What Happens When We Die?

What Happens When We Die?

What is the truth about death? What happens when we die? Do some soar to heaven while others descend to hell? Is there a holding place called “purgatory”? Do we enter the spirit world? What about reincarnation? Might I return as an eagle? Can the living actually communicate with dead and do the dead haunt the house they used to live in? The truth about what happens when we die can be found only in the Bible. The book of Revelation says, “Satan deceives the whole world” (Revelation 12:9), thus we cannot expect the majority of human beings to be right about anything!
The purpose of this study is to prove these seven simple facts:

1. Man is made from the dust of the earth and becomes a living soul with the breath of life from God which is the spirit.
2. Fallen man is “mortal.”
3. Fallen man does not have an “immortal soul.”
4. It is not possible to communicate with the dead.
5. Death is a painless, unconscious sleep. (No awareness of time.)
6. Jesus Christ died, was buried, and then rose from the dead.
7. Jesus Christ will resurrect believers at His Second Coming.

What is the Spirit and Soul?

The Spirit and Soul is something that is very misunderstood by many so we will primarily let the Strong’s dictionary followed by the Bible define what they are. Put simply, the Spirit is basically the BREATH of life from God. Both the Greek and Hebrew words translate “spirit” to “breath” or “air.” The Greek word “pneuma” is known by many of you in relation to things like pneumatic tools which are air driven or pneumatic tyres which means tyres inflated by air. As you can see, the word “pneumatic” originated from the Greek word “Pneuma” and means “breath” or “air.”
Strong’s Old Testament Hebrew dictionary definition for Spirit.
H7307 ruach, Pronounced roo'-akh. From H7306; wind; by resemblance breath, that is, a sensible (or even violent) exhalation; figuratively life, anger, unsubstantiality; by extension a region of the sky; by resemblance spirit, but only of a rational being (including its expression and functions): - air, anger, blast, breath, X cool, courage, mind, X quarter, X side, spirit ([-ual]), tempest, X vain, ([whirl-]) wind (-y).
Strong’s New Testament Greek dictionary definition for Spirit.
G4151 pneuma, Pronounced pnyoo'-mah. From G4154; a current of air, that is, breath (blast) or a breeze; by analogy or figuratively a spirit, that is, (human) the rational soul, (by implication) vital principle, mental disposition, etc., or (superhuman) an angel, daemon, or (divine) God, Christ’s spirit, the Holy spirit: - ghost, life, spirit (-ual, -ually), mind. Compare G5590.
A person’s soul is just simply a living breathing creature. Have you heard the expression; I went to the park and there wasn’t a soul there? A soul just simply means a person and is who and what you are.
Strong’s Old Testament Hebrew dictionary definition for Soul.
H5315 nephesh, Pronounced neh'-fesh. From H5314; properly a breathing creature, that is, animal or (abstractly) vitality; used very widely in a literal, accommodated or figurative sense (bodily or mental).

In the Beginning

Genesis 2:7 God formed Adam into “a living soul.”
Genesis 2:16-17 God warned that if Adam sinned, he would “surely die.”
Genesis 3:4 The serpent said, “you will not surely die.”
Genesis 3:19 Because of sin, man will return to dust.
Ecclesiastes 12:7 Death is creation of a living soul in reverse. We return to dust “and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.”
Job 27:3 The spirit of God does not live in our nose! This is referring to the breath of life from God.
Genesis 3:22-24 God did not want Adam and Eve after sin to take from “the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever.” So He drove them out of Paradise. Therefore no sinner will naturally “live forever” apart from Jesus Christ.
Genesis 5:5 After Adam lived 930 years, then “he died.”

The Soul is Not Immortal

Job 4:17 The Bible calls man mortal.
Revelation 16:3 "Every living soul died in the sea." Souls can die.
Ezekiel 18:4 God said, “The soul that sins, it shall die.” Again, the soul can die!
Exodus 1:5 “Seventy souls” went to Egypt. Souls are people.
Acts 2:41 “Three thousand souls” were baptized. Again, souls are people.
1 Peter 3:20 “Eight souls were saved” in Noah’s day. Again, souls are people.
1 Timothy 6:16 God “only has immortality.” Man is not immortal.
2 Timothy 1:10 “Immortality” comes only “through the gospel.”
Romans 2:7 Christians “seek for immortality.”
1 Corinthians 15:53 At the end, “this mortal” shall “put on immortality.”

Death is a Sleep

Job 14:12 The dead “shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep” until “the heavens be no more.”
Psalms 13:3 “Lest I sleep the sleep of death.”
Daniel 12:2 “Many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake.”
Acts 7:60 When Stephen died, “he fell asleep.”
John 11:11-14 “Lazarus sleeps … Jesus spoke of his death.”
1 Corinthians 11:30; 15:6, 18, 51 Paul said death was “sleep.”
1 Thessalonians 4:13-16 Those “which sleep in Jesus” will be resurrected.

Do the dead haunt their house?

Job 7:10 The dead “shall return no more to his house, neither shall his place know him any more.”

The Dead are Unconscious

Psalms 115:17 “The dead praise not the Lord, neither any that go down into silence.”
Psalms 146:4 When a man dies, “in that very day his thoughts perish.”
Ecclesiastes 9:5 “The dead know not anything.”
Ecclesiastes 9:10 “There is no work... nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave.”

Jesus Christ Taught the Resurrection of the Dead

Matthew 22:23, 29 Jesus rebuked those who said there was “no resurrection.”
Matthew 22:31 Jesus taught “the resurrection of the dead.”
Luke 14:14 The saints will “be recompensed at the resurrection of the just.”
John 5:28-29 “All who are in their graves” will be resurrected at the second coming of Christ.
John 6:39, 40, 44, 54 All believers will rise “on the last day.”
John 11:24 Martha said to Jesus, “I know that he [Lazarus] shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”

The Death and Resurrection of Jesus

Matthew 16:21 Jesus would “be killed, and be raised again on the third day.”
1 Corinthians 15:3-4 “Christ died ... was buried ... he rose again.”
Matthew 28:7 The angel said, “he is risen from the dead.”
Revelation 1:18 Jesus “was dead,” but is now “alive for evermore.”
Revelation 2:8 Jesus “was dead, and is alive.”

Death and Resurrection in the Book of Acts

Acts 2:29 David is “dead and buried.” His body is still in the tomb.
Acts 2:34 David has not yet “ascended into the heavens.” He’s not in heaven yet.
Acts 9:36-41 Tabitha “was sick, and died ... Peter ... prayed; and turning to the body said ... arise ... she opened her eyes ... presented her alive.”
Acts 13:36 David “fell on sleep and was laid unto his fathers and saw corruption.”
Acts 24:15 “A resurrection of the dead, both of the just and the unjust.”

All Believers will be Resurrected when Jesus Christ Returns

1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 “The Lord himself shall descend ... the dead ... shall rise ... to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.”
1 Corinthians 15:50-55 The saints cry out, “0 death, where is thy sting” when they are resurrected at the second coming of Jesus.
John 14:1-3 Jesus will take us to heaven when He “comes again.”
1 Corinthians 15:12-23 Paul says there is a resurrection of both Christ and the dead, “but every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.”

We Must Beware of Satanic Deceptions

Matthew 24:4 “Take heed that no man deceive you.”
2 Corinthians 11:14 Satan deceives as “an angel of light.”
1 Timothy 4:1 We must beware of “doctrines of devils.”
Genesis 3:4 The first doctrine the devil taught Eve was that if she sinned she would “not surely die”!
2 Corinthians 11:3 As “the serpent beguiled Eve,” so Satan continues to mislead even good people “through his subtlety.”
Matthew 24:24 All can be deceived by the “great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.”
Behold, the hour is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice, and come forth, they that have done good, to the resurrection of life, and they that have done evil, to the resurrection of damnation. ~~Jesus Christ (John 5:28-29)
So far it has been proven from the Bible that when a man dies, he is dead, asleep and unconscious in the grave until the resurrection when Jesus Christ comes again. Some will say, if this is true, then how do we explain other verses in the Word of God that seem to teach that either people or their souls go directly to heaven when they die? The following passages are often used to teach an “immediate flight to glory”, whereas, upon closer analysis, they really do not. Read them all carefully, and then don’t forget what Jesus and the rest of the Bible says.

The Thief on the Cross - Luke 23:42-43

When Jesus was dying on the cross the crucified thief right next to Him said, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.” First of all, the thief’s question looked forward to the Second Coming, not the moment of death. The interpretation of Jesus’ response depends upon where you place a tiny particle called a “comma.” The fact is, commas are not inspired, but were added over a thousand years later along with chapters and verses. Did Jesus Christ say, “I say to you, today you will be with Me in paradise” or, “I say to you today, you will be with Me in paradise” (at the Second Coming)? Here is one translation that put the comma in the place that lines up with all other scripture.
Luke 23:43 TS98 “And Jesus said to him, ‘Truly, I say to you today, you shall be with Me in Paradise.”
Here is further proof that punctuation is not inspired. Acts 19:12 KJV “So that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them.” In this verse we see the diseases departed from the sick handkerchiefs or aprons. The comma should have been placed after the word “sick”. There are many such examples through even the King James Bible as well as other translations.
Let’s look at just one more that proves beyond all doubt that punctuation is not inspired by God. This following example involves chapters, verses as well as a comma. Matthew 28:1 reads, “In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.”
The end of the Sabbath which is sunset and dawn are twelve hours apart, so why the apparent contradiction in the above verse? The answer is found in the translation of this passage. By reorganizing the last verse of Matthew 27 and the first verse of Matthew 28, the apparent ambiguity completely disappears. See Matthew 27:62-66.
In Matthew 27:62, a request for a guard on the tomb was made on the Sabbath (the day after the preparation) and that the request was for a guard until the third day. By simply moving the text “in the end of the Sabbath,” from the beginning of Matthew 28:1 to the end of Matthew 27:66, which is where it should have been placed when punctuation and chapters and verse were added, we would have the following.
Matthew 27:66 “So they went, and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch in the end of the sabbath.”
Matthew 28:1 “As it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.”
It was the watch guarding the tomb that began at the end of the Sabbath. Since Jesus was to rise the third day, the Roman guards were put in place immediately at the end of the Sabbath because they anticipated that the body of Jesus would be stolen by the Jews sometime on Sunday.
Four reasons why the comma is wrongly placed in Luke 23:43

1. Jesus did not go to Paradise that day. He went to the tomb.
2. Crucifixion is very cruel and it normally takes several days to die and so the thief did not die that day which is why they broke his legs. John 19:31-33 NIV “Now it was the day of Preparation, and the next day was to be a special Sabbath. Because the Jews did not want the bodies left on the crosses during the Sabbath, they asked Pilate to have the legs broken and the bodies taken down. 32 The soldiers therefore came and broke the legs of the first man who had been crucified with Jesus, and then those of the other. 33 But when they came to Jesus and found that he was already dead, they did not break his legs.”
3. Right after His resurrection on Sunday morning, Jesus said to Mary, “I have not yet ascended to My Father.” John 20:17. Thus on Sunday, Jesus had not yet ascended to Paradise. “Paradise” is in heaven where God and “the tree of life” are. Revelation 2:7 “He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.” Revelation 22:1-2 “And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. 2 In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.”
4. Jesus would not contradict Himself or the rest of the Bible. He said previously that believers go to Heaven “on the last day” when He “comes again.” John 6:39, 40, 44, 54; 14:1-3.

What about Moses and Elijah? Luke 9:27-36

On the mount of transfiguration, “two men ... Moses and Elias ... appeared in glory.” These where not spirits or disembodied souls, but “two men.” Elijah never died. He was translated without seeing death. 2 Kings 2:11. Moses “died” and was “buried.” Deuteronomy 34:5-6. Yet the book of Jude reveals that Michael came from heaven and, “contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses.” Jude 1:9. Moses was also raised, that’s why the devil protested. Then Michael said, “the Lord rebuke thee.” Hence it was a living, resurrected Moses and a living, translated Elijah that appeared on the mount. Immediately prior to this appearance, Jesus told his disciples that they would soon “see the kingdom of God.” Luke 9:27. On the mount they saw God’s kingdom in miniature. Jesus was there, so was Moses (representing all resurrected saints), and Elijah (representing all translated saints at the Second Coming). Both groups are described in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17.

Absent from the Body, Present with the Lord

Paul longed “to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.” 2 Corinthians 5:8. The question is, would this transition take place at the moment of death, or at the Second Coming? Paul clarified in verse 4 that it would occur when “mortality” is “swallowed up by life” (verse 4). When is this? In his previous letter to the Corinthians, Paul wrote that “mortality” would be “swallowed up” when the resurrection of believers occurs at the end of the world. “In a moment ... at the last trump ... the dead shall be raised ... this mortal must put on immortality ... then ... Death is swallowed up in victory.” 1 Corinthians 15:50-55. Thus Paul expected “to be present with the Lord” at the Second Coming. He later wrote, “The Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout ... the dead in Christ shall rise ... so shall we ever be with the Lord.” l Thessalonians 4:16-17. Jesus said we will be with Him when He “comes again.” John 14:1-3. Because death is like sleep, it will seem like barely a moment until we are “present with the Lord.”

Souls under the Altar - Revelation 6:9-11

During the “fifth seal,” John “saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood.” This scene is symbolic, representing the martyrs who died for their steadfast faith in Jesus Christ. God said to Cain after he murdered his brother Abel, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood cries unto me from the ground.” Genesis 4:10. These words parallel what John saw in Revelation 6. The blood of Abel did not literally cry out from the ground. Neither are there actual souls underneath a real altar in heaven. The “souls under the altar” scene occurs right after “the fourth seal” scene. There “Hell” is seen following “a pale horse” ridden by “Death.” Revelation 6:7-8. Again, this is obviously symbolic and refers to those martyred for their faith and whose deaths cry out to God for just retribution. Those slain are represented as being told to “wait” for God’s judgment and their future reward at the second coming of Jesus Christ.

The Rich Man and Lazarus - Luke 16:19-31

Believe it or not, this is the ONLY place in the entire New Testament that suggests that a lost soul goes into a fiery hell immediately at death. This idea is not taught anywhere else - not by Matthew, Mark, John, James, Peter or Paul.
Jesus often told parables. While containing many practical lessons, parables are not meant to be taken literally. Here are 9 reasons why the story of the Rich Man and Lazarus is definitely a parable:

1. Jesus often began his parables in the book of Luke with the phrase, “a certain...” See Luke 12:16; 13:6; 14:16; 15:11; 16:1; 19:11-12; 20:9 (KJV).
2. A man cannot literally enter into “the bosom” or chest of Abraham.
3. It is impossible for anyone who is literally burning in fire to carry on a normal conversation.
4. Can those in heaven and hell talk to each other?
5. The rich man was represented as being “bodily” in hell, with eyes, a mouth, a tongue, etc. This is obviously symbolic. If the rich man’s grave was dug up, wouldn’t his body be there? Of course.
6. A real man burning in fire would not ask for a little water to cool his tongue. (He would ask for the fire brigade!)
7. Jesus Christ did not interpret every parable He told. Yet He did interpret the parable of the wheat and the weeds in Matthew 13. In His interpretation of this parable, Jesus said plainly that hell-fire occurs at the end, rather than at death. Read Matthew 13:40.
8. Consciousness at death contradicts the rest of the Bible. Ecclesiastes 9:5, 10; Psalms 6:5; 115:17; 146:4; etc.
9. 2 Peter 2:9 says that the lost will not be punished until “the day of judgment” which occurs at the end of the 1000 years (see Revelation 20:11-15).

The purpose of this parable was to teach the greedy Pharisees that contrary to their present opinions, the rich are not necessarily blessed and the poor cursed (16:14, 22-23), that a man’s destiny is fixed at death (16:26), that speaking against Him with their “tongues” would result in their going into hell-fire (16:4), and that if they would not believe Moses and the prophets, a resurrection would not convince them (16:29, 31). Thus Jesus declared that we must believe Moses and the prophets. Nowhere in the writings of “Moses and the prophets” do people instantly go to heaven or into hell-fire at death. Why did Jesus use the name Lazarus? Because this parable was also a prophecy. At the end of His life Jesus would resurrect a real person named Lazarus, yet this miracle would still not convince the Pharisees that He was the Messiah. John 11:1-53.
Note: We should interpret parables in the light of the rest of the Bible, rather than the rest of the Bible in the light of one parable.

Saul, Samuel and the witch of Endor - 1 Samuel 28:5-14

Did King Saul really speak to Samuel after his death? Do the whole host of scriptures that clearly state the dead sleep until the second coming of Christ contradict this passage? Definitely not! In 1 Samuel chapter 28 we find Saul afraid of the host of Philistines and so enquiring after the Lord for help. But the Lord would not answer Saul so he went to the witch of Endor to see if he could contact Samuel from the grave and have him ask God how he could gain victory over the Philistines.
Saul of course sinned greatly by inquiring of an evil spirit in place of the Lord. If Samuel had actually gone to heaven, Satan would certainly not have been given permission to bring him down in response to the incantations of a wicked woman. The figure that appeared to the witch had to be an impersonation of Samuel by a demon or even Satan himself. If Satan can appear as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14), he can certainly appear as the prophet Samuel. Note in verse 11 that Samuel was supposedly brought up from below. Heretical but popular theology says that righteous people such as Samuel would come down from heaven, but pagan ideas assume that the dead are below ground. This popular pagan idea about death had obviously crept into the beliefs of God’s people well before the time of Christ. See the story of the rich man and Lazarus earlier and John chapter 11 for example.
This witch of Endor was known for having a familiar spirit but what is a familiar spirit? It is certainly not an angel of God because of His strong condemnation against consulting with them. A familiar spirit is a demonic spirit (fallen angel) that is in league with Satan. This is what the woman at Endor had. She had communication with a demon that was quite capable of impersonating Samuel. It was not Samuel who appeared but a demon masquerading as Samuel. Note in verse 12 that the first thing the demon did was expose Saul’s masquerade to the witch. Note also that Saul did not actually see anything himself and had to ask what she saw. The witch replied that she saw gods ascending out of the earth and an old man covered with a mantle. What were these so called gods ascending out of the earth with Samuel? More demons! Saul assumed it was Samuel he communicated with based only on what the witch said. Since the witch said she saw Samuel coming up from out of the earth (not down from heaven), King Saul was putting his trust completely in a spirit medium, a necromancer, a witch, against the expressed will of God. So the conversation that followed was not between Saul and Samuel, but between Saul and a witch with a familiar (demonic) spirit.
So with all these facts in mind and understanding what the Word teaches about the state of the dead and the circumstances of Saul’s relationship with God at the time, we know that it could not have been Samuel raised from the dead but a fallen angel. The fact that Saul even attempted this séance with a witch or spirit medium was an abomination and rebellion against God of which Saul paid for with his life.
1 Chronicles 10:13-14 “So Saul died for his transgression which he committed against the LORD, even against the word of the LORD, which he kept not, and also for asking counsel of one that had a familiar spirit, to enquire of it; 14 And enquired not of the LORD: therefore he slew him, and turned the kingdom unto David the son of Jesse.”
The italicized words in verse 13 are added by the translator and are not in the original Hebrew text. So if we translate 1 Chronicles 10:13 verbatim, it actually reads as follows:
1 Chronicles 10:13 “So Saul died for his transgression which he committed against the LORD, even against the word of the LORD, which he kept not, and also for asking of a familiar spirit, to enquire;”
So this verse also actually states that Saul communicated with a demonic spirit and not the prophet Samuel! One must not base their theology on what they think one scripture shows when several black and white scriptures clearly say otherwise.

Out of Body Experiences

Some will say, but what about all those out of body experiences you hear about? Firstly, when a persons heart stops beating they are not actually dead yet but their body is being derived of oxygen. It has been scientifically proven that when the body is deprived of oxygen that it can start to hallucinate and or have dreams which will probably be based on one’s own beliefs. In one experiment Dr. Ladislas Meduna administered 30% Carbon Dioxide and 70% Oxygen to a subject. Afterwards the subject stated, “I felt as though I was looking at myself, as though I was way out there in space…I felt sort of separated.” There have also been many other experiments done that have made the person feel as though they were having an out of body experience. One cannot base their theology on what one claims to have experienced. The word of God is very clear and is totally trustworthy. One cannot go by what they think they have seen or felt. Paul says in 2 Corinthians 5:7 “For we walk by faith, not by sight:”

Conclusion

Does it really matter if we know what happens when we die? Most definitely! The Bible says that people who misunderstand the subject of death will almost assuredly be deceived by the Devil on other issues including the final Battle of Armageddon. Revelation 16:14 says, “For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.” We must understand what the Bible really says happens when a person dies and what is the truth about death. David declares that man is not conscious in death. “His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish.” Psalm 146:4. Solomon has the same testimony, “The living know that they shall die: but the dead know not anything.” “Their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion forever in anything that is done under the sun.” “There is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.” Ecclesiastes 9:5-6, 10.
Jesus said that He would go and prepare a place for us so when comes again we can be with Him where He is now. Obviously the dead cannot possibly be with Him there now according to the words of Jesus. John 14:2-3 says, “In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there you may be also.” So this is what happens when we die from the Word of God and by no mans interpretation. This leaves only one conclusion to those who believe they have spoken to loved ones in séances etc. Since the dead sleep until the second coming of Christ, theses manifestations have to be demons masquerading as our loved ones to deceive us. As for Purgatory, it is found nowhere in the Bible and was manufactured by the Papacy as a means of extorting money from people through the dark ages. (No offence intended to the many wonderful people in the Roman Catholic Church) Truth is truth and this is the truth about what happens when we die. As there is no consciousness of time in sleep, the moment we close our eyes we will see Jesus coming in the clouds of Angels.
Select this link to continue the related topic of the Truth about Hell.

Summary using Scriptures

Here are just some of the Old Testament scriptures that could be quoted to prove what happens when we die. Download “what happens when we die” scripture summary as PDF.
Ecclesiastes 9:5 “For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.”
Ecclesiastes 9:10 “Whatsoever your hand findeth to do, do it with your might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither you goest.”
Job 14:12 “So man lieth down, and riseth not: till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep.”
Psalms 13:3 “Consider and hear me, O LORD my God: lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death;”
If I was in heaven, I most definitely would be praising the Lord. How about you?
Psalms 115:17 “The dead praise not the LORD, neither any that go down into silence.”
Daniel 12:2 “And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.”
Below are most of the New Testament scriptures that can be quoted that proves what happens when we die.
Luke 23:42-43 “And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when you comest into your kingdom. 43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto you, To day[,] shall you be with me in paradise.”
Punctuation, chapter and verses were added when the Bible was translated and the above verse has to be wrongly punctuated to be consistent with ALL other scripture. The following translation of the same verse done by “The Scriptures 1998, Copyright by the Institute for Scripture Research” has been correctly punctuated.
Luke 23:43 TS98 “And Jesus said to him, “Truly, I say to you today, you shall be with Me in Paradise.”
The following three verses prove that Jesus had not yet gone to His Father in Paradise on the Sunday let alone on the Friday.
John 20:17 “Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.”
Revelation 2:7 “He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the TREE OF LIFE, which is in the midst of the PARADISE of God.”
Revelation 22:1-3 “And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of GOD and of the Lamb. 2 In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the TREE OF LIFE, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. 3 And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him:”
Here is further evidence that punctuation is not inspired.
Acts 19:12 KJV “So that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them.”
In the above verse we see the diseases departed from the sick handkerchiefs or aprons. The comma should have been placed after the word “sick.” There are many such examples throughout the King James Bible as well as other translations.
John 5:28-29 “Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, 29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.”
John 6:39 “And this is the Father's will which has sent me, that of all which he has given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.”
John 6:40 “And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.”
John 6:44 “No man can come to me, except the Father which has sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.”
One more time just for good measure.
John 6:54 “Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, has eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.”
John 11:11-14 “These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep. 12 Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well. 13 Howbeit Jesus spoke of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep. 14 Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead.
Martha understood this as well as she said to Jesus that if He had been there earlier that Lazarus would not have died.
John 11:24 “Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”
John 14:1-3 “Let not your heart be troubled: you believe in God, believe also in me. 2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there you may be also.”
Acts 2:29 “Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day.”
Acts 2:34 “For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit you on my right hand,”
This is what Stephen said as he died when he was stoned. It was obviously well known in those days that death was referred to as a sleep.
Acts 7:60 “And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.”
Acts 24:15 “And have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust.“
1 Corinthians 15:6 “After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.”
While still speaking of the resurrection of the dead, Paul shows quite clearly the truth of what happens when we die. Paul says in verses 17 and 18, that if Christ did not rise from the dead then all those that are fallen asleep (dead) have also totally perished. He also says that Christ was the firstfruits, that is, the first to be risen from the dead and afterwards, those at His second coming will be resurrected (verse 23).
1 Corinthians 15:12-23 “Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: 14 And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. 15 Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not. 16 For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: 17 And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; you are yet in your sins. 18 Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. 19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. 20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. 21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. 23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.”
1 Corinthians 15:51-54 “Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.”
1 Thessalonians 4:15-17 “For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.”

Sabbath becomes trendy!

Sabbath becomes trendy!

While men seek for answers as to why the world is the way it is, the word of God has
already outlined from Genesis to Revelation the cause and effect of the world condition.
The problem lies in who we believe and follow. For a long time men have being listening to the created instead of the Creator. God said to keep His Law including the fourth one( John 14:15),but men have taught that it is abolished. God does nothing by chance,He knows the beginning from the end and if He gives a command then it must be very very important to the well being of humanity. So with that said lets look at a comment from Jamie Korngold, a female rabbi; (that in itself is kind of puzzling to me to see or hear of a female rabbi) this one of fifteen predictions for 2012....



"9. Sabbath becomes trendy! Fourth Commandment makes a comeback! Sabbath named Time’s person of the year! A new movement sweeps the country. They call themselves 24/6. Worn out by being tethered to the grid 24/7, sick of being accessible all hours of the day, inundated by updates, upgrades, and breaking news, Americans finally rebel, demanding, “We need a day off.” People all over the country go offline for 24 hours every week. The simple break from the frenetic pace results in lowered cholesterol rates, fewer speeding tickets, and a reduction in marital strife. Peace, tranquility and contentment spread like wildfire."
–Jamie Korngold, rabbi and author

Is this the Sabbath of the Bible? or the first day Sabbath that will be forced upon the world soon?Remember the protestant churches will use the state to enforce their dogma when there seems to be no solution to the world crisis, so that those who know and keep the sabbath of the Bible, will be persecuted for their stance. Friends these things are happening right before our eyes, but because many are being lulled to sleep by the enemy,they miss it.God is calling all to choose Him in whom is life eternal;soon probation will close and this Sabbath issue will be the focus of our decision,in other words who you chose to worship and follow will determine where you go......

REV 14:6,7

14:6 And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,
14:7 Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.

Exodus 20:8-11

20:8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
20:9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
20:10 But the seventh day [is] the sabbath of the LORD thy God: [in it] thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that [is] within thy gates:
20:11 For [in] six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them [is], and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

Genesis 2:1-3

2:1 Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.
2:2 And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.
2:3 And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.

Sanctified :Made or declared or believed to be holy; devoted to a deity or some religious ceremony or use.

What is the Truth About Hell Fire?

What and where is hell? Is hell burning right now and does hell burn forever? Would a God of love really torture people throughout eternity? Views on the truth about hell vary greatly. Some say “Hell” burns now below us, others say “Hell” is in the future (at the end of the world), while still others say, “Life is Hell.” Some of the greatest theological confusion centres around the biblical topic on the truth about hell fire. As always, the truth about hell can only be found in the Bible.

Hell in the Bible

The word “hell” is used 54 times in the Bible. It is translated from several different words with various meanings as indicated below:
In the Old Testament:
31 times from the Hebrew “Sheol,” which means “the grave”
In the New Testament:
10 times from the Greek “Hades,” which means “the grave”
12 times from the Greek “Gehenna,” which means “a place of burning”
1 time from the Greek “Tartarus,” which means “a place of darkness”
“Tartarus” is used once, in 2 Peter 2:4, and means “a place of darkness or restraint.” “Tartarus” is where Satan and his demons reside now. It isn’t a place of punishment or flames.
“Gehenna” means a place of fire, brimstone, and punishment (see Matthew 5:29-30, described in Matthew 13:40-42 and 2 Peter 3:7.) Note these flames are still in the future at the end of the world.
“Hades” means “the grave” (Acts 2:31; 1 Corinthians 15:55; Revelation 20:14). The body of Jesus rested there and His saints are resting there now awaiting the resurrection.
The Greek word “Hades” is translated as “Hell” in many English Bibles such as the King James Version. In Revelation 6:8, the King James Version refers to “Death and Hell [Hades].” It does the same in Revelation 20:14. Yet some English Bibles use the word “Hades” itself, such as the New International Version, which translates both Revelation 6:8 and 20:14 as “Death, and Hades.” Now here is the point; In Revelation 20:14 “Hades” (“Hell”) is eventually “cast into the lake of fire.” So as you can therefore see, “Hades” itself is not a fiery place, but is cast into “the lake of fire” (hell fire). (Italics added)
So Biblically speaking, Hades means the grave. This is easy to prove from 1 Corinthians 15:55, which in the King James Version states, “O death, where is thy sting? O grave [Hades], where is thy victory?” If you look in the Strong’s dictionary, you will find that the Greek word here translated “grave” is “Hades.” By looking at the context, it is obvious that “Hades” means “the grave” because it is God’s saints who rise out of “Hades” when Jesus Christ returns. See 1 Corinthians 15:50-55. Therefore, “Hades” cannot mean a place of burning, for who can imagine God’s people writhing in flames as they await the resurrection? That would be absolutely ludicrous! Additional proof that “Hades” means “the grave” is the fact that “Hades” was the place Jesus Christ’s body rested in immediately after His death. Acts 2:31 reads, “His [Christ’s] soul was not left in hell [Hades] neither [did] his flesh see corruption.” (Italics added.)

Does Hell burn forever?

To discover the truth about hell, we must accept what the Bible says above the opinions of men. I hope you agree. That said, this subject requires close examination for some texts appear contradictory. In Matthew 25:41, Jesus Christ warned that unsaved sinners will enter “the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels.” Many read this and say, “The lost will sizzle forever. Don’t even try to convince me otherwise.” But in John 3:16 Jesus also declared, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.” So which is it? Will the damned roast eternally in “everlasting fire” or finally “perish,” and thus cease to exist?
Revelation 20:9 says, “And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.” This verse describes the “actual event” of hell fire and is NOT symbolic, and like John 3:16, it declares that the wicked will be devoured and perish, yet the very next verse appears to totally contradict which says, “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.” Note that this verse has symbolism and says that “the devil” and “the beast” (beast is symbolic) will “be tormented … forever” in the lake of fire. But Ezekiel chapter 28 reveals a totally different picture. While initially discussing the ancient “king of Tyre” (Ezekiel 28:12), God’s prophet then looks behind the scenes and identifies Lucifer himself, “the anointed cherub” (verse 14), who inhabited “Eden the garden of God” (verse 13), and who was originally “perfect in [his] ways from the day [he] was created,” until “iniquity was found in [him]” (verse 15) Moving on to Satan’s final fate, God declares, “I bring forth a fire from the midst of you, it shall devour you, and I will bring you to ASHES upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold you… You have become a horror, and shall be no more forever” (verses 18 and 19.) So which is it? Will Satan be “tormented day and night” throughout endless ages, or will he become “ashes” and “be no more forever”?
The Bible DOES NOT contradict itself. These are only APPARENT contradictions. The solution is to examine what the whole Bible says about the fate of the lost, discover its overall teaching, and then to closely analyse the difficult verses until you understand them correctly. Once you do, you will find that everything fits and makes perfect sense and that God is NOT an unmerciful tyrant that tortures the lost forever.
First we will look at a breakdown of all the relevant verses and passages and then conclude with a summary.

Hell Fire Is Real

Matthew 13:42 Jesus Christ said the lost will finally be cast “into a furnace of fire.”Matthew 3:12 John the Baptist said the lost will end up in “unquenchable fire.”

Punishment for Sin and “Hell Fire” Is Future - Not Now

Matthew 13:40 “As the weeds are gathered and burned in the fire, so will it be at the end of this world.”Matthew 25:41 Jesus Christ sends the lost into the fire after His Second Coming.2 Peter 2:9 God will “reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished.”Revelation 20:11-13 The day of judgment occurs at the end of the 1000 years.Revelation 20:5a, 13-15 The “lake of fire” occurs at the end of the 1000 years.

The Final Hell Fire Will Be On Planet Earth

2 Peter 3:7 “The heavens and the earth which are now ... are reserved unto fire.”2 Peter 3:10 “The earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.”Revelation 20:8-9 At the end of the 1000 years, “They [the lost] went up on the breadth of the earth ... and fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them.”

Hell Fire Will Totally Destroy All the Wicked, Even Satan!

Psalms 37:20 “The wicked shall perish ... they shall consume; into smoke shall they consume away.”Psalms 37:38 “Transgressors will be destroyed together.”Ezekiel 28:15, 18-19 Even Satan will become “ashes” on the “earth” as a result of the fire.Malachi 4:1, 3 The “day cometh” when the lost “burn up” and become “ashes.”John 3:16 Those who are lost will “perish.”Romans 6:23 The wages of sin is “death,” not eternal life in hell fire.Matthew 3:12 “Unquenchable fire” will totally “burn up” the wicked.Matthew 10:28 “Fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.”Revelation 21:8; 20:14 “The lake of fire ... is the second death.”

Even The Lake of Fire Will “Pass Away”

Revelation 20:7-9 At the end of the 1000 years, the lost are “the earth.”Revelation 20:9 God’s fire falls on them, and they are “devoured.”Revelation 20:14-15 The earth becomes one big “lake of fire” as God purifies it from sin. The lost suffer the “second death” in that lake.Revelation 21:1 Then there is a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and first earth (where the lake of fire was) has passed away.Revelation 21:4 In the New Earth, there will be no more pain, suffering, sorrow, or death.
Note: If the lake of fire burned forever, there would always be pain and sorrow somewhere in the universe and Revelation 21:4 could never come true. But it is true. Sin will be gone forever and pain will cease to exist throughout God’s entire universe!

Where Did The Doctrine Of Eternal Burning Originate?

Genesis 3:4 The doctrine of souls burning forever is rooted in the idea that “the soul can’t die.” That idea originated with the serpent who told Eve that if she sinned, she would “not surely die.” But God said she would die (Genesis 2:16-17). God of course told the truth.1 Corinthians 15:50-55 Only true Christians receive “immortality” at the Second Coming.1 Timothy 6:16 God “alone has immortality.”Revelation 20:11-15 The lost finally suffer the “second death” at the end of the 1000 years.

The Character and Justice of God Will Be Vindicated

1 John 4:8 “God is love.” He is not a tyrant who will burn people forever.Revelation 20:13 Each person will be judged fairly, “according to his works.”Revelation 20:14-15 After God’s just judgment, the lost will suffer the “second death.”Revelation 15:3 Then the universe will say of God, “Just and true are Your ways, 0 King of the saints!”
And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes,
And there shall be no more death, neither sorry, nor crying,
neither shall there be any more pain, for the former things
[including the lake of fire] have passed away.
And He that sat upon the throne said,
“Behold, I make all things new.”
And he said to me,
“Write: for these words are true and faithful.” Revelation 21:4-5
So far we have discovered Bible passages which teach that the lost, instead of consciously suffering in fiery flames throughout eternity, will “burn up” (Malachi 4:1), become “ashes” (Malachi 4:3), “perish” (John 3:16), “consume away” (Psalms 37:20), and finally suffer “the second death” (Revelation 20:14) at the end of the world. But what about other passages describing “eternal fire” (Jude 1:7) and “torment day and night forever and ever” (Revelation 20:10)? It’s time to closely examine these latter verses, comparing Scripture with Scripture.

Luke 16:19-31 - The Rich Man And Lazarus?

Special Note: This is the only place in the entire New Testament that seems to teach the doctrine of lost souls descending into fire at the moment of death. Shockingly, this concept is not taught anywhere in the writings of Matthew, Mark, John, James, Peter, or Paul. A careful analysis of the Luke 16:19-31 reveals it is actually a parable which, while teaching many powerful truths, is not meant to be taken literally in every detail.
Luke 16:19 “There was a certain rich man.” This is exactly the way Jesus often started His parables (See Luke 12:16; 13:6; 14:16; 15:11; 16:1; 19:11-12; 20:9 (KJV).
Is it possible for anyone who is literally burning in fire to carry on a normal and rational conversation?
Luke 16:22 The beggar went “to Abraham’s bosom.” Did he enter his chest? This is obviously symbolic and not possible as Christ described.
Luke 16:23 Can the “lost” and the “saved” literally see and talk to each other? Would heaven be enjoyed if it involved watching people we loved suffer like this. What if it was a son or daughter or a mother or father, could that person even for a moment enjoy there stay in heaven seeing this every day?
Luke 16:24 The rich man is described not as a “disembodied soul,” but rather as “in the body” with eyes, mouth and a tongue, etc. Hence this is symbolic. If you dug up a real rich man's grave, wouldn't his body be there? Of course!
Luke 16:24 Can a tiny drop of water on a tormented man’s tongue bring real comfort? A real burning man would not request just a drop of water, which would also not survive the flames to get to his tongue.
The context of this parable reveals Jesus Christ was talking to the Pharisees who were “lovers of money” and who “derided him” with their tongues (verse 14). The reason why Jesus spoke of the rich man asking for water on his tongue was to teach the Pharisees that their “tongues” were going to lead them into hell-fire. These Pharisees also believed riches were a sign of God’s favour while poverty represented His curse. Jesus exposed this false theory. The story also counteracts the idea of a second chance after death. At death there is “a great gulf fixed” (verse 26) which cannot be bridged. Our destiny will be decided by our decisions in this life. Many want to see a miracle before they will believe. Jesus said, “If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.” (verse 31). Why did Jesus use the name Lazarus? This story was a prophecy. Jesus did raise a real man named Lazarus (John 11), yet the Pharisees were not convinced and chose to “put Him to death.” John 11:53.

Revelation 20:10 - “Tormented ... Forever”?

Revelation 20:9 says the lost are “devoured” by the fire that “came down from God out of heaven” at the end of the 1000 years. Yet then verse 10 speaks of “torment” forever. Which is it? If you look closely, verse 9 uses no symbolism, yet verse 10 does. Verse 9 is a literal account of what happens to the lost, while verse 10 speaks symbolically of the “beast.” In fact, every time the book of Revelation speaks of the lost burning “forever,” those verses are ALWAYS connected with symbolism (see Revelation 14:11 and 19:3). And the word “forever” in this verse does not necessarily have to translate forever. Considering the many misunderstandings we have already seen, did the translators get it right? The Greek word used “forever” in this verse is aion - Meaning literally “unto the ages of the ages.” “An unbroken age,” “perpetuity of time,” “eternity,” “period of time,” “age.” 57 times the word is used for a period of time that comes to an end. Jonah was in the fish “forever” before he came out (see Jonah 2:6). Samuel’s mother wanted him to serve God in the temple “forever” which really meant “as long as he lives.” 1 Samuel 1:22, 28.

Revelation 14:11 - “The smoke of their torment”?

Revelation 14:11 says, “And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever:” At least half of the verses in Revelation are taken from the Old Testament and so many verses need to be looked at in the light of all other scripture. The verse says it is the “smoke of their torment” that ascends forever and this is actually drawn from Isaiah 34:10 where the desolation of Edom is described. Isaiah 34:10 “It shall not be quenched night nor day; the smoke thereof shall go up for ever: from generation to generation it shall lie waste; none shall pass through it for ever and ever.” It can be plainly seen that Isaiah did not envisage unending fires from the fact that following the conflagration in which he says, “The smoke thereof shall go up for ever,” the country becomes a desolate waste inhabited by wild beasts. (v 10–15)

Jude 1:7 - “Eternal Fire”?

In Jude 1:7, the city of Sodom is described as being destroyed by “eternal fire.” Is Sodom burning today? No. Therefore the “eternal fire” has gone out. The phrase, “eternal fire,” means it was a fire from God with eternal consequences. It was “unquenchable” by man (see Matthew 3:12; Jeremiah 17:27; Isaiah 66:24). The destruction of Sodom was also an “example” of what will happen to the wicked at the end. According to the Bible, God’s eternal fire turned Sodom into “ashes” (2 Peter 2:6) “in a moment.” Lamentations 4:6. This is similar to what will happen to all the lost at the end of the 1000 years when they are cast into the lake of fire, “which is the second death.” Revelation 20:14.

Matthew 25:46 - “Everlasting Punishment”?

Jesus warned that He will someday declare to lost sinners, “Depart from me, you cursed, into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels” Matthew 25:41. Is this fire the same type of fire mentioned in Jude 1:7, which is one that destroys completely? We know it is because five verses later Jesus clarified “everlasting punishment” would come upon the lost, not “everlasting punishing.” This is the same as “everlasting destruction” 2 Thessalonians 1:9. Matthew 25:46 contrasts everlasting punishment with “eternal life” which is given only to those who believe in Jesus. John 3:16; 1 John 5:12. The wicked will not live forever, but will finally die the “second death.” Revelation 20:14. See also Ezekiel 18:4. Hence we can see that the lost experience “everlasting punishment,” not punishing, just like the Sodomites.
“Behold, the day is coming, that will burn as an oven.
And all the proud, yes, and all who do wickedly, shall be stubble,
and the day that is coming shall burn them up, says the Lord of hosts, That it shall leave them neither root nor branch. Malachi 4:1

Summary and Conclusion on the Truth about Hell

It would normally be considered bad practise to take into account feelings when it comes to studying the Word of God, however there is one area involved in this topic where feelings cannot be avoided. Take for instance this example: You had a dearly loved family member, whether brother, sister, son or daughter, who had lived an extremely righteous life. They devoted their time to the sick and the poor and the needy. They gave most of their wages to help others in need and when they weren’t productively earning their wages, their life was devoted to loving and helping others. If this person ever accidentally wronged anyone their first response would be to apologise and ask for forgiveness. Their love was so great for others that they could not bear the thought of hurting another person in any way, shape or form. However this person had seen other family members hurt severely by Christians that were not walking the Christian walk and as a result this person never accepted Christ as their Lord and Saviour.
Revelation 21:4 “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.”
The above verse refers to the time when a new Heaven and Earth are created, which takes place after the millennium at which time judgement and the lake of fire occurs. So just prior to this the wicked have just been burnt up or by some people’s misunderstanding of this topic, the eternal burning of the wicked has just commenced. How will this eternal burning be? God would have to make the wicked immortal, so that they could burn and burn, but never burn up. If a person was burning in the excruciating pain of fire how long would it take before they would pass out from shock, or would God make it so they couldn’t pass out from shock so that they could be suffering excruciating pain for every second of every minute of every hour for billions of years, and even then their suffering would be barely beginning. Since some believe this is for all eternity then a trillion years would not even be a microscopic spec on the time scale. Would you consider it just and merciful punishment to have your loved one burn for all eternity like this in horrendous never ending excruciating pain just because they chose not to accept Christ as their Lord and Saviour? Take into account that they never deliberately wronged anyone and if they ever accidentally did, they repented and apologised and asked for forgiveness? In other words they did the best they could to live a sin free life and love others with all their heart, might and soul as the Bible teaches we should.
If it was at all possible for this person to live a sin free life they would have, but since the fall of Adam and Eve we have taken on their sinful nature and so now there is only One that is perfect. I don’t believe that anyone would consider even for a moment that for ever burning in excruciating pain is just and merciful punishment. The question is: Is anyone on the face of this planet more just and merciful than God, who is Himself love? The following scriptures are just a few of hundreds that could be quoted to answer this.
1 John 4:8 “He that loveth not knows not God; for God is love.”
Nehemiah 9:31 “Nevertheless for your great mercies' sake you did not utterly consume them, nor forsake them; for you are a gracious and merciful God.”
Ephesians 2:4 “But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,”
Psalms 86:15 “But you, O Lord, are a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth.”
Psalms 136:26 “O give thanks unto the God of heaven: for his mercy endureth for ever.”
Now let’s consider this dearly loved family member again. This is where human feelings unavoidably come into the equation. Is it humanly possible for us to now go through eternity with “neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain:” (Revelation 21:4) I personally would find this utterly impossible to do knowing that every second of my eternal existence that my loved one is burning in agonizing pain. How can there be “no more pain” if all these people are burning in the unbearable pain of hell fire? Also, the latter part of Revelation 21:4 says, “for the former things are passed away.” How can they be all passed away if they are still burning and burning and forever burning, but never burning up?
There have been many people through history who have chosen to reject God and Christianity as they claimed they did not want anything to do with a God who could be so cold, cruel and heartless in His punishment. They cannot accept the thought of eternal punishing even for the smallest of crimes just.
Which of the following pair of scriptures is correct? Note very significantly also, that the true meaning of the Greek word for “perish” (apollumi) in John 3:16. The Strong’s Dictionary says the word means to “destroy fully” (reflexively to perish, or lose), literally or figuratively: - destroy, die, lose, perish.
John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not have everlasting life in hell fire, but have everlasting life.”
Romans 6:23 “The wages of sin is eternal life in hell fire; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
Romans 6:23 “The wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
The following verse is extremely significant as firstly it says Sodom and Gomorrah suffered the vengeance of “eternal fire” and secondly, we are told this is “an example” of what is going to happen in the end. Did you hear the media reports about Sodom and Gomorrah being a tourist attraction because they are still burning? No, neither did I. That is because Sodom and Gomorrah are not burning today. So why does it say they are burning with eternal fire? Clearly this eternal fire is NOT forever and neither is hell fire.
Jude 1:7 “Even as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.”
In the following two verses Jesus gives an example of hell fire and what is meant by eternal fire. Three times in this chapter we are told that the fire will not be quenched, i.e., it will not be extinguished and will burn until everything is burned up. There are fifty seven things in the Old Testament that were said to last forever but have all ended. Forever in these cases was for as long as those things should last. Forever for fire is as long as fire lasts, which is when it has burned itself out. This is consistent with other scripture.
Mark 9:43-44 “And if your hand offend you, cut it off: it is better for you to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell [gehenna], into the fire that never shall be quenched: 44 Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.”
So what is the example of hell fire we are given with Sodom and Gomorrah and what was the final result?
2 Peter 2:6 “And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ASHES condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly.”
Fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them with eternal fire, that is, they burnt until they were totally devoured and nothing was left but ASHES. When something is devoured it is gone. Have you ever devoured a piece of chocolate cake? What was left? Keeping this in mind, the next verse describes the final and ACTUAL event of hell fire that happens after the judgement when the unsaved are burnt in the lake of fire (hell fire). This next verse is NOT symbolic and alone describes the truth about hell.
Revelation 20:9 “And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.”
We are told that Sodom and Gomorrah are an example of hell fire and as we can see from the above verse, it is indeed a perfect example and the lake of fire is exactly the same situation, except everything on earth is totally burnt up except for the saints who are safe in the “beloved city” of the New Jerusalem.
With Sodom and Gomorrah, fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them, and with the lake of fire (hell fire), fire also comes down out of heaven and devours them. Exactly the same thing! We are told that after the eternal fire burns Sodom and Gomorrah, only ashes are left. So what is left if the wicked are devoured in the lake of fire and this is the perfect example? The same as what was left after Sodom and Gomorrah. Ashes! This is undoubtedly confirmed by Malachi 4:1-3 which informs us that the wicked are totally devoured in hell fire that is not quenched and burns until there is nothing left but ashes.
Malachi 4:1-3 “For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yes, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. … And you shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the LORD of hosts.”
The truth about hell is indeed a very hot topic and one that is grossly misunderstood. I am not at all surprised that so many struggle here, especially if one puts all their emphasis on one of the symbolic verses that say forever burning, or eternal fire as it says in Jude 1:7 speaking of Sodom and Gomorrah.
When one truly searches for the truth about hell with an open mind, one will find that in fact eternal fire is fire that burns forever in the sense that it is not quenched and so the results of the fire are eternal. We are told that the unsaved are in fact devoured, and that they are ashes under the soles of our feet.
The Bible does not contradict itself. We do indeed serve a merciful God that burns the wicked only according to his or her works and both body and soul are destroyed in hell. Matthew 10:28. In regards to the example of the loved one that lived a very righteous life but did not quite get around to accepting Christ, they would be burned in an instant. If all the wicked burned forever then there would be no point in judging them on their works as to what the consequences would be, as burning forever would be the same for all.
Revelation 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.”
The truth about hell is that the unsaved are judged and fire comes down from heaven and devours them in times according to their works and they shall then be ashes under the soles of our feet. I feel so blessed to know that God is far more merciful and loving than us and His justice is in fact just and fair