This is a question that I have often wondered about and has come up in discussions with unbelievers. And now I came across this article . . . The Truth About HellIt shows how truly frightening hell is. But aside from that, is it accurate in it's description of where hell is?
Hello there,Just a little note about your post: hell doesn't exist. The word is not found in the Scriptures. The Word of God speaks of: sheol, hades and the lake of fire.What people mean when they speak of "hell" is in fact the lake of fire.
Thanks for the response. :)I thought based on the following two translations of Revelation 21:14 that "hell" and "Hades" were the same thing and that both of them would be thrown into the "lake of fire" (which is the final and eternal "second death").14And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. (KJV)14Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. (NIV)So I guess now I have two questions:1. What is the difference between "hell," "death," "sheol," "Hades," and the "lake of fire"?and2. Is one of them at the center of the earth?
Hello Nathan,Unlike Manfred, I do believe that hell exists. But my take of hell is this, while the lake of fire is what the bible says I see hell as being more of a place where you are all alone. What can be more miserable for a person to go through then to be all alone for all eternity? Fire, brimstone, lake of fire it is all there, but solotude is also there. What is the difference between "hell," "death," "sheol," "Hades," and the "lake of fire"? The difference is the wording. God has many names, but He is the same being/person no matter if you call him Father, God, Jehovah, The Maker or The Creator etc. No matter what you call it, it is no place I ever want to be. Is one of them at the center of the earth? I don't think so. I think that someone would have reached it by now. I believe that it is a spiritual world that has no actual place of residency. So to say that it is here or there I think would be a mistake. But, who knows till they die and I have no intention of every placing a change of address to there.
Revivalist,Interesting question. As far as the location, not sure. But as far as the list of terms you are asking about this is the best answer that I know. "Hell", "death", "sheol", and "Hades" are all different terms that refer to the same condition, not a place. According to The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Hades means the state of death, or disembodied existence. The lake of fire is an actual place.If you notice in Revelation 20, John is talking about the Final Judgement of humanity, so the concept of "disembodied existence" seems to fit well into the text here.The next portion of this text is strictly opinion based on deductive reasoning. God is a spiritual being perfect and righteously balanced in all ways. We will be in a new form of existence, not in the corporal way we understand now, in life. The Bible says heaven and Earth will pass away, so I lean toward the idea that the lake of fire will be something that is in the spirit realm, moreso than the possiblity than the natural realm we see and touch with these bodies we are in now.I hope this brings clarity to your question. If anyone is a more advanced studier of the Word, I welcome correction. I strive to learn the truth of the Word, not seek status of knowledge.Bless you in our loving Lord Jesus
Hi Revivalist...!There has been alot of debate about "Hell" for quite some time. There are alot of sermons preached, as well as alot of books being written, concerning this subject. Alot of the confusion, I believe, comes from the differences between the grave (death) and Hell (the place of torment). There is also some confusion about the differences between Hell and the Lake of Fire. Did Men drill into Hell?A few years ago, there was a strange story that circulated around Christian groups concerning Hell. It is even included in the website from the link you provided. The story revolved around a group of scientists that were drilling into the earth in Siberia (or sometimes, Finland, Russia, Alaska or Norway). Supposedly, these scientists drilled "the deepest hole that was ever drilled" (some 9 to 15 kilometers deep). After they drilled, they supposedly lowered a microphone into the hole. To their astonishment, they heard the sounds of unspeakable pain and suffering in the form of millions of terrifying screams. As strange as this story sounds, it made its way through Christian churches and ministries like a fast moving virus! Several ministries claimed to have "first-hand knowledge" of the incident. Eventually, the story made its way into several Christian magazines, non-academic newspapers, books and even a major Christian television network. It seemed that Christians loved this newfound "scientific proof" of Hell's existence, yet no one could verify the story's authenticity. If you use an internet search engine (like Google, Yahoo or Lycos), you will find several variations of the same story -- but with different names, nationalities, locations, etc...It turns out that the story was generated by a group of atheists who were out to show how "silly, gullible Christians will believe anything." They read an article about a group of Russian scientists that drilled 12 kilometers deep, and they "created" the story as a joke to see how far an "urban myth (or legend)" would spread through Christian groups. To their enjoyment, the stories spread (and evolved) like wildfire! They were interviewed by several credible news outlets where they told of their "experiment." Obviously, many Christians did not seem to care. The story continues to circulate through many Christian ministries (including Christian T.V.), often used as a form of "scare tactic" in order to frighten people into a decision for Christ. What Scientist say about the Center of the Earth…From a scientific perspective, the center of the Earth is believed to be made almost entirely of iron, with some nickel. It is believed to be separated by two cores -- a dense and solid inner core, and a molten outer core. The outer core is magnetic, and is believed to move with convection (caused by the rotation of the earth). This shifting of iron explains the shift that often takes place in the earth's magnetic field. The magnetic North Pole (where your trusty compass points toward) is quite different than the geographic North Pole. Currently, the magnetic North Pole is located in northern Canada (over the Hudson Bay). Thus, if you stood at the actual geographic North Pole, your compass would actually point south! The magnetic North Pole shifts slightly every year, and its movement is recorded by several Government and scientific agencies, Universities and organizations. What the Bible Says…From an entirely Biblical perspective, it may be important to remember that Hell (or the Lake of Fire) is not a physical place – it’s a spiritual place. Such a place was not designed for physical bodies – but for spiritual bodies. Remember that such punishment was initially prepared “for the devil and his angels” (Matthew 25:41). The Bible also states that believers can be seen from Hell (and vice versa):Luke 16:22-23“And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.”If Hell was located at the “center of the earth,” then how could the rich man see Abraham and Lazarus? And don’t forget, the earth is a temporary location. The Lake of Fire is considered a place of “everlasting fire” and “eternal torment” in the Scriptures. Yet the Bible says that “…heaven and Earth will pass away.” God is going to destroy the earth – and create a new one. Thus, if the place of torment was found there, then it would pass away with the earth. Books, books, books...There are alot of books written about the subject. Some have become quite popular (like Mary Baxter's A Divine Revelation of Hell) and have made quite a bit of money. However, such books are often extra-Scriptural, and provide very little credible evidence from the Word concerning their validity. And as with Ms. Baxter's book, they can be quite unscriptural -- but that is probably a topic for another thread. Remember, God would not allow the rich man (or any other dead men) to return to life to warn people of what they now knew about Hell (Luke 16:31). Abraham told them, "If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead." The only credible source, then, is definitely the Word of God. Here are a few verses to help you in your search. I hope they help!Matthew 22:13Matthew 25:46Luke 13:27Luke 16:19-31John 13:26-14:6John 18:36II Corinthians 4:18II Thessalonians 1:9Hebrews 9:11-24Hebrews 12:25-27Jude 1:13Revelation 14:10-11Revelation 20:10Revelation 22:15 :-)
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