Wednesday: What Jesus Said About Hell
Jesus used two Greek terms, hades and gehenna, to speak about death and the punishment of the unrighteous. Given the popular belief in the meaning hell,
we need to consider it carefully.
Image © Steve Creitz from GoodSalt.com
Hades is equivalent to the Hebrew she’ôl, the most common Old Testament term for the realm of the dead. These names simply represent the grave or the place to which all descend at death, with no connotation of punishment or reward. There is one text, however, where hades appears to be connected with punishment. It is in the parable of the rich man and Lazarus.
Read Luke 16:19-31. What is the basic lesson that this parable sets forth (see especially Luke 16:27-31)? What’s wrong with using this parable to teach that human beings go to paradise or hell immediately after death?
This parable is not focused on the state of man in death. A popular but unbiblical belief that many of Jesus’ contemporaries held provided the background for this parable, which teaches an important lesson: our future destiny is determined by the decisions we make daily in this life. If we reject the light God grants us here, there is no opportunity after death. Any attempt to interpret this parable literally leads to many insoluble problems. Actually, the details of the picture seem purposely awkward in order to show us that Jesus did not intend His words to be taken literally, but figuratively.
What warnings did Jesus pronounce regarding hell? See Matt. 5:22, Matt. 5:29-30; Matt. 23:33.
In many Bible translations, the word hell appears eleven times on Jesus’ lips. He actually used the Greek term gehenna, from the Hebrew name Gê Hinnom, Valley of Hinnom.
According to the Old Testament, in this gorge south of Jerusalem, kings Ahaz and Manasseh conducted the horrendous pagan rite of burning children to Molech (2 Chron. 28:3; 2 Chron. 33:6). Later, godly king Josiah brought the practice to a halt (2 Kings 23:10). Because of the sins perpetrated in it, Jeremiah prophesied that God would make the place a valley of slaughter
(Jer. 7:32-33; Jer. 19:6). Hence, for the Jews, the valley became a symbol of the last judgment and the punishment of the impenitent. Jesus used the name figuratively, without explaining any details regarding the time and place of the punishment, which we find in other biblical passages. Hell, though, is not a place of eternal punishment.
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When I was young I used to hear stories that the evil will suffer in eternal torment. It was said that one finger will burn for a whole year hence five taking five years and so on. This teaching shows God to be a tyrant other than a God of love. However, God is not pleased in suffering of his children whether good or evil. This kind of teaching is propagated by the devil to mar the character of God. God is just and graceful
I thought hell was an eternal punishment . Why in this article it says"though hell is not a place of eternal punishment.'..Please shed more light
The concept of hell as a place of eternal punishment, torture, a lake of fire where the wicked burn for ever, has been explained to me several times, yet I never seem able to understand it. Do the wicked burn eternally? As the Bible states, 'smoke of their burning goes up for ever'.....does this not mean eternal torment and punishment? I wish someone could explain to me in simple terms, (as I am a simple person and not theologically-minded, nor have I studied Greek or Hebrew, or Latin), please explain to me, as you would to a child? Thankyou.
Jennifer, God is LOVE. The *effects* of the fire are eternal. "The wages of sin is death" Romans 6:23. Sodom and Gomorrah suffered "the vengeance of eternal fire" Jude vs.7 They are NOT burning today!
Hello Jennifer. That's a very good question. Please watch this simple video regarding the truth about hell. (http://youtu.be/wkRxGAhVqmc) It was made by Amazing Facts Ministries. Copy the link and post it into your web browser. There is also a great website called www.helltruth.com. Be blessed as you discover the truth according to the Bible!
The advancing centuries witnessed a constant increase of error in the doctrines put forth from Rome. Even before the establishment of the papacy the teachings of heathen philosophers had received attention and exerted an influence in the church. Many who professed conversion still clung to the tenets of their pagan philosophy, and not only continued its study themselves, but urged it upon others as a means of extending their influence among the heathen. Serious errors were thus introduced into the Christian faith. Prominent among these was the belief in man’s natural immortality and his consciousness in death. This doctrine laid the foundation upon which Rome established the invocation of saints and the adoration of the Virgin Mary. From this sprang also the heresy of eternal torment for the finally impenitent, which was early incorporated into the papal faith.{GC 58.2}
Then the way was prepared for the introduction of still another invention of paganism, which Rome named purgatory, and employed to terrify the credulous and superstitious multitudes. By this heresy is affirmed the existence of a place of torment, in which the souls of such as have not merited eternal damnation are to suffer punishment for their sins, and from which, when freed from impurity, they are admitted to heaven. (See Appendix.) {GC 58.3}
jennifer
The wicked do not burn eternally. Visualize sitting around a campfire.
When you get out of your tent the next morning the fire is out. The wood has burned up and now reduced to ashes. the result of that fire is final. There is no way those ashes will ever be a piece of wood again. The results of that fire are forever No fire can be kept burnig with just ashes. The fate of the wicked are the same as the piece of campfire wood. The Bible says God will destroy the wicked root and branch. (Malich 4:1) There is not some twig left that keeps burning for eternity.
In revelation 14, the third angel warns in very graphic, and yes, downright scarey language. Think of it as God's final warning, in much the way a parent tells a small child to not run out into the street. Wouldn't you raise your volumn and intensity if after 2 warning your child is running out on the freeway and there are a lot of cars going at top speed?
Now for the part of the passage where it says the smoke of their torment ascends forever. Back to the campfire. If the wind isn't blowing, the smoke goes straight up. outdoors there is no ceiling. So the smokes ascends up and there is no exact end in sight.
Jennifer, according to my understanding, the smoke of the burnt wicked will rise up the moment they burn and it disappears forever not to be seen again. They die an eternal death not to remembered again.
On Tuesdays lesson I have a problem with the first sentence of the third paragraph concerning "God will judge the lives of every human being". Eccl 12:14 says God will bring every work into judgement, but it does not say He judges the lives of every human being. John 5:22 "The Father judges no one but has entrusted all judgement to the Son.
Hello Mike, who do you understand Christ to be? (See Isa 9:6) Is He not God?
And how do you suppose God can judge "every work," if He is not judging the lives of people?
What do I think? I used to think Adventists were Christian brothers and sisters that understood the doctrine of grace and salvation through faith... But the more that time goes on and the more that I have learned through those years about them is that though they claim salvation through grace, they know not grace nor do they preach it. They are a sect enslaved by the law of which has saved no man. And when one looks a little closer at their beliefs and history... One will easily see and can conclude that they closer to being "brothers and sisters" of Jehovah Witnesses than with those who have truly placed their faith in Christs work alone for salvation...
Hello Michael,
Welcome to our blog! 🙂
We are sorry to see that you have such a negative view of Adventists and believe that we do not teach the truth about Jesus and His way of salvation.
Since you posted your comment under this particular blog, I'm assuming there's something on this page with which you disagree. Could you please be specific about your disagreement, so we can understand why you feel the way you do and offer some kind of reply?
Thank you.
Hello Michael, I am sorry, but these are rather sweeping statements without giving any special information as to your findings about Adventists being enslaved in the law. I have never met a fellow seventh-day adventist claiming to be justified by the law or being enslaved in legalism. How did you get this impression?
Winfried Stolpmann
Hi Michael; thank you for your comment and your reminder that we need to think about how others see us. And listening to some of our discussion you could be excused for thinking we are legalists. I know that I will probably not be able to change your mind even if I was the most eloquent of writers, but I have a couple of thoughts that I would like you to think about.
"Being Saved" is more than reserving yourself a place on the other side of the cusp between mortality and immortality. If "being saved" has meaning it needs to start now. We are "saved by grace" and it is a "gift from God", but accepting that gift is not just mental assent, it is a commitment of our lives to a relationship with God.
Quite possibly the issue that is uppermost in your mind concerning Adventist legalism is the question of seventh-day Sabbath-keeping. I too am concerned that sometimes we speak of Sabbath-keeping in very legalistic terms to the extent that we overshadow the true meaning of the Sabbath. We can be a bit like a motorist who is on a sight-seeing tour of the Rockies, who for the whole tour reminds his passengers that he is keeping to the right side of the road. And in the process of emphasizing that rule, fails to notice the magnificent scenery around him.
Speaking personally, I find the Sabbath a beautiful gift which I enjoy. That is much more important that any legal requirement. I am an academic who has spent years studying and arguing concepts and ideas throughout the week. On Friday night, I have permission to "turn off" and spend 24 hours resting with the family and enjoying time reserved for God, my family, and my community of believers. It is something I look forward to every week.
Others will probably tell you Bible texts, and quote history about the Sabbath to prove that it is the right (or wrong) day, but for me it is an experience of building a relationship with God that includes others. I want to share that experience. When you enjoy something so much, who cares about rules and regulations. I understand the Psalmist in Ps 40: 8; "I delight to do Your will, O my God, And Your law is within my heart."
When I am saved by grace, I enjoy the gifts that God has given me. That is not legalism; that is freedom.
God keeping people alive forever burning is not the God of love I know. If we under stand death we realize that the Bible is talking about eternal ashes, the result of consuming fire. Jesus often refered to the Old Testement. Here are some OT texts to help Jeniffer and others under stand Hell fire burns out, just as Sodium and Gamorah are no longer burning.
Ecc 9:5 For the living know that they shall die: but the dead KNOW NOT ANY THING, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.
Ecc 9:6 Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun.
Job 14:10 But man dieth, and wasteth away: yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where is he?
Job 14:11 As the waters fail from the sea, and the flood decayeth and drieth up:
Job 14:12 So man lieth down, and riseth not: till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep.
Psa 146:4 His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish.
Gen 3:19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.
Hell will indeed be very real—eternally real! Since Christ is both our Creator and our Savior, who died for our sins and defeated death by His resurrection, it is foolish for anyone to reject His revelation about hell.