Christian Classics discussion
What and Where is Hell Anyway?
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Jerry,Thanks for the Anglo-Saxon/Hebrew/Greek survey of the terms for "hell." It's always useful to remember the basics of language when thinking about this stuff (maybe I'm just a nerd, but I'd like to hear more of that in sermons now and then).
You're quite right to point out that the devil is not that guy in the cartoons in a red suit with a pitchfork. I also think you're right to say that hell is not necessarily literally a lake of burning fire, I believe that's poetic imagery used to convey horror and despair, rather than literal licking flames.
However, I disagree with your overall argument about Biblical teaching on hell.
In fact, the Bible argues that hell is the natural destination of all mankind, we have all made God very angry by sinning against Him and earning the full weight of His wrath. We deserve nothing but hell (see many places in the Bible, but especially clear on this are the first three chapters of Romans).
What is this hell like? Well, as you point out, fire and flames are likely just symbolic- which isn't necessarily a good thing because if anything, hell will be worse than what the symbols convey. Jesus himself says when in Mark 9 that it is a place where "their [the people thrown into hell:] worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched." Again, there's the use of imagery to convey a message, but part of the message being conveyed is the eternality of hell (hence language like "does not die" and "is not quenched").
Which is where Christianity has particularly good news. Where we have done nothing but earn eternity in the presence of God's justice (hell), God Himself, in the person of Jesus Christ, became a man and lived the perfect life that we were supposed to have lived and died the shameful death that we were supposed to have died. So that if we repent of our sins and believe in him, then we do not have to spend eternity in hell because Jesus has already gone there in our place. Instead, we get to spend eternity in heaven because his righteous life has been counted as our own.
Thus, there are (at least, maybe more than) three uses of the teaching on hell in the Bible:
1) A description of an actual place, both physical and spiritual. Though usually these descriptions are symbolic (as are descriptions of heaven).
2) As a warning for nonbelievers about what is coming if they do not turn from their sin and embrace the Gospel.
3) As a reminder for believers of what Christ has done in saving us, and an encouragement for us to be merciful and kind to others in turn.
Clearly there's lots more that could be said on hell...
Coyle wrote: "Jerry,Thanks for the Anglo-Saxon/Hebrew/Greek survey of the terms for "hell." It's always useful to remember the basics of language when thinking about this stuff (maybe I'm just a nerd, but I'..."
Great piece Coyle. I couldn't agree with you more.My only disagreement would be the eternal part of hell. In Revelation 20:14, hell is cast into the lake of fire and it ends there. The Bible also says that there will be no remembrance of those cast into the lake of fire. I wanted to give you the scripture for that but I couldn't find it. I'll keep looking for that scripture because if even the memory of those cast into the lake of fire are blotted out it would seem a contadiction that they would be tormented forever. I'll keep looking but thanks for the response.
I highly recommend the book by Mark K Baxter "A Divine Revelation of Hell". It is the most descriptive book on hell I have ever read of anyone who has ever claimed to go there. She has stated that she believes hell is geographically located in the center of the Earth. Funny, I used to consider that before I even heard her say it. Traci Jones, CA
The English word hell comes from the Anglo-Saxon hel, or in the genitive case helle, which means a "hidden place", from the Anglo-Saxon word helan, meaning "to hide". The word for hell in the Old Testament is the Strong's Concordance word #7585 sheol in Hebrew, which simply means "grave." In the New Testament it's the Strong's word #1067 geenna, or gehenna, in Greek, which was the name of a valley outside of Jerusalem where the city trash was burned. The word was meant to portray a state of degradation and death. In eleven other locations of the New Testament it is the Strong's word #86 hades in Greek, meaning "unseen place" or "grave". Whether it's the word sheol in the Old Testament, or gehenna or hades in the New Testament, they all mean either the grave or the tormented state of death.
Don't get me wrong, there are repercussions for sin and there is a need for repentance. Hell is not the "happiest place on Earth", or in heaven for that matter. God is righteous and just and will deal with the unsaved, just not in hell. A good view of the torments of hell can be seen in The Apocrypha in the Second Book of Esdras starting in verse 76.
There is a lake of fire in the book of Revelation 20:10: "And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever." Don't let this verse confuse you into thinking God really does torment these individuals, or anyone else for that matter, forever in a fiery hell. A better description of this is in Revelation 14:11: "And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever:" It's the smoke from their extinguishing that rises for ever. The smoke is compared to a lamb on a spit in Psalm 37:20: "But the wicked shall be as the fat of lambs: They shall consume; into smoke shall they consume away."
We see the difference between the lake of fire and hell spelled out starting in Revelation chapter 20:
13. 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.
14. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
15. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
Notice that if hell were the traditional burning dungeon of God, how could it be cast into a lake of fire? The lake of fire is a one-time situation that exists after the Millennium and should not be confused with hell in that the lake of fire exists for the sole purpose of the termination of all souls not passing judgment. Why would a loving God have His children burn forever in torment? He wouldn't.
So where is hell? If we refer to the scriptures we know that the soul leaves the body immediately after death and returns to God in Heaven to await the consummation of this age and then judgment. "Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God Who gave it" (Ecclesiastes 12:7). "We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord" (II Corinthians 5:8). Remember the story of Lazarus and the rich man in Luke 16:20? We are shown all the dead waiting in heaven with a gulf that divides them that have overcome in life from those that have not? "And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom" (Luke 16:23). The rich man asked for Lazarus to come to him but was told he couldn't because of the gulf. This is the true meaning and location of hell: dieing and waking up in heaven in anguish and torment from the realization that you blew it in the flesh.
Don't let anyone scare you with the threat of burning for ever in some kind of Dante's Inferno. God has better things to do with His children than that. Hell is simply the tormented state of death in heaven knowing you didn't overcome in the flesh. You're going to heaven one way or another when you die. What side of heaven you're on will be determined by your actions in the flesh. Get it right now so that you don't end up like the rich man in anguish knowing that you blew it when you had the chance.
Jerry Melisaratos
Author of Five W's of God - The who, what, where, when, and why of God and His plan for creation
www.fivewsofgod.com