LAKE OF FIRE

Installment XVI-HELL: Part B

In Part A we saw how the Hebrew word sheol in the Old Testament is translated "pit" three times and  "grave" thirty one times. In Part B we will see that this very same Hebrew word sheol is also translated thirty one times as "hell." Just what, pray tell, is the linguistic law or principle that imposed the translators to do this? No law. No principle. Well, why then?

There is NO Scriptural or rational reason for translating the Hebrew word sheol into the English word "hell" at all-NONE! And there surely is no reason to use the word hell in light of the fact that the Old English meaning of this word has been grossly perverted by the Christian church beyond recognition over the past four centuries. Let's look at our definitions once more:

The "hell" as the English used it in everyday life in the 1600's:

Webster's Twentieth Century Dictionary: "hell, n. [ME, helle; AS, hell, hell, from helan, to cover, conceal.]"

The "hell" of the 21st Century:

The American Heritage Collegiate Dictionary: "The abode of condemned souls and devils...the place of eternal punishment for the wicked after death, presided over by Satan...a state of separation from God...a place of evil, misery, discord, or destruction ...torment, anguish."

Does anyone believe that these two definitions of "hell" have anything whatsoever in common with each other? Then how is it even in the realm of possibility that the Christian definition of hell today can be a translation for a word that is also to this day, translated three times as "pit," and thirty-one times as "grave." Am I going to fast for anyone?

THE DAMNABLE HERESY OF ETERNAL HELL

This evil teaching of the Church derogates God into an alien monster, and causes believers by the hundreds of millions to live in fear and mental turmoil and emotional anguish over presumed lost loved ones who are thought to be suffering day and night in this fabled hellhole of eternal torture. If there truly is a Christian hell as taught by fundamentalist preachers, then the god of that hell would be far more evil than all the sinners in the history of the world combined. There could never be any sin or evil more vile and revolting, or totally insane, than to torture most of humanity in literal fire for all eternity! It would be the ULTIMATE SIN, and its designer and sponsor would be the ULTIMATE SINNER.

But since this doctrine is bogus; a damnable heresy; an invention of depraved minds; a theological lie; a Christian hoax; it thus becomes, THE ULTIMATE BLASPHEMY by those who revel in and teach this spiritual swill.

Words fail to express the depth of this Satanic heresy. Theologians, professors, teachers, preachers, and pastors decry the sins of the most vile sinners of humanity, and then teach that the God Who will be their Judge, is trillions of times more depraved than the ones being judged. And this they call "FAIR" and "JUSTICE." Unbelievable. UNBELIEVABLE! May God have mercy upon their depraved minds and miserable souls! Amen.

With that said, back to the business I was called to do: "[1] Preach with SOUND DOCTRINE and [2] Refute those who CONTRADICT IT" (Titus 1:9, The New Revised Standard Version).

THE 31 HELLS IN THE KING JAMES OLD TESTAMENT

First we will go through all 31 references to "hell" in the Old Testament of the King James Bible. All 31 "hells" are translated from the one Hebrew word sheol.

We will then see if there is a lick of difference between those verses where sheol is translated grave and where it is translated hell. I hope that you will be as shocked and outraged as I was when I discovered these truths.

To save time, I will not comment on every single reference to "hell" translated from "sheol," but I will quote them all and point out the fallacies on those that make mention to fire or anything vaguely related to the Christian hell.

In all the "Torah"-the Law, that is all the books of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy, the word "hell" appears but once in the King James Bible. Here it is:

1. "For a fire is kindled in mine anger and shall burn unto the lowest hell [Heb: sheol] , and shall consume the earth with her increase, and set on fire the foundations of the mountains" (Deut. 32:22).

Well, at last. There it is, "fire" is found with the word sheol, so surely now we have found Scriptural proof that sheol sometimes does mean the Christian "hell of eternal torture in fire," right? WRONG! This verse says nothing of burning dead people in sheol with fire.

The whole chapter is a "Song of Moses" (See verse 1). God prophesies through Moses' Song, His anger over Israel's lack of faith and the fact that they will turn to other gods, and for this God will punish them. He will not, however, torture them in an eternal fire of a Christian hell. Here is what God will do to them:

"For the Lord shall judge His people... I KILL, and I make ALIVE: I wound, and I heal: neither is there any that can deliver out of My hand"
(Deut. 32:36a & 39).

Notice that according to God Himself, the only way that someone He "kills" can ever live again is if God also "makes alive" again. Do Christians believe that dead people must be made alive again? No, of course not. They don't believe that dead people are even dead, so why would God ever have to "make alive" again? It is not Scientifically, Physiologically, or Scripturally possible to physically DIE and yet be alive.

Let's notice one most profound point in this Song of Moses which should remove any and all doubt as to whether Israel is being "tortured in literal fire" in this "lowest sheol." Verse 25:

"The sword without, and the terror within, shall destroy both the young man and the virgin, THE SUCKLING [an infant; a BABY] also with the man of gray hairs."

To be sure, God affirms that sucklings will be in this sheol. Are we to believe that God will TORTURE sucklings in sheol? Is sheol really a hell of torture in fire as orthodoxy demands? No, this is nothing more than the "grave" that we saw in the previous 31 Scriptures translated from the same Hebrew word sheol.

2. The sorrows of hell [Heb: sheol] compassed [surrounded] me about: the snares of death prevented [confronted] me" (II Sam. 22:6).

Does anyone believe that David just narrowly escaped the tortures of an eternal hell of pain in literal fire? No? I don't either. But I can clearly see how he felt death and the grave closing in on him when his enemies were out to kill him.

3. It [the wisdom and secrets of God] is as high as heaven; what can you do? Deeper than hell [Heb: sheol] ; what can you know" (Job 11:8).

This is poetic language and has nothing to do with a place of torture in fire.

4. Hell [Heb: sheol] is naked before him, and destruction has no covering" (Job 26:6).

5. The wicked shall be turned [Heb: shub] into hell [Heb: sheol] , and all the nations that forget God" (Psalm 9:17).

I heard this verse quoted on TV just this past Sunday. Boy oh boy this one seems pretty hard to side step, isn't it? "The wicked shall be turned into hell." Well, maybe not. The translators have tried to do their tricky little deceitfulness once more. You see, the word translated "turned" is the Hebrew word shub and it means "to RETURN," (not, "turn" or "turned"), but REturn or REturned. In fact this word is translated "return" or "returned" almost 100% of the approximately 450 times it is used. Notice how other versions correct this same verse:

"The lawless shall RETURN [Heb: shub] to hades, All nations forgetful of God" (Psalm 9:17, Rotherham's Emphasized Bible).

"The nations shall be TURNED BACK unto sheol, All nations that are forgetful of God" (Psalm 9:17, The New American Bible).

"The wicked do TURN BACK to sheol, All nations forgetting God"
(Psalm 9:17, Young's Literal Translation).

"The wicked shall RETURN [Heb: shub] to the unseen, all nations forgetful of God" (Psalm 9:17 Concordant Literal Old Testament).

Actually "return" is a better translation than "turn back," but at least we can see that other translators see and use the proper meaning of shub, which of course, The King James did not.

The Bible likens death to a "Return." The soul RETURNS to sheol/hades-the UNSEEN. The spirit RETURNS to God who gave it. And the body RETURNS to the dust of the ground from whence it came. And so likewise, the wicked nations will be RETURNED to sheol-the grave, sheol, the unseen, DEATH.

If "sheol" is a Christian hell of torture in fire, then they would also have to conclude that these nations also CAME FROM an eternity of suffering in fire, and they are not RETURNING to that same place. Anyone see a problem with such unscriptural nonsense?

6. "For you will not leave my soul in hell [Heb: sheol] ; neither will You suffer Your Holy One to see corruption" (Psalm 16:10).

Although this is a prophecy concerning the Lord, it is nonetheless, the words of David concerning himself and his own salvation from sheol. Notice that David concedes that he (his soul, the conscious, sentient self) will die and go to sheol. But David's prayer is that God, "will not LEAVE my soul in sheol." Everyone's soul goes to sheol at death-both the sinners and the saints.

7. "The sorrows of hell [Heb: sheol] compassed me about: the snares of death prevented [confronted] me" (Psalm 18:5).

David is not in sheol, but rather is sorrowful in just contemplating death.

8. "Let DEATH seize upon them, and let them go down quick into hell [Heb: sheol] : for wickedness is in their dwellings, and among them"
(Psalm 55:15).

Notice that that one must be "dead" in order to go to sheol.

9. "For great is Thy mercy toward me: and you have delivered my soul from the lowest [depth of] hell [Heb: sheol] " (Psalm 86:13).

10. "The sorrows of death compassed me, and the pains of hell [Hb: sheol] got hold upon me: I found trouble and sorrow" (Ps. 116:3).

11. "If I ascend up into heaven, You are there: if I make my bed in hell [Heb: sheol] , behold, You are there" (Psalm 139:8).

12. "Her feet go down to death; her steps take hold on hell [Heb: sheol]" (Prov. 5:5).

Seems pretty clear that feet and steps are one, and they go to one place- death and hell [ sheol] are all one.

13. "Her house is the way to hell [Heb: sheol] , going down to the chambers of death" (Prov. 7:27).

Once more, her house with its chambers, go down to hell/sheol and death.

14. "But he knows not that the DEAD are there; and that her guests are in the depths of hell [Heb: sheol] " (Prov. 9:18) .

Hell/sheol contains DEAD PEOPLE, not living souls!

15. " Hell [Heb: sheol] and destruction are before the Lord: how much more then the hearts of the children of men?" (Prov. 15:11).

16. "The way of life is above to the wise, that he may depart [keep away] from hell [Heb: sheol] beneath" (Prov. 15:24).

17. "You shall beat him with the rod, and shall deliver his soul from hell [Heb: sheol] " (Prov. 23:14).

18. Hell [Heb: sheol] and destruction are never full; so the eyes of man are never satisfied" (Prov. 27:20).

19. "Therefore hell [Heb: sheol] has enlarged herself, and opened her mouth with out measure: and their glory, and their multitude, and their pomp, and he that rejoices, shall descend into it" (Isa. 5:14).

20. Hell [Heb: sheol] from beneath is moved for you to meet you at the coming; it stirs up the dead for you, even all the chief ones of the earth; it has raised up from their thrones all the kings of the nations" (Isa. 14:9).

21. "Yet you shall be brought down to hell [Heb: sheol] to the sides of the pit" (Isa. 14:15).

22. "Because you have said, We have made a covenant with DEATH, and with hell [Heb: sheol] are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves" (Isa. 28:15).

23. "And your covenant with DEATH shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell [Heb: sheol] shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then you shall be trodden down by it"
(Isa. 28:18).

Notice in both verses 15 and 18 of Isa. 28 that "death and hell" keep company together. Another major proof that those in sheol are DEAD, not tortured in fire. Sheol is associated with DEATH, not life.

24. "And you went to the king with ointment, and did increase your perfumes, and did send your messengers far off, and did debase yourself even unto hell [Heb: sheol] " (Isa. 57:9).

25. "I made the nations to shake at the sound of his fall; when I cast him down to hell [Heb: sheol] with them that descend into the pit and all the trees of Eden, the choice and best of Lebanon, all that drink water, shall be comforted in the nether parts of the earth" (Ezek. 31:16).

26. "They also went down into hell [Heb: sheol] with him unto them that be slain with the sword: and they that were his arm, that dwelt under his shadow in the midst of the heathen" (Ezek. 31:17).

27. "The strong among the mighty shall speak to him out of the midst of hell [Heb: sheol] with them that help him: they are gone down, they lie uncircumcised, slain by the sword" (Ezek. 32:21).

28. "And they shall not lie with the mighty that are fallen of the uncircumcised, which are gone down to hell [Heb: sheol] with their weapons of war: and they have laid their swords under their heads, but their iniquities shall be upon their bones, through they were the terror of the mighty in the land of the living" (Ezk. 32:27).

29. "Though they dig into hell [Heb: sheol] , thence shall mine hand take them; though they climb up to heaven, thence will I bring them down" (Amos 9:2).

30. "And said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the Lord, and He heard me; out of the BELLY of hell [Heb: sheol] cried I, and You heard my voice" (Jonah 2:2).

Imagine that! The belly of a FISH is also the "belly of hell." But for sure there was no literal fire inside that fish torturing Jonah.

31. "Yea also, because he transgresses by wine, he is a proud man, neither keeps at home, who enlarges his desire as hell [Heb: sheol] , and is as DEATH, and cannot be satisfied, but gathers unto him all nations, and heaps unto him all people" (Hab. 2:5) .

Again we see death and hell keeping company. There is NO CONSCIOUSNESS in sheol / hades / grave / death. Jonah only figuratively (symbolically) cried out from "the belly of hell/ sheol." Jonah was not literally in sheol, as he had not died, although he was very close to it. David in the same way, cried out in his agony as though he had already been consumed with death, although he had not.

We have now quoted every Scripture from the Hebrew Old Testament which contains the word sheol . 3 times as "pit," 31 times "grave," and 31 times "hell." Not once did we read of "PUNISHMENT," "TORTURE IN FIRE," or a place of "EVERLASTING" anything. We have clearly seen that both the righteous and the unrighteous go to this same condition and place called sheol. It is spoken of literally, figuratively, symbolically, and poetically.

IS SHEOL THE SAME AS THE GRAVE?

When it comes to matters regarding the salvation of all mankind theologians have found it necessary to distort many verses of Scripture to force a compliance with their pagan teaching on the subject. I will try to clear up all of the difficulties and contradictions associated with sheol/hades because of the pagan Christian teaching of an eternal hell. Strong's Concordance, Dictionaries of Hebrew and Greek, and the Bible, is all we need to make sense of it all.

Although sheol is translated "grave" 31 times in Scripture, the question remains, should it even be translated grave at all? We will prove that it should NOT be translated "hell," but should it ever be translated "grave," seeing that there is another Hebrew term used in Scripture that specifically means grave.

It will all make sense when we come to realize that there are two aspects regarding the grave that are spoken of at some length in Scripture:

  1. The PHYSICAL GRAVE, which includes the location and type of burial.

  2. The CONDITIONAL GRAVE, which tells us why someone is in the grave, what their sins were, what their present condition is, and what their losses are.

The Hebrew qeber qibrah means: sepulcher, burying place, grave ( Strong's Hebrew Dictionary). It is used many times in Scripture, as in Job 21:32:

"Yet shall he be brought to the grave [Heb: qeber qibrah] , and shall remain in the tomb."

This verse pretty much defines gave by stating that a person brought to the grave would remain in the tomb (the "tomb" being a "burying place"). But does not sheol/hades also mean: sepulcher, burying place, grave?

Strong's definition of qeber gibrah is quite accurate and accords perfectly with the Scriptures. His definition of sheol, however, leaves much to be desired:

" sheol-hades, the world of the dead (as if a subterranean retreat), including its accessories and inmates: grave, hell, pit." "The world of the dead, a subterranean retreat, including its accessories and inmates."

Nowhere is the grave called "a world," and nowhere are there "inmates"-that is living residents in the grave. Strong's word "retreat," however, is interesting. Here's an American Heritage College Dictionary definition of, " retreat, a place affording peace, quite, privacy, or security." Sounds more like a country club in the Caribbean, than the hell of Christendom.

However, the last three words he uses to define sheol-"grave, hell, pit" could all be correct and acceptable if we use and understand "hell" to be only what it was defined as and used as in Old English-"to cover or conceal."

Since Strong defines sheol as hades, let's look at his definition of hades.

"#86. hades, from 1 (as negative particle) and 1492; properly unseen, i.e. 'Hades' or the place (state) of departed souls-hell, grave."

Again, "hell and grave" would be acceptable if we understand "hell" to mean "conceal or cover" rather than, "a place where sinners are tortured with Satan and devils in literal fire for eternity."

The "grave" is the common denominator in all verses regarding sheol. But why didn't the writers use the Hebrew qeber qibrah which most definitely means grave? Why are both terms used if what is always meant is "the grave?"

ANSWER: The Hebrew qeber gibrah always has reference to the geographical location and vessel of internment for the body. For example, is the body buried on the top of a mountain in a cave, down in the valley in the ground, or maybe in a garden in a tomb? The first time qeber qibrah is used in the Scriptures is a perfect example:

"And Jacob set a pillar upon her grave [Heb: qeber qibrah] : that is the pillar of Rachel's grave [qeber qibrah] unto this day" (Gen. 35:20).

Here's another:

"My father made me swear, saying, Lo, I die [am dying] in my grave [Heb: qeber qibrah- grave, sepulcher, burying place or tomb] which I have digged for me in the land of Canaan, THERE shall they bury me" (Gen. 50:5).

Okay then, if the " qeber qibrah-grave" is the location and type of burying place, what does " sheol-grave" mean? Does sheol then fit the description and definition of a grave? Yes, it does, but with an added dimension. The " sheol-grave" addresses not so much the location or type of burying place, but rather the CONDITIONS surrounding the person(s) entombed.

Here are just some of the things associated with sheol as a grave:

  • darkness, corruption, worms, rest in dust (Job 17:13-16)

  • down to sheol is DEATH and up from sheol is to MAKE ALIVE (I Sam. 2:6)

  • a CHANGE must come to live again (Job 14:14)

  • no thanks in sheol (Psalm 6:5)

  • it is silent in sheol (Psalm 31:17)

  • the DEAD are in sheol (Proverbs 9:18)

  • souls are REDEEMED from sheol (Psalm 49:15)

  • there is no work, device, knowledge or wisdom in sheol (Ecc. 9:10)

  • no praise in sheol (Isa. 38:18-not even from the RIGHTEOUS who are there)

  • God will RANSOM souls from sheol (Hosea 13:14)

  • sheol is a place of DEATH (Psalm 55:15)

  • the DEAD are in sheol (Psalm 139:8)

  • God is in sheol (Psalm 139:8)

  • God will DESTROY sheol (Hosea 13:14)

Now seriously and honestly and Scripturally, is there ANY torture in fire going on in sheol? Is there ANY human activity whatsoever going on in sheol? Is there even consciousness in sheol? Of course not-SHEOL IS DEAD! But Christians ASSURE us that sheol/hades/hell is a place of extreme activity, pain, screaming, torture, fire, demons, Satan, etc., etc., etc. Let me make this so simple a child can understand it. Remember the Christian definition of hell in our dictionary:

The American Heritage Collegiate Dictionary:

" hell, the abode of condemned souls and devils... the place of eternal punishment for the wicked after death, presided over by Satan... a state of separation of God... a place of evil, misery, discord or destruction... torment, anguish."

Okay then, here are ten bold key words which define "hell." If these are the proper words and phrases to describe and define "hell" in our English Bibles, then we should find these ten words scattered all through the verses of Scripture which speak of sheol/grave/hell .

Let us now go through all 31 verses of Scripture in which the translated sheol into the English word hell, and count all of the times that we find the words: condemned souls, devils, eternal punishment, Satan, separation of God, evil, misery, discord or destruction, torment, anguish.

  1. condemned souls is found ZERO times
  2. devils ZERO times
  3. eternal punishment (or punish alone)  ZERO times
  4. Satan ZERO times
  5. separation of God ZERO times
  6. evil ZERO times
  7. misery ZERO times
  8. discord or destruction ZERO times
  9. torment ZERO times
10. anguish ZERO times
--------------------
TOTAL: ZERO!

Now to the average theologian I have proved absolutely "zero" by my above scholarship. If fact, they might even laugh me to scorn for such antics. However, let it be known that I thank my God many times over that He does not allow my mind to work like the minds of popular theologians!

This little experiment above proves VOLUMES to me regarding the meaning and usage of the Hebrew word sheol. Me thinks that they do lie and deceive when they continue to translate sheol into the modern Christian "hell."

HEADS = GRAVE, TAILS = HELL

Below I list all of the 65 Scriptural references to sheol in the King James. It appears that they might have used the flip of a coin to determine whether to translate any particular verse as heads or tails. I do this to impress upon your minds the unscholarly, unscriptural, and silliness employed to come up with 31 graves and 31 hells by using the same one word, sheol.

In one verse they would have us believe God is speaking of an "ETERNAL LIFE OF TORTURE IN FIRE," and in another verse using the very same word sheol, they would have us believe all are "DEAD." And they did this SIXTY-FIVE TIMES!

sheol translated

Deut. 32:22 "hell" eternal life of torture in fire
Gen. 37:35 "grave" burying place of the dead
II Sam. 22:6 "hell" eternal life of torture in fire
Gen. 42:38 "grave" burying place of the dead
Job 11:8 "hell" eternal life of torture in fire
Gen. 44:29 "grave" burying place of the dead
Job 26:6 "hell" eternal life of torture in fire
Gen. 44:31 "grave" burying place of the dead
Psalm 9:17 "hell" eternal life of torture in fire
I Sam. 2:6 "grave" burying place of the dead
Psalm 16:10 "hell" eternal life of torture in fire
I Kings 2:6 "grave" burying place of the dead
Psalm 18:5 "hell" eternal life of torture in fire
I Kings 2:9 "grave" burying place of the dead
Psalm 55:15 "hell" eternal life of torture in fire
Job 7:9 "grave" burying place of the dead
Psalm 86:13 "hell" eternal life of torture in fire
Job 14:13 "grave" burying place of the dead
Psalm 116:3 "hell" eternal life of torture in fire
Job 17:13 "grave" burying place of the dead
Psalm 139:8 "hell" eternal life of torture in fire
Job 21:13 "grave" burying place of the dead
Prov. 5:5 "hell" eternal life of torture in fire
Job 24:19 "grave" burying place of the dead
Prove. 7:27 "hell" eternal life of torture in fire
Psalm 6:5 "grave" burying place of the dead
Prov. 9:18 "hell" eternal life of torture in fire
Psalm 30:3 "grave" burying place of the dead
Prov. 15:11 "hell" eternal life of torture in fire
Psalm 31:17 "grave" burying place of the dead
Prov. 15:24 "hell" eternal life of torture in fire
Psalm 49:14 "grave" burying place of the dead
Prov. 23:14 "hell" eternal life of torture in fire
Psalm 49:14 "grave" burying place of the dead
Prov. 27:20 "hell" eternal life of torture in fire
Psalm 49:15 "grave" burying place of the dead
Isa. 5:14 "hell" eternal life of torture in fire
Psalm 88:3 "grave" burying place of the dead
Isa. 14:9 "hell" eternal life of torture in fire
Psalm 89:48 "grave" burying place of the dead
Isa. 14:15 "hell" eternal life of torture in fire
Prov. 1:12 "grave" burying place of the dead
Isa. 28:15 "hell" eternal life of torture in fire
Prov. 30:16 "grave" burying place of the dead
Isa. 28:18 "hell" eternal life of torture in fire
Ecc. 9:10 "grave" burying place of the dead
Isa. 57:0 "hell" eternal life of torture in fire
Song 8:6 "grave" burying place of the dead
Ezek. 31:16 "hell" eternal life of torture in fire
Isa. 14:11 "grave" burying place of the dead
Ezek. 31:17 "hell" eternal life of torture in fire
Isa. 38:10 "grave" burying place of the dead
Ezek. 32:21 "hell" eternal life of torture in fire
Isa. 38:18 "grave" burying place of the dead
Ezek. 32:27 "hell" eternal life of torture in fire
Ezek. 31:15 "grave" burying place of the dead
Amos 9:2 "hell" eternal life of torture in fire
Hosea 13:14 "grave" burying place of the dead
Jonah 2:2 "hell" eternal life of torture in fire
Hosea 13:14 "grave" burying place of the dead
Hab. 2:5 "hell" eternal life of torture in fire
Psalm 141:7 "grave" burying place of the dead
Num. 16:30 "pit" a huge hole in the earth
Num. 16:33 "pit" a huge hole in the earth
Job 17:16 "pit" a place of rest in the dust

Not once in all 65 verses where we find the word sheol do we find a word associated with Christianity's hell .

What do we find in these verses then? Well, for one thing, in these 65 verses we find the words "death," "dead," or some form of dying (as in 'slain with the sword'), TWENTY-FIVE TIMES. Yet we do not find any one of the ten words used to describe the Christian hell, even ONCE in all 65 verses. Is anyone out there in computerland beginning to use their own God-given brain just once, instead of listening to the "Church Authorities" (Which Church Authorities Jesus Christ upbraided to high heaven)?

THEY LOOK LIKE SHENANIGANS TO ME

Let's consider some very interesting translations:

In Psalm 88:6 we read this:

"You have laid me in the LOWEST PIT [Heb: bor-a hole, a pit] , in darkness, in the deeps."

And in Psalm 139:15 this:

"My substance was not hid from Thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the LOWEST PARTS of the earth."

But in Deut. 32:22 we read:

"For a fire is kindled in mine anger, and shall burn unto the LOWEST HELL [Heb: sheol] .

Why "hell?" Why not "pit?" We already have Scriptural proof that there are such things as the "lowest pit" and "lowest parts" with absolutely no connection or reference to any kind of hellish torture chamber, so why not use "pit" in Deut. 32:22? Actually "grave" would be better, but since they like to translate sheol as "pit," why not make it pit in Deut. 32:22? You tell me.


In Job 17:13 we read:

"If I wait, the grave [Heb: sheol] is mine house, I have made MY BED in the darkness"

Here we have God telling us that Job will make his "bed" in the darkness of the sheol-grave.

But in Psalm 139:8 we read:

"If I ascend up into heaven, You are there: if I make MY BED in HELL [Heb: sheol] behold, You are there."

What sense is it for Job to say, "If" he makes his "BED in the sheol-GRAVE," whereas King David considers, "If" he make his "BED in the sheol- HELL?"

Consider also that when people have been buried in graves from time immemorial, they are laid down as in a bed (witness the mummies of Egypt), but in what possible, conceivable way can a person in a "Christian hell" who is supposedly being tortured in literal fire, be considered to be "in BED?" Do Christians never, ever, EVER think about what they are reading? Apparently not to often.

Clearly, Psalm 138:8 should be translated "If I make my bed in the GRAVE..." Furthermore we have Scriptural proof that David was buried in a grave:

"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" (Acts 2:29).

And NO, David never went to heaven either:

"For David is not ['is not'-In both Greek and English, that means "IS NOT'] ascended into the heavens..." (Verse 34).


In Psalm 31:17 we read:

"Let me not be ashamed, O Lord; for I have called upon Thee; let the wicked be ashamed, and let them be silent in the grave [Heb: sheol] ."

But in Psalm 55:15 we read:

"Let death seize upon them, and let them go down quick into hell [Heb: sheol] : for wickedness is in their dwellings and among them."

Was this another toss of the coin-heads it's "grave" or tails it's hell? In one verse the King James sends the wicked to the grave, and in another the King James sends the wicked to hell.

Do you think they learn these things I am teaching you in seminary? Does it really matter? Does anyone really care? Why should anyone question such trivial things?

Listen to me very carefully: What I am teaching you right here in these pages has to do with whether there is a lick, a smidgen, a crumb, a shred, a tad, a scintilla, an iota of proof or Scriptural evidence that ANYONE ON THE FACE OF THIS EARTH, FOR A PERIOD OF FOUR THOUSAND YEARS, WAS EVER WARNED BY GOD OR A PROPHET, OF AN ETERNAL HELL FIRE OF TORTURE FOR ALL WICKED PEOPLE WHEN THEY DIE.

God clearly and plainly tells us that before He would ever send calamity or evil upon a people, He will first warn them:

"Shall a trumpet be blown in the city, and the people not be afraid? Shall there be evil in the city, and the Lord has not done it? SURELY, the Lord God will do NOTHING, but He reveals His secret unto His servants the PROPHETS" (Amos 3:6-7).

Has God blown a trumpet to let humanity know that all unrepentant wicked people will be burned in some fabled eternal fires of hell? The Hebrew Scriptures cover four thousand years of human history. Where is there a warning of an eternal hell of torture in fire for the wicked? WHERE? WHERE are the prophets who have warned of such a fate of eternal torture in fire? Where? Give me chapter and verse? Does God LIE? Does God's Word LIE? Or do your theologians, pastors, and ministers LIE?

Do not the web sites by the hundreds of thousands, LIE? Are not the Bible book stores, and now even the department stores, parading books filled with the lies of babbling religious heretics? Are not the air waves filled with the LIES of televangelists trying to frighten more and more people into sending them more and more money for their $25,000,000.00 private executive jets? Have they no conscience? Have they no shame? Jesus WALKED, Peter, Paul and the apostles WALKED to spread the gospel, but FIRST CLASS on modern jets and limousine service is NOT GOOD ENOUGH FOR TODAY'S phony evangelists.

Maybe to some of you that is a very small thing, not even worthy of study. To me it is a GIANT THING because I have seen and experienced the suffering of those who have unfortunately bought into this most "DAMNABLE HERESY AND BLASPHEMY" in all creation, which the Church has fostered upon all of us whom they consider to be, VERY DUMB SHEEP! Well God is giving some of us dumb sheep a voice to expose and make known these damnable heresies to the whole world.

Regardless of how they translate sheol we know from the context in no less than 25 of these verses that sheol is a place of DEATH. Is there any hope for all those who go to sheol in death, which includes every person who has ever died? Yes there is.

THE POSITIVE SIDE OF SHEOL/GRAVE/HELL

I've heard many, many times that hell is "separation from God." And, of course, they translate "hell" in the Old Testament from one word only- sheol. Now then, is this oft-repeated statement in Christendom true? NO, not according to the Scriptures, not according to God-Psalm 139:8:

"If I ascend up into heaven, THOU [thou being GOD] art there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, THOU ART THERE"!

Sheol cannot separate God from humanity. God is just as surely in sheol as He is in Heaven.

[1] Psalm 49;15:

"But God WILL REDEEM MY SOUL from the power of sheol [grave] : for he shall receive me. Selah."

And Hosea 13:14:

"I WILL RANSOM THEM from the power of sheol [grave]... "

Notice the context of this verse in this chapter as it is speaking of SINFUL Israel. Israel has sinned greatly, they have died, but notice God's ultimate mercy upon them:

"O Israel, you have destroyed yourself, BUT in Me is your help" (Verse 9).

And so, even though they died in their sins without repentance, yet will God be their help and will "RANSOM them from the power of sheol." But orthodox Christian theology teaches us that once a wicked person goes to sheol there will never ever be a return. They say that there will never be a "second chance" to be saved. As though the Scriptures ever speak of a FIRST CHANCE?

Let me digress for a minute to clear up another damnable heresy of the Church, and that is this unscriptural notion of "chance." The Scriptures know of the carnal concept of "chance." Never, ever is salvation associated with the idea of one having a "chance" to be saved. The word "chance" does not exist in God's sovereignty, anymore than the words "unpredictable" or "luck."

The American Heritage College Dictionary:

" chance n. 1a. The unknown and unpredictable element in happenings that seem to have no assignable cause."

And do we really think such things exist in God's economy? For all of you who have read my "Myth of Free Will" series, you know that God is the "cause" of all, and that absolutely nothing is "unpredictable" or "unknown" to Him. Yet twice the translators of the New Testament King James thought it necessary to use the word "chance" in describing that which was not by "chance" at all.

Luke 10:31- "And by chance there came down a certain priest that way..." No, the priest didn't come down by "chance," but by "coincidence." The Greek compound word translated "chance" is, su[n] g kur I'a. Literally, "together-sanction." Hence "co - incidence"-"Together happen." Sometimes a "coincidence" really seems very strange, but would we expect anything less from a God who does many things that seem strange to us.

I Cor. 15:37- "And that which you sow you sow not that body that shall be, but bare grain, it may chance of wheat, or of some other grain." Think for a moment think-someone who didn't actually plant the seed might not know what will come up, but I guarantee that the sower who sowed the seed knows. No one has ever sown a kernel of corn and had a stalk of wheat come up.

The word translated "chance" in this verse is the Greek, tu[n] gch[an] 'o, literally "happen [-up]," and can be translated "happen" as in Rotherham's Translation.

Now, lest anyone thing that there is an element of "chance" involved in this word, notice how it is used in Heb. 8:6- "But now has He obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also He is the Mediator of a better covenant..." The phrase "has He obtained" is the translation of this one Greek word tungchano which is translated "chance" in I Cor. 15:37, believe it or not. It merely means "to happen, to obtain, to come about." There is absolutely NO "chance" of anything in Scripture or with God. Salvation has nothing to do with "chance" or "luck" or any such carnal nonsense. Salvation through Christ our Lord is absolutely SURE:

"SURELY [Gk: ge-"a primary particle of emphasis, yet, at least, besides, doubtless, SURELY"] , He Who spares not His own Son, but gives Him up for us ALL, how shall He not, together with Him, also be graciously granting us ALL?" (Rom. 8:32, Concordant Literal New Testament).

Is anyone so foolish as to think that the very ministry of our Lord was a thing of "chance?" What a powerful Scripture Rom. 8:32 is when we translate all the words: and yet most Bibles do not even translate this word in their versions. What a shame.

[2] But there is more; a great deal more: "...I will redeem them from DEATH: O death, I will be thy plagues." (Verse 14). We also read this same truth in the New Testament in I Cor. 15:55, but the translators tried to hide it: "O death, where is thy sting? O grave [grave is translated from hades, but the translators tried to hide it by translating it just this once as "grave," whereas every other time they translate hades as "hell"], where is your VICTORY?" Yes, there is "...victory through our Lord Jesus Christ" over hades (Verse 57). This is because: "The last enemy that shall be destroyed is DEATH" (Verse 26).

[3] And what does Hosea say that God will do after He "Ransoms them from the power of SHEOL..." and "...redeems them from DEATH..."? Let's read it together:

"I will be your plagues; O GRAVE [O SHEOL] , I will be your DESTRUCTION..." (Hosea 13:14)!

WOW! We have just seen clear Scriptural proof that there is VICTORY over death and the grave [hades/sheol], and that we (saints AND sinners) will be RANSOMED and REDEEMED, from the power of sheol, and God will be the utter DESTRUCTION of death and the grave [sheol]!

Unrepentant sinning Israel, Sodom, Jerusalem, all the Hitlers of the world and every person who has never even heard the name of Jesus Christ will be raised from the dead and JUDGED in the Great White Throne / Lake of Fire / Second Death Judgment, and then all humanity will be saved and God will be "ALL in All" (I Cor. 15:28). There will never be death again, as it will be completely abolished (I Cor. 15:26) by being destroyed along with hades/sheol in the Lake of God's Spiritual Consuming Fire (Rev. 20:14).

So why doesn't the Church teach these marvelous Truths of God? Because the "Synagogue of Satan," (Rev. 2:9), and "Satan's throne" (Rev. 2:13), and the "depths of Satan" (Rev. 2:24), are in "The Seven Churches of God."

"And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceived the whole world: he was cast out into the earth [the 'earth' represents those who are called out of the 'sea,' but who are not as yet in 'heaven'-they are the 'many called' but not 'chosen'-the carnal CHURCH!] , and his angels were cast out with him" (Rev. 12:9) .

THE ONLY OLD TESTAMENT REFERENCE TO FIRE AND JUDGMENT

There is not one single word in the entirely of the Hebrew Old Testament Scriptures that speaks of the dead in sheol being tortured or burned with fire. There is a Scripture however that speaks of a "refiner's fire," but the time setting for this fire is not the Old Testament, but rather the New:

Israel and especially the priests mocking ask:

"WHERE is the God of judgment?" (Last phrase in Mal. 2:17) .

To which God answers:

"Behold, I will send My Messenger before Me: and the Lord, Whom you seek, shall suddenly come to His temple [His people in whom He dwells, I Cor. 3;16] , even the Messenger of the covenant [the NEW covenant] , Whom you delight in: behold, He shall come, says the Lord of hosts.

But who may abide the day of His coming? And who shall stand when He appears? for He is like A REFINER'S FIRE, and like FULLERS' SOAP: And He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and He shall purify the sons of Levi..." (Mal. 3:1-3a) .

Just who are the "sons of Levi" under the New Covenant? Why they are the "chosen elect FEW." Peter describes them:

"But you [those chosen for salvation in this church era] are a chosen generation, a royal PRIESTHOOD, and holy nation, a peculiar people; that you should show forth the praises of Him Who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light: Which in time past were NOT a people, but are NOW THE PEOPLE OF GOD..." (I Peter 2:9-10).

Ironically, it is the "people who were NOT a people" that make up the New Covenant "royal priesthood" (II Pet. 2:9). It is the " uncircumcision who are now God's circumcision people" (Phil. 3:3) It is the GENTILES who are God's New Covenant "JEW which is one inwardly" (Rom. 2:28). It is the GENTILES who are the New Covenant SPIRITUAL "Israel OF GOD" (Gal. 6:16).

Notice that Peter calls us "a ROYAL priesthood." The word "royal" is translated from the Greek, basileios, and it means "kingly." Peter is speaking of " a KINGLY priesthood" or "KING/PRIESTS." Yes, that is exactly what God calls us:

"And has made us unto our God KINGS AND PRIESTS, and we shall reign on the earth" (Rev. 5:10 & Rev. 2:26-27).

Continuing in Mal. 3:3

"...and purge them as gold and silver..."

Now where do we read of this in the New Testament/New Covenant? Paul makes clear to us that only the "gold, silver, and precious stones" of God's word in us will survive the "refiner's fire":

"Now if any man build upon the Foundation [Jesus Christ] gold, silver, precious stones [these are refined and purified and made much more valuable by the fire], [or] wood, hay, stubble [these are totally consumed and burned up by the fire] :

Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by FIRE; [The 'Refiner's fire.' 'For our God is a CONSUMING [spiritual] FIRE,' Heb. 12:29] ; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he has built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself SHALL BE SAVED; yet so as by fire"
(I Cor. 3:12-15) .

Concluding Mal. 3, verse 3:

"that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness."

It is this "offering in RIGHTEOUSNESS" that the "kings of the earth [we, the chosen elect few, ARE the 'kings of the earth, Rev. 5:10] do bring their glory and honor ['an offering in righteousness'] into it [New Jerusalem out of Heaven] " (Rev. 21:24) .

THE BLESSINGS AND THE CURSINGS

THE BLESSINGS:

"And all these BLESSINGS shall come on you, and overtake you, IF you shall hearken unto the voice of the Lord your God" (Deut. 28:2).

  • Will set you high above all nations on earth

  • Blessed in city and field

  • Fruit of body, cattle and ground

  • Smite your enemies

  • Blessed in storehouses

  • Blessed in all you set hands to do

  • Blessed coming & going out

  • All nations will fear you

  • Will establish you an holy nation

  • Will make you plenteous in all goods

  • Shall lend but not borrow

  • Be the head and not the tail

THE CURSINGS:

  • "But it shall come to pass, IF you will not hearken unto the voice of the Lord your God, to observe to do all His commandments and His statues which I command you this day; that all these CURSES shall come upon you, and overtake you" (Deut. 28:15).

  • Cursed in city and in field

  • Cursed in basket and store

  • Cursed fruit of body, flocks & land

  • Cursed coming in & going out

  • Send cursings, till destroyed

  • Pestilence will consume you

  • Smite with consumption, fever, etc.

  • Extreme burning and the sword

  • Your heaven as brass & earth as iron

  • Smitten by your enemies

  • Smite you with botch of Egypt

  • Madness, blindness, astonishment of heart

  • Shall not prosper in your ways

  • Another man will take your wife

  • Build a house but not dwell in it

  • Plant a vineyard but not partake of it

  • Sons & daughters given to foreigner

  • Fruit of your lands eaten by other nations

  • You will go mad

  • Smitten with botch which cannot be healed

  • Smite from sole of foot to top of head

  • Shall serve other nations and their gods of stone

  • You will be mocked among the nations

  • Locust eat your fields, worms eat your grapes

  • Locust will consume all the trees of the field

  • Children will go into captivity

  • Strangers within will rule over you

  • Strangers will be the head and you will be the tail

  • Therefore you shall serve your enemies

  • He will put iron on your neck until you are DESTROYED

  • You shall have none assurance for your LIFE

Now let's be completely honest with what we have just read. All of the blessings are physical blessings of food, cattle, children, houses, and safety from enemies from without, in this land, in this life, ONLY. And the Cursings are loss of children, cattle, food, house, and their land, and sickness, disease, pain, suffering in their bodies, and captivity, slavery, bondage, misery, and death and destruction in scattered foreign lands. Nothing more, and nothing less.

Where in all these blessings is there ONE WORD about anything beyond the relatively short life of prosperity and safety in the land? Where is there ONE WORD about an afterlife of blessing with God?

Where in all these cursings is there ONE WORD about anything beyond the relatively short life of disease, poverty, captivity, misery, slavery and death in scattered lands? Where is there ONE WORD about punishment beyond death in an afterlife of pain and punishment in an endless hell? Can we not all agree that it just isn't there?

A FEW HINTS OF AN AFTERLIFE

Does this mean that the Old Testament contains not a word about an after life? No, not quite. There are a few hints and a prophecy that confirm the dead will live again, but not a word that the DEAD ARE ALREADY LIVING.

RECORDED IN THE LAW:

"And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; it [Heb: 'He'-the One Seed, Christ] shall bruise [Heb: 'hurt'] your [Satan's] head, and you [Satan] shall bruise [hurt] his heel" (Gen. 3:15).

This prophecy was indeed vague at best to Adam and Eve, and even the Old Testament readers, but it was nonetheless, a positive affirmation that the deceiving work of Satan in the Garden would one day be rectified.

RECORDED IN JOB:

"If a man die, shall he live again? All the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come. You shall call, and I will answer you: you will have a desire to the work of your hands" (Job 14:14).

Job was given to understand that there is coming life after the grave. Not IN the grave but after a period of "waiting," and after a "change" takes place.

RECORDED IN PSALMS:

"Like sheep they are laid in the grave; death shall feed on them; and the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning, and their beauty shall consume in the grave from their dwelling. But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave [Heb: sheol] (Psalm 49:14-15).

David realizes as does the writer of Ecclesiastes, that a person dies just like an animal, and both are consumed away in the grave. But, David was also given to understand that God will "redeem" his soul (the real, sentient David, preserved by God until resurrection back to life into a new body). This will take place in either of two resurrections of the dead.

RECORDED IN THE PROPHETS:

"And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting [Heb: 'eonian'] life, and some to shame and everlasting [Heb: 'eonian'] contempt" (Daniel 12:2).

Daniel does not tell us when these two resurrections of awakening out of sleep will occur, only that they will. We know from New Testament revelation that the First happens prior to Christ's reign and the Latter happens after His 1000 year reign. But the hope of an afterlife was made know to at least a few of the Old Testament writers.

Interestingly, Moses never once makes mention of any such thing as a punishment upon the wicked after death, or a blessing upon the righteous after death. We have record of but a handful of men who even knew of an after life, but not one of them suggests and endless punishment for the wicked. From where then did this teaching originate?

CONCLUSION

Is anyone so foolish as to suggest that possibly God revealed the teaching of an endless punishment upon someone other than His Own chosen people, Israel? From the Garden of Eden, the first five books of the Bible by Moses, and the rest of the Old Testament canon, we find not a word about endless punishment. Neither did the Jews believe in an endless punishment for the wicked. But, by the time of the coming of Messiah, many Jews where thoroughly indoctrinated with this teaching. There is a long void of canon history of some four hundred years from the last prophet Malachi and the coming of Messiah.

What happened during this long period with relation to what the Jews believed regarding the belief in an afterlife? Where did they learn about "endless punishment" if not from their own Scriptures and prophets? From the very opening pages of the New Testament we find that the Jews believed in reincarnation, transmigration of souls, endless punishment, and many other such things.

Did the Greeks originate the doctrines of hades and tatarus? Did the Catholic Church invent the doctrine of purgatory? How could the man blind from birth have sinned and thus be responsible for his own blindness? (John 9:1-3). Why did Jesus ask His disciples who the people were saying Jesus really was? Why did they say that some thought maybe Elijah or another prophet? Why did some Jews think Jesus was John the Baptist, when in reality they were both the same age? We shall answer these and many more things you never learned in Christendom in our next Installment.

Part 16-C: http://bible-truths.com/lake16-C.html

HOME