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What Is Hell?
Summary
When we discover that the unsaved will cease to exist after this world is destroyed we might ask ourselves, “Well then what exactly is hell?” We know that at least in one sense it is something that already exists because the demons are already in hell:
“For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment” (2 Peter 2:4)
But we know they are still working on Earth, so what does this mean? We will discover that, in the broadest sense, hell is really the condition of being under the wrath of God.
Hell Is Spiritual Death
We find the word “hell” 31 times in the Old Testament. It is the Hebrew word sheol and is always translated as “hell,” “grave,” or “pit.”
As we study we learn that this “hell” or “grave” is not always a permanent dwelling place for someone:
“For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.” (Psalm 16:10)
If a soul can be removed from this hell, then that means it’s at a time when salvation is still possible. Salvation is no longer possible after physical death, which means that this must be referring to a hell we can be in while we are still physically alive. We see this reiterated in the New Testament:
“Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.” (Acts 2:27)
We find that this hell can be escaped:
“For great is thy mercy toward me: and thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell.” (Psalm 86:13)
“He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.” (Acts 2:31)
And not just escaped in the sense of avoiding it, but escaped in the sense of being there and then getting out:
“The way of life is above to the wise, that he may depart from hell beneath.” (Proverbs 15:24)
Remember, we could substitute “grave” for hell here because in the Old Testament they are the same word. What is the only grave that we can escape from? Can we return from physical death? No. It is spiritual death that we can be saved from. We are born spiritually dead, but God brings to life the souls of those who become saved.
The “hell” we read about in the Old Testament identifies with spiritual death. It is a condition of being under the wrath of God. When we become saved we are no longer under God’s wrath. He has raised our soul from spiritual death:
“Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)” (Ephesians 2:5)
This is the hell or grave from which we have been rescued.
Hell Is Also The Final Destruction
We just learned that hell has everything to do with death. This is confirmed in many verses. For example:
“The sorrows of death compassed me, and the pains of hell gat hold upon me: I found trouble and sorrow.”
(Psalm 116:3)
“The sorrows of hell compassed me about; the snares of death prevented me” (2 Samuel 22:6)
“Her feet go down to death; her steps take hold on hell.” (Proverbs 5:5)
“Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves” (Isaiah 28:15)
“I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.” (Revelation 1:18)
We understand this as spiritual death. But defining what hell is doesn’t stop there…
Earlier we looked at Matthew 10:28 and it’s worth reading again here:
“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.”
Elsewhere in the New Testament we find a similar statement where Jesus substitutes the phrase “destroy both body and soul” with “cast into hell”:
“And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.” (Luke 12:4-5)
Here God is identifying hell with a time when both the body and soul will be destroyed. This is a reference to the destruction that comes upon this world at the end of time. It is the destruction by fire that we were reading about earlier (see Study on Man Will Be Destroyed). God calls it the second death:
“But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.” (Revelation 21:8)
From what we currently know, it appears that right before this time of final destruction the graves will open up and the remains of the unsaved who have died physically will be exposed for the final destruction. This is what God refers to as the second death.
Hell Itself Will Also Be Destroyed
After this universe is destroyed, God will create a new heaven and a new earth. We read that God’s wrath (symbolized by the sea) will be no more:
“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.” (Revelation 21:1)
The sea signifies God’s wrath or hell (see Word Study on “Water”).
Death and hell are destroyed at the time of the second death which is the final destruction of this world:
“And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.” (Revelation 20:14)
With the exception of the believers, everything that remains of this creation will be destroyed. Even God’s anger and wrath on sin will come to an end:
“Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy.” (Micah 7:18)
Once this world is destroyed everything associated with it will not even be a memory. We might even say it will be as if it never existed:
“For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.” (Isaiah 65:17)
This does not leave any room to interpret a pouring out of God’s wrath on the unsaved forever in a place of eternal torment.
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