HELL
All bible quotes are from the King James Version unless otherwise noted.

INTRODUCTION

Would our Almighty Father torment people for eternity if He really is love? (1 John 4:8) Is that real love, especially coming from a God who tells us to love our enemies? (Matthew 5:44, Romans 12:20-21). And beyond that, does it make sense that God would punish us permanently for something we did while living in a temporary state?

The Bible reveals that the idea of burning people never came up into God's heart (Jeremiah 7:30-31) and it was an abhorrent practice in His eyes (Deuteronomy 18:10, 2 Kings 16:3, 17:16-17, 21:6, 23:10). The practice of burnt human sacrifice was prevalent in the land of Canaan, and was one of the reasons God commanded the Israelites to destroy the inhabitants of Canaan (Deuteronomy 9:1-6, Deuteronomy 18:9-12).

The Bible also reveals that, when one dies, the state of death itself is the payment for one's sins. (Genesis 2: 16-17, Romans 6:7, 23) Thus, if death itself is the consequence for sin, then it would be unjust for God to force us to continue to pay for our sins after having already paid the debt for our sins with our lives. Placing people in a fiery Hell after they die is like having a bank force you to continue making payments even though you've already paid off the debt. Or, putting it another way, adding more punishment after death is tantamount to re-incarcerating a criminal for his original crime after he had already completed his time in jail. It would be an act of dishonesty to force sinners to continue paying for their sins once they've already paid for them.

So, what about the biblical references concerning Gehenna, Sheol, Hades, and The Lake of Fire as synonyms for Hell? Let's look at these one at a time:

GEHENNA:
Gehenna was a valley outside of Jerusalem. It is the Greek form of the Hebrew: "Ge" = Valley Of, "Henna" = Hinnom, therefore, "Gehenna" = Valley of Hinnom. This was the place where false worshippers performed burnt child sacrifice to their god, Molech/Moloch (2 Chronicles 28:3, Jeremiah 7:31, Jeremiah 32:35). Eventually, faithful king Josiah destroyed the Molech worship in Hinnom, putting an end to the vile practice (2 Kings 23:10). In later times, this area became used for burning the corpses of criminals, animal corpses, trash, and other waste. Note that only criminal corpses were taken there; non-criminals received a proper burial, whereas criminals were left in the open air for maggots and incineration with the other garbage. This burning of corpses and trash occurred round the clock every day as a matter of basic sanitation. In other words, this incineration was ongoing and the end results were permanent: A corpse that was thrown into Gehenna couldn't be taken back later for a proper burial. Along with this, a person destroyed in Gehenna was forgotten in time, as there was no grave marker or tomb to remember the person with. Therefore, not only was the body completely destroyed, but so was the memory of that person completely destroyed. Because of this thoroughness of destruction, Gehenna became a symbol of permanent, or endless, destruction.

Some bible versions correctly use the original word "Gehenna" in places such as at Matthew 5:22, 29-30, 10:28, 18:9, 23:15, 23:33, Mark 9:43,45,47, Luke 12:5, and James 3:6. (AMP, ESV footnote, YLT, HCSB footnotes, NLT footnotes, NASB footnote, NWT, ) while others replace "Gehenna" as the word "Hell" (KJV, NIV, TNIV, WE, Darby, ASV). However, if you compare the verses with an interlinear Greek Bible, you will see that the original word should be "Gehenna", the symbol of permanent destruction.

Thus, Gehenna is not "Hell", it is simple a reference to a real place in which the a wicked person's corpse was completely destroyed and forever forgotten. (In Christ's time, people were never thown alive into Gehenna).

SHEOL:
This is a Hebrew word that is sometimes rendered as "shaul", the root word means"unseen", or simply the "place of the dead", i.e. the common grave. It is usually translated correctly as "grave" (Genesis 37:35, 42:38, Numbers 16:30, 1 Samuel 2:6, 1 Kings 2:6, Job 7:9, Ecclesiastes 9:10, Isaiah 14:11)(KJV, KJV21, NKJV, NLT, NIV), and sometimes remains with the original word "Sheol" (HCSB, Darby, YLT, ASV, ESV, AMP, NIV footnotes). Interestingly, however, in some Bible versions, the very same Hebrew word incorrectly becomes replaced with the word "Hell" (2 Samuel 22:6, Job 11:8, Job 26:6, Psalms 9:17) (KJV21, NKJV, KJV, AMP, MSG).

Sheol/Shaul is used in connection with being covered in maggots (Isaiah 14:11) and has a connection of having no sentience in Sheol (Ecclesiastes 9:10) (HCSB, Darby, ASV, YLT, ESV, AMP) , supporting its definition of being simply a grave. There is no valid reason to change "Sheol", (the word for "grave"), into "Hell" in any of the cases that the translators do so. If you compare the verses in an interlinear Hebrew Bible, you can see this very clearly.

Thus, Sheol is not "Hell" either; it is simply the burial grave.

HADES:
The word "Hades" comes from Greek, and literally means "underworld" or "place of the dead", without regard to righteousness or wickedness. Basically, it's the grave.

"Hades" is also often translated as "Hell" in some bible versions (Matthew 11:23, 16:18, Luke 10:15, Acts 2:27,31)(KJV, WYC, NIRV, KJ21), and is sometimes correctly translated as a general reference for a place of the dead (TNIV, WE, NCV, AMP). Sometimes it remains worded as "Hades" (Matthew 16:18, Revelation 6:7-8, Revelation 20:13-14)(NIVUK , HCSB, Darby, YLT, ASV, NKJV, ESV, NASB), depending on the bible version you are reading.

One instance in which "Hades" is used is when referring to Christ as having been in Hades after his death (Acts 2:31-- NKJV) Are we to suppose that Christ, who was sinless, deserved to go to a tormenting fiery hell, even for just a brief time? Many people point to the scripture that state Jesus bore our sins upon himself, (1 Peter 2:24) and believe he had to enter fiery hell for our sins. However, as pointed out in the introduction to this page, it is death that pays the debt for sin. Since Jesus, a sinless man, DIED, and went into the grave for three days, that was the debt he paid for us, not entrance into a fiery hell.

In another case, the apostle Peter also expected to go into Hades upon his own death as well, shown at Acts 2:27:

For you will not leave my soul in Hades, nor will You allow your Holy One to see corruption. -- New King James Version

Note that Peter doesn't say "you will not put my soul in Hades", he says that God won't leave him in Hades. To be "left" someplace means you must be there to begin with. This is significant, because Peter was of the group who would be with Jesus, and he knew this (Luke 22:28-29, John 13:36-14:4). Therefore, it is apparent that Peter understood that he wouldn't be left in the grave -- as he knew he was going to be with Jesus. In other words, Peter saw Hades as a simple place of the dead, a burial place.

This is supported at Revelation 6:7-8 -- NKJV , which informs us that Hades closely follows the horseman of death. Since burial in a grave always closely follows a person's death, then this makes sense. Later, the book of Revelation tells us that both Hades and death are hurled together into the Lake of Fire for destruction (Revelation 20:13-14 -- NKJV). Again, this points to Hades being the grave because death and the grave are tied together. Having death and the grave destroyed together goes with God's plan to rid the world of death and mourning (Isaiah 25:8, John 6:58, 1 Corinthians 15:54, Revelation 21:1-4, Psalms 37:29).

So, now, this brings up the next issue: What is the Lake of Fire?

LAKE OF FIRE :
According to what the scriptures say, the Lake of Fire is only mentioned in Revelation 20: 10,14,15. These say:

" And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever
In the usual views about "Hell", Satan is the one causing the torment, not the one who is being tormented, so what do we make of this? It helps to realize that "torment" is synonomous with "destruction", as shown in the comparison of scriptures at Mark 1:24, and Matthew 8:29.

...And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death...
Since death and the grave are hurled into the Lake of Fire after the Devil is hurled in, this "torment" is symbolic of total destruction, the permanent cessation of existence, which is why is it referred to as the "second death", not an eternal pain.

And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. "
Those not in the book of life are sentenced to the opposite of life, which is death. No mention of eternal pain.

WHAT ABOUT REVELATION 14:11?

The scripture at Revelation 14:11 says:

"And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name."

What are we to make of this?

Since we've seen that this "torment" is actually total destruction (Mark 1:24,and Matthew 8:29 ), their death is lasting forever. "Smoke" is the evidence of the "fire" -- hearkening back to the everlasting destruction visualized in the Valley of Hinnom / Gehenna. Since evil will be destroyed, the evidence of this destruction will be the absence of all wickedness, and this evidence will be forever noticed.

RICH MAN AND LAZARUS

Some people point to Jesus Christ's parable about the Rich man and Lazarus, believing it to mean a fiery Hell is real. For those unfamiliar with the story, here it is:

Luke 16:19-31 (NIV)
19 "There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. 20 At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores 21 and longing to eat what fell from the rich man's table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores. 22 "The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 In hell,where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. 24 So he called to him, 'Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.' 25 "But Abraham replied, 'Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. 26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.' 27 "He answered, 'Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father's house, 28 for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.' 29 "Abraham replied, 'They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.' 30 " 'No, father Abraham,' he said, 'but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.' 31 "He said to him, 'If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.' "

Although this passage seems to support the doctrine of a fiery hell, we need to look at the entire thing in context.

To begin with, this wasn't Jesus telling a true story, it is common knowledge that this is simply another one of his parables. It is also common knowledge that all of his parables were allegorical. Interestingly enough though, many preach this one parable as if it were fact.

To take this passage as literal makes nonsense of things. For example, if this were literal, then people in heaven can see the suffering of those in the fiery hell -- this would put a serious damper on the joy of being in heaven. If this were literal, then a single drop of water could quench the thirst brought on by the fire; of course, there is also the problem of the drop of water surviving the intense heat of the flame to begin with. Another thing to consider is that Jesus never mentioned that the rich man was wicked, or that the poor man was righteous. The only thing mentioned is that the rich man had good things, and the poor man had misery. If this were to be a literal teaching, it would mean that only the very poor will be in heaven.

Considering, also, that the bible states there is no consciousness after death (Ecclesiastes 9:5,10, Psalms 115:17), and that believers (no distinction between rich and poor) have a chance at being with Christ (John 14:2-3), and that nobody at this time has gone to heaven (except for Christ) (John 3:13), this parable cannot be preached as literal truth.

CONCLUSION

By checking the original language of biblical writing, we can clearly see that the word "Hell" did not exist in biblical times. We can also see that the synonyms for "Hell" (Gehenna, Hades, Lake of Fire, and Sheol) are actually synonyms for the grave or burial site, instead of a fiery, painful realm for the wicked. It is the reference to the trash burning of Gehenna, and the allegorical parable of Jesus Christ, that caused people to begin preaching a fiery Hell in error.

May our God and Father give you peace on these matters.