The Hell of the Bible Explained!

[RR144]

Some deny the existence of hell, but the Bible clearly teaches it, in both the Old Testament and the New Testament.

MANY MISUNDERSTAND the subject, and some still hold to the heathen doctrine of eternal torture, which was attached to Christianity early in the Dark Ages, and so they believe in hell as viewed by the heathen instead of in the hell of the inspired Word of God.

• It's important that we examine carefully and learn thoroughly the Bible teachings on hell. The only Old Testament word translated hell is sheol, to which the New Testament word Hades corresponds. In the King James Version the Old Testament word, sheol and the New Testament word, hades are translated hell 41 times, grave 32 times and pit 3 times. Frequently when translated hell, the margin reads, “or, the grave,” or vice versa (Psa. 49: 15; Jonah 2: 1, 2).
• Contrary to the idea that hell is a place of fire and torture the Bible says, “there is no work, or device, or knowledge, or wisdom, in the grave [sheol], where you are going”; “in death there is no remembrance of you. In the grave [sheol] who shall give You thanks”; “the grave [sheol] cannot praise You: death cannot celebrate You” (Eccl. 9: 10; Psa. 6:5).
• Good people, as well as bad, go to sheol (hell) at death. Jesus “poured out His soul to death” (Matt. 26: 38), and descended to hell, but “His soul [His being] was not left in hell” (Acts 2: 27, 31).
• In Old English the word hell simply meant to hide or to cover. To "hell potatoes" meant to plant and cover them with earth. The word hell is properly used as signifying the secret or hidden condition of the dead. It had no reference whatever to a place of torture until that meaning was attached to it from heathen superstitions and theologians of the Dark Ages.
• When God told Adam of sin’s penalty, He did not say “In the day that you eat of it you shall live forever in torture,” but He told him the truth: “you shall surely die, i.e., cease to live” (Gen. 2: 17).
• Contradicting God, Satan told the first lie (John 8: 44), “You will not surely die” (Gen. 3: 4), by which he has since deceived many into believing that the dead are not really dead, but that at death they live on, and without waiting for the resurrection day (John 5: 28), go directly into heaven or into eternal torment.
• The Bible states plainly that “the soul who sins shall die” (Ezek. 18: 4); that “the wages of sin is death” [cessation of life, not life in torment]. On the other hand, the gift of God is eternal life (Rom. 6: 23) through Jesus Christ.
• Do you not see, that if the penalty against Adam and his race had been eternal torment, Jesus would have had to suffer an eternity of torture to redeem the human race? On the contrary, the “wages of sin is death,” “Christ died for our sins,” He tasted death for every man; and He “was raised from the dead” (1 Cor. 15: 3, 4). God through Christ ransoms all, not from eternal torture, but “from the power of the grave [sheol]” (Hos. 13: 14).
• Eventually “all that are in the grave shall hear His [Jesus’] voice, and shall come forth” (John 5: 28, 29 RSV). When sheol or hades delivers up all who sleep in Adamic death, sheol and hades will forever cease to exist. “O grave [sheol] I will be your destruction.”
• Sodom and Gomorrah are set forth by God “as an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire” (Jude 7) then; the fire that is not burning any longer did destroy those cities, and brought upon them destruction. These will be awakened in the world’s judgment day (John 5: 28). However, they will not be reinstated to their former wicked condition.
• The word translated “tormented” in Rev. 20: 10 should have been rendered “tested” or “examined;” the devil, the beast and the false prophet will be examined forever by the righteous, and recognized as deserving destruction.
• The wicked “shall be punished with everlasting destruction” (2 Thessalonians 1: 9). Moreover, they “shall go away into everlasting punishment” [not everlasting life in torture, but death], (Matt. 25:46); “for sin, when it is finished, brings forth death” (James 1: 15); everlasting death is everlasting punishment. But the righteous only will have life eternal (John 3: 36).
• “God is love” and He desires us to “worship Him in spirit and in truth,” out of love for Him, not because of fear of punishment now and in the hereafter.

“Perfect love casts out fear” [dread]. (1 John 4: 8-12)​

 

[Fred]

The word translated “tormented” in Rev. 20: 10 should have been rendered “tested” or “examined;”

Neither Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament as well as the BDAG (3rd Edition) agree with you.

• “God is love” and He desires us to “worship Him in spirit and in truth,” out of love for Him, not because of fear of punishment now and in the hereafter.

Revelation 15:4
Who shall not fear Thee, O Lord, and glorify Thy Name?