THE AFTERLIFE:

There is a real heaven and hell.

Among Jews, Christians, and Messianics, the Afterlife is a commonly questioned. Is there life after this? Is there a place for the righteous and unrighteous-a heaven and hell? Is it physical or spiritual?

To answer these questions, we are going to review 2 main sources, the Bible(Old and New Covenants) and The Book of Enoch¹. Written and published around the 2^nd Jewish Temple era, between the fourth/third century BC and the first century AD, the Book of Enoch makes pre-flood claims, Messianic and Apocalyptic prophecies about Yeshua (Jesus) and the Afterlife. As an important of Judaic literature at the time, Yeshua quotes from the Book of Enoch, calling it scripture (Matt 15:7), and many of the Apostles also reference the book of Enoch in their letters to the early church.³

A REAL PLACE...

As detailed in the book, Enoch traveled to the place where the souls of the dead are assembled until the appointed time of judgment (Enoch 22:1-4). This place is divided into 4 uncrossable sections; one for the spirit of the righteous (22:9), one for those who were slain on the earth, another for those make a suit towards Heaven (22:6-7, 12), and two for the unrighteous sinners and angels (22:10-11, 13).

...FOR THE RIGTHEOUS

When the righteous of this world die the first death, where does the spirit go? The Book of Enoch describes a place of peace and comfort (22:9). In Luke 16:20, Yeshua tells a parable where Lazarus, the poor man, died and went to the bosom of Abraham and was comforted. On the stake, Yeshua tells the thief that he would be with Him in Paradise.

The Apostle Paul also writes in his letter to the Colossians that we are to set our affections on things above, where the Messiah sits on the right hand side of God (3:1-2).

There is no question that Scripture refers to a place of comfort for the souls of the righteous.

However, this place is not Heaven. Heaven is what Yeshua was referring to when he said that is he going to go prepare a place [for the righteous] (John 14:2-3). In his visions from God, John, the Revelator, saw Heaven coming from out of the sky after the judgment of the world had occurred (Rev 21:1). Heaven is described as a beautiful city in great detail in Revelation 21. Verses 10-17 present a blueprint of the measurements and layouts while verses 18-23 reveal the glory of God's design:

"And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass. And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald; The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolyte; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst. And the twelve gates were twelve pearls: every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass. And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof."

These verses proclaim that heaven is a REAL place that is being prepared for the righteous to receive after the judgment of the world has occurred.

...FOR THE UNRIGHTEOUS

Although the idea of a place for the unrighteous has been with the traditional beliefs among the differing sects of Judaism, Christianity and Messianics, there is a growing disparity questioning the existence and extent of the sinner's judgment, most commonly called "Hell." Although the Holy Scriptures, both the Tanakh (Old Testament) and the B'rit Chadasha (New Testament), address the sinner's judgment, confusion and misunderstanding arises amongst religious sects due several reasons 1) words are translated differently across languages; 2) misinterpreting the meaning of Scripture and 3) an innate struggle within many people to define the sinner's judgment into terms that relative to their belief system.

In recent years, the idea of Hell as a literal fiery place with a physical location has been relegated to sidelines by many who call themselves "God-fearing" people. Hell is now considered by these same people as simply a spiritual state of the soul in which the soul is separated from God. Some also say that ‘hell' can take place while in this life or in the afterlife.*

The Scriptures say differently. In the Tanakh, ‘Hell' is called a pit (Isaiah 14:15) that is never full (Proverbs 27:20) and enlarges (Isaiah 5:14) itself daily. It is a place that is found below beneath that one must descend into (Proverbs 15:24, Ezekiel 31:16). It is a place of anguish and torment (Luke 16:24-25)

Since the beginning, the Tanakh records that people have believed in the concept of a Hell. Jacob, not reassured after the death of his son Joseph proclaims, "I shall go down to my son a mourner unto Sheol" (Genesis 37:35). Korah and his companions in Numbers 16 all were "swallowed" alive by the pit. Job compares his distress to Sheol in Job 7:9, saying, "Just as a cloud dissipates and vanishes, those who go down to Sheol will not come back." The Psalmist writes, "The breakers of death surged round about me; the menacing floods terrified me. The cords of Sheol tightened; the snares of death lay in wait for me" (18:4-5). Jonah records his anguish in Jonah 2:2, "...Out of the belly of Sheol I cried, And You heard my voice."

Yeshua (Jesus) also describes hell as a literal place for the physical body with worms and unquenchable fire (Mark 9:43,45).

"And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell". Matt 5:30

Yeshua further said in Matthew 10:28:

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

Yeshua, returning as the warrior and Messiah ben David, declares in Revelation 1:18 that He holds the keys to death and Hell. Death and Hell are then both cast into the lake a fire along with all the people whose name was not found in the Book of Life ( ).

It is not just a "state of the soul," Hell is a real place for real people.

DEFINING HELL

Found 31 times in the Old Testament and 23 times in the New Testament, "hell" is often used as the blanket word to define the terrible and final judgment of an unrepentant sinner. However, this was not the word originally used in much of Scripture to describe the sinner's final judgment. In the Old Testament scriptures, the word ‘hell' was translated from the Hebrew word ‘Sheol'. The names ‘Gehenna', ‘tartarus', and ‘hades' were also translated as ‘hell' in the New Testament.

This is where clarification is needed. Many people proof text scripture to support the their view of the existence of an afterlife state because of how "hell" is used as a blanket statement by people. Understanding how the names are used will help bring clarity in defining the sinner's intermittent and final judgment.

Sheol, Hebrew Sh'ol

Lexicon # 07592

Underworld, grave, hell, pit

1. the underworld

2. 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

The KJV Old Testament Hebrew Lexicon

It is described as a place that is deep (Job 11:8), dark (10:21-22), with bars (17:16). The dead "go down" to it (Num 16:30,33; Ezek 31:15,16,17)

Sheol is the "abode of the dead", the "underworld", "the common grave of humankind" or "pit". Sheol is the common destination of both the righteous and the unrighteous dead, as recounted in Ecclesiastes and Job.

Sheol is sometimes compared to Hades, the gloomy, twilight afterlife of Greek mythology. The word "hades" was in fact substituted for "sheol" when the Hebrew scriptures were translated into Greek (see Septuagint). The New Testament (written in Greek) also uses "hades" to refer to the abode of the dead.

By the second century BC, Jews who accepted the Oral Torah had come to believe that those in sheol awaited the resurrection either in comfort (in the bosom of Abraham) or in torment. This belief is reflected in Jesus' story of Lazarus and Dives. At that time Jews who rejected the Oral Torah believed that Sheol meant simply the grave.

Anglicans, who do not share a concept of "hades" with the Eastern Orthodox, have traditionally translated "sheol" (and "hades") as "hell" (for example in the King James Version). However, to avoid confusion of what are separate concepts in the Bible, modern English versions of the Bible tend either to transliterate the word sheol or to use an alternative term such as the "grave" (e.g. the NIV). Roman Catholics generally translate "sheol" as "death."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheol

Gehenna, geenna

-Greek word derived from the Hebrew

Ge Bene Hinnom, meaning the valley of the sons of Hinnom

Literally, a deep and narrow valley south of Jerusalem where idolatrous Jews offered sacrifices to Molech. This valley would later be used as a place for refuse including trash and dead animals and criminals were cast out and burned in a continual fire. Because of this, this place became a symbol of eternal torment and destruction. It is translated as ‘hell' in Matt 5:22-30; 10:28; 18:9; 23:15,33; Mark 9:43-47, Luke 12:5, James 3:6. In Rev 20:11-15 it reads as lake of fire.

Gehenna, in most of its occurrences in the Greek New Testament, designates the place of the lost (Mat 23:33). The fearful nature of their condition there is described in various figurative expressions ( Mat 8:12; 13:42; 22:13; 25:30; Luke 16:24, etc.).

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Lexicon

Tartarus

Appearing only in Scripture in 2 Peter 2:14, early and modern translations always translated Tartarus as hell. Also found in the Book of Enoch, Tartarus describes this place as horrible and chaotic with columns of fiery smoke.

Hades

Literally meaning "that which is out of sight", it is the Greek word denoting "the place of the dead'. It is the Greek word for Hebrew word ‘Sheol'. Commonly found in the New Testament Scriptures and the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible also known as the Old Testament.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Abaddon

Hebrew word meaning ‘destruction'. It is occasionally used as a synonym of ‘Hell'.

Infernus

Latin word meaning "being underneath". It is occasionally used as a synonym of ‘Hell'.

The word "hell", when translated into the original language, conveys a couple of pictures of punishment- that of deep darkness and of fire and destruction- both tormenting the unrighteous. Let's put it together with scripture.

MAKING IT MAKE SENSE

For the Righteous:

When a righteous person dies, the soul goes to a grave (John 12:17), place of comfort called the Bosom of Abraham or Paradise (Luke 16:25, Luke 23:42-42). Here, they will remain until the last trumpet is blown (1 Cor 15:52) on the Day of the Lord (Joel 2:1). When Yeshua returns in the clouds, the dead in Messiah will first be raised out of Paradise, followed by those who are alive in him to be with Him forever (1 Thess 4:16-17). The righteous will live with God in perfect peace and God will live with them in a new heaven and earth that has been prepared for the saints (Rev 21:1-4).

For the Unrighteous:

When the unrighteous person dies, the soul goes down to a deep dark pit. Surrounded by bars (Job 17:16) and bound by chains (2 Pet 2:4, Jude 6), the soul is tormented by separation from God. Although, one begs for comfort, no comfort is found (Luke 16:2-25). It is here, in this underworld, that the soul will remain until called for judgment when the Book of Life is opened. All those who in Sheol or Hades are judged for the unrighteous deeds and then cast into the lake of fire, also called Gehenna (Rev 20:11-15). Here the unrighteous will pay for deeds in an eternal fire that will burn nigh and day (Rev 20:10)

WHERE WILL YOU BE?

The righteous, all those who love the God and his son Yeshua the Messiah, are cleansed from the rottenness of sin and follow His commandments (Mark 16:16, John 14:15), will find themselves in the glory and comfort of the presences of God.

The Unrighteous, those who live by the works of the flesh (sexual immorality, impurity, depravity, idolatry, sorcery, hostilities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish rivalries, dissensions, factions, envying, murder, drunkenness, carousing, and similar things) will not inherit the kingdom of God (Gal 5:19-21). Rather, the unrighteous will suffer there fate in real torment of first darkness and then fire.

Yes, there's no doubt about it. Heaven is real and so is Hell. Scripture tells us that the narrow and straight is the path to leads to life (Heaven), but broad and wide is the way to destruction (Hell).

Is there any doubt in your destination?

Your final answer is eternal. When Yeshua returns, the books are opened and the judgment has been set, then no more decisions will be able to be made (Daniel 7:10; Rev 20:12).

If your final decision is everlasting destruction, you won't have to do anything to obtain it. The sins you have committed will be counted against you and your name will not be found in the book of life.

"For our transgressions are multiplied before thee, and our sins testify against us: for our transgressions are with us; and as for our iniquities, we know them;" (Isaiah 59:12)

"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. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire". (Revelation 20:12-15)

But, if your final decision is ETERNAL LIFE, then Acts 2:38 Repent, Believe in Yeshua's death for your sins, His resurrection, be Baptized in His name, and filled with His Holy Spirit.

"confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved". (Romans 10:9)

If your decision is for eternal life, seek God and believe his Son is Yeshua the Messiah. Seek His righteousness by following his commandments. Only then will the blessings of Heaven be added to you (Deut 30:6; Matt 6:33; Luke 21:31; 1 John 5:2).

END NOTES

**All Scripture references are from the King James Version Bible.

¹ The Book of Enoch is not considered part of canonized scripture in western churches today, however it was quoted as prophetic text by the Apostles Jude and Peter (see below) and by early church fathers (Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, Origen, and Tertullian). Tertullian wrote that the Book of Enoch was not considered part of the canonized Tanakh (Old Testament) Scriptures by the Jewish leaders because of the prophecies pertaining to Messiah.

The Jews in Ethiopia still consider this book to be scripture. The original scroll written in the Hebrew is currently in their possession.

Yeshua referred to the Book of Enoch as scripture and quoted from numerous times. In Matthew 22:29-30, Yeshua says:

Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God. For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven. (Emphasis added)

Yet, in the Tanakh no such verse can be found referring to marriage and angels. However, Enoch 15:7 records that the angels are not given in marriage because heaven is there dwelling place.

²Yeshua references the Book of Enoch

Matthew 5:5 and Enoch 6:9

Matthew 13:43; 22:30; Luke 21:28 and Enoch 50:2, 4, 5

Matthew 22:29-30 and Enoch 15:7

Matthew 26:24 and Enoch 38:2

Luke 12 (parable of the rich farmer) and Enoch 96:6-7, 25

Luke 16:26 and Enoch 22:10-12

³ Apostles

Romans 2:11 and Enoch 62:11

1 Corinthians 10:20 and Enoch 19:2

Colossians 2:3 and Enoch 46:2

1 Peter 3:19-20 with Enoch Chapters 6-36, especially 21

2 Peter 2:14 and Enoch 88:1

Jude 14-15 and Enoch 1:9; 1

Revelation 4:11; 17:14 and Enoch 9:34

Revelations 9:1 and Enoch 85:2

REFERENCES

Articles

http://www.gospelcenterchurch.org/hellfire.html

http://www.sacred-texts.com/bib/bep/bep01.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_of_Enoch

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hades_in_Christianity

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheol

Hebrew Lexicon

http://www.biblestudytools.net/Lexicons/Hebrew/

King James Bible and Study Tools

http://blueletterbible.org/index.html

The Book of Enoch http://www.ancienttexts.org/library/ethiopian/enoch/1watchers/watchers.htm