1. What does it mean that hell was one of the fundamentals of the faith in the early church? The word "sheol" occurs sixty-five times in the Old Testament. Thirty-one of those times, it means "hell." Another thirty-one times, it means "grave," and the final three, it means "pit." Everyone who died went to sheol, but sheol had two compartments, one for the righteous and one for the unrighteous. The righteous side was also called Abraham’s bosom or Paradise. Jesus told the thief on the cross that he would be with Him in Paradise.
2. What is the background of the word sheol? It means a state of grave-dom. The word sheol occurs sixty-five times in the Old Testament. Thirty-one of those times, it means "hell." Another thirty-one times, it means "grave," and the final three, it means "pit." Sheol continues until the White Throne judgment. Those lost at that time will then go to Gehenna.
3. Who is/was in sheol? Before Christ, all dead went to sheol, though they were separated into the two compartments once there. After Christ, those who die in Him go to be with Him. Today, sheol has most of the Old Testament saints in Paradise and all of the unsaved. Sheol in the Old Testament is the same as Hades in the New Testament.
4. Descnbe the characteristics of hell. Sheol is associated with mourning, sorrow, terror, weeping, silence, and punishment. It is the place of the unsaved dead. Gehenna will be the final state of the unsaved, and it will be characterized by eternal retribution. It will be like a prison, with chains, beatings, weeping and gnashing of teeth, a bottomless pit, outer darkness, destruction, torments, worms, fire, and the second death.
5. Who preached most on hades in the New Testament? Jesus preached more about hell than heaven. No one else preached about hades more than He.
6. What does the word tartaros mean? Tartaros is only found in II Peter 2:4 and refers to the place where the angels are bound. In Greek mythology, tartaros was always the deepest part, and it could have the angels from Genesis 6 who cohabited with the women of Israel.
7. Descnbe the background of the word gehenna. Gehenna refers to the garbage dump in Jerusalem where the Jews used to burn their children for the false god Molech. Jesus often referred to Gehenna because it provided a real-life reference to an afterlife place.
8. List the Biblical words that describe the nature of punishment in hell. Hell will be like a prison, with chains, beatings, weeping and gnashing of teeth, a bottomless pit, outer darkness, destruction, torments, worms, fire, and the second death.
9. List the various non-Biblical views concening the state of the unsaved dead. Some people believe in instant annihilation at death, reincarnation, purgatory (human rationalization for a place of cleansing), universalism where God will not let anyone go to hell, humanism, thanatology where people have died, been resusitated and not reported seeing hell, an alternate world view, and the idea that God will give everyone a second chance.
10. Why is hell necessary? Hell is necessary because of God’s holiness. He cannot change His standards of righteousness, yet He loves us enough to let us choose or reject Him. Those who reject Him must have some place to go when they die to this world. Also, hell was created for the devil and his angels. Those who rebelled against Him in heaven must also have an eternal residence.
Tom of Spotswood"He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life." (I John 5:12)
"And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart." (Jeremiah 29:13)
Index to Selected Essays And Book Reviews
Lesson 23 - The Eternal Home of the Saved
Send email to: tlee6040@aol.com