Hell -1

I've been talking about death lately or rather the state of the dead. The Bible tells us beyond a doubt that the 'dead know nothing' . Jesus tells us death is a sleep. We are told the dead will rise again when Jesus returns- not before, not upon dying. These are all Biblical facts. More facts from the Bible have led me to believe that there are a few other things that the majority of people seem to get wrong.


God is love.
God wants pain and tears done away with.


Rev 21:4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.


Do we believe God? Should we? Yes, we should. And God is telling us through His amazing word that HE shall wipe away ALL tears, that there will be NO death, NO sorrow, NO crying, NO Pain.


Yet people want to believe that there is a place filled with pain, filled with sorrow that will exist forever without end.


The opposite side of the heaven scenario is the hell scenario. People going to heaven or hell upon death. Because we've already established that people don't go to heaven when they die, it's a given that they aren't going to a place called hell. We've discussed heaven and now we need to discuss hell.


What exactly is hell?


Let's look at the word itself--


There are four words translated as hell in the Bible.

1. Sheol
2. Hades
3. Geenna ( gehenna )
4. tartaroō


Taking them one at a time--


Sheol- this word is used a lot and it's necessary to note that both the righteous AND the wicked go to sheol.

Gen 37:35
Gen 37:34 And Jacob rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his loins, and mourned for his son many days.
Gen 37:35 And all his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him; but he refused to be comforted; and he said, For I will go down into the grave unto my son mourning. Thus his father wept for him.


Sheol-grave ( this is Jacob, righteous before God, who talks of going to the grave- going to sheol.)


Psa 89:48 What man is he that liveth, and shall not see death? shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the grave? Selah.


Man. Man cannot deliver himself from death or the grave. We can't keep ourselves from dying and we can't bring ourselves out of the grave. But God can do both.


We have to note this as well-
Sheol is the same as Hades in the New Testament compare- Ps.16:10 with Acts 2:27


Psa 16:10 For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. (Hell- sheol)

Act 2:27 Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. (Hell- hadēs)


Who is the Holy One? Jesus. Jesus was NEVER in the HELL people envision - burning and torment, the place of the wicked. Jesus was in the grave for three days, not descended into a burning, fiery pit alive. Yet you say the word hades, the word hell and that's what people believe. This word has the meaning of GRAVE. Christ was left in the grave, but not for long. Christ saw NO corruption.


Let's read more of this passage - it's enlightening really.


Act 2:24 Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.
Act 2:25 For David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved:
Act 2:26 Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope:
Act 2:27 Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.
Act 2:28 Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance.

Act 2:29 Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day.


The patriarch David DEAD and BURIED and IN his sepulchre IN PAUL'S time- many, many, many years after He'd died. David was NOT in heaven.


Act 2:30 Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne;
Act 2:31 He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.


Christ was not left in the GRAVE. This makes such perfect sense.


Act 2:32 This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses.
Act 2:33 Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.
Act 2:34 For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand.


More tomorrow by the grace of our Savior.


Amen.