Hell is... Hell is... by Shepherds Chapel We’re going - TopicsExpress



          

Hell is... Hell is... by Shepherds Chapel We’re going to talk about that. Just what is it? We’ve heard it described from childhood on up, and unfortunately at times, mothers frighten their children by threatening them with hell, and mates threaten each other with hell, and ministers most of all threaten us with hell. As a matter of fact, it would seem with some ministers, that’s all they’d like to preach about. Of course we have one lecture that is title, “Hell Fire”, and “God the Consuming Fire”, and of course “Dust and Ashes”, if one cares to make a deeper study as it has to do with this same subject. But I want to get in to the linguistic part of this just a little bit and perhaps it will simplify it. When you hear someone mention hell you might say, what are they really talking about? Well it’s according to what frame of reference that it is used within scripture, as to how it applies to our Father’s Word. And after all, isn’t that what we’re interested in, what does our Father think about it? Jesus, in teaching, gave us a parable of Lazarus and the rich man. And He told of this one that was a beggar and like here on this earth, he was poor, had nothing, and yet was a good man. And he told of a rich man was very evil. And He shows Lazarus in heaven or paradise, which ever you choose to say, and He shows the rich man in hell. Yet bear this in mind, the rich man can see Lazarus, visibly. He’s within sight. So the parameters of paradise, as it is explained in that parable by Jesus Himself, says there’s a gulf in between that you cannot cross over. In other words, those that had succeeded, that were freed under the shed blood of Christ, are with God. But within, inside, across this gulf that they cannot cross, are those that did not overcome. And I would have you remember that Paul himself, with no qualification as to whether you had been good or bad, states that to be absent from this body is to be present with the Lord. For those of you that would like to make a note it’s 2 Corinthians 5:8-10. 2 Cor 5:8-10 We are confident, [I say], and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things [done] in [his] body, according to that he hath done, whether [it be] good or bad. To be absent from this body is to be present with the Lord. I would remind you also of Ecclesiastes, which is the preacher, that in chapter 9 it speaks of the dead knowing nothing, never having an opportunity to learn, speaking of a living dog is better than a dead lion. The point is this, Ecclesiastes, the entire book, was written to the man that walks under the sun, which means man in flesh bodies, not after he passes and is raised to the Father in a spiritual body. Quite frankly, Ecclesiastes tells you how to be happy in the flesh. It tells you the things in God’s Word that you should know while in the flesh and what you should expect and how God will help you. It is a very, very complete book. And it is very necessary if someone wants to find peace of mind. Very few would even have a chance of finding peace of mind without understanding the preacher, The Book of Ecclesiastes. So what we’re talking about is the flesh. When we’re done with it, we’re done with it. When it dies it’s dead. All it is, is mineral, and intake from the earth itself from which the body was first formed by God Almighty. And when you’re through with it, it’s gone. It is your spiritual body, your inner being that raises and immediately goes to the Father. Let me document that from God’s Word from the same book, Ecclesiastes, chapter 12, verse 7. Ecc 12:7 Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it. It states very clearly that instantly, when the silver chord parts, meaning when you die, your spirit, which is your spirit, not Holy Spirit, not the evil spirit, your spirit as an individual and everyone has one… it is best described as your intellect, your thinking process. Your “soul” is better thought of as your “self”, whether it resides in a spiritual body or flesh body. But your spirit is the intellect of your soul. And it states very clearly in Ecclesiastes 12:7 that instantly when this death of the flesh occurs that happens. That’s why the dead flesh doesn’t know anything, it will never know anything, and nobody will remember it. Because it is that beautiful spiritual body that returns to the Father that gave it. That will be you whether you fail, whether you succeed, into eternity, or you end up in this thing called “hell”… question mark… Now who is in hell at this time and where is hell? Satan. It is written of him in Ezekiel chapter 28:18 that he will GO to hell. There, it is written that satan has already been judged, and he was, at his overthrow in the 1st Earth Age, “Katabole” in the Greek, and that he would “turn to ashes from within” which is a Hebrew idiom which means fine’, that’s all she wrote. Ezekiel 28:18 Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffick; therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee. In other words, he is blotted out. But that hasn’t happened yet. Satan still has work to do in the service of Almighty God. That is to say to tempt and to test those that still must pass through this earth age and even a short season at the end of the millennial age. So satan is not in hell. As a matter of fact if you’ve ever read the 12th chapter of Revelation you’ll find out quite frankly that Michael and his angels cast satan from heaven or paradise, across that gulf where the rich man that was evil was, and out onto this earth, de facto, in person. Rev 12:7 And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. Therefore rejoice, [ye] heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time. So we see that not even satan is in hell right now. As a matter of fact, what is this word “hell”? I’m going to teach you a Hebrew and Greek. For the word translated into your English language “hell”, is made up of basically of 3 words. One Hebrew word, shĕowl. Shĕowl: Strong’s H7585 שְׁאוֹל Tranliteration: shĕowl Pronounced: sheh•ōle Root word Etymology: From שָׁאַל (H7592) 1) sheol, underworld, grave, hell, pit a) the underworld b) Sheol - the OT designation for the abode of the dead 1) place of no return 2) without praise of God 3) wicked sent there for punishment 4) righteous not abandoned to it 5) of the place of exile (fig) 6) of extreme degradation in sin In the Greek, 2 words, Hades and Geena Hades: Strong’s G86 ᾅδης Pronounced: hä-dās Root word Etymology: From ἄλφα (G1) (as negative particle) and εἴδω (G1492) Geenna: Strongs G1067 γέεννα Pronounced: ge-en-nä Root word Etymology: Of Hebrew origin גַּיְא (H1516) and הִנֹּם (H2011) 1) Hell is the place of the future punishment call Gehenna or Gehenna of fire. This was originally the valley of Hinnom, south of Jerusalem, where the filth and dead animals of the city were cast out and burned; a fit symbol of the wicked and their future destruction. Now I tell you about these words, and I always tell you to buy a Strong’s Concordance whereby you can if you see the word “hell” written in the King James version bible and you want to know which one of those 3 words it is, you can find out. Basically if it’s in the Old Testament you know it’s shĕowl, because it’s Hebrew. If you find it in the New Testament it could have more than one meaning. And that’s important to you as a student of God’s Word. And I’ll explain why in just a moment. And in passing, in the Book of Peter, there is a word used, tartaroō: Tartaroō: Strong’s G5020 Pronounced: tär-tä-ro-ō Root word Etymology: From Tartaros (the deepest abyss of Hell) 1) the name of the subterranean region, doleful and dark, regarded by the ancient Greeks as the abode of the wicked dead, where they suffer punishment for their evil deeds; it answers to Gehenna of the Jews 2) to thrust down to Tartarus, to hold captive in Tar Tartaroō is the resting place for the fallen angels. And it has nothing to do with you. It is translated “hell” but it has nothing to do with Hades or shĕowl. Alright, so we’ll just set that one aside and talk about those 2 basic ones. Now here is your rules concerning Gehenna and Hades; Hades is always, in the New Testament, a temporary resting place of the soul. What do I mean by that? In other words, wherever that rich man is now with Lazarus in view, and this is all symbolic you understand, they’re not literally burning. They are burning with shame for the fact that they did not overcome when their soul went from this flesh body at death back to the Father that gave it. That is a temporary place until the final judgment. I want to repeat that. Hades or shĕowl in the Hebrew, is always the place that is described as the holding place, temporarily, for departed souls, and Christ used another word “Gehenna”. Why would he use that? It is a Greek word basically based on a Hebrew word, “Hinnom”, the valley of Hinnom. It was the garbage pit outside of Jerusalem and it burned day and night. They threw animals on this fire. And those animals would seep and smoke. And that’s why it says the worms worked in and out because the flies would blow them, and here you would go. It was a picture that Christ could describe. And goanna always, I repeat, always refers to the eternal, not the temporary. When Christ uses “Gehenna”, it is always the final if you want to call it that. It’s the everlasting abode of evil souls or ungodly people, such as satan. Now we’ll recap briefly a very simple thing of what we know of hell. And I’m going to repeat one more time, “Hades”, which is a Greek word, always means the holding place or the place where even at this moment, all those that have passed on and did not overcome, in other words across that gulf, described by Jesus in Luke, chapter 16, that’s where they are. Luke 16:26 And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that [would come] from thence. It’s not a permanent resting place. They are there awaiting judgment and of course the outcome of the Millennium which we’ll say very little about in this lecture, but their process could be altered through the Millennium, IF they are intelligent. Now why would Jesus use Gehenna, this garbage pit outside Jerusalem, to describe hell? I want you to open your bibles to Jeremiah, chapter 7, and I’m going to tell you why I think Jesus used the Valley of Hinnom, which is what Gehenna means; the son of Hinnom or the Valley of Hinnom. Chapter 7, the Book of Jeremiah, verse 31… Hinnom also, coincidentally is where so-called “Armageddon” shall take place. That’s where the final fire and the war, and all those “wicked evil things” are supposed to happen, in reference to “Hinnom”, which is “Gehenna” or hell. But that is the geographical location, being the Valley of Hinnom. Jeremiah, chapter 7, verse 31 reads: Jeremiah 7:31 And they have built the high places of Tophet,… This is speaking of Judah. Do you know what “Tophet” means in the Hebrew tongue? It’s “the place of burning”. That’s what it means, the place of burning. And you might, if you want to, call it the gates of hell. which [is] in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire; which… God speaking… I commanded [them] not,… “It wasn’t my doings”, God said, this burning business. I commanded [them] not, neither came it into my heart. “Heart” in the Hebrew means in His mind. It did not even enter God’s mind to teach a “burning place”. Man did it. Or blame it on satan if you want to. And that’s why Jesus would pick this spot. And His emotions, for the fact that wicked people had driving this world to that point, that there had to be a placed used that would threaten fire. Even call our Father a consuming fire to cause souls or spirits, which is to say the intellect of people, to realize how serious this subject is. Because we’re talking about the eternity. Now let’s fall back. That’s a lot of words and we’ve given a lot of scriptures, but some would say, “I’ve always heard all my life that when they dig that hole in the ground and we set that box in there… I mean I saw him, they closed the lid on him, or her, and they lowered them into the soil and there they are.” That’s just not true my friend. All it is, is the flesh. If you have a loved one, and I’m sure everyone in this room has experienced a loss, you know that when you viewed those remains that they weren’t there. That spark called life was not there, and you know that they were departed. They were with the Father. And it makes it so much more comfortable, which is almost an inadequate word in this case, to view the remains and to know that all it is, is the flesh and the food they consumed while they were on this earth. But they are happy for they are with the Father. I just want to take a few very simple scriptures to prove to you that Paul taught what I am saying, and Jesus taught it, and many others did. So let’s go to Philippians, chapter 1, verse 20, and this is Paul teaching. Paul was pretty old here. He had just about finished his course in life and the old bones ache and the body’s about to give him more trouble then he’s even used to, and he’s thinking about making that trip across the divide. It’s entering his mind and it’s entering his mind, and he’s thinking about it, it’s fresh. Verse 20, Philippians, chapter 1: Phil 1:20 According to my earnest expectation and [my] hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but [that] with all boldness, as always, [so] now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether [it be] by life, or by death. Whether this old body is dead or alive, I intend to magnify Christ. Now he’s going to explain that a little bit, but the subject is life or death. It really doesn’t matter if you are in Christ. Paul continues: Phil 1:21 For to me to live [is] Christ, and to die [is] gain. Do you know what that means? That means for him it’s even better, death is even better. Now we have to be very careful in dealing with this scripture because every once in a while you get some person that thinks in flesh too much, rather than the spirit, and they say, “Well if it’s better, I’m tired of this old earth, so I think I’ll just end it.” Well then, now you’re a murderer and you’re going to hell for sure. Because when you kill yourself, you murder one of God’s children. So I just want to clear the air and make sure that when Paul says that it’s better, it’s gain, it’s positive, it’s profitable, that he’s strictly speaking in a spiritual sense. And if you’re a Christian that’s what all Christians truly believe. As a matter of fact, isn’t that what you work for is an eternity with Him and happiness and no pain? We have a Father, for your inheritance, we have a Father that owns everything and you’re His child. And you inherit the world right along with Him. What a beautiful thing. Paul continues: Phil 1:22 But if I live in the flesh, this [is] the fruit of my labour:… In other words, if by living if I own, if I can bear fruit, in other word, through my ministry of teaching and converting people and teaching them the actual and true Word of God, it produces fruit for me, and of course Paul always had a great compassion for people. yet what I shall choose I wot not. He says, “Well sometimes I just think about whether I’m going to choose life or death…” What he’s talking about here is, well I don’t want to use the term “daydreaming”, but haven’t you ever thought, “Well, if I had my choice, what would I want to do for this or that…” You young people would know what I’m talking about. You know, when you come to get along in years and you wake up and these old body parts don’t tend to work too good in the morning, you might say, “Oh whoa is me!” I don’t mean sad, it’s just that it don’t work like it used to, and those things can come to your mind a little bit about, when, or something. He says, “If I had my choice at this time…”, which he didn’t, that’s all in God’s hands, but if he had a way of saying, “I choose”, he would know which way he would choose because he loved teaching the gospel, but he was really looking forward to being home. Which indicates what to you? To be absent from this body is to be where? Home, “gain”. Phil 1:23 For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ;… Now what did that say? “If I depart”, meaning “If I die”, I’m going to be with Christ. My point is this; I want you to see that Paul teaches that no soul sleeps. No sleeping in the ground. Only the body goes there and the spirit, the soul, the person, goes to the Father, to Jesus. which is far better: I think that makes that point pretty well. Paul did not teach that your loved ones are out in hole in the ground. We would have a God then, of death. But we do not serve a God of the dead, we serve a God the living. And all souls, not even satan’s soul, has been destroyed, not even unto this day, and he’s the wickedest of them all. But he is in holding by Michael and His angels until it is time for him to finish those things that God will allow him, or rather order him, to do. I want to go one more place with you to make this point in the gospel of Luke, chapter 23, verse 42. Jesus is on the cross and that’s very appropriate for this message because we’re going to that cross now, Christ is there. There are sinners, that to say malefactors on both sides of Him, and some scholars say even more. One curses Him and yet and the end, one is converted. And he says to Christ in verse 42: Luke 23:42 And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. This one thief said, “Lord remember me, a sinner, when you come into your kingdom.” That is repentance. What did Jesus say? Luk 23:43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise. That paradise for the repentant one is at the throne one God. No ins, no outs, and I don’t care today about what language you wish to interpret it or translated it to, or transliterate it. It only has one meaning and that’s “TODAY”. So that thief did not go wherever they threw his remains, his fleshly remains. Man can not determine what happens to the soul only God. Therefore our Father, through Christ, would make this statement, “Fear not those that can kill your flesh, but He that can kill your soul.” Only God can do that. So Jesus, Himself, taught that the souls of people do not go into a hole in the ground, but quiet to the contrary, they return to the Father. There’s one more place that I want to take you, and I’m running around a little bit but that’s good for you. Mark, chapter 9, verse 43, you don’t necessarily need to turn there, just let me read it to you: Mark 9:43 And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: Now beloved, I want to ask you a question, there is the word “hell”, and Jesus says, and this is not literal saying as we as Christians are a many membered body and we make up one body, like I may be the mouth, I’ve been accused of that, and somebody might be the brain, and so 0n and so forth, but what it’s saying here is that if one of your members goes bad, cut them off and get rid of that rascal. Or the whole body might go to… where, if it’s eternal? I’m going to formulate a question from what I have taught you today. Is that word, in as much as it has to do with a fire that shall never be quenched, is that temporary; no, that’s eternal. So which word is used here in the Greek. You don’t have to even have to look it up if you stop and think what you’ve been taught here today. Is it Hades or is it Gehenna? Hades is the place for temporary. It can be translated even just plain “grave” if you want to, but that’s a little misleading. Or is it Gehenna, which is the eternal fire? Naturally, the answer is, in the Greek, you know without checking it out, that’s Gehenna, which is to say eternal. I believe that it is important that you remember that when you read a scripture and “hell” is translated “Hades”, it is temporary. And when you read a scripture such as this, that uses “Gehenna”, it’s eternal, final. No judgment after that. The judgment when “Gehenna” is used, has already taken place. Now beloved, you all know that in the original King James, which most Christians accept as their bible, the Apocrypha was involved within it. As a matter of fact, the Nelson bible publishers, I insisted that they reprint, which was out of print on their work of the original King James Bible, and that’s why we have them here at the chapel, so that people can see what an original King James looked like. Now in as much as I’m also a student of the Masorah, and have one of the very few copies of the Mosorah, which is a Hebrew word that means to pass something from one mind to someone else’s without it being changed; impossible for the meaning to be changed or something else to be worked into it. It’s the footnotes to the manuscripts. They’re not in the King James, but the Apocrypha is. In the Apocryphal writings there are two books called Esdras. Esdras is the Greek for the equivalent if the Hebrew Ezra. You’ve all heard of Ezra, okay, the Book of Ezra; the man that lead the people from the captivity and rebuilt Jerusalem. There are 2 books in the Apocrypha by Esdras, and I’m going to read from one of them, and you hear me mention many times, chapter 7, 2 Esdras, verse 78. Many Apocryphas are not complete that why he have the Edgar Goodspeed, a wonderful scholar, as a complete Apocrypha. I’m I saying that this is scripture? Not necessarily. And not all of it is, because I cannot document it from the Masorah, but it does not hurt a Christian to read, and at least read what the scholars or students of that time, for they were all scholarly, it doesn’t hurt to see. But never allow it to changer your opinion of anything within the Canonized scripture. I want to repeat that. Never allow the Apocrypha to go against Canonized scripture for if it does, it’s wrong and it’s not scripture. But Ezra is praying in this, and I want to quickly read it. Many times people say, “Well what are they doing in paradise? What’s going on there?” Ezra is talking to this angel, and he states: 2 Esdras 78 For about death, the teaching is, when the final sentence goes forth from the most high, That is when a man is to die,… And it would seem that Ecclesiastes, chapter 12 supports that concerning parting the silver cord. When the soul departs from the body to return again to Him that gave it,.. And that does not disagree with the scripture, first it prays to the glory of the Most High. What it’s saying is, and I don’t care whether you’re a sinner or a saint, a rich man or Lazarus, when they all first see the throne of God they glory Him. But then what happens? 2 Esdras 79-80 If it was one of those who scorned and did not observe the way of the Most High, and of those that have despised His law, and of those that hate those that fear God or revere Him… …such spirits shall not enter dwellings but wander about thenceforth in torment. Across that gulf. In torment, why? Because you didn’t make it. That’s torment. Torment, you know in the flesh, we feel, “Well I get a thorn in my finger and that’s torment.” Well honey you don’t know what torment is yet if you call that torment. You see we are so prone to think in the flesh and what torment is to it. To see your true Father, Almighty God, across that gulf, and to see His loving kindness for those that were repentant through Christ and made it, is hell. It would be hell to know that it is too late and that you can’t repent for you are dead. You are in that holding tank, and I shouldn’t use that term because I’m sure it’s quite comfortable there. But it is their mental knowledge which is their intellect, their spirit that knows, hey, I could have been over there with them; them that have everything. But here, there is not one thing I can do to improve my state. That’s what the rich man said concerning Lazarus. Finally he said, “If you can’t help me, help those that are still living! Let them know that I’m dead, and I’m saying to do better!” And then Christ told him, remember, they wouldn’t even believe if they were sent one that had returned from the dead, which Christ did. You can’t help them if they don’t want to help themselves. That’s torment. I want you to picture that. Always grieving, and said in 7 ways. Do you want to hear this? It won’t take me but just a moment. Do you want to know the 7 things that makes them very sad while they’re across that gulf where the rich man was? 2 Esdras 81 The 1st way was that they have scorned the law of the Most High. They scorned it. “Pffssst, it doesn’t matter!” 2 Esdras 82 The 2nd way is they can no longer make a good repentance so that they may live. I mean, that’s it. Think about it. It wouldn’t do them any good to repent now. 2 Esdras 83 The 3rd way is that they will see the reward destined for those that believed the agreements of the Most High. I mean they see beauty of the love of our Father for His children that believed upon Yahshua, Jesus. He loves them so much. 2 Esdras 84 The 4th way is that the will consider the torment destined for them in the last days. And that has to do with the Millennium. Do you understand that in the 20th chapter of Revelation regarding the Millennium that it says that those that are taught in the Millennium by the priests and by Christ Himself will be judged by works only? I’m talking about the Millennium; I’m not talking about now. In the 20th chapter of Revelation, you will and they will, if you happen to have been on that side of the gulf that did not repent, you’re judged by works only. And that’s a hard road to hoe friend. Now, you have the gracious, blessed blood of Christ that you can say, “Ah, Father, I’m sorry, I repent!” And He forgives you. He loves you and He embraces you, and He says, “I love you. I know you’re not perfect. That’s why I paid the price for you.” See, that can’t happen then, and that’s torment. 2 Esdras 85 The 5th way is that they will see that the dwelling place of the others are guarded by angels in profound silence. That means peace. You see, there’s all this torment over on this side of the room and here over on this side room we have all this happiness in heaven, not here. But they see that. And I mean it’s human nature, and don’t let flesh even enter into it, it’s the mind. We can draw us a pen here and we can bring two of the youngest ones into the room and put them in here and we can put beautiful blessings on this side and probably the thing that upsets a child the most is to leave the other side totally bare. No blocks, no little cars, nothing to play with, and he’s going to look over and see what this one has, and maybe a mother there saying, “Oh you sweet darling!” And the other kids going to “Whaaaaayyy! I want my mama! I want out!” He’s going to be unhappy. It’s just nature. Man, there’s nothing new under the sun. And I don’t’ care what your age or level in life is, that’s simply natural, and God is more natural. It’s just the natural order of things and desires of man. It’s going to be a sad old cookie, to wake up, instantly, and rejoice in seeing God and He says, “What is your name?” And to say, “W... w… w…, well they call me so-in-so…” And He says, “Well let’s take a look here… Sorry, I don’t know you. Go on, get out of my sight.” 2 Esdras 86 The 6th way is that they will see that some of them will pass over to be tormented henceforth. Which means forever or “Gehenna”. 2 Esdras 87 The 7th way which is worse than all the ways that have been mentioned is that they will waste away in shame and that they will be disgraced and wither with fear at seeing the glory of the Most High before whom they sinned while they lived and before whom they will be judged in the last times. Then it goes on and gives the 7 good things. We won’t go into that, but we see in the Apocryphal writings, and the Masorah does back that up. Am I saying that’s scripture? No. I shared it with you. Do I think it is? Yes I do. But I’m not going to teach it as such but I do call it to your attention. But there was a thing that happened. While we’re talking turn to 1 Corinthians, chapter 15, when Jesus Christ, when in His work of teaching through the reign of antichrist, and we come to that final time when at the 7th trump all bodies are changed, as you know happens in the 52nd verse of this chapter, and at that 7th trump Jesus Christ Himself de facto returns to this earth and you that are still in flesh, even will be changed (snap) like quick with the wink of an eye, you will be with Him. And then as we read in the 54th verse… Now hesitate just a moment and let me have your thoughts for just one moment. I want you to think about Hades. I want you to think about the conditions of souls as we read this. What will happen to this place? Verse 53: 1 Cor 15:54 So when this corruptible That means it can age and get sick. shall have put on incorruption,… That is to step into the spiritual body and this mortal That means this soul, “mortal” in the Greek means “liable to die”. shall have put on immortality,… Which means God has judged me and I am an overcomer. then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. This word “swallowed” is an interesting word in the Greek. It means like you would take a cup of water and swallow it. So what I’m saying is (laughs) that it means the same thing that it does in the English! It’s gone! Death will come to a point that it is gone. It doesn’t exist. It’s blotted out. 1 Corinthians 15:55 O death, where [is] thy sting? O grave, where [is] thy victory? Which is the same word “hell” translated throughout the bible. O grave, where [is] thy victory? It has none because it cannot hold God’s children. 1 Cor 15:56 The sting of death is sin. And the strength of sin is the law. It gives sin power because it lets you recognize it. 1 Cor 15:57 But thanks [be] to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. You can overcome. Now, is there then a place that shall consume souls? The answer, yes. Is it burning? Yes, it is described as such. Does it exist today? Nowhere in God’s Word does it state it exists today. Only the analogy of paradise, the two sides of it, described by Lazarus and the rich man, do you see the torment of minds there; the overcomers and those that have not. But will there be a lake of fire? Yes, it is promised. But what is that lake of fire? May I insert the most used scripture in the bible, John 3:16? 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. Do you know what that word “perish” means? It has to do with your soul and not your body. To perish means to be fine’, just as I quoted to you from Ezekiel 28, what’s promised for satan, he’s done for. He’s not going to be wondering around in some beds of coals, he’s gone, finished forever and ever. There are so many things that tie in with this. I mention quickly in passing, there is an acrostic, and I apologize to you little ones for adding this, but I feel I should. There is an accorstic in the 37th Psalm in the Hebrew language. An acrostic is a hidden spoken by God to the true scholar. It states that their souls are as the smoke that comes from a lamb roasted on the fire as the fat drips into it and it “shweuuw!”, vaporizes, and it goes up forever and ever. Nothing, emptiness, gone! Because your Father does not consider heaven to be His throne and for you to have that peace, and then over here there’s this lake of fire, with your brother or your sister or your mother or your father in it saying, “Oh God it hurts!” Now that would be heaven, wouldn’t it? (said sarcastically) “Oh it burns!” Yes, but there’s no tears in heaven. “Oh God it hurts!” And that’s heaven? Now the average person that has any intellect at all will know that that can’t be. Hebrew metaphors, idioms, and figures of speech, SO confuse people that are not students of the Word. Forever, if you turn something to ashes, it’s ashes forever. In the linguistics that’s what it’s telling you. Turn with me to Revelation, chapter 20, and let’s find out what happens to hell. As you’re turning there, know that in the last chapter of Hebrews, the last verse, that it states that God is a consuming fire. Hebrews 12:29 For our God [is] a consuming fire. His consuming fire is His Holy Spirit that warms may of our hearts, but to those that feel miserable around it. It burns them alive. Okay, the 14 verse of Revelation, chapter 20. The judgment has been had by works only. It’s given in both the 12th and 13th verses for emphasis so that all will now that in the Millennium you will be judged by works only. What happens after that? Revelation 20:14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. Both the grave and death were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And I might add FINAL. It is the death of the soul, not the flesh. Blotted out from God’s book. And I believe that the Greek will support the fact that it is blotted out of the minds as if you never knew them. They’re gone. Blotted out to the point, and it is so strong that it means as though they never existed. Therefore you cannot have a bad thought about your mother your father your brother… and I’m not talking about anyone specifically, I’m only using that as an analogy of how our love goes out to our nearest of kin. You won’t see them in that condition if they don’t make it. They will be blotted from your mind. There will be no tear for them. It will be at that moment, understand. It states that 1st verse of that 21st chapter, and that in the Greek it states there will be rejuvenation or refurbishing. Revelation 21:1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. [The word “new”, from “new earth”, is:] Strong’s G2537 καινός Transliteration: kainos Pronunciation: kī-nos See Definition for kainos G2537 (Currently Viewing) See Definition for neos G3501 * G2537 - denotes the new primarily in reference to quality, the fresh, unworn * G3501 - denotes the new primarily in reference to time, the young, recent 1) new a) as respects form 1) recently made, fresh, recent, unused, unworn b) as respects substance 1) of a new kind, unprecedented, novel, uncommon, unheard of This earth is millions of years old and this bible declares that it is. It is just of the unlearned that look at this earth age only and not that that happened before. Yet it is well amplified in the Word. But for the eternity it’s going to be rejuvenated, put back in it’s proper perspective whereby it will return to that age. Scientists have even discovered that in Earth’s past there once an instant freeze whereby they discovered Mammoths with buttercups still in their mouths under the Tundra in Alaska. God, in that first earth age, had the world in a perfect orbit whereby the earth was solid garden. What a beautiful planet we live on, but God shook it and it went out of sync. But after it is rejuvenated there will be no sadness at that time for heaven will be on Earth as it describes and is rejuvenated. And all lakes are done away with. That’s what it stipulates in that verse. Would that not then include the lake of fire? Yes. It’s done away with. There’s no sea, no lake, not even that lake of fire. That’s why it can be said that hell and death are cast into it and this is the 2nd death, and final. And then we will see a beautiful age. Man has changed at the end of this Earth age, before the Millennium, into a spiritual body. This Terra Firma, erets in the Hebrew, is not changed, until the end of the Millennium. And then, the time of perfection. Make sure that you’re there. It’s going to be a beautiful time. And Jesus so loved you that He shed His blood on the cross, that when you mess up and hey, let’s all be honest, we all do, some of maybe more than others, I don’t know, it’s not my right to judge. But God does the judging and He’s very fair about it. But when you repent, He says, “You’re my child, darling, come on home”. And oh how he loves His children, much more that you even love yours. His is a never dying love. He understands our shortcomings. So when you talk of hell, hell is always translated “grave” anyway unless it is Gehenna which can include the lake of fire. And even it shall come to its end. Whether it is sepulcher, grave or tomb, it simply means a resting place for the… I’m going to say it, the meat. A chunk of meat, but the person is gone, because God loves His children. Some might ask, “Well does that mean that even some of the bad are in heaven?” Yeah, but they ain’t having no fun. They are in hell. Our Father loves all of His children. And you know, some might say, “Well that just might mean that they will learn enough.” Well, while they’re standing there unable to do anything, observing those that overcame, the Millennium could make the difference even though it will be a rough paddle. It just could save their souls. So that when they are cast out, and have the opportunity to be taught… And some will say, “Well does that mean your teaching a 2nd chance?” Well hey, with what’s being taught in the world today’s Christianity, most of them don’t have a prayer after “instead” of Christ appears on this Earth. They are deceived. Does that mean that we are better than they are? No, God forbid. They are our brethren and that’s why you’re here, is to help them. We thank our Father for His Word. And we thank Him for letting us know in His divine scripture the difference between the grave, the lake of fire, and that place that is in paradise that is across the gulf in Luke chapter 16. Father we thank you for the written Word. We thank you for the knowledge and wisdom that the Holy Spirit allows to gain from that Word. Lead us, guide us, let us offend no one Father as we endeavor teach in this ministry. In Jesus’ precious name we ask. Amen.
Posted on: Sat, 22 Mar 2014 07:43:01 +0000

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