What was the Jews understanding of hell in
- Slides: 9
“What was the Jews’ understanding of hell in the OT (where the unfaithful went when they died)? Did they have one? ” • God’s word re. eternal punishment gradually revealed – Hebrews 1: 1 • General emphasis of OT is life on earth – Ecclesiastes 8: 10 -17 • Shadow of heavenly things – Hebrews 8: 4 -5; 10: 1; Colossians 2: 16 -17 1
“What was the Jews’ understanding of hell in the OT (where the unfaithful went when they died)? Did they have one? ” SHEOL (Death, the grave, the pit) • “to ask” (demand), hence, insatiable (Prov. 30: 15 -16); “to be hollow” • Receptacle (abode) of the dead -Death (2 Sam. 22: 6); Grave (Gen. 37: 35); Pit (Num. 16: 33; Isa. 14: 15) 2
SHEOL • The abode of the dead • Place of darkness, silence & forgetfulness – Psa. 88: 10 -12; 115: 17; Eccl. 9: 5 -6, 10 • The companion of destruction – Job 28: 22 3
SHEOL • Not a state of unconsciousness or annihilation (1 Sam. 28: 11 -15) • God of the living – Exo. 3: 6; Matt. 22: 31 -33 • Jewish hope included belief in resurrection from the dead – Acts 24: 15 (Dan. 12: 2) • Those in Sheol were not beyond God’s jurisdiction (Psa. 139: 8) 4
Reward after death • Implied in OT • Escape corruption – Psa. 16: 10 -11 • Redemption – Psa. 49: 15 • Merciful deliverance – Psa. 86: 13 5
Punishment after death • Implied in OT • Fire of judgment reaching to the lowest part of Sheol – Deut. 32: 22 • Sinners perish there – Num. 16: 33 • Consumes sinners – Job 24: 19 • Judgment after death – Eccl. 12: 14 • Fire & worms – Isa. 66: 24 6
Reality of eternal punishment • HELL (Gehenna) – Matt. 5: 29 -30 • Everlasting fire – Matt. 5: 22; 18: 8 -9 • Destruction – Matt. 10: 28 • Corruption & agony – Mk. 9: 43 -48 • Everlasting torment of fire – Matt. 25: 41, 46; Rev. 14: 10 -11; 20: 10, 14 -15 • Utter darkness – Matt. 25: 30 (1 Jno. 1: 5) 7
Reality of eternal punishment • Those who sin and will not repent – Matt. 5: 29 -30 • Those who will not confess Jesus in this life – Matt. 10: 28, 33 • Those who do not know God & do not obey Him – 2 Ths. 1: 8 -9 • Those who do not obey the truth, but do evil – Rom. 2: 8 -9; Rev. 21: 8 8
“What was the Jews’ understanding of hell in the OT (where the unfaithful went when they died)? Did they have one? ” • OT: Death ends man’s opportunities on earth & ushers him into the shadowy realm of the grave • NT: If we are not saved from our sins by the Son of God we will suffer eternal punishment beyond the grave • God will judge His people & punish evildoers – Heb. 10: 30 -31; 12: 29 9
