What does Scripture say about the current status of Heaven and Hell

[GM777]

Is everyone who has ever died currently in a deep sleep until the resurrection of the just (and unjust)? Are there souls with The Lord and souls in Hell now? I've even read some people believe souls are in a place called Sheol which is divided into paradise and torment. The just are in the paradise like Lazarus while the wicked are in torment like the rich man, with a great gulf dividing the two. That is certainly Scriptural, but is it referring to Sheol, a look into the future after judgment, or simply the final judgments of Heaven where God dwells, and the separation and judgment of Hell? I've also heard those in torment in Sheol are not yet in the lake of fire and will suffer an even worse torment in time after the judgment and are simply in waiting. Is that true? I have a feeling people are misinterpreting some Scripture, but what do I know?

 

[JoyfulFleur]

After death, depending if you've repented, you either go to heaven and hell. There is no more 'waiting' place. From what I've understood, paradise was a place people went to before Jesus died on the cross. Through Jesus we are now able to enter the kingdom of heaven and live with Him forever.

Everyone who is in hell and that took the mark of the beast(during the tribulation) will be thrown into Lake of Fire after judgment. So technically yes, people are still waiting. They're not waiting in Sheol but in hell.

"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. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death." - Revelation 20:13-14

 

[GM777]

Thank you for your great response. So is hell a place of fire and brimstone or a place of depression and darkness? Do unsaved souls go from one fiery place to an even more fiery torment? Or from a place of outer darkness to a place of firey torment? Very odd. Sorry for the morbidity

 

[JoyfulFleur]

Thank you for your great response. So is hell a place of fire and brimstone or a place of depression and darkness? Do unsaved souls go from one fiery place to an even more fiery torment? Or from a place of outer darkness to a place of firey torment? Very odd. Sorry for the morbidity

No need to apologize. You're asking some really good questions.

"But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death." - Revelation 21:8

To answer your question about the fire and brimstone, that is what the Lake of Fire is.

"And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth." - Matthew 13:50

"And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.For every one shall be salted with fire, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt." - Mark 9:47-49

Hell seems to fit the description as a place of fire and torment as well. But I doubt one has a different level intensity of torment. I know that in the Lake of Fire, Satan and his demons will also be cast into there after judgment. Everyone who is in hell, right now, is jut waiting to be judged by God for their works. I'm sure you're still in the state of confusion and are wondering what's the difference between to the two. I honestly don't know. I always think of it this way.

Hell is like a jail cell. Those that are there are on trial for committing an inexcusable crime. They're waiting for God to judge the crime and hear what their sentence will be. After God looks in the Book of Life, and doesn't find their name written there, God puts them in the eternal prison- known as the Lake of Fire.

Does that make sense? I struggle with explaining!

 

[phillip1980]

Not trying to disagree joyful. In the old testament when a man dies he goes to sleep in the earth. That is scriptural. They await the second resurrection. For Christians who die, they sleep in the earth waiting for the first resurrection.
However, remember who did Jesus talk to in the garden. The Father Elijah and Moses. Since Moses was dead and asleep in the earth, what was he doing talking to Jesus? Was the scripture wrong? Certainly not. I consider this idea. When we die our soul leaves the bond of time. Perhaps, we sleep in the earth awaiting judgment and are also instantly judged upon our deaths. Both are true.

 

[jb]

You can find a short study Here on death and eternal judgement...

Yahweh Shalom

 

[RickyZ]

You need to understand how time and eternity interact. Most people think time is linear - there’s eternity at one end, then a time line, then eternity at the other end. (Perhaps this looks familiar eternity)---time---(eternity ?) But that image is wrong. What we need to picture is a wheel. A wheel has a hub and a rim. Imagine God and eternity existing in the hub, and time running along the rim. With this image in mind we can see how, like randomly inserted spokes, God can reach out and touch any point in time, at any point in time.

Think about it. The day you are born, God enters the world to walk beside you until you die, and then He takes you home. Having spent your whole life with you, retreating only to bring you back into the hub with Him, from there God enters the world when your best friend is born, spends his entire life with him, until He brings him home. Then again, reaching into time the day King David was born, spend his entire life with him, until He brings him home. That’s how God is able to be with all of us, all of the time, at the same time.

Now, here in time we see that happening in a linear fashion... first the dead are taken, then at the very end a few remaining faithfull are caught up. But in the hub, we all arrive at the same time. 'Suddenly there was a multitude, rejoicing before the Throne of God'. That's us, our arrival into 'heaven'.

As for hell, God’s word tells us the world is made of things unseen, which describes the atom and it’s subatomic components. The interesting thing about the atom is that it’s nucleus is composed of like-charged particles, and orbiting that are like charged particles. The laws of science dictate that like charged particles repel each other, indicating the whole dang thing should just naturally come apart. But God says that all things are held together by Him (Hebrews 11:3; Col. 1:16). The Lord spoke this creation into existence, putting it together by His very Word (note the similarity of word/world). We are told that at the end of its existence the elements will melt with fervent heat (2 Peter 3:7, 10, 12). Consider what happens when an atom is split - it creates intense heat and fire as the element is ripped out of existence. Could it be possible that when God speaks it out of existence, the resulting nuclear meltdown of all created matter that now exists as our earth and heavens will create the lake of fire? Would it seem fitting that those who love this world more than Him would be given it, in its natural state apart from Him?