Today's lesson is going to look at how hell might
have been viewed from Old Testament Scriptures. What is hell? Is
it a PLACE? Is it a REALM? What is it like? Is it real? Are
people actually 'alive' in hell, or the soul anyway????? These, and many
other questions have been repeatedly pondered, I am sure, for centuries.
I found many references to something called hell
(eternal fire, lake of fire, unquenchable fire, etc) in the New Testament, and
even saw a glimpse of that place from the story of Lazarus, where the
rich man is conversing with Abraham, from hell. But, in the OT, those
references are somewhat more obscure, and could be interpreted several ways. One
of the words used in the OT which might be considered to be hell, is the
Hebrew word, sheol, which is usually simply translated by many modern bibles,
as the noun, a grave. Several instances refer to going to the
grave, but not necessarily meaning a place of torment....simply death, and in
most cases, final death. There is a hint of a 'hell' in the
following verse: "But now, why should we die?
This great fire will consume us, and we will die if we hear the voice of the
LORD our God any longer." (Deut 5:25). However, that verse
by itself, may just be referring to God, who is a consuming fire, and that He
simply would cause a person's death by fire if He so desired. But, later
on, in Deuteronomy 32:22, He talks more of a 'place', a realm of death,
related to fire: "For a fire has been kindled by my wrath, one
that burns to the realm of death below. It will devour the earth and its
harvests and set afire the foundations of the mountains."
Unfortunately, this doesn't indicate to me that this fiery death is an eternal
thing, simply a means of destruction. In Isaiah 33:14, I found my first
reference to an ETERNAL fire, rather than just a place or an event where
people are destroyed by fire. Read what it says: "The
sinners in Zion are terrified; trembling grips the godless: 'Who of us
can dwell with the consuming fire? Who of us can dwell with everlasting
burning?'" Psalm 11:6 says: "On the wicked he
will rain fiery coals and burning sulfur; a scorching wind will be their lot."
(this is NIV, the KJV uses "an horrible tempest"
instead of 'a scorching wind'). This wind, this fire,
which is referred to several times in the OT, SEEMS to indicate only a 'means'
of death, not a characteristic of it. And I can not say for sure that it
is an eternal thing, based upon that Scripture. Is 'eternal' that period
of time between death on the earth, until resurrection on the Day of
Judgment? Possibly, but doubtful....but then again, I am now
getting into NT thoughts and ideas of hell, so let me revert back to just
looking at OT references for today.
If you want to take the time to read Amos,
chapter 8, you will see references to death as being a state in which persons
are placed, yet can be taken from there by God. Death is referred to
here as more of a haven, hiding from God, or at least attempting to hide,
than anything else. A resting place. This chapter 'indicates' that
references to the grave, sheol, are not to a place of torment of a soul by
fire, or by any other means. Upon further research however, when I read
Psalm 55:15, I might be swayed to believe that hell is (could be) a 'place of
torment'. The NIV translation is thus: "Let death take my
enemies by surprise; let them go down alive to the grave, for evil finds
lodging among them.", and the NKJV uses hell, vice, the grave,
for the place where evil lives: "Let death seize them; Let them
go down alive into hell, For wickedness is in their dwellings and among
them." A most confusing subject, to say the least. I
hope by the time I finish referencing this subject, I learn something.
Based upon that sermon I heard/saw in Nashville, I doubly hope I learn
something about hell now, before it might be too late.
I plan to continue working in the Old Testament,
to determine what it meant to 'go to the grave', as possibly opposed to 'going
to hell'. I am still uncertain at this point in this study, if dying,
and not going to Heaven, would be an eternal thing, or would simply be the end
of the end. I am certain I will find out more as I reach into the hades/hell/grave-rich
environment of the New Testament, but I prefer to leave that for another day
in this series. I would like to end, however, with a plea for some
assistance. For any of you who have opinions, backed up by ONLY Old
Testament Scriptures, at this point, about what hell is, I would love to hear
your responses. Do not be concerned about replying to all (but please do
so reply to all), in the email--I am sure others would like to know your
thoughts and researched Scriptures as well. Bottom-line, at this point,
I am confused as to what hell is as told by writers of the Old Testament.
Is it a 'forever place'? Is it a place where souls are eternally
tormented? Is it a realm where life ceases to exist after judgment day.
So many questions, so few answers.
Until tomorrow.......