The Location of HELL

Is hell in the depths of the earth or is it some “spiritual” realm in the heavens someplace? Whether or not you “believe” in hell, we’re going to look at some of the clues in the Bible to see if we can shed some light on this hellish mystery.

In a couple of my previous hubs, HELL: Sheowl, Hades, Tartaroo, Geenna and How to do an Inductive Bible Study we saw that “hell” has three different meanings. Sheowl (also spelled Sheol) and Hades are the same hell (Hebrew word/Greek word). Hades appears to be where human souls that have not accepted Jesus Christ as Savior dwell after physical death, awaiting the final hell, which is the Lake of Fire (Geenna). Likewise, we saw that Tartaroo is the “deepest abyss of Hades” where the angels who sinned in the days of Noah are incarcerated, also awaiting the final hell, which is the Lake of Fire (Geenna).

Why do some think that Hades/Tartaroo is in the depths of the earth? Well, first we must look at Ephesians 4:9-10: “(Now this expression, "He ascended," what does it mean except that He also had descended into the lower parts of the earth? He who descended is Himself also He who ascended far above all the heavens, so that He might fill all things.)” Was Jesus buried in the “lower parts of the earth”? No. He was buried in a tomb that sits on the face of the earth.

To study this further, let’s read 1 Peter 3:18-20: “For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit; in which also He went and made proclamation to the spirits now in prison, who once were disobedient, when the patience of God kept waiting in the days of Noah, during the construction of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through the water.”

Again, verify more by reading 2 Peter 2:4: “For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell (Tartaroo) and committed them to pits of darkness, reserved for judgment;”

Considering all this, we can reasonably conclude that Sheol/Hades/Tartaroo is in the depths of the earth.  But, what about the final hell (Geenna), the Lake of Fire?

In reading all passages regarding Geenna, the Lake of Fire, the description includes “fire and brimstone”. In doing a study about brimstone, it is actually the Greek word theion (thi'-on); prob. neut. of theios (thi'-os) [in its or. sense of flashing]; sulphur:-brimstone. Brimstone is inflammable sulphur. Sulphur is not present in space; only in earth. Have you ever been to a hot springs? You will smell an odor produced by Hydrogen Sulphide. In fact, the one place you will find fire and brimstone together is an erupting volcano! Truly, the molten lava appears as a “lake of fire”, does it not? Prior to a volcanic eruption, this fiery liquid is known as “magma”, basically melted rock. How hot does rock have to get before it melts? Lava can reach up to 1,250° Celsius, which is 2,000° Fahrenheit, and it has to be hotter than that to be called magma.

In the book, All the Miracles of the Bible, Herbert Lockyer explains that brimstone is a once common English name for sulphur, signifying “burning stone” and refers to the inflammable character of the element. In the case of Sodom and Gomorrah, you might be surprised to know earthquake and volcanic activity was present.

“Under Mount Usdom (Sodom) there is a stratum of salt 150 feet thick. Above this is a stratum of marl mingled with free sulphur. It is a burned out region of oil and asphalt. A great rupture in the strata occurred. At the proper time, God kindled the gases. A great explosion took place. The salt and the sulphur were thrown into the heavens red hot, so it did literally rain fire and brimstone from heaven.”

Considering the stratum of salt, does it now make sense that Lot’s wife “turned into a pillar of salt” in Genesis 19:26?

Back to the Lake of Fire, I decided to also look up the word “fire” used in the Bible. It is the Greek word pur (poor); a prim. Word; “fire” (lit. or fig., spec. lightning):-fiery, fire. Lightning? Well, I then did more research on volcanoes and lightning. An article I read states that when volcanic gasses and materials are thrust high into the air, lightning can be triggered inside the ash clouds. Such electrical activity frequently accompanies large eruptions, and have done so at least 150 times in the past two centuries.

Considering the smoke and ash clouds, combined with volcanic lightning, it brings me to this passage found in Revelation 14:10-11: "...he will be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever; they have no rest day and night, those who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name."

The Bible states in Philippians 2:9-11 “For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

While some interpret this to mean “all are or will be saved”, God would not have mentioned hell in the Bible, nor would the Bible warn us about hell, if this were the case. The demons confessed who Jesus Christ was, and yet shudder (Mat 8:29; James 2:19). Truly, all things in heaven and on earth and under the earth are subject to God’s authority. He is both righteous and just; He grants eternal life as well as condemnation and judgment. God is perfect and we are not. There is only one way to be made perfect in God’s sight and it is through accepting the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, God’s only begotten Son, who shed His own blood on the cross for you.

Revelation 1:18 states about Jesus, “I am He that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive forever more, Amen; And have the keys of hell [Hades] and of death.” 

If you have not yet given your heart to Jesus Christ, I invite you to read my hub Come to JESUS: Salvation. John 3:36 states, “He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him." God loves you that much to have made THE WAY to save you. Jesus said in John 14:6, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.” Will you accept Him today?