the evil angels from before the Flood. This would also be located in the lower parts of the earth.

4. THE BOTTOMLESS PIT = THE ABYSS: This is where demons are confined, but will also be released during the Tribulation. It would appear that the Antichrist himself is one of these demons.

5. There is no such thing as Soul Sleep or Annihilationism. All souls are imperishable and will either be in Heaven or in Hell. Presently the unsaved souls go to Hades, not six feet under the earth.

6. "Sleep" is used as a metaphor for physical death in the Bible. But eternal Hell is also called "the Second Death" which means eternal separation from God in the Lake of Fire.

7. "Death" and "Hades" are personified in Revelation. They are shown riding on a pale horse, but they are also said to be cast into the Lake of Fire. That simply means since there will be no more death on earth, there will be no need for Hades either. Therefore Death and Hades are cast into the Lake of Fire when the unsaved dead are cast into it.

8. Because the word "hell" was mistakenly used for "Hades", false teacher Kenneth Copeland (possibly others) made the preposterous claim that Chirist was dragged down to the Lake of Fire by Satan and his evil angels and suffered the torments of Hell for three days and three nights! That is pure nonsense.
Nicely put together, you saved me from posting.
 

Nehemiah6

Senior Member
Jul 18, 2017
26,074
13,776
113
#7
I go with Sheol. Though really as early scripture in God's word tells us, all souls return to the God who gave them.
Ecclesiates says that "the spirit" returns to God. Since the same word can be translated either as "breath" or as "spirit" it simply means that God decides when a person will die on earth, and stop breathing. But souls and spirits presently go either to Heaven or to Hades.
 

awelight

Well-known member
Aug 10, 2020
1,629
490
83
69
#8
Ecclesiates says that "the spirit" returns to God. Since the same word can be translated either as "breath" or as "spirit" it simply means that God decides when a person will die on earth, and stop breathing. But souls and spirits presently go either to Heaven or to Hades.
AMEN.

Ecc. 3:2a a time to be born, and a time to die;
 

Webers.Home

Well-known member
May 28, 2018
5,818
1,073
113
Oregon
cfbac.org
#9
.
At some point in his nautical adventure, Jonah went to sheol. (Jonah 2:2) He
pegged its location at the roots of the mountains. (Jonah 2:6)

Well, the roots of the mountains aren't anchored in the tummy of a fish, nor
anchored under the sea, rather, they're anchored deep underground.

In order for Jonah to be in a fish's tummy while simultaneously deep
underground, the man and his body had to part company. In other words;
the story of Jonah is useful for showing people don't cease to exist when
they die.

Jesus predicted his experience would be similar to Jonah's (Matt 12:40)
Well, the thing is: Jesus' corpse never was in the heart of the Earth, rather,
it was laid to rest up on the surface above ground in a rock-hewn tomb. In
other words: in order for Jesus to be up on the Earth's surface while
simultaneously down in its bowels, the man and his body had to part
company.

As I know of nobody thus far except the Jehovah's Witnesses who believes
Jesus ceased to exist when he passed away on the cross; then his experience,
as Jonah's, is useful for showing that folks continue to exist on the other side.
_
 
Oct 12, 2021
165
21
18
#11
Yes, God is love and many other attributes. He hates, He is wrathful, He is jealous, He is merciful, He is compassionate, He is just and He is true, to mention a few.

For your sake I hope you do not end up in Hell or if you prefer, the place of torment because you are in for a rude awakening.

Is not God an infinite, eternal, God? If one sins against an eternal and infinite God, then can his punishment be for just a brief moment in time? How would that be just? Your sin is against an eternal Holy God, therefore, your sin is eternal... Thus, you punishment must be eternal. The scales must balance.

It may give individuals some sort of comfort, in watering down God's wrath, in the punishment for sin but this view doesn't even make commonsense. However, it is consistent with the "God is Love" movement. Which has blown God's one attribute - Love - completely out of proportion. Watering down sin and the coming judgement. Something that would have been unheard of before the 1960's.
Firstly, your argument that because 'God is eternal therefore your sin is eternal' is totally wrong. Don't you believe that in the 'new heavens and new earth' fallen sinful man will be be made pure and holy and free of sin?

Given that you haven't understood that -which ought to be obvious to a professing Christian it's rather pointless trying to address all your points.

Did you actually bother to read and THINK about my post in which I cited from Jeremiah in which God says that burning people alive NEVER even entered His mind?
 

Magenta

Senior Member
Jul 3, 2015
60,166
29,467
113
#12

From 1 Corinthians 15:50-54
:)
 

Pilgrimshope

Well-known member
Sep 2, 2020
14,145
5,722
113
#13
God alone is immortal. That is Scripture :)


Our God is a Consuming Fire
Yes and he gives that same inheritance of everlasting life to a very specific group of people

“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.”
‭‭John‬ ‭3:16‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.”
‭‭John‬ ‭5:24‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death.”
‭‭John‬ ‭8:51‬ ‭

believers are offered everlasting life
 

Nehemiah6

Senior Member
Jul 18, 2017
26,074
13,776
113
#14
God alone is immortal. That is Scripture
Mortality applies to the body (physical deaths). Thus we have "mortality rates". Definition: The estimated total number of deaths in a population of a given sex and/or age, divided by the total number of this population, expressed per 100,000 population, for a given year, in a given country, territory, or geographic area.

And while only God is immortal right now, all the saints will be immortalized at the Resurrection. But souls and spirits are immaterial and imperishable. When bodies goes into graves, souls and spirits go to either Heaven or Hades, depending on whether they obeyed the Gospel or not.
 

Pilgrimshope

Well-known member
Sep 2, 2020
14,145
5,722
113
#15
Mortality applies to the body (physical deaths). Thus we have "mortality rates". Definition: The estimated total number of deaths in a population of a given sex and/or age, divided by the total number of this population, expressed per 100,000 population, for a given year, in a given country, territory, or geographic area.

And while only God is immortal right now, all the saints will be immortalized at the Resurrection. But souls and spirits are immaterial and imperishable. When bodies goes into graves, souls and spirits go to either Heaven or Hades, depending on whether they obeyed the Gospel or not.
One death is physical the second is spiritual

“And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it;

and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them:

and they were judged every man according to their works.

And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”
‭‭Revelation‬ ‭20:11, 13-15‬ ‭KJV‬‬

The book of life v the second death

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.”
‭‭John‬ ‭5:24‬ ‭KJV‬‬
 

Magenta

Senior Member
Jul 3, 2015
60,166
29,467
113
#16
But souls and spirits are immaterial and imperishable.
No verse says any such thing. In fact we are explicitly told that the mortal must put on immortality, and that is
attained by grace through faith in the shed righteous blood of Jesus Christ. All others perish in the second death.



John 3:16
:)
 

Nehemiah6

Senior Member
Jul 18, 2017
26,074
13,776
113
#17
No verse says any such thing. In fact we are explicitly told that the mortal must put on immortality, and that is attained by grace through faith in the shed righteous blood of Jesus Christ. All others perish in the second death.
Magenta, you are seriously confused about this subject. And you already proved it by quoting that this mortal must put on immortality. 1 Corinthians 15 is speaking about the resurrection of THE BODY. But there are many verses which speak of the soul and spirit being imperishable. So let's just take the example of Stephen, the first Christian martyr. He was stoned to death and his body was buried in a grave. But where did his soul and spirit go? Here is what we read: And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. (Acts 7:59). Stephen had just seen Heaven opened and Christ standing at the right hand of the Father. So where did his soul and spirit go when he asked Jesus to receive his spirit? If that is not sufficient, then you are simply committed to false teaching.
 

Webers.Home

Well-known member
May 28, 2018
5,818
1,073
113
Oregon
cfbac.org
#18
.
Re: your argument . . . is totally wrong

Re: Given that you haven't understood that -which ought to be obvious to a
professing Christian it's rather pointless trying to address all your points.


Re: you are seriously confused about this subject.

Re: you are simply committed to false teaching.


I really hate it when Christians choose words that tear each other down
instead of building each other up.
_
 

Magenta

Senior Member
Jul 3, 2015
60,166
29,467
113
#19
Magenta, you are seriously confused about this subject. And you already proved it by quoting that this mortal must put on immortality. 1 Corinthians 15 is speaking about the resurrection of THE BODY. But there are many verses which speak of the soul and spirit being imperishable. So let's just take the example of Stephen, the first Christian martyr. He was stoned to death and his body was buried in a grave. But where did his soul and spirit go? Here is what we read: And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. (Acts 7:59). Stephen had just seen Heaven opened and Christ standing at the right hand of the Father. So where did his soul and spirit go when he asked Jesus to receive his spirit? If that is not sufficient, then you are simply committed to false teaching.
No verses saying the soul is immortal were given by you. And you call me confused, when I gave Scriptures proving my point.

Sufficient for what? To prove Stephen was saved? Jeepers. Get a grip.

You are seriously trying to tell me the unsaved put on immortality when it is explicitly taught that only
those who believe by grace through faith in the shed righteous blood of Jesus Christ attain to immortality.
Many ways, in many places. Over and over. From the beginning of Scriptures in Genesis to Revelation.


It is Christianity 101.
 

Magenta

Senior Member
Jul 3, 2015
60,166
29,467
113
#20
.
Re: your argument . . . is totally wrong

Re: Given that you haven't understood that -which ought to be obvious to a
professing Christian it's rather pointless trying to address all your points.


Re: you are seriously confused about this subject.

Re: you are simply committed to false teaching.


I really hate it when Christians choose words that tear each other down
instead of building each other up.
_
It's his go-to, and I suppose he must when denying Scripture.

God alone is immortal. Life ever after is attained solely by grace through faith in the shed righteous blood of Jesus Christ :)

It never fails to surprise me how many Christians deny this. :censored::cry::censored: