Post by pitbull on Feb 17, 2007 7:15:25 GMT -5
Here are my own personal notes on Heaven and Hell. Feel free to let me know what I have forgotten or left out. Thanks.
Bryan
There is a spiritual realm that exists with inhabitants. We cannot see this realm or its inhabitants through natural means. Someday we will literally enter this realm by either death or the rapture [restricted to believers only]. Sometimes, God allows us to see some of the inhabitants of this realm.
1. Hell
This is Sheol [Ps. 16:10; 30:3; 9:17; Job 24:19; Num. 16:33). It is the place where the soul/spirit went to after dying. There were two compartments to Sheol that are separated by a impassable chasm that allowed people to see and talk to others in different compartment:
a. Hades [Matt. 11:23; 16:18; Luke 10:15] or Gehenna [Matt. 5:22, 29-30; 10:28] was the compartment for the unrighteous sinners. The Bible gives names to give the reader a picture of the place. This is meant to cause the reader to use more of his/her brain. For example the Bible forbids any images of God but gives multiple names for Him to allow the believers to better understand God. The same is with the images that the words brought to the minds of the believers, such as Gehenna . In this area there is a subcompartment known as the bottomless pit or tartaros [Gen. 6:2-4; Jude 6-7; 2 Peter 2:4] that contains demons that have been imprisoned since the time of Noah.
b. Abraham’s Bosom [Luke 16:22] or Paradise [Luke 23:43] was the compartment for the Old Testament saints that believed with faith in the Christ/Messiah that would come to save them in the future.
2. Transitions Since The Cross
a. When Christ died on the cross, He descended into Sheol Hell [the second compartment, Paradise]. There He preached to the dead that all the prophecies about His coming were true and salvation was there. This was for the joy of the saints and the anguish of the lost. When He rose again, He took Paradise [including all the residents] to the Third Heaven. [Isa. 42:7; Eph. 4:8-10; Col. 2:15; 1 Pet. 3:19] This allowed Hades/Gehenna Hell to take over all the entire area – “Therefore hell hath enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure...” [Isaiah 5:14]
Since this point, all saints that have died on this side of the cross, the soul/spirit goes directly to the Third Heaven [John 14:23; 2 Cor. 5:8; Phil. 1:23]. Their bodies [just like the Old Testament saints’ bodies] are “sleeping” [dead], awaiting the “rapture” or translation of the physical body [1 Cor. 15:35-54].
b. During the Tribulation Period [the seven years that Satan will literally and physically rule the Earth], the demons in the bottomless pit will be released to roam Earth [Rev. 9:1-11]. After the Tribulation Period, Satan will be bound in the bottomless pit for a thousand years [Rev. 20:1-3]. After the thousand years, there will be a resurrection of all the lost souls in Hades for the White Throne Judgment for the degree of their eternal punishment [Rev. 20:13]. After all are judged, the lost souls, Satan, Hades, and death itself will all be cast into the Lake of Fire [Rev. 20:10, 14-15], which is not to be mistaken for Hell [it is a separate entity]. This is an eternal punishment, the soul/spirit is not “snuffed” out of existence.
3. The Third Heaven
The Bible refers to three heavens in it:
a. Shamayim or shameh or shamayin, galgal, mesouranema: atmospheres, sky, air [e.g. Gen. 1:8].
b. Shamayim or shamah or shamayin, epouranios, shachaq: outer space, physical universe [e.g. Gen. 1:1, 14-17].
c. ouranos, marowm: the abode/throne of God [e.g. Ps. 11:4; Acts 7:49; 2 Cor. 12:2]. Within this spiritual realm is also city known as the New Jerusalem [John 14:14:2,3; 2 Cor 5:1; Rev. 21:2, 10 - 22:5]. It is the eternal abode of the Triune God, the home of the bride [the Lamb’s wife, the church, etc.], the promise of the saints of the Old Testament, and the dwelling of a “myriad of angels”. This city is described as being a perfect cube with 12,000 furlongs for its length, height, and width. Hence the total surface area of the New Jerusalem would be 144,000,000 furlongs squared [or 2,250,00 miles squared]! The surrounding wall is 144 cubits high . During the Millennial Reign, it will leave the third heaven, travel through the second heaven, and come to float in the first heaven of the current earth. After the new earth is created, the New Jerusalem will come to rest on it to fuse the physical and spiritual universes into one reality.
4. A Comparison Of The Lake Of Fire And The New Jerusalem:
Lake Of Fire New Jerusalem
Lake (unstable) 12 Foundations (sound)
Bottomless Pit (insecure) Walls and Gate (secure)
Dark Light
Absence of God Presence of God
Wailing and gnashing of Teeth Comfort
Isolated Fellowship
Fire and Brimstone Pure River of Water of Life
Unrighteous (rejected Christ) OT & NT Saints (accepted Christ)
Ashes Gold
Eternal Eternal
Physical & Spiritual Physical & Spiritual
Degrees of Punishment Degrees of Reward
5. False Ideas About Eternity
a. Soul-Sleep:
Nowhere in Scripture does it say that the soul will go to sleep at death and “awake” at the resurrection. Any such belief is very contrary to the doctrines taught in the Bible. If you read passages such as Luke 16:19-31 and 2 Corinthians 5:8, you will discover that upon death, you instantly enter into eternity, either with God or in Hell. Jesus did not tell the thief on the cross, “When you wake up at the end of time, you will join me in Paradise.”
b. Purgatory:
1. In Roman Catholicism, purgatory (from the Latin purgatory, "to cleanse") is the place or state after death where those who have died in a state of grace but not free from imperfection expiate their remaining sins before entering the visible presence of God and the saints. The d**ned, on the other hand, goes directly to hell. The living are encouraged to offer Masses, prayers, alms, and other acts of piety and devotion on behalf of those in purgatory. The suffering of purgatory is less a concept of physical pain than one of postponement of the "beatific vision.” Purgatory will end with the Last Judgment at the close of the world. The official Roman Catholic teaching on purgatory was defined at the councils of Lyon (1274) and Ferrara-Florence (1438-45) and reaffirmed at Trent (1545-63).
2. Nowhere in Scripture does it say that after we die, we will suffer for a period of time prior to entering into Heaven. This is an act of human pride to say that Christ’s suffering and death is not sufficient for all our sins. Also, the Bible makes it very clear that you either go directly to Heaven or directly to Hell upon death. Purgatory does not fit into the Biblical plan. Nothing in the Bible comes close to this doctrine. There is no place of purification mentioned that one goes through before entering Heaven.
c. Annihilation:
The Bible is very clear the unrighteous will be punished forever. This is justice for a life of sin and rejecting Jesus Christ. The idea of the unrighteous being annihilated is a misinterpretation of the word for “destruction”. Just look at such passages as:
• “And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.” [Matthew 25:46]
• “But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal d**nation.” [Mark 3:29]
• “Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power.” [2 Thessalonians 1:9]
• “…and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.” [Revelation 20:10]
Note that it is “eternal”, “everlasting”, and “forever”, just like our salvation is described to us in the Bible. It is described as “punishment”, “d**nation”, “destruction”, and “torment”. That is not instant annihilation.
Bryan
HEAVEN AND HELL
There is a spiritual realm that exists with inhabitants. We cannot see this realm or its inhabitants through natural means. Someday we will literally enter this realm by either death or the rapture [restricted to believers only]. Sometimes, God allows us to see some of the inhabitants of this realm.
1. Hell
This is Sheol [Ps. 16:10; 30:3; 9:17; Job 24:19; Num. 16:33). It is the place where the soul/spirit went to after dying. There were two compartments to Sheol that are separated by a impassable chasm that allowed people to see and talk to others in different compartment:
a. Hades [Matt. 11:23; 16:18; Luke 10:15] or Gehenna [Matt. 5:22, 29-30; 10:28] was the compartment for the unrighteous sinners. The Bible gives names to give the reader a picture of the place. This is meant to cause the reader to use more of his/her brain. For example the Bible forbids any images of God but gives multiple names for Him to allow the believers to better understand God. The same is with the images that the words brought to the minds of the believers, such as Gehenna . In this area there is a subcompartment known as the bottomless pit or tartaros [Gen. 6:2-4; Jude 6-7; 2 Peter 2:4] that contains demons that have been imprisoned since the time of Noah.
b. Abraham’s Bosom [Luke 16:22] or Paradise [Luke 23:43] was the compartment for the Old Testament saints that believed with faith in the Christ/Messiah that would come to save them in the future.
2. Transitions Since The Cross
a. When Christ died on the cross, He descended into Sheol Hell [the second compartment, Paradise]. There He preached to the dead that all the prophecies about His coming were true and salvation was there. This was for the joy of the saints and the anguish of the lost. When He rose again, He took Paradise [including all the residents] to the Third Heaven. [Isa. 42:7; Eph. 4:8-10; Col. 2:15; 1 Pet. 3:19] This allowed Hades/Gehenna Hell to take over all the entire area – “Therefore hell hath enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure...” [Isaiah 5:14]
Since this point, all saints that have died on this side of the cross, the soul/spirit goes directly to the Third Heaven [John 14:23; 2 Cor. 5:8; Phil. 1:23]. Their bodies [just like the Old Testament saints’ bodies] are “sleeping” [dead], awaiting the “rapture” or translation of the physical body [1 Cor. 15:35-54].
b. During the Tribulation Period [the seven years that Satan will literally and physically rule the Earth], the demons in the bottomless pit will be released to roam Earth [Rev. 9:1-11]. After the Tribulation Period, Satan will be bound in the bottomless pit for a thousand years [Rev. 20:1-3]. After the thousand years, there will be a resurrection of all the lost souls in Hades for the White Throne Judgment for the degree of their eternal punishment [Rev. 20:13]. After all are judged, the lost souls, Satan, Hades, and death itself will all be cast into the Lake of Fire [Rev. 20:10, 14-15], which is not to be mistaken for Hell [it is a separate entity]. This is an eternal punishment, the soul/spirit is not “snuffed” out of existence.
3. The Third Heaven
The Bible refers to three heavens in it:
a. Shamayim or shameh or shamayin, galgal, mesouranema: atmospheres, sky, air [e.g. Gen. 1:8].
b. Shamayim or shamah or shamayin, epouranios, shachaq: outer space, physical universe [e.g. Gen. 1:1, 14-17].
c. ouranos, marowm: the abode/throne of God [e.g. Ps. 11:4; Acts 7:49; 2 Cor. 12:2]. Within this spiritual realm is also city known as the New Jerusalem [John 14:14:2,3; 2 Cor 5:1; Rev. 21:2, 10 - 22:5]. It is the eternal abode of the Triune God, the home of the bride [the Lamb’s wife, the church, etc.], the promise of the saints of the Old Testament, and the dwelling of a “myriad of angels”. This city is described as being a perfect cube with 12,000 furlongs for its length, height, and width. Hence the total surface area of the New Jerusalem would be 144,000,000 furlongs squared [or 2,250,00 miles squared]! The surrounding wall is 144 cubits high . During the Millennial Reign, it will leave the third heaven, travel through the second heaven, and come to float in the first heaven of the current earth. After the new earth is created, the New Jerusalem will come to rest on it to fuse the physical and spiritual universes into one reality.
4. A Comparison Of The Lake Of Fire And The New Jerusalem:
Lake Of Fire New Jerusalem
Lake (unstable) 12 Foundations (sound)
Bottomless Pit (insecure) Walls and Gate (secure)
Dark Light
Absence of God Presence of God
Wailing and gnashing of Teeth Comfort
Isolated Fellowship
Fire and Brimstone Pure River of Water of Life
Unrighteous (rejected Christ) OT & NT Saints (accepted Christ)
Ashes Gold
Eternal Eternal
Physical & Spiritual Physical & Spiritual
Degrees of Punishment Degrees of Reward
5. False Ideas About Eternity
a. Soul-Sleep:
Nowhere in Scripture does it say that the soul will go to sleep at death and “awake” at the resurrection. Any such belief is very contrary to the doctrines taught in the Bible. If you read passages such as Luke 16:19-31 and 2 Corinthians 5:8, you will discover that upon death, you instantly enter into eternity, either with God or in Hell. Jesus did not tell the thief on the cross, “When you wake up at the end of time, you will join me in Paradise.”
b. Purgatory:
1. In Roman Catholicism, purgatory (from the Latin purgatory, "to cleanse") is the place or state after death where those who have died in a state of grace but not free from imperfection expiate their remaining sins before entering the visible presence of God and the saints. The d**ned, on the other hand, goes directly to hell. The living are encouraged to offer Masses, prayers, alms, and other acts of piety and devotion on behalf of those in purgatory. The suffering of purgatory is less a concept of physical pain than one of postponement of the "beatific vision.” Purgatory will end with the Last Judgment at the close of the world. The official Roman Catholic teaching on purgatory was defined at the councils of Lyon (1274) and Ferrara-Florence (1438-45) and reaffirmed at Trent (1545-63).
2. Nowhere in Scripture does it say that after we die, we will suffer for a period of time prior to entering into Heaven. This is an act of human pride to say that Christ’s suffering and death is not sufficient for all our sins. Also, the Bible makes it very clear that you either go directly to Heaven or directly to Hell upon death. Purgatory does not fit into the Biblical plan. Nothing in the Bible comes close to this doctrine. There is no place of purification mentioned that one goes through before entering Heaven.
c. Annihilation:
The Bible is very clear the unrighteous will be punished forever. This is justice for a life of sin and rejecting Jesus Christ. The idea of the unrighteous being annihilated is a misinterpretation of the word for “destruction”. Just look at such passages as:
• “And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.” [Matthew 25:46]
• “But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal d**nation.” [Mark 3:29]
• “Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power.” [2 Thessalonians 1:9]
• “…and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.” [Revelation 20:10]
Note that it is “eternal”, “everlasting”, and “forever”, just like our salvation is described to us in the Bible. It is described as “punishment”, “d**nation”, “destruction”, and “torment”. That is not instant annihilation.