PART TWO

A study of Sheol, Hades, Gehenna, and Tartaros

To the Old Testament first!

SHEOL

The Hebrew word "Sheol" is used 65 times in the Old Testament. Thirty one of those times it is translated from the Hebrew into the English as "hell".

Those who argue against the reality of a literal hell point out that in most of the other instances where this word is used, it is translated as "grave". They maintain that since this is the case, Sheol could be better translated as grave, rather than Hell. But is that true? In the next few pages we will look at some of the places where Sheol is interpreted as the grave, and we will see that it would have actually been better interpreted as a place where departed souls resided prior to the resurrection of Jesus Christ, similar to the place that He referred to in His story concerning the Rich man and Lazarus.

The proper Old Testament designation for the abode of the souls of those who have died is Sheol, and not the grave. The Grave contains the bodies of the deceased (SEE THE PREVIOUS STUDY), but Sheol holds their souls.

I understand that this really flies in the face of the theology that some hold which teaches that the soul and the body are the same thing. But the soul and the body are not the same thing, and that is a whole different study. Just for the sake of those who may be curious, let me point out a couple of key scriptures that mention the soul as being separate from the body for the reader to consider.

Mat 10:28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

Here we see that the body could be killed, and the soul would still go on living: "And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul…"

Mat 16:26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

1Th 5:23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Notice that "Spirit" "Soul" and "Body" are referred to here in 1 Thessalonians separately.

The New Testament story of Lazarus and the rich man also tells of this place called "Sheol" in the Old Testament, but the Greek equivalent to Sheol is Hades. The Greek conception of Hades has historically been a locality that received into itself all the dead, just as the Hebrew concept of Sheol was.

Hades was believed to be divided into two regions - a place of torment, and the other a place of blessedness. Part of Sheol contains that area known as Abraham's Bosom, where Lazarus and those who were righteous followers of God went.

We will deal with "Abraham's Bosom" in another part of this study.

Another part of Sheol contains that area known in the Greek as Hades, a place of torment and punishment, where the wicked await for the Judgment of God that Jesus spoke of in Matthew 25.

That there is consciousness in Sheol is seen in several places in the Old Testament. When Jacob's sons brought news to him that his favorite son Joseph had been killed by wild beasts, he refused to be comforted, but instead replied:

Gen 37:35 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. He did not say "I will go into the grave mourning". That could have meant that he would spend the rest of his life mourning until he died. But the wording here is different than that.

He actually declared that he would go into Sheol, unto his son mourning. The word translated as "unto" actually means moving towards someone or something. He thought that Joseph was already there in Sheol, and that he would go to him one day, and as he went to be joined with him, he would be mourning. He wouldn't stop mourning until he saw him again.

1Sa 2:6 The LORD killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up.

Notice the order of the words used in this verse. He kills, and He makes alive, He brings down to Sheol and brings up! What is this saying? That after he has killed, he can restore to life.

After He has brought a person to Sheol, He can bring them up from Sheol again. That is exactly what is going to happen in the Day of Judgment.

Those who were dead will be brought to life again to stand before God to give an account of themselves (Matt 12:36, Romans 14:12, 1 Pet 4:5) and the lives they had lived.

This falls right in line with Revelation 20:12, 13:

Rev 20:12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.

The word translated as "hell" is the Greek word "Hades", which is NOT the grave, but the New Testament equivalent of the word Sheol, which we are studying now. There is sorrow in Sheol.

2Sa 22:6 The sorrows of hell compassed me about; the snares of death prevented me; Sheol is defined as a destination for the wicked.

In Psalm 9:16, David mentions the judgment of God and then says:

Psa 9:17 The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God.

Now, if Sheol was the grave, verse 17 wouldn't be a real profound word of wisdom. It goes without saying that the wicked will be turned into the grave. What kind of judgment is that? Everyone that ever lived with a few notable exceptions (Enoch, and Elijah) have gone to the grave, whether they were wicked or righteous.

Psa 16:8 I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.
9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope.
10 For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.
11 Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures forevermore.

The verses that mention "Sheol" in Psalm 30 are some interesting verses on a couple of points.

Psa 30:2 O LORD my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me.
3 O LORD, thou hast brought up my soul from the grave: thou hast kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit.

The psalmist declares that the Lord had brought up his soul from Sheol, and kept Him alive, that he should not go down to the pit. The word "pit" in the Hebrew refers either to a deep hole that has been dug to function as a well, or to a place where a person is held captive, as in a dungeon. Let's go on a brief rabbit trail and look at this word translated as "pit" in several places in the Old Testament:

In Genesis 37 we see the account of Joseph's brothers who threw him into an empty well, or a "pit", and sold him as a slave to some Ishmaelites who were passing by.

In Genesis 40, Joseph interpreted the butler's dream, and asked him to remember him when he was restored to the Pharoah's service, because he had done nothing wrong to have been put into the dungeon.

The word "dungeon" is the same word translated as "pit" in Genesis 37:24, and in Psalm 30:3.

Gen 40:14 But think on me when it shall be well with thee, and show kindness, I pray thee, unto me, and make mention of me unto Pharaoh, and bring me out of this house:
15 For indeed I was stolen away out of the land of the Hebrews: and here also have I done nothing that they should put me into the dungeon.

See also Gen 41:14. Where the same word "bore" is translated as "dungeon". Jeremiah was cast into a pit, or a dungeon. Jeremiah 38:7.

In Numbers 16:30, we see the word "pit", but the Hebrew word used here is actually the word "sheol".

Num 16:30 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; then ye shall understand that these men have provoked the LORD.

Moses didn't tell the people of Israel that if the earth opened her mouth and swallowed them up with all that appertained to them, and "they go down alive into the grave"…then Israel would understand that they had provoked the Lord. No, Moses specifically mentioned Sheol.

It was one thing to get swallowed up by the earth, but it was even more fearful to know that they were about to be cast alive into Hell. Had he meant the grave he would have used the proper words used for "grave" in the Hebrew, which are qeburah or qeber. IF YOU MISSED MY PREVIOUS STUDY ON THE PROPER NAMES FOR THE GRAVE, YOU SHOULD GO THERE

While we are on the subject of Korah, let us read an account in the Psalms that speaks of what it is like in Sheol. We will also see the word "pit" (as in a dungeon or a prison) and Sheol used in conjunction with one another.

I believe that Psalm 88 is a Psalm which speaks of the torment that the unbeliever experiences when he is sent into Sheol. The sons of Korah were a group of Levites who played musical instruments and who were descendants of the Korah who was swallowed alive into the pit because of his rebellion against God.

The Psalm is a warning to those who would rebel against the Will of God, and what awaits them in the dungeon known as Sheol. I believe the Psalmist who wrote this Psalm and the Psalm 87 was inspired by the Holy Spirit to present a contrast to two very real realms.

In the previous Psalm, the city of God is spoken of. In contrast to the City of God, we see this place of torment that awaits those who rebel against God.

Psa 88:1 A Song or Psalm for the sons of Korah, to the chief Musician upon Mahalath Leannoth, Maschil of Heman the Ezrahite. O LORD God of my salvation, I have cried day and night before thee:

Though he cries day and night to the only One Who could deliver (salvation=deliverance, or aid) him, there is no relief for him.

Psa 88:2 Let my prayer come before thee: incline thine ear unto my cry;
3 For my soul is full of troubles: and my life draweth nigh unto the grave.

As he is in Sheol, his soul is filled with troubles (or sorrow), because his life has come to Sheol. The words "draw nigh" are translated from a Hebrew word which actually means to touch, to reach, or to arrive (see Young's literal translation, ASV, Brenton's Septuagint, the LITV, BBE,), so he's not drawing nigh to Sheol, he has actually arrived there.

Psa 88:4 I am counted with them that go down into the pit: I am as a man that hath no strength:
5 Free among the dead, like the slain that lie in the grave, whom thou rememberest no more: and they are cut off from thy hand.

He is numbered with those that go down into the dungeon, the pit, and there is no help for him. His soul is among the dead that has been cut off from God's hand. The word "grave" in verse 5 is the Hebrew word "Qibur", and not sheol. The two words are used in this psalm (Sheol = 88:3), which clearly shows a distinction between the grave where the body is and Sheol, which contains the soul.

Psa 88:6 Thou hast laid me in the lowest pit, in darkness, in the deeps.

The word "laid" is better translated as "placed". Korah cries out to God, "you have placed me in the Lowest level of this prison, where there is no light". I believe this Lowest level of prison is what is referred to in 2 Peter 2:4 as Tartarus. Here the reader should recall how the Lord mentioned outer darkness in His teachings.

Mat 25:30 And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (see also Matt 8:12, 22:13)

There are angels who are in a prison where darkness prevails:

2Pe 2:4 For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment; See also Jude 1:6.

Jude 1:13 warns that false teachers will be in this place of darkness. It should be noted that they are lumped together with Korah in verse 11 of Jude. They will keep him company, if they don't repent.

Ps 88:7 Thy wrath lieth hard upon me, and thou hast afflicted me with all thy waves. Selah.

Korah laments of his affliction in this place of torment. Sheol is a place of affliction. The rich man in Hades was also afflicted with torment in Luke 16:23.

Ps. 88:8 Thou hast put away mine acquaintance far from me; thou hast made me an abomination unto them: I am shut up, and I cannot come forth.

No longer does he have any friends…his name has become a byword to all who know him. Even to this present day, Korah is never spoken of in a good light, and he is shut up, imprisoned in a place where there is no escape. He will never be able to vindicate his name.

Ps. 88:9 Mine eye mourneth by reason of affliction: LORD, I have called daily upon thee, I have stretched out my hands unto thee.

The unceasing plea for relief is compounded billions of times over by those who have been shut up in this place of torment. Those who are held captive in this place are all crying out daily to the Lord.

PS 88:10 Wilt thou show wonders to the dead? shall the dead arise and praise thee? Selah.
11 Shall thy lovingkindness be declared in the grave? or thy faithfulness in destruction?
12 Shall thy wonders be known in the dark? and thy righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?

Although he cries out for mercy every day, his sorrow and torment is continual. In verse 10, he wonders if there is still any hope for him. Is there a second chance for him? Will God's Love extend to the grave? There are some whose doctrine teaches that a loving God would not condemn a person to eternal torment. Korah and his followers know better. In his affliction, he muses as to whether God will extend mercy to him someday, and maybe he will just be annihilated so his misery will cease (verse 11 "destruction").

He is appealing here to God's Righteousness and His Love. This is his only hope, although relief has not yet come to him, and, according to the Word of God, will never come. His torment is destined to go on forever. While some false teachers declare there is no place of eternal torment for the wicked, and that the wicked will be annihilated, Korah's experience would tell them otherwise.

Ps. 88:13 But unto thee have I cried, O LORD; and in the morning shall my prayer prevent thee.

The word "prevent" means precede, or to meet, or confront. Although he has not found relief in this place of torment, he will continually plead for mercy. Maybe he might experience a miracle from the Lord. In Sheol, there is no hope of answer to one's prayers. But even though he understands the hopelessness of his situation, he cries out once more:

PS 88:14 LORD, why castest thou off my soul? why hidest thou thy face from me?
15 I am afflicted and ready to die from my youth up: while I suffer thy terrors I am distracted.

Now he complains that all those days when he was among the living, his life was miserable. He is trying to convince the Lord that he paid his dues already, like those people who say that their lives are "hell on earth". How can he properly praise the Lord, while he is being distracted by this fear that consumes him? In Sheol, there is fear.

Ps. 88:16 Thy fierce wrath goeth over me; thy terrors have cut me off.
17 They came round about me daily like water; they compassed me about together.
18 Lover and friend hast thou put far from me, and mine acquaintance into darkness.

According to the Psalmist, in Sheol there is only loneliness and terror day in and day out continually forever. Many people who live their lives in wickedness scoff at the idea of Hell, and say that when they die, they are going to go to Hell and party with their friends, but this Psalm presents a different picture than that.

The one in torment cries out that Lover and friend are nowhere near, and that those of his acquaintance is in darkness. He can see no one else, and is aware of nothing else but his torment and the terror that consumes him.

In Isaiah, we see another instance where the pit and sheol are referred to in the same verse.

Isa 14:15 Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.

This is in reference to Lucifer, and his future judgment. Is Lucifer going to be in the GRAVE? No…he will be relegated to the same place of perpetual darkness as were the angels mentioned in Jude, and the same place as Korah, and all the false teachers and prophets who are described in Jude as well. Let's look at the preceding verses in Isaiah 14:

Isa 14:12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!
13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:
14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.
15 Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell (sheol), to the sides of the pit.
16 They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms;
17 That made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; that opened not the house of his prisoners?
18 All the kings of the nations, even all of them, lie in glory, every one in his own house.
19 But thou art cast out of thy grave (Here the word grave is the Hebrew word "qebur", and not Sheol - there is no grave or memorial for Lucifer, which is what the next verse confirms) like an abominable branch, and as the raiment of those that are slain, thrust through with a sword, that go down to the stones of the pit; as a carcass trodden under feet.
20 Thou shalt not be joined with them in burial, because thou hast destroyed thy land, and slain thy people: the seed of evildoers shall never be renowned.

Let's look at one more verse that deals with the "pit", and then we will resume our study of Sheol.

Isa 24:21 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the LORD shall punish the host of the high ones that are on high, and the kings of the earth upon the earth.
22 And they shall be gathered together, as prisoners are gathered in the pit, and shall be shut up in the prison, and after many days shall they be visited.

Here we see that the host of the "High ones that are on high" = the armies of the spiritual principalities and the kings of the earth, rulers of both realms will be gathered together, and will be shut up in "the prison"; that place that is spoken of in Jude, 2 Peter and Psalm 88. They will be shut up in the prison, reserved unto judgment like those angels described in 2 Peter 2:4.

More verses concerning Sheol:

Pro 23:13 Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die.
14 Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell.

Here we see that if a father corrects his son, he will deliver his son's soul from hell. If we look at this scripture with a view that the soul is the body, and Sheol is the grave, then we can be led to believe that if we discipline our children with the rod, their body will never go to the grave.

As Heaven and Sheol are opposite domains, so they are mentioned in opposition to each other in Amos:

Amo 9:2 Though they dig into hell, thence shall mine hand take them; though they climb up to heaven, thence will I bring them down:

I believe that by now it should be clear to the reader that Sheol and the grave are two different places. The most important fact for the Seventh day Adventist and the Jehovah's Witness to notice in order to be freed from their false teaching is that there are different words both in the Hebrew as well as the Greek that are used to describe the actual place of the grave (qeber, qebura for the Hebrew, and Taphos or Mnemeion for the Greek).

On the next page, we will return to our study of Leslie Turvey's philosophical treatise, and deal with Abraham's Bosom and Gehenna, as well as a few other places that Jesus mentioned in His teaching.

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