CONTENTS
IMPORTANT PREFACE - 2021 DEDICATION - TO MY FATHER INTRODUCTION CHAPTER ONE - WHAT IS MAN? CHAPTER TWO - THE LIVING SOUL CHAPTER THREE - THE SPIRIT WITHIN MAN CHAPTER FOUR - IS THE SOUL IMMORTAL? CHAPTER FIVE - LIFE, DEATH AND RESURRECTION IN THE PAULINE EPISTLES CHAPTER SIX - A WEEKEND IN HELL OR IN THE TOMB? CHAPTER SEVEN - HELLFIRE AND DAMNATION CHAPTER EIGHT - THE WRATH TO COME CHAPTER NINE - THE DAY OF JUDGMENT APPENDIX SCRIPTURE INDEX |
CHAPTER SEVENHELLFIRE AND DAMNATION
AND IF THINE EYE OFFEND THEE, PLUCK IT OUT AND CAST IT FROM THEE; IT IS BETTER FOR THEE TO ENTER INTO LIFE WITH ONE EYE, RATHER THAN HAVING TWO EYES TO BE BE CAST INTO HELL FIRE. Matthew 18:9 
ILL Jesus torment the immortal souls of countless billions of men and women for all eternity? The unanimous answer of mainstream Christendom is yes. That even though God is a God of infinite love, he is also a God of wrath and justice who must punish those who rebel against Him. They reason that the justice of God is so awesome and infinite that the only punishment which could ever satisfy such a being is an infinite one.
Could such a thing be true? Did God in his wisdom allow billions of souls to come into being knowing that their destiny would be eternal conscious torment in a hell of fire? Those who believe that this is true, also believe to find the doctrine clearly stated in the Bible. There is no shortage of books and web sites defending this doctrine as part of the 'faith once delivered to the saints'. Take, for example the following quote off one web site which seeks to defend this doctrine: Every Christian doctrine has its day to be attacked-and defended. The unfortunate fact is that the Church, from its conception until relatively recently, has believed in such magnificent teachingsas the existence of a theistic God, the possibility of miracles, the uniqueness of Christ, the truth of His inerrant and infallible Word, the bodily resurrection of Christ, and the necessity of God's eternal judgment of those who do not accept His offer of eternal life in Jesus. Yet, all of these doctrines have been attacked by skeptics, critics, cultists, and even those within the Christian faith. (emphasis mine) This is typical of the attitude in our day. Anyone who questions a long-cherished belief is accused of being a 'liberal', or 'attacking' true Biblical doctrine. It is certainly not my goal or position to 'attack' any true Biblical doctrine, but I think we must be very careful not to assume that any doctrine is true simply because it has lengthy and wide acceptance. In fact, I would remind the reader that in the truest sense a 'liberal' is anyone who doesn't believe what the Bible REALLY teaches, regardless of how popular their beliefs are, or how long they have been regarded as true Christian doctrine.
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As we approach this subject, the Bible must be fundamental to whatever conclusions we come to. However, once again, as we will see, many scriptures will be offered as simple 'proof-texts' to maintain the doctrine of 'eternal conscious torment'. In fact, the skeptical reader at this point has probably already had some 'irrefutable' proof-text come to mind. As I stated in the introduction, truth will never be arrived at by simply an intellectual discussion of these topics. It is wrong to let any type of preconceived idea, or mind set hinder us from seeing what the Bible really says, and not merely what others say it says; no matter how long they've been saying it.
Many have been taught since childhood that when people die, they go either to heaven or to hell. The good go to heaven, the bad to hell. The evangelicals and fundamentalists take the position that those saved by accepting Christ as savior go to heaven, while those who do not are 'lost' and go to hell. Heaven is the gift of God freely given, while hell is the just punishment for those who reject Jesus. While there is much disagreement between evangelicals and fundamentalist as to the nature of hell, and its location, there seems to be no disagreement as to the actual fact of its existence. All agree to have formulated this doctrine from the pages of Scripture.
This teaching and preaching on the doctrine of hell has been elaborated on in countless sermons and tracts. These range from merely telling the potential convert that hell is 'eternal separation from God' to vivid and dreadful descriptions of the agony and torment which will befall the sinner if he fails to turn to Jesus and be saved. Nothing portrays this more vividly than a widely circulated fundamentalist tract by Terry Watkins called 'The TRUTH About Hell':
Many have been taught since childhood that when people die, they go either to heaven or to hell. The good go to heaven, the bad to hell. The evangelicals and fundamentalists take the position that those saved by accepting Christ as savior go to heaven, while those who do not are 'lost' and go to hell. Heaven is the gift of God freely given, while hell is the just punishment for those who reject Jesus. While there is much disagreement between evangelicals and fundamentalist as to the nature of hell, and its location, there seems to be no disagreement as to the actual fact of its existence. All agree to have formulated this doctrine from the pages of Scripture.
This teaching and preaching on the doctrine of hell has been elaborated on in countless sermons and tracts. These range from merely telling the potential convert that hell is 'eternal separation from God' to vivid and dreadful descriptions of the agony and torment which will befall the sinner if he fails to turn to Jesus and be saved. Nothing portrays this more vividly than a widely circulated fundamentalist tract by Terry Watkins called 'The TRUTH About Hell':
It is humanly impossible to comprehend the Bible description of hell. Nothing on earth can compare with it. No nightmare could produce a terror to match that of hell. No horror movie could describe its fright. No crime scene with all its blood and gore could begin to match its horror.
The Bible describes it as weeping (Matt 8:12), wailing (Matt 13:42), gnashing of teeth (Matt 13:50), darkness (Matt 25:30), flames (Luke 16:24), burning (Isa 33:14), torments (Luke 16:23), everlasting punishment! Jesus Christ says in Matthew 25:41, 'Depart from me, ye cursed, into EVERLASTING FIRE, prepared for the devil and his angels.'
In Matthew 13:42, Jesus says: 'And shall cast them into a FURNACE OF FIRE: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.'
As you leave your body you realize something is happening. You hear a sound. . . getting louder and louder. . . screaming . . .weeping. . . wailing. Terror and fear beyond anything you could imagine overtakes you. 'This can't be happening!' you scream. Your nostrils are filling with the awful stench of burning souls. Your face ignites from the heat. Flames are now blazing from your eyes, nostrils, ears, mouth - every opening in your body, flames are roaring out. Your body is sizzling and crackling from the flames.
Your body is now madly thrashing and convulsing from the horrible pain. 'Why don't I die?', you scream. You begin weeping and gnashing your teeth with the millions. 'When will this pain stop?' But you know it will never stop. . .
The darkness is so terrifying, it begins engulfing you. You feel something moving in the darkness. . . something horrible is happening. 'No! No! This can't be happening' you scream - as your worm is emerging.
You begin cursing the day you were born. You scream, 'Oh God, why didn't you warn me?'... but you remember the preacher pleading with you to receive Jesus Christ. You remember reading that gospel tract. You cry... 'God don't you care?' … but you remember John 3:16 'For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son,. . .' 'God is a God of love … He won't allow this', you cry… but you remember John 3:36, '. . . he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.'
The 19th century Baptist preacher Charles Spurgeon vividly described hell in one of his sermons:
There is real fire in hell. The body shall be suffused with agony; thy head tormented with racking pains; thine eyes starting from their sockets; thine ears tortured with horrid sounds; thy pulse rattling with anguish; thy limbs crackling in the flame; every vein a pathway for the fire to tread; every nerve a string on which the devil shall forever play the diabolical tune of hell's unutterable lament.
How many comfort themselves knowing that they have escaped such a place and go about their lives doing nothing to keep anyone else from such a fate? How many Christians, while being confident that they are 'saved' have never warned even one single person about this horrible place which they believe and teach is true. How can a child of God live their life knowing that countess millions have lived and died without ever hearing of the one name given among men whereby they might be saved?
If actions are the true test of doctrine, then almost NO ONE really believes in such a place, despite all the rhetoric and 'proof-texts'. I would like the average Christian in our day to consider: If such a place really exists, and God has given you a command to warn men, and a commission to preach so that men might be saved, then how will you ever justify spending even one hour of your life which was not used in warning men of this horrible place? If such a doctrine as eternal torment is true, then our generation is blood-guilty before God. But even worse, it means that God has left the only message which could keep men from such a fate in the hands of a generation which cares much more about what's on television than where men will spend eternity.
Which of us, if we saw a friend or even a stranger standing in the window of a building wholly engulfed in flames would not immediately try to get help to save that person? But how strange that those who believe that ultimately the majority of mankind will undergo an infinitely more horrible fate do absolutely nothing to save anyone.
Of course, the Calvinist answer to such problems is to say that God only predestined a certain number to eternal life and that the rest of humanity will not come to Christ no matter how much preaching is done. They see it as God's sovereign right to have mercy on whom He will and leave the rest to ultimately suffer wrath and eternal torment. No matter how the Calvinist system is presented, and no matter how many words you use to escape the obvious conclusions, you end up with a theology in which God predestines men to hell. At the very best, God allows men to be born and live knowing that they will not accept him and must eternally suffer torment.
What kind of God is this? What type of wisdom and justice would ever conceive such a thing? We reason that God's ways are higher than our ways, and that God's wisdom is above our wisdom. Undoubtedly this is true but doesn't this doctrine of eternal conscious torment make God's wisdom and justice lowerthan that of even the vilest of men.? The most wicked, vile men who have ever lived are those who have tortured their victims; the punishment society inflicts for such crimes is death, never equal or greater torture. Any man in his right mind would not even think of torturing a vicious animal but would have it put to sleep.
However, if the doctrine of eternal torment is true, then God will torment each individual in hell with greater suffering than all men combined have ever suffered. We hear of the horrible atrocities committed against then Jewish people in German concentration camps, but at least those people had a way out. Death could bring an end to their suffering. But Christians believe that God will endlessly torment those who will not come to Him in this life forever and ever, without end.
If actions are the true test of doctrine, then almost NO ONE really believes in such a place, despite all the rhetoric and 'proof-texts'. I would like the average Christian in our day to consider: If such a place really exists, and God has given you a command to warn men, and a commission to preach so that men might be saved, then how will you ever justify spending even one hour of your life which was not used in warning men of this horrible place? If such a doctrine as eternal torment is true, then our generation is blood-guilty before God. But even worse, it means that God has left the only message which could keep men from such a fate in the hands of a generation which cares much more about what's on television than where men will spend eternity.
Which of us, if we saw a friend or even a stranger standing in the window of a building wholly engulfed in flames would not immediately try to get help to save that person? But how strange that those who believe that ultimately the majority of mankind will undergo an infinitely more horrible fate do absolutely nothing to save anyone.
Of course, the Calvinist answer to such problems is to say that God only predestined a certain number to eternal life and that the rest of humanity will not come to Christ no matter how much preaching is done. They see it as God's sovereign right to have mercy on whom He will and leave the rest to ultimately suffer wrath and eternal torment. No matter how the Calvinist system is presented, and no matter how many words you use to escape the obvious conclusions, you end up with a theology in which God predestines men to hell. At the very best, God allows men to be born and live knowing that they will not accept him and must eternally suffer torment.
What kind of God is this? What type of wisdom and justice would ever conceive such a thing? We reason that God's ways are higher than our ways, and that God's wisdom is above our wisdom. Undoubtedly this is true but doesn't this doctrine of eternal conscious torment make God's wisdom and justice lowerthan that of even the vilest of men.? The most wicked, vile men who have ever lived are those who have tortured their victims; the punishment society inflicts for such crimes is death, never equal or greater torture. Any man in his right mind would not even think of torturing a vicious animal but would have it put to sleep.
However, if the doctrine of eternal torment is true, then God will torment each individual in hell with greater suffering than all men combined have ever suffered. We hear of the horrible atrocities committed against then Jewish people in German concentration camps, but at least those people had a way out. Death could bring an end to their suffering. But Christians believe that God will endlessly torment those who will not come to Him in this life forever and ever, without end.
EXCUSING GOD
The very actions and lifestyles of those who hold this doctrine make it suspect, but their theology makes it more so. There is almost a constant rationalizing of this doctrine to 'tone it down' and make God into less of a tyrant. It is very easy to believe and teach this doctrine until someone very close to us dies who we believe to have been unsaved How many people have ever heard a sermon where the deceased was proclaimed to have gone to hell? This never happens. In fact, people will cling to any type of hope in order to believe that their loved actually went to heaven and not to a hell of eternal fire and torment.
One such way in which people 'excuse God' is the so-called 'age of accountability'. The teaching is that God will not hold anyone accountable for their sins until they reach an age where they can properly discern the difference between right and wrong... If nothing else, this proves than most truly would never want to believe that God is so unjust as to burn anyone eternally who simply didn't know any better. However, the problem with this concept is that we find nothing in the Bible even approaching an explicit teaching on this subject.
Still others take an entirely different approach as is shown by these comments from 'The Annihilation of Hell in Modern Theology':
One such way in which people 'excuse God' is the so-called 'age of accountability'. The teaching is that God will not hold anyone accountable for their sins until they reach an age where they can properly discern the difference between right and wrong... If nothing else, this proves than most truly would never want to believe that God is so unjust as to burn anyone eternally who simply didn't know any better. However, the problem with this concept is that we find nothing in the Bible even approaching an explicit teaching on this subject.
Still others take an entirely different approach as is shown by these comments from 'The Annihilation of Hell in Modern Theology':
God loves man enough to endow him with a free will-the ability to embrace or reject Him. Geisler maintains that 'those who do not wish to love God must be allowed not to love Him. Those who do not wish to be with Him must be allowed to be separated from Him. Hell is this eternal separation from God.'To put it another way, hell is God's loving gift to those who reject Him. To annihilate those who reject Him would be akin to killing a child because he does not obey. Therefore, annihilation is more unloving than allowing the unbeliever to live in hell forever (emphasis mine)
So, I suppose torturing billions of people for all eternity is God's way of 'loving' them, or His 'love gift' for them as the author puts it. I personally cannot see any reason or logic in this author's statement that 'To annihilate those who reject Him would be akin to killing a child because he does not obey'.Of course, it would be unloving to kill a child who disobeyed. However, in this author's view it obviously would be better to burn the child their whole life because they disobeyed, as this would be much more 'loving'.
With the exception of the Calvinists, most Christians feel the need to rationalize this doctrine in some way. Either by believing that God's justice is beyond our understanding, even if it appears to be a lower justice, by inventing non-Biblical doctrines such as the 'age of accountability', or by making the most horrible punishments ever conceived by man's imagination into an 'act of love'. This should say something; namely that this doctrine is not rational or logical to the human mind in any conceivable way. I've heard numerous sermons on this subject that begin with statements such as 'We don't like to talk about this doctrine, and we don't like to think about it, but we must... etc.'.
In recent conversations I've had with many who claim to be atheists, I always propose the question 'Is it actual belief in a God that you have a problem with, or the common Christian conception of God?' Nearly every time the reply will be that they simply cannot understand how or why, if there was a God, He would let the world plunge into the state it's in, refuse to manifest himself in a physical tangible way or personally straighten things out, but at the same time hold men accountable for a lack of faith or failure to believe in Him with the threat of eternal unimaginable torment in fire for all eternity. It has been my experience that the conversation about hell is usually as equally uncomfortable to Christians as it is to atheists.
In one recent online chat an 'atheist' posed the question 'What happens to all the billions of people who die having never heard of Jesus, nor having had the chance to read the Bible?' Not one person spoke up to answer this question. Isn't this a bit strange? If the doctrine of eternal conscious torment is true and is part of the 'faith once delivered to the saints'; and if we are to be always ready to give an answer to every man that asks a reason for the hope that is in us, then it seems to me a bit odd that not one person who held this view and claimed to be a Christian spoke up to defend it. After the person pressed the issue, one person spoke up and said:
'God knows people's hearts. God knows that the people who never heard of Jesus wouldn't have believed even if they had heard the Gospel.'
To this the 'atheist' replied 'So what happens to them?'
The answer: 'Eternal separation from God'.
Atheist: 'Which is what?'
Answer: 'Some call it hell.'
Atheist: 'Which is what?'
Answer 'Eternal punishment'
Atheist 'WHICH IS WHAT?'
At this point the Christian signed off without answering the question. To me this was very disturbing. If we have a commission to 'warn every man' (Col 1:28), and if the Bible is truly clear on this subject then there could never be any excuse for this type of dodging of the issue.
With the exception of the Calvinists, most Christians feel the need to rationalize this doctrine in some way. Either by believing that God's justice is beyond our understanding, even if it appears to be a lower justice, by inventing non-Biblical doctrines such as the 'age of accountability', or by making the most horrible punishments ever conceived by man's imagination into an 'act of love'. This should say something; namely that this doctrine is not rational or logical to the human mind in any conceivable way. I've heard numerous sermons on this subject that begin with statements such as 'We don't like to talk about this doctrine, and we don't like to think about it, but we must... etc.'.
In recent conversations I've had with many who claim to be atheists, I always propose the question 'Is it actual belief in a God that you have a problem with, or the common Christian conception of God?' Nearly every time the reply will be that they simply cannot understand how or why, if there was a God, He would let the world plunge into the state it's in, refuse to manifest himself in a physical tangible way or personally straighten things out, but at the same time hold men accountable for a lack of faith or failure to believe in Him with the threat of eternal unimaginable torment in fire for all eternity. It has been my experience that the conversation about hell is usually as equally uncomfortable to Christians as it is to atheists.
In one recent online chat an 'atheist' posed the question 'What happens to all the billions of people who die having never heard of Jesus, nor having had the chance to read the Bible?' Not one person spoke up to answer this question. Isn't this a bit strange? If the doctrine of eternal conscious torment is true and is part of the 'faith once delivered to the saints'; and if we are to be always ready to give an answer to every man that asks a reason for the hope that is in us, then it seems to me a bit odd that not one person who held this view and claimed to be a Christian spoke up to defend it. After the person pressed the issue, one person spoke up and said:
'God knows people's hearts. God knows that the people who never heard of Jesus wouldn't have believed even if they had heard the Gospel.'
To this the 'atheist' replied 'So what happens to them?'
The answer: 'Eternal separation from God'.
Atheist: 'Which is what?'
Answer: 'Some call it hell.'
Atheist: 'Which is what?'
Answer 'Eternal punishment'
Atheist 'WHICH IS WHAT?'
At this point the Christian signed off without answering the question. To me this was very disturbing. If we have a commission to 'warn every man' (Col 1:28), and if the Bible is truly clear on this subject then there could never be any excuse for this type of dodging of the issue.
TRUE ACCOUNTABILITY
In the final analysis, no matter what type of rational or logical arguments are used, the Bible must be our guide as to what is right. If the Bible really does teach that those who die without Christ will suffer eternally then we have a responsibility to believe it and teach it. No amount of rationale would be enough to excuse this generation from its woeful failure in warning mankind of its reality.
But what if this doctrine is not true, or at best, highly misunderstood. Christians have a command and a responsibility to 'study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.' (2 Tim 2:15) How many people who believe this doctrine have ever reallystudied it? If there is a way to 'rightly divide the word' then there is obviously a way to 'wrongly divide the word'. How many have taken it upon themselves to make sure that they are absolutely correct that they have discerned the truth, rather than simply believing what another has taught them?
To be entrusted with the message of the Gospel is tremendous responsibility. The message is truly staggering in its import to mankind. Each of us who claim the name of Jesus are accountable toward God in what we do with this message. How dare any of us take it so lightly that we just believe and assume that what we have been taught has to be true because everyone seems to believe it? If the Bible does not teach the God will torment billions in fire for all eternity, then those who have held this view are guilty of nothing less than slander against God's character.
We are going to have to give an account of ourselves to God (Romans 14:12). There could never be any excuse for the absolute failure of Christians in our age to study the Bible. Not just study what other men SAY about the Bible, but to actually search the scriptures. The following discussion about this doctrine of eternal conscious torment is an invitation for the reader to do just that. However, I would never want anyone to simply take my word for anything on a topic as vitally important as this one. It is my earnest desire that through prayer and diligent study we will all come to a clearer understanding of the truth; one which we can call our own because it's founded in our own convictions of what God has shown us to be true and not simply in what another has said to be true.
But what if this doctrine is not true, or at best, highly misunderstood. Christians have a command and a responsibility to 'study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.' (2 Tim 2:15) How many people who believe this doctrine have ever reallystudied it? If there is a way to 'rightly divide the word' then there is obviously a way to 'wrongly divide the word'. How many have taken it upon themselves to make sure that they are absolutely correct that they have discerned the truth, rather than simply believing what another has taught them?
To be entrusted with the message of the Gospel is tremendous responsibility. The message is truly staggering in its import to mankind. Each of us who claim the name of Jesus are accountable toward God in what we do with this message. How dare any of us take it so lightly that we just believe and assume that what we have been taught has to be true because everyone seems to believe it? If the Bible does not teach the God will torment billions in fire for all eternity, then those who have held this view are guilty of nothing less than slander against God's character.
We are going to have to give an account of ourselves to God (Romans 14:12). There could never be any excuse for the absolute failure of Christians in our age to study the Bible. Not just study what other men SAY about the Bible, but to actually search the scriptures. The following discussion about this doctrine of eternal conscious torment is an invitation for the reader to do just that. However, I would never want anyone to simply take my word for anything on a topic as vitally important as this one. It is my earnest desire that through prayer and diligent study we will all come to a clearer understanding of the truth; one which we can call our own because it's founded in our own convictions of what God has shown us to be true and not simply in what another has said to be true.
THEOLOGICAL AND ESCHATOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS
The doctrines of eternal conscious torment and the immortality of the soul are inseparably linked. The immortality of the soul demands a place where the wicked must spend all eternity. In other words, if the immortality of the soul is assumed, then such a place must be located in the pages of scripture. in addition, any passages which would seem to teach that the wicked will perish or be destroyed must be read or explained in such a way as to continue their existence.
However, if man by nature is not immortal then such a place is not demanded. These two views amount to two entirely different systems of theology. Any open-minded person will be forced to admit that 'proof-texts' can be cited for either viewpoint. I know that for some it will be very difficult to accept any other teaching that goes contrary to what they have been taught for many years but it is the position of this author that the modern and popular concepts of 'hell' and the punishment of the wicked are utterly, and totally wrong. They are wrong as to the original word's translated 'hell', wrong as to the nature of judgment, wrong as to the application of common phraseology (lake of fire, wrath, weeping and gnashing of teeth, etc.), wrong as to the purpose of punishment, and wrong as to final and absolute state of the wicked.
I realize that such statements cannot be made without proof, and such proof is not easily established without careful and comprehensive study of this topic. I would only ask the reader for patience, and an open mind. It is my understanding and firm conviction that the verses of scripture commonly equated with hell, as well as final punishment of the wicked cannot be properly understood without a careful study of the prophecies concerning the end of the age, the kingdom, and the last judgment. This is commonly referred to as eschatology (the study of last things), and while not the major premise of this study, will prove to be absolutely vital to a proper understanding on the future state of the wicked. In fact, to properly discern the sequence of the cataclysmic events foretold to close this current age, will also prove to be the key to understanding this subject.
However, if man by nature is not immortal then such a place is not demanded. These two views amount to two entirely different systems of theology. Any open-minded person will be forced to admit that 'proof-texts' can be cited for either viewpoint. I know that for some it will be very difficult to accept any other teaching that goes contrary to what they have been taught for many years but it is the position of this author that the modern and popular concepts of 'hell' and the punishment of the wicked are utterly, and totally wrong. They are wrong as to the original word's translated 'hell', wrong as to the nature of judgment, wrong as to the application of common phraseology (lake of fire, wrath, weeping and gnashing of teeth, etc.), wrong as to the purpose of punishment, and wrong as to final and absolute state of the wicked.
I realize that such statements cannot be made without proof, and such proof is not easily established without careful and comprehensive study of this topic. I would only ask the reader for patience, and an open mind. It is my understanding and firm conviction that the verses of scripture commonly equated with hell, as well as final punishment of the wicked cannot be properly understood without a careful study of the prophecies concerning the end of the age, the kingdom, and the last judgment. This is commonly referred to as eschatology (the study of last things), and while not the major premise of this study, will prove to be absolutely vital to a proper understanding on the future state of the wicked. In fact, to properly discern the sequence of the cataclysmic events foretold to close this current age, will also prove to be the key to understanding this subject.
PART ONE - HELL IN THE OLD TESTAMENT
Our English word 'hell' conjures up a myriad of thoughts and images. When people hear of hell, they might think of the images portrayed by Dante's Inferno where the wicked are presided over by Satan and the demons and tormented with a pitchfork and every conceivable form of torture. Others simply maintain that hell is a place of eternal torment for the wicked, but not the abode of Satan and the demons.
Our English dictionary gives the following primary definition of hell:
Our English dictionary gives the following primary definition of hell:
hell
hell noun
1. a. Often Hell. The abode of condemned souls and devils in some religions; the place of eternal punishment for the wicked after death, presided over by Satan. b. A state of separation from God.
This is certainly the popular definition of our day, but the question we are concerned with here is, will the Bible support such a definition?
In the Old Testament, the word hell occurs 32 times and is always translated from the Hebrew word sheol (sheh-ole'). This same Hebrew word sheol occurs also another 32 times in the Hebrew text, but of these the word is translated as 'pit' three times, and as 'grave' 29 times. A simple study of the word sheol in an Englishman's Concordance should immediately impress upon any Bible student that the word has been translated 'hell' in every text where it could be applied to the wicked. However there are many places where the word sheol simply cannot mean 'hell' in the traditional sense of the word, so here the word is translated as 'grave' or 'pit'. Once again, our translators have 'helped us out'. The problem is, the Hebrew word sheol has no direct equivalent in the English language, and as such should have been left untranslated as a proper name. As we will see, neither 'hell', 'grave', or 'pit' give the fullest sense of the word.
With the exception of those seizing upon the English word 'hell' to prove a point, it is almost the unanimous opinion of Biblical scholars that sheoldenotes simply the place or state of the dead. The words 'gravedom' or 'oblivion' might be more appropriate. By 'gravedom' I simply mean the common grave of mankind as opposed to a single grave or tomb which is denoted by the Hebrew word 'queber'.
To the Hebrews, sheol received all the dead, good or bad without any future hope of return or reward. It certainly did not carry with it the traditional meaning of hell as an immediate place of torment to which the wicked go. Commenting on this J. W. Hanson writes:
In the Old Testament, the word hell occurs 32 times and is always translated from the Hebrew word sheol (sheh-ole'). This same Hebrew word sheol occurs also another 32 times in the Hebrew text, but of these the word is translated as 'pit' three times, and as 'grave' 29 times. A simple study of the word sheol in an Englishman's Concordance should immediately impress upon any Bible student that the word has been translated 'hell' in every text where it could be applied to the wicked. However there are many places where the word sheol simply cannot mean 'hell' in the traditional sense of the word, so here the word is translated as 'grave' or 'pit'. Once again, our translators have 'helped us out'. The problem is, the Hebrew word sheol has no direct equivalent in the English language, and as such should have been left untranslated as a proper name. As we will see, neither 'hell', 'grave', or 'pit' give the fullest sense of the word.
With the exception of those seizing upon the English word 'hell' to prove a point, it is almost the unanimous opinion of Biblical scholars that sheoldenotes simply the place or state of the dead. The words 'gravedom' or 'oblivion' might be more appropriate. By 'gravedom' I simply mean the common grave of mankind as opposed to a single grave or tomb which is denoted by the Hebrew word 'queber'.
To the Hebrews, sheol received all the dead, good or bad without any future hope of return or reward. It certainly did not carry with it the traditional meaning of hell as an immediate place of torment to which the wicked go. Commenting on this J. W. Hanson writes:
The Hebrew Old Testament, some three hundred years before the Christian era, was translated into Greek, and of the sixty-four instances where Sheol occurs in the Hebrew, it is rendered Hadees in the Greek sixty times, so that either word is the equivalent of the other. But neither of these words is ever used in the Bible to signify punishment after death, nor should the word Hell ever be used as the rendering of Sheol or Hadees, for neither word denotespost-mortemtorment.According to the Old Testament the words Sheol-Hadees primarily signify only the place, or state of the dead. In every instance in the Old Testament, the word grave might be substituted for the term hell, either in a literal or figurative sense. The word, being a proper name, should always have been left untranslated. Had it been carried into the Greek Septuagint, and thence into the English untranslated Sheol, a world of misconception would have been avoided, for when it is rendered Hadees, all the materialism of the heathen mythology is suggested to the mind, and when rendered Hell, the medieval monstrosities of a Christianity corrupted by heathen adulterations is suggested. Sheol primarily, literally, the grave or death; secondarily and figuratively the political, social, moral or spiritual consequences of wickedness in the present world, is the precise force of the term, wherever found.
If we carefully examine every passage in which sheol has been translated 'hell' we will see that in every case, without exception 'grave', 'gravedom', or 'oblivion' can be easily substituted. In many cases the word simply cannot mean a hell of fire in the traditional sense of the word. Some of these verses need no explanation. We will add comments where appropriate.
For a fire is kindled in mine anger, and shall burn unto the lowest hell, and shall consume the earth with her increase, and set on fire the foundations of the mountains. Deut 32.22
This is the first occurrence of the 'hell' in the King James Bible. Because it talks about fire and God's anger, traditionalists seize upon this verse in order to show that sheol can mean a fiery place of torment. However, this completely ignores the context of this verse. If we examine the next four verses which follow this, we get a clear picture of exactly what the 'lowest sheol' entailed.
I will heap mischiefs upon them; I will spend mine arrows upon them. They shall be burnt with hunger, and devoured with burning heat, and with bitter destruction: I will also send the teeth of beasts upon them, with the poison of serpents of the dust. The sword without, and terror within, shall destroy both the young man and the virgin, the suckling also with the man of gray hairs. I said, I would scatter them into corners, I would make the remembrance of them to cease from among men: Deut 32:23-26
Please notice that all the punishments inflicted from 'the lowest hell' are on earth. These consist of hunger, heat, the teeth of beasts, the sword, etc. The punishments mentioned are only those which can be inflicted on living menand have absolutely nothing to do with the traditional use of the word hell. Here the word is simply being used in its figurative sense of the consequences of sin in this world. Please notice also that the fire in this verse was a symbol for the sorrows listed in verses 23-26, not a literal fire which kindled at the bases of the mountains.
The sorrows of hell (Heb. sheol the grave, oblivion) compassed me about; the snares of death prevented me; 2 Sam 2:26
How can a living man be encompassed by the sorrows of hell in the traditional sense? Here 'hell' is used to mean the effect of sin in this world which tend toward the grave and destruction.
It is as high as heaven; what canst thou do? deeper than hell (Heb. sheol the grave, oblivion .. deeper than any pit); what canst thou know? Job 11:8
Hell (Heb. sheol the grave, oblivion) is naked before him, and destruction hath no covering. Job 26:6
In Both of the above, 'grave' is easily the substituted for 'hell'.
The wicked shall be turned into hell (Heb. sheol the grave, oblivion), and all the nations that forget God. Ps 9:17
Please notice in this verse that the wicked are 'nations'. They are turned into sheol, that is, they die as nations and go into oblivion.
For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell (Heb. sheol the grave, oblivion); neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. Ps 16:10
Remember we saw earlier that the soul was a life, the whole man or sentient being. The soul as a breathing creature consisted of the body plus the breath of life, but there could be no soul without either. When a man dies, the body returns to dust, the breath of life goes back to God, and the man or soul as we know it goes to gravedom or oblivion. This is the precise sense of the above verse. No one really believes that David felt he would go to a literal hell of fire when he died. The New Testament teaches us that David in this verse was prophesying about the coming Messiah. Peter reasons that David's soul was left in hell, and as proof offers the fact that 'his sepulcher is with us to this day' hence sealing once and for all that sheol simply means the common grave of mankind. Please see the detailed discussion on Acts 2:27 for further information.
The sorrows of hell (Heb. sheol the grave, oblivion) compassed me about: the snares of death prevented me. Ps 18:5
Notice here that the sorrows of sheol encompass a man on this earth. That is the forces of sin death and destruction in this world which would bring one down to the grave, ruin, or oblivion.
Let death seize upon them, and let them go down quick into hell (Heb. sheol the grave, oblivion): for wickedness is in their dwellings, and among them. Ps 55:15
Some seem to see here the possibility of men being alive in sheol, and hence the possibility of immortal souls being tormented there. For example, the Matthew Henry commentary states:
The souls of impenitent sinners go down quick, or alive, into hell, for they have a perfect sense of their miseries, and shall therefore live still, that they may be still miserable. This prayer is a prophecy of the utter, the final, the everlasting ruin of all those who, whether secretly or openly, oppose and rebel against the Lord’s Messiah.
This is simply reading much more into the text than what's there. There is no 'immortal soul' in the passage as usual. The idea is that of whole men, not some immortal soul. We read of something very similar in Numbers 16:30-33:
If these men die the common death of all men, or if they be visited after the visitation of all men; then the LORD hath not sent me. But if the LORD make a new thing, and the earth open her mouth, and swallow them up, with all that appertain unto them, and they go down quick into the pit (Heb. sheol); then ye shall understand that these men have provoked the LORD. And it came to pass, as he had made an end of speaking all these words, that the ground clave asunder that was under them: And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods. They, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into the pit (Heb. sheol), and the earth closed upon them: and they perished from among the congregation. Num 16:29-33
Notice how a simple comparison of scripture with scripture brings out the truth, even though our translators have obscured the meaning by rendering sheol as 'pit'. The going 'down quick into the pit' is contrasted with the 'common death of all men'. That is, they don't die of natural causes, but death seizes upon them in the middle of life. When they go down alive into sheol they surely do die, but it is a death which overtakes them in the middle of life.
Notice here that not only the men, but also their houses and all their goods went down into sheol and the earth closed upon them. Do material items also go down preserved into hell? No, they simply do not, and that is the reason why our translators could not translate sheolas 'hell' in this instance. However, if we maintain our definition of 'gravedom' or 'oblivion' there is simply no difficulty. They were cut off in the middle of life and 'perished from among the congregation'.
Notice here that not only the men, but also their houses and all their goods went down into sheol and the earth closed upon them. Do material items also go down preserved into hell? No, they simply do not, and that is the reason why our translators could not translate sheolas 'hell' in this instance. However, if we maintain our definition of 'gravedom' or 'oblivion' there is simply no difficulty. They were cut off in the middle of life and 'perished from among the congregation'.
For great is thy mercy toward me: and thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell (Heb. sheol the grave, oblivion). Ps 86:13
Here a living man is delivered from the lowest hell. That is, he is delivered from the effects of sin in this world; debasement, destruction, ruin, evil, and death.
The sorrows of death compassed me, and the pains of hell (Heb. sheol the grave, oblivion) gat hold upon me: I found trouble and sorrow. Ps 116:3
Once again referring to the forces of sin and destruction in this world which bring men down to the grave.
If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell (Heb. sheol the grave, oblivion), behold, thou art there. Ps 139:8
Is God in hell? Did David believe he would be in 'hell' when he died? The sense of the verse is obvious. God's power is unlimited and extends even to those in the grave.
Her feet go down to death; her steps take hold on hell (Heb. sheol the grave, oblivion). Prov 5:5
Her feet lead to the grave, destruction and oblivion.
Her house is the way to hell (Heb. sheol the grave, oblivion), going down to the chambers of death. Prov 7:27
Her house is the way to ruin, the grave, and destruction.
But he knoweth not that the dead are there; and that her guests are in the depths of hell (Heb. sheol the grave, oblivion) ...'
J. W. Hanson, commenting on this verse writes:
'Sheol is here used as a figure or emblem of the horrible condition and fate of those who follow the ways of sin. They are dead while they live. They are already in Sheol or moral death.'
Hell (Heb. sheol the grave, oblivion) and destruction are before the LORD: how much more then the hearts of the children of men? Prov 15:11
The way of life is above to the wise, that he may depart from hell (Heb. sheol the grave, oblivion) beneath. Prov 15:24
How can a living man 'depart from hell beneath'? By escaping from the influence and effects of sin in this life which tend toward ruin, destruction, and the grave.
Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell. (Heb. sheol the grave, oblivion). Prov 23:14
Here referring either to the grave, or the forces of sin and destruction which bring one down to ruin.
Hell (Heb. sheol the grave, oblivion) and destruction are never full; so the eyes of man are never satisfied. Prov 27:20
Here referring to the common grave of mankind. No matter how many people death claims, the grave always has room to receive more.
Therefore hell (Heb. sheol the grave, oblivion) hath enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure: and their glory, and their multitude, and their pomp, and he that rejoiceth, shall descend into it. Isa 5:14
Some use this verse in order to 'prove' that a literal hell of fire is gradually getting larger and larger to accommodate the sinners which constantly fall into it. The verse is simply using a common figure of speech where an inanimate object is personified. Here it is simply seen as a symbol of destruction.
Hell (Heb. sheol the grave, oblivion) from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy coming: it stirreth up the dead (Heb Rapha) for thee, even all the chief ones of the earth; it hath raised up from their thrones all the kings of the nations. All they shall speak and say unto thee, Art thou also become weak as we? art thou become like unto us? Thy pomp is brought down to the grave (Heb. sheol the grave, oblivion), and the noise of thy viols: the worm is spread under thee, and the worms cover thee. Isa 14:9-11
This particular verse is often quoted in order to prove that there are dead men in hell who can 'speak'. However, a careful study of the passage will not bear this out at all. Once again, our translators have done us a tremendous disservice. Please note in the passage that the translators of the King James Bible have rendered three proper names into English words where they would have been much better left untranslated.
First of all, they have rendered sheol as both 'hell' and 'the grave' in the exact same context. The English reader will assume that two different words are used, and hence two different meanings when the Hebrew text contains no authority whatsoever for doing this. Furthermore, the bias of the translators is clearly visible in this passage. The first occurrence of sheol is translated as 'hell' because they see 'the dead' there speaking and assume these to be the departed immortal souls of the dead. However, the second occurrence of sheol simply cannot refer to a place a departed spirit because of the reference to the worms. Worms are material not spirit, and feed on dead bodies in the grave.
In addition, the reference to the 'the dead' is not a reference to men at all, but to a specific race of beings; the 'Rapha'. In Isaiah 26:14 God says concerning this race of beings:
First of all, they have rendered sheol as both 'hell' and 'the grave' in the exact same context. The English reader will assume that two different words are used, and hence two different meanings when the Hebrew text contains no authority whatsoever for doing this. Furthermore, the bias of the translators is clearly visible in this passage. The first occurrence of sheol is translated as 'hell' because they see 'the dead' there speaking and assume these to be the departed immortal souls of the dead. However, the second occurrence of sheol simply cannot refer to a place a departed spirit because of the reference to the worms. Worms are material not spirit, and feed on dead bodies in the grave.
In addition, the reference to the 'the dead' is not a reference to men at all, but to a specific race of beings; the 'Rapha'. In Isaiah 26:14 God says concerning this race of beings:
thou visited and destroyed them, and made all their memory to perish.
Clearly, they are in no position to speak to anyone, but are here personifiedas speaking. For a detailed discussion on the identity of the Rapha, please see the comments on 1 Peter 3:19, in the chapter 'A Weekend in Hell or in the Tomb?'
Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell (Heb. sheol the grave, oblivion), to the sides of the pit. Isa 14:15
Continuing from the passage above, 'hell' here simply means the grave.
Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell (Heb. sheol the grave, oblivion) 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
And your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell (Heb. sheol the grave, oblivion) shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden down by it. Isa 28:18
In both cases, 'hell' means simply the grave.
And thou wentest to the king with ointment, and didst increase thy perfumes, and didst send thy messengers far off, and didst debase thyself even unto hell. (Heb. sheol the grave, oblivion) Isa 57:9
Notice that here the living are debased to sheol, which is used here as a figure of deep degradation and destruction.
Thus saith the Lord GOD; In the day when he went down to the grave (Heb. sheol) I caused a mourning: I covered the deep for him, and I restrained the floods thereof, and the great waters were stayed: and I caused Lebanon to mourn for him, and all the trees of the field fainted for him. I made the nations to shake at the sound of his fall, when I cast him down to hell (Heb. sheol the grave, oblivion) with them that descend into the pit (Heb. sheol): 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. 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 31:15-17
In the above passage we can see that the Hebrew word sheolhas been translated three different ways in the same context! How much confusion could have been avoided if they had simply left the word untranslated. Here, in symbolic language, Isaiah is talking about the fall of Babylon to destruction and oblivion.
The strong among the mighty shall speak to him out of the midst of hell (Heb. sheol the grave, oblivion) with them that help him: they are gone down, they lie uncircumcised, slain by the sword. Ezek 32:21
This is a continuation of the same figure used above. Once again, the dead are personified as speaking. Some might use this verse once again to prove conscious continued existence in hell. To do so simply ignores a familiar Hebrew figure of speech and the sense of the original language. This figure of speech which is called prosopopoeia is well documented in Dr. Ethelbert Bullinger's work Figures of Speech Used in the Bible.
This same figure of speech can also be seen in the following verses:
This same figure of speech can also be seen in the following verses:
But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell thee: Job 12:7
He rebuketh the sea, and maketh it dry, and drieth up all the rivers: Bashan languisheth, and Carmel, and the flower of Lebanon languisheth. Nahum 1:4
And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground. Gen 4:10
'Hell' here is simply used to represent Egypt's overthrow to join Babylon.
And they shall not lie with the mighty that are fallen of the uncircumcised, which are gone down to hell (Heb. sheol the grave, oblivion) with their weapons of war: and they have laid their swords under their heads, but their iniquities shall be upon their bones, though they were the terror of the mighty in the land of the living. Ezek 32:27
Do those in 'hell' take their physical weapons of war with them? No, once again sheolis used for destruction and oblivion.
Though they dig into hell,(Heb. sheol the grave, oblivion) thence shall mine hand take them; though they climb up to heaven, thence will I bring them down: Amos 9:2
This verse gives the same sense as Psalms 139:8 which was covered above. Please note here that these men dig into 'hell' to avoid God's wrath! The verse simply means that even should these men try to escape judgment by hiding in the grave, God's power extends even to it.
And said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the LORD, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell (Heb. sheol the grave, oblivion) cried I, and thou heardest my voice. Jonah 2:2
In this passage, sheol, or 'hell' simply cannot mean a hell of fire. The belly of the fish was simply Jonah's grave.
Yea also, because he transgresseth by wine, he is a proud man, neither keepeth at home, who enlargeth his desire as hell (Heb. sheol the grave, oblivion), and is as death, and cannot be satisfied, but gathereth unto him all nations, and heapeth unto him all people: Hab 2:5
We see from examining every verse in which the word 'hell' appears in the Old Testament, that not one of them will maintain the popular teaching that hell is a fiery place of torment to which the wicked go at death. The only verses which would seem to even imply such a thing can only be done by assuming the very thing you are attempting to prove and ignoring the context or sense of the original language. Let any open-minded reader take all the Old Testament passages which contain the word 'hell' and attempt to harmonize them with the popular teaching. It is my contention that this simply cannot be done. This however is by no means the end of the matter. The Hebrew word sheol has also been rendered as 'grave' 29 times in the King James Bible. By examining some of these, all doubt should be removed as to the true meaning of sheol.
And Jacob rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his loins, and mourned for his son many days. 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. Gen 37:34-35
Did Jacob believe his son went to a fiery hell? Did he himself wish to go there? A translation of 'hell' would make absolute non-sense of this passage.
And he said, My son shall not go down with you; for his brother is dead, and he is left alone: if mischief befall him by the way in the which ye go, then shall ye bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave. Gen 42:38
And if ye take this also from me, and mischief befall him, ye shall bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave. Gen 44:29
Now therefore when I come to thy servant my father, and the lad be not with us; seeing that his life is bound up in the lad's life; It shall come to pass, when he seeth that the lad is not with us, that he will die: and thy servants shall bring down the gray hairs of thy servant our father with sorrow to the grave. Gen 44:30-31
These three passages continue the sense of the first. A translation of sheol as 'hell' is impossible.
O that thou wouldest hide me in the grave, that thou wouldest keep me secret, until thy wrath be past Job 14:13
Notice here that Job prayed to go to Sheol in order to avoid God's wrath. It would be absolutely senseless to believe that Job prayed to go to the 'hell' of modern theology. The sense of the verse is clear; Job wished to go to the grave rather that suffer.
If I wait, the graveis mine house: I have made my bed in the darkness. Job 17:13
Continues the sense of the above.
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. Ps 31:17
Had sheol been here translated as 'hell' it would it would have been rather difficult to harmonize with the popular notions of eternal torment. We are told of the constant screams of the damned and the 'weeping, wailing, and gnashing of teeth'. To say that the wicked are silent in 'hell' would have created just a bit too much difficulty, and hence the translation 'grave'.
But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave: for he shall receive me. Selah. Ps 49 :15
Let my prayer come before thee: incline thine ear unto my cry; For my soul is full of troubles: and my life draweth nigh unto the grave. Ps 88:2-3
In both of the above, the psalmist obviously did not believe he would go to a fiery hell.
Our bones are scattered at the grave's mouth, as when one cutteth and cleaveth wood upon the earth. Ps 141:7
If the meaning of sheol is not yet clear to the reader, this verse should seal the matter. Are a man's bones scattered at the mouth of 'hell' or the grave?
Please notice in the above verses that none of them will allow for sheol being a place of conscious torment after death. It should be obvious to anyone the sheol is simply the common grave of mankind which receives all the dead. At this point it is important to consider the role which Bible translation has played in the formation of doctrine. Anyone should be able to see that if the word sheol had simply remained untranslated, the unbiased reader would be much more prepared and equipped to gather all the information concerning it and draw unbiased conclusions. Our English translations have obscured the truth even to the point of translating the same word three different ways in the same context. As it currently stands, it is only through careful study that these truths can be determined. Fortunately, in our day many helps have become available to those who wish check these facts for themselves, but the responsibility remains upon each believer to take it upon themselves to discover the truth.
Please notice in the above verses that none of them will allow for sheol being a place of conscious torment after death. It should be obvious to anyone the sheol is simply the common grave of mankind which receives all the dead. At this point it is important to consider the role which Bible translation has played in the formation of doctrine. Anyone should be able to see that if the word sheol had simply remained untranslated, the unbiased reader would be much more prepared and equipped to gather all the information concerning it and draw unbiased conclusions. Our English translations have obscured the truth even to the point of translating the same word three different ways in the same context. As it currently stands, it is only through careful study that these truths can be determined. Fortunately, in our day many helps have become available to those who wish check these facts for themselves, but the responsibility remains upon each believer to take it upon themselves to discover the truth.
SILENCE ON THE SUBJECT
BEFORE THE LAW
BEFORE THE LAW
The Case of Adam and Eve
In Chapter One: What Is Man we studied the warning which God gave to Adam and Eve if they disobeyed:
In Chapter One: What Is Man we studied the warning which God gave to Adam and Eve if they disobeyed:
But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. Gen 2:17
This is certainly a far cry from any type of warning about an immortal soul after the death of the body. Modern Christians and theologians play games with words in order to make 'death' into 'eternal conscious torment'. We have to ask; would God be so careless as to be unspecific about the nature of punishment which was to befall Adam and Eve as the result of sin? Is any preacher who believes in eternal torment ever so careless as to warn a non-believer of hell with the single word 'die'? Would any parent be so careless as to be so unclear? If God did indeed warn Adam and Eve about an eternal place of torment, then clearly, we have no record of it. The attempts to make death into 'separation' and 'separation' into 'hell' are little more than exercises is mental gymnastics and semantics.
However, if the doctrine of eternal torment is true, then not only was God unclear in His warning, but the sentence is equally unclear:
However, if the doctrine of eternal torment is true, then not only was God unclear in His warning, but the sentence is equally unclear:
And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself. And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat? And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat. And the LORD God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat. And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life: And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee. And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; 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. And Adam called his wife's name Eve; because she was the mother of all living. Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them. And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever: Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken. So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life. Gen 3:9-24
What are we to make of this? The serpent is cursed, and the ground is cursed, but not the man and woman. I would ask the reader, in all honesty, what did God say the penalty was for their sin?
Sorrow bringing forth children, the man ruling over the wife, the earth bringing forth thorns and thistles, lifelong work in the sweat of the face, and ultimately death in which they would return to the dust from which they were taken. All of these amounted to earthly sorrows and punishments but not one word is mentioned about any further punishment after death. Hasn't this struck anyone as being just the slightest bit odd? If the doctrine of eternal punishment is true, and Christ came to save us from hell, then why is there absolutely no mention made of it in the story of the creation and fall of man?
Once again those who teach the immortality of the soul must assume that only the body returns to dust while the soul and spirit continue on to either heaven or hell, but there can be no doubt that these are implications and assumptions which must be forced into the text. Taken at face value, no unbiased reader would ever get these ideas from the story of the creation and fall of man.
Sorrow bringing forth children, the man ruling over the wife, the earth bringing forth thorns and thistles, lifelong work in the sweat of the face, and ultimately death in which they would return to the dust from which they were taken. All of these amounted to earthly sorrows and punishments but not one word is mentioned about any further punishment after death. Hasn't this struck anyone as being just the slightest bit odd? If the doctrine of eternal punishment is true, and Christ came to save us from hell, then why is there absolutely no mention made of it in the story of the creation and fall of man?
Once again those who teach the immortality of the soul must assume that only the body returns to dust while the soul and spirit continue on to either heaven or hell, but there can be no doubt that these are implications and assumptions which must be forced into the text. Taken at face value, no unbiased reader would ever get these ideas from the story of the creation and fall of man.
The Case of Cain
Cain is the first murderer recorded in the Bible:
And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him. And the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother's keeper? And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground. Gen 4:8-10
Surely, we should expect to find a clear warning as to the nature of punishment. But when we examine the Biblical record:
And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy hand; When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth. Gen 4:11-12
Not one word about hell! Not so much as even an implication! Once again, the punishments inflicted are those which can only occur in this lifetime. Cain's reaction is also very interesting:
And Cain said unto the LORD, My punishment is greater than I can bear. Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth; and from thy face shall I be hid; and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth; and it shall come to pass, that every one that findeth me shall slay me. Gen 4:13-14
According to those who teach eternal conscious torment, Cain didn't know the half of it. Clearly having a hard time growing food and being a fugitive and a vagabond was nothing compared to what might happen to him after he died. So, what does God do? Does God warn Cain about such a horrible fate?
And the LORD said unto him, Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And the LORD set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him. Gen 4:15
And here the record ends. Given the sin of murder, one would think that we should find a clear warning as to the nature of the punishment, but again this is simply not the case.
THIS CHAPTER IS INCOMPLETE
