PART I
One of the most misunderstood doctrines in Christendom is the doctrine of the afterlife. And part of the reason for this is that the Hebrew and Greek words Sheol, Hades, and Tartarus were all translated as either “hell” or “the grave” by the King James translators. Had they simply transliterated them, much confusion could have been avoided. Therefore the correct word has been inserted in the quotations from the King James Bible (shown below).
Many people believe that no one goes to Heaven after they die, even if they are saved. Many others believe that souls sleep in the ground six feet under the soil. Many others believe that Christians go to Purgatory until they are prayed out of it. Many believe that people are simply annihilated in the end. Many others think that there is no eternal Hell. All of this is because many groups have promoted false doctrines about these matters for a long time, and people have failed to examine them carefully. Behind all this is Satan, who loves to sow spiritual confusion, and does not want people to see the reality of Hell.
However, there is no need to be confused if we take all the relevant Scriptures into account and see what God and Christ have revealed to us, since only they know what is true and what is false about the afterlife. So what the Bible says -- rightly divided -- is all that matters.
A. Physical death
When people die, their souls and spirits are separated from their bodies, and the bodies are buried in graves: And it came to pass, as her soul was in departing, (for she died) that she called his name Benoni: but his father called him Benjamin. And Rachel died, and was buried in the way to Ephrath, which is Bethlehem. (Gen 35:18,19). It should be noted that many pagan religions either burn the bodies of the deceased, or give them to the carrion to be consumed. But Christians are to be buried, not cremated like the pagans. Also, the spirits of unbelievers are already dead “in trespasses and sins”, so only their souls go to Sheol/Hades. But the spirits of believers are alive, and very closely associated with their souls (though distinct from each other). Thus souls and spirits stay together.
B. All souls went to Sheol/Hades before Christ’s resurrection
I said,“In the prime of my life I shall go to the gates of Sheol; I am deprived of the remainder of my years.” (the words of Hezekiah in Isaiah 38:10 NKJV). Unfortunately, the KJV has “the grave” for “Sheol”, which has led to a lot of confusion. Sheol may literally have gates, since Christ spoke of “the gates of Hades” (which is the Greek word for “Sheol”). Sheol/Hades is located near the core of the earth (called “the heart of the earth” or “the lower parts of the earth”).
C. Both the righteous and the unrighteous went to Sheol from the beginning
And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom [in Sheol/Hades]: the rich man also died, and was buried; And in Sheol/Hades he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. (Luke 16:22-24)
D. Christ was in Sheol/Hades for three days and three nights
This is rather important, since it establishes the reality of Sheol/Hades. He had already prophesied that He would be there. He had also prophetically stated that He would not be there for more than three days and three nights. Then Peter revealed that while He was there He preached to the spirits in prison (since Sheol/Hades was indeed a prison for souls and spirits).
1. Christ prophesied about being in Sheol/Hades
But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. (Mt 12:39,40) While Jonah was in the whale’s belly, his soul and spirit were in Sheol: And [Jonah] said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the LORD, and he heard me; out of the belly of Sheol שְׁא֛וֹל cried I, and thou heardest my voice. (Jonah 2:2)
2. Christ would not be in Sheol/Hades beyond three days and three nights
This is what Christ said through David about 1,000 years before He died: For thou wilt not leave my soul in Sheol; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. (Psalm 16:10). Peter quoted this verse from David and confirmed that it was fulfilled at the resurrection: Because thou wilt not leave my soul in Hades, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption... He [David] seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in Hades, neither his flesh did see corruption. (Acts 2:27,31)
3. Christ preached to the spirits in prison while in Sheol/Hades
While the body of Jesus lay in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea, He proclaimed to the spirits in Sheol/Hades His victory at the cross (1 Peter 3:18,19): For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison. Since no one can be saved after they die (Heb 9:27), Christ did not preach the Gospel of salvation in Sheol/Hades. That word “preached” means “proclaimed”, so what else would Christ have proclaimed other than His victory over sin, death, Hades, Hell, Satan, and all his evil spirits? This victory would include the removal of the saints from Sheol/Hades to Paradise in the New Jerusalem. Thus the gates of Hades would not prevail against the Church.
One of the most misunderstood doctrines in Christendom is the doctrine of the afterlife. And part of the reason for this is that the Hebrew and Greek words Sheol, Hades, and Tartarus were all translated as either “hell” or “the grave” by the King James translators. Had they simply transliterated them, much confusion could have been avoided. Therefore the correct word has been inserted in the quotations from the King James Bible (shown below).
Many people believe that no one goes to Heaven after they die, even if they are saved. Many others believe that souls sleep in the ground six feet under the soil. Many others believe that Christians go to Purgatory until they are prayed out of it. Many believe that people are simply annihilated in the end. Many others think that there is no eternal Hell. All of this is because many groups have promoted false doctrines about these matters for a long time, and people have failed to examine them carefully. Behind all this is Satan, who loves to sow spiritual confusion, and does not want people to see the reality of Hell.
However, there is no need to be confused if we take all the relevant Scriptures into account and see what God and Christ have revealed to us, since only they know what is true and what is false about the afterlife. So what the Bible says -- rightly divided -- is all that matters.
A. Physical death
When people die, their souls and spirits are separated from their bodies, and the bodies are buried in graves: And it came to pass, as her soul was in departing, (for she died) that she called his name Benoni: but his father called him Benjamin. And Rachel died, and was buried in the way to Ephrath, which is Bethlehem. (Gen 35:18,19). It should be noted that many pagan religions either burn the bodies of the deceased, or give them to the carrion to be consumed. But Christians are to be buried, not cremated like the pagans. Also, the spirits of unbelievers are already dead “in trespasses and sins”, so only their souls go to Sheol/Hades. But the spirits of believers are alive, and very closely associated with their souls (though distinct from each other). Thus souls and spirits stay together.
B. All souls went to Sheol/Hades before Christ’s resurrection
I said,“In the prime of my life I shall go to the gates of Sheol; I am deprived of the remainder of my years.” (the words of Hezekiah in Isaiah 38:10 NKJV). Unfortunately, the KJV has “the grave” for “Sheol”, which has led to a lot of confusion. Sheol may literally have gates, since Christ spoke of “the gates of Hades” (which is the Greek word for “Sheol”). Sheol/Hades is located near the core of the earth (called “the heart of the earth” or “the lower parts of the earth”).
C. Both the righteous and the unrighteous went to Sheol from the beginning
And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom [in Sheol/Hades]: the rich man also died, and was buried; And in Sheol/Hades he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. (Luke 16:22-24)
D. Christ was in Sheol/Hades for three days and three nights
This is rather important, since it establishes the reality of Sheol/Hades. He had already prophesied that He would be there. He had also prophetically stated that He would not be there for more than three days and three nights. Then Peter revealed that while He was there He preached to the spirits in prison (since Sheol/Hades was indeed a prison for souls and spirits).
1. Christ prophesied about being in Sheol/Hades
But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. (Mt 12:39,40) While Jonah was in the whale’s belly, his soul and spirit were in Sheol: And [Jonah] said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the LORD, and he heard me; out of the belly of Sheol שְׁא֛וֹל cried I, and thou heardest my voice. (Jonah 2:2)
2. Christ would not be in Sheol/Hades beyond three days and three nights
This is what Christ said through David about 1,000 years before He died: For thou wilt not leave my soul in Sheol; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. (Psalm 16:10). Peter quoted this verse from David and confirmed that it was fulfilled at the resurrection: Because thou wilt not leave my soul in Hades, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption... He [David] seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in Hades, neither his flesh did see corruption. (Acts 2:27,31)
3. Christ preached to the spirits in prison while in Sheol/Hades
While the body of Jesus lay in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea, He proclaimed to the spirits in Sheol/Hades His victory at the cross (1 Peter 3:18,19): For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison. Since no one can be saved after they die (Heb 9:27), Christ did not preach the Gospel of salvation in Sheol/Hades. That word “preached” means “proclaimed”, so what else would Christ have proclaimed other than His victory over sin, death, Hades, Hell, Satan, and all his evil spirits? This victory would include the removal of the saints from Sheol/Hades to Paradise in the New Jerusalem. Thus the gates of Hades would not prevail against the Church.
-
1
-
1
- Show all
