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In Revelation 20:14 (ESV) we read:

"Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire."

The concept of "fire" is used multiple times in the New Testament to refer to a place of final judgment. To list just a few of them:

Matt 5:22 But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, "You fool!" will be liable to the hell of fire.

Matt 13:40 Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at the close of the age.

Matt 25:41 Then he will say to those on his left, "Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels."

Likewise, the term Hades (other translations use the word Hell) is a word that is also used multiple times in the NT to refer to a place of judgment and torment. Examples:

Matt 11:23 And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? You will be brought down to Hades. For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.

Luke 10:15 And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? You shall be brought down to Hades.

Luke 16:23 and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side.

Acts 2:27 For you will not abandon my soul to Hades, or let your Holy One see corruption.

Acts 2:31 he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption.

With those scriptures in mind, the Revelation passage throws me for a loop. What causes confusion, for me, is that I've always considered Hades and the lake of fire to be the same thing. And if Hades and the lake of fire is the same thing, how can Hades be cast into itself? What's more confusing to me is, if the "lake of fire" is a physical place that those who are not written in the "Book of Life" will be sent for all eternity, how is it possible to send Death and Hades to that same place?

I suppose my question boils down to:

In Revelation 20:14, what is Death, Hades, and the Lake of Fire?

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  • I was reading Rev 2o:13-15 this morning as part of my morning fellowship and got kind of confused abit about the difference between death and hades as I thought they were one and the same thing?. My earlier thinking was that once one is dead, than you go to "sleep" in your grave which was to me was hades until the time of resurrection when we will all be Judged according to our deeds in life. But the verse in 13 which says, " The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. So thinking about this verse I begin to think that there are three…
    – user2236
    May 6, 2013 at 0:48
  • …places the dead people are going to be delivered, (1) from the sea, (2) from Death and (30) from Hades as per verse 13. By the grace of GOD I desire to understand this verse thoroughly. Can anyone please enlighten me. Lydia
    – user2236
    May 6, 2013 at 0:48
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    be sure to check out Why is Hadēs translated as “hell”?
    – Dan
    May 20, 2014 at 2:51
  • Hades and Lake of Fire are different "places". But I think what the verse is trying to convey is that God would abolish Hades and death altogether with the lake of fire. Feb 15, 2021 at 4:55

9 Answers 9

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"Hades" is the Greek word for the realm of the dead. In the Greek Septuagint, it replaces the Hebrew word "Sheol". There's not a lot of description of Hades within the main canon - chiefly the parable in Luke 16 - but generally it is considered the holding place for the souls of the dead until the final judgement. It is sometimes thought to be divided into "compartments" of sorts: e.g. a place of torment and a place of comfort (the bosom of Abraham). This is somewhat apparent in Luke 16 and 2 Peter 2:4 mentions the angels bound in Tartarus: the Greek name for the place of torment.

You'll see in Revelation that Hades is always accompanied by Death (esp. see Revelation 6:8 where they are together personified). Death is thought to claim the material portion of a person and Hades the immaterial portion. It's not clear that the Lake of Fire is a place per se; but what is clear is that it represents destruction.

Whatever it is, the Lake of Fire supercedes Hades. Once Hades gives up its dead for the final judgement it is no longer needed and is sent to destruction along with those whose names were not in the book of life. Keep in mind that earlier Death and Hades were personified, so it makes sense in the apocolyptic setting that they could be sent to the same "place" as other persons.

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  • Might there be a sense in which they are equivalent and we might say that the place of destruction is wrapped up into itself—it consumes it self in the sense that it no longer affects anything external to itself; it is sealed?
    – Kazark
    May 12, 2012 at 19:16
  • @Kazark - Certainly death is portrayed as a defeated enemy, one who is vanquished. But I'm not so sure how neatly everything is sealed off as you say. Rev. 14:10-11 suggests to me otherwise. I'll have to think about it, though.
    – Soldarnal
    May 12, 2012 at 20:20
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    +1 Though you don't state it very strongly that this only makes sense if the lake of fire is destruction. ;) The OP may be thinking it doesn't make sense for the condition of death and holding place for death souls to be sent to eternal torment. Which he's right, it doesn't. It only makes sense if they are being destroyed.
    – Joshua
    May 14, 2016 at 15:11
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HADES / SHEOL IS THE COMMON GRAVE OF MANKIND.

Some translations render Hades as the "Grave" others leave it as " Hades", and some others unfortunately, erroneously still translate it as" hell". Hades/Sheol is the common grave of mankind. Jesus for example was in hades/sheol, for three days. (Acts 2:30-31, Psalm 16:10.) His friend Lazarus was in the grave for four days. The Epistle to "The Hebrews" was written about 28 years after the death of Christ, in chapter 11 Paul wrote, that the righteous men like Abraham, Noah and others are still in the grave awaiting the promise of resurrection. Hebrews 11:25,39,40.

Both the "English Standard Version", and the " New Living Translation" render Revelation 20:14 as follows :

" Then death and the grave were thrown into the lake of fire. This lake of fire is the second death."

J.B. Phillips New Testament (PHILLIPS) renders it as follows:

Rev. 20:14, "Then death and the grave were themselves hurled into the lake of fire, which is the second death".

THE FIRST DEATH

God told us that when we die, life ends and we return to the earth, when Adam disobeyed Him , God confronted Adam and said to him:

Genesis 3:19 NASB

"By the sweat of your face You will eat bread,Till you return to the ground,Because from it you were taken; For you are dust,And to dust you shall return.”

Adam paid a high price for sinning, he lost his perfection not only for himself, but also for all his ancestors. Paul wrote:

Romans 5:12 (NASB)

" Therefore, just as through one man (Adam) sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned."

Other verses about death.

Ecclesiastes 9:5,6,10 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

No Activity or Knowledge in Sheol.

5" For the living know they will die; but the dead do not know anything, nor

have they any longer a reward, for their memory is forgotten.6 Indeed their love, their hate and their zeal have already perished, and they will no longer have a share in all that is done under the sun." 10 " Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might; for there is no activity or planning or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol where you are going."

Ecclesiastes 3:19-20 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

Humans have no Superiority over Animals , All Have the same Fate.

" For the fate of the sons of men and the fate of beasts [a]is the same. As one dies so dies the other; indeed, they all have the same breath and there is no advantage for man over beast, for all is [b]vanity. 20 All go to the same place. All came from the dust and all return to the dust"

So death is , we cannot talk, we cannot see, nor do anything. This means that all bodily functions cease, breathing stops ,brain activity ceases, the heart stops and the cells die. Notice that none of the verses mentioned torment, and that no part of the body goes to the spirit realm, we simply return to the ground, and go out of existence.

THE SECOND DEATH

After Armageddon and during the thousand years that follows, the resurrection of the dead will take place.(Revelation 20:13 and John 5:28-29.) Soon after the thousand years are ended, Satan will be released to test the perfect humans ,in the likes Adam was, before he sinned . Satan and those that will be deceived by him and follow him, will be eternally destroyed,they will be thrown in the Lake of Fire, the second death. Revelation 20:15

Rev. 20:7-9 (NASB)

" When the thousand years are completed, Satan will be released from his prison, 8 and will come out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together for the war; the number of them is like the sand of the [a]seashore. 9 And they came up on the [b]broad plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of the [c]saints and the beloved city, and fire came down from heaven and devoured them. " 12 2 And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and [f]books were opened; and another [g]book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the [h]books, according to their deeds.

THE LAKE OF FIRE IS THE SECOND DEATH

The Lake of Fire is a symbolic place, this is shown by the fact that both "death and Hades/ grave" is a state, a condition, are intangible, and therefore cannot be consumed by the fire . Also the fact that the Devil, a spirit being is thrown in as well, equally not being affected by fire , shows that the lake of fire is a symbolic place of eternal destruction, the second death,( having no hope of resurrection ) and not a place of everlasting torment

The scriptures say :

REV.21:4 "He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.”

1 Corinthians 15:26 (NASB)

"The last enemy that will be abolished is death."

Isaiah 25:8 (NASB)

"He will swallow up death for all time, And the Lord [a]God will wipe tears away from all faces".

So if "death will be no more" abolished, it follows that the " grave/sheol will be no more", so figuratively both go out of existence,"gone for ever" and so does death inherited from Adam.

GEHENNA.

Like The Lake of Fire, "Gehenna" is also a symbolic place of eternal destruction. Some have already gone there. Adam and Eve who deliberately disobeyed God, Judas that betrayed the Son of God, and which Jesus referred to as the "son of destruction",also the Pharisees which Jesus condemned.

Matthew 23:15 (YLT)

"Wo to you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye go round the sea and the dry land to make one proselyte, and whenever it may happen -- ye make him a son of gehenna twofold more than yourselves".

I believe that others perhaps, which have acted like the Pharisees may also be fit for Gehenna. For example opposers to William Tyndale and others to the printing of the Bible , may also be fit for Gehenna. Tyndale was strangled to death whilst tied to the stake, and then his body was burned.

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I'm of the opinion that θανατος and αδης are to be understood as two Greco-Roman deities. αδης is well known as the keeper of the underworld. While I'm not aware of any particular extant references in secular literature to θανατος but it seems pretty clear that both θανατος and αδης are persons in Revelation 20:13-14 as they "surrender" the dead and then they are destroyed. Compare with:

NIV Rev 6:8 I looked, and there before me was a pale horse! Its rider was named Death, and Hades was following close behind him. They were given power over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword, famine and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth.

Berean Literal Bible Rev 1:18 and the Living One. And I was dead, and behold I am living to the ages of the ages, and I have the keys of Death and of Hades.

Many Protestants presume that the "Substitution Theory of the Atonement" is the historic soteriology but that is certainly not the case. The Catholic view from the beginning was that Jesus triumphed over Death, snatched the keys and led his captives to freedom:

Christus Victor (Christ the Victor) is a view of the atonement taken from the title of Gustaf Aulén's groundbreaking book, first published in 1931, where he drew attention back to the early church's Ransom theory. In Christus Victor, the atonement is viewed as divine conflict and victory over the hostile powers that hold humanity in subjection. Aulén argues that the classic Ransom theory is not so much a rational systematic theory as it is a drama, a passion story of God triumphing over the powers and liberating humanity from the bondage of sin. As Gustav Aulén writes, "the work of Christ is first and foremost a victory over the powers which hold mankind in bondage: sin, death, and the devil."^1^

The Ransom Theory was predominant in the early church and for the first thousand years of church history and supported by all Greek Church Fathers from Irenaeus to John of Damascus. To mention only the most important names Origen, Athanasius, Basil the Great, Gregory of Nyssa, Gregory of Nazianzus, and John Chrysostom. The Christus Victor view was also dominant among the Latin Fathers of the Patristic period including Ambrose, Augustine, Leo the Great, and Gregory the Great.

A major shift occurred when Anselm of Canterbury published his Cur Deos Homo around 1097 AD which marks the point where the predominate understanding of the atonement shifted from the ransom theory to the Satisfaction Doctrine in the Roman Catholic Church and subsequently the Protestant Church. The Eastern Orthodox Church still holds to the Ransom or Christus Victor view. This is built upon the understanding of the atonement put forward by Irenaeus, called "recapitulation".^[2]^

As the term Christus Victor indicates, the idea of “ransom” should not be seen in terms (as Anselm did) of a business transaction, but more of a rescue or liberation of humanity from the slavery of sin. Unlike the Satisfaction or Penal-substitution views of the atonement rooted in the idea of Christ paying the penalty of sin to satisfy the demands of justice, the Christus Victor view is rooted in the incarnation and how Christ entered into human misery and wickedness and thus redeemed it. Irenaeus called this "Recapitulation" (re-creation). As it is often expressed: "Jesus became what we are so that we could become what he is".

http://www.theopedia.com/christus-victor

It is unclear from the article whether the Catholics believed that these deities are to be understood as having any reality or whether all of the narrative of Death and Hades riding horses and being burned in fire is entirely symbolic but it is hard to deny that that is how they are presented, albeit in a highly figurative book. The message that is being conveyed by this imagery is that Hades was emptied, the people in Hades were judged and now there is no more Hadean death. Since 70ad, those who die in the Lord fly "in the blink of an eye" into the presence of the Lord.

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The reason that most people are struggling with the book of Revelation is that the prevailing teaching is portraying the prophesy - the coming of Christ in judgment - into some distant future.

On the other hand, if Revelation is allowed to be put in its proper time and place of the first century A.D., then all of Revelation begins to make sense.

The book opens in Rev. 1:1 by stating the time and the purpose:

"The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John:" (KJV)

The book closes in Rev. 22 by stating the time of His coming:

" And he said unto me, These sayings are faithful and true: and the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to shew unto his servants the things which must shortly be done." (KJV)

The time of His second coming was so important that He repeated the urgency and soon nature 4 more times in c. 22: vs. 7, 10, 12, and 20. If we will quit putting God in a box, and stop trying to tie Him down, we might realize that limiting His comings to only two times is ludicrous.

A "coming of the Lord" was always used to mean a time of judgment of wicked men. It was also expressed as "a day of the Lord" in Isa. 2:12; 13:6, 9; 34:8; Jer. 46:10; Lam. 2:22; Ezek 13:5; 30:3; Joel 1:15; 2:1, 11, 31; 3:14; Zech 14:1; and a few others.

It is synonymous with "in the day of his fierce anger" (Isa. 13:13), "the day of vengeance" (Prov. 6:34; 34:8), and "the day of indignation" (Ezek. 22:24).

Every judgment of the Lord was a "coming" as He caused the downfall of the wicked and evil men who disobeyed His commands and caused havoc on the land. His methods of meting out His judgment were (and are still) famines, pestilence/disease, droughts, locusts, and foreign armies. These were His rods and His messengers (Isa. 10:24), his agents of judgment.

The word "second" is used in Heb. 9:28 in speaking to the Hebrew Christians who lived in the first century A.D. It had meaning for those who saw His appearance in the flesh - His manifestation on earth - that they would have a second appearance of Him. It was time limited to their generation, not to all generations. Only those who saw Him a first time could see Him a second time.

His "second" coming only has meaning within that generation of the first century A.D. as He has exercised His judgment against wicked men many times before then, and I am sure many times since then. To say otherwise is to believe that Christ walked away from all mankind after His death on the cross and after His ascension to the Father.

It is to believe that He has left every generation since that first century A.D. waiting for a future appearance that has been so long delayed that many now believe will never happen. The teaching that the future of His second coming has been delayed has caused many to distrust the Bible, and to turn away from God.

I firmly believe this last result was part of the plan of those who cast doubt upon Christ's word of His soon return to those of the first century A.D.

Every word of Revelation from the first to the last, from Chap. 1 through Chap. 22 was to happen quickly and was "at hand" during the first century A.D. All of it was going to happen "shortly" for them. He was not going to delay the judgment against those wicked people who had crucified Him.

And, as Hades (hell in the KJV) gave up the dead in Rev. 20:13, and was then thrown into the lake of fire in Rev. 20:14, then Hades is no more. It is gone! We need to paint a picture of what Hades (hell/Sheol) was.

Hades (the grave, Strong’s G86), was the place of the departed souls, all those which had died under the old covenants of the Patriarchs and Moses before Christ’s gospel message was preached by John the baptizer. It had two parts as pictured in Luke 16:20-31: Abraham’s bosom, or Paradise for the saved; and hell, or that part of Hades called Tartarus, the deepest abyss of Hades (2 Pet. 2:4, Strong’s G5020); also called the bottomless pit.

The picture painted in Luke 16 is that of the beggar being comforted in Abraham’s bosom which was separated by a huge gulf from the realm of the tormented souls of the damned in the bottomless pit, or abyss. No one from either side could cross that gulf (Luke 16:26).

The sting of Hadean death was that all of the departed souls had to wait for Christ’s atoning sacrifice before they could be released from that realm / prison. None of the saved could enter into heaven before Christ ascended to the Father. (First fruits of Acts 26:23; 1 Cor. 15:20; 2 Tim. 2:6)

From Abel to Zacharias (Matt. 23:35), and all the rest of the departed, they had to wait for Christ’s victory to release them. His manifestation in the first century A.D. marked the fullness of the time, and the generation for which they had been waiting (Matt. 11:13, 16; 12:41, 42, 45; 23:36; 24:34).

Dan. 9:24,

“Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.” (KJV)

Gabriel had told Daniel that all of the things listed above were to occur within that 70 “weeks” (sevens). That meant that none of those things would go past the 70th week, including sealing up of vision and prophesy and anointing the most Holy. Gabriel told Daniel (c.12, v.7) that when the power of the holy people (the Jews) had been scattered then all of those things would be finished.

When was Christ anointed? When was the power of the Jews and their temple destroyed?

Jesus told the people of the first century A.D. that the kingdom was at hand (Matt. 4:17). Jesus told the scribes and Pharisees that the judgment would occur at the wedding feast of the bridegroom in Matt. c. 22. He told His disciples that the judgment would occur at His coming in His kingdom in glory in Matt. c. 25.

His coming in glory, the coming in His kingdom, the coming in judgment against those who crucified Him and persecuted His saints were all linked. They were all going to happen in that generation in which He was manifested on earth. (Dan. 7:10; Dan. 12:1-2; Heb. 1:1-3; 1 Pet. 1:20; Matt. 10:23, 24:34, etc.) All of the New Testament declared the time… their generation in the first century A.D!

1 Pet. 4:17,

For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?” (KJV)

Peter was telling those Christians living in the first century A.D. when this book was written that the time had come to them!

The judgment was going to begin with those in Jerusalem, at the house of God (Rev. 20:9). After the destruction of Jerusalem and that earthly temple in A.D. 70, then all of those departed souls who had been waiting in Hades were separated left and right (Rev. 20:12), after which the sheep on His right hand were taken home to heaven, and the goats to the left were judged according to their works and condemned to the second death… cast into the lake of fire (Rev. 20:14-15).

All the righteous that had waited in Paradise were not subject to the judgment. The fact that they were in Paradise meant that their final resting place had already been determined at the time of their bodily death.

And, this is where many people become confused, and many commentaries shift away from the proper time period. If, after the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70 Christ has already judged the dead in Hades, then we missed it?

You bet we did! That is the whole point. We are now greatly blessed if we die in the Lord, just all are who have died in the Lord since the first century A.D. (Rev. 14:13)

Those that love the Lord, that are baptized into Christ, are covered by His blood (Rom. 6:3; Gal. 3:27), and have His righteousness reckoned unto them. Since those in Christ are covered by His righteousness, then our sins are forgiven, hidden and covered as we repent of them. (Acts 5:31; 13:38; 26:18; Eph. 1:7; Col. 1:14; 1 John 1:9)

It was the Hadean realm, and the state of the Hadean death that was ended in Rev. chap. 20, not all physical bodily death. This is what throws off so many and makes them think Rev. c. 20 is some future event about the end of the world. It is not speaking of the end of all death, just of the waiting period of the dead that were imprisoned in Hades. (1 Cor. 15:55).

It was Christ that held the keys to Hades (Rev. 1:18), and it was Christ who opened that door and took them all out of it (Matt. 25:31-33; Rev. 20:12-13). He finished everything and prepared everything for us.

Life has continued on ever since His second coming in that generation, and will as long as He knows there are other souls that will turn to Him. Bodily death continues every single day for those that pass from this mortal life to the next. Those that are counted worthy of eternal life (2 Thess. 1:5) are gathered to where all of the saints are in heaven at the time of their death.

Those who are not covered by the blood of Christ, those who are not clothed in His righteousness are then judged and cast into the lake of fire. Rev. 21:7-8,

"7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.

8 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." (KJV)

Let the words of God mean what they say. Christ rules now at the right hand of the Father and has ever since He ascended to Him in the first century A.D. He continues to judge the nations with a rod of iron (Psa. 2:9; Rev. 2:27; 19:15). Let Him Rule! Let Him come in judgment as many times as He needs to against the wicked ones whenever, wherever, and and how ever He decides.

(All bold emphasis is mine.)

My original post with more information is "The Signs of Revelation - Part VI: The Judgment Day, Chap. 20" at ShreddingTheVeil. You may also like to read "The Burning of Jerusalem and The Hadean Death" at the same site.

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Revelation 20:14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

The chapter is referring to an individuals judgment. Judgment can take two forms, positive or negative.

The thousand years symbolizes the time an individual reigns, Revelation 20:4. This refers to the concept of "reigning in life", Romans 5:17.

Romans 5:17 For if, by the transgression of the one man, death reigned through the one, how much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one, Jesus Christ!

When a person is free from sin the individual is said to be raised up and reigning in life with Christ, Romans 5:21 and Romans 6:9.

Romans 5:21so that just as sin reigned in death, so also grace will reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Romans 6:9 We know that since Christ has been raised from the dead, he is never going to die again; death no longer has mastery over him.

In the case of Revelation 20:14 the individual had attained a positive judgment. Death did not pertain to the person. Hell also did not pertain to the person. Death and Hell pertain to the negative aspects of judgment. The person participating in the first resurrection has stopped sinning or had all their sins forgiven, Philippians 3:10 - 11.

Philippians 3:10 My aim is to know him, to experience the power of his resurrection, to share in his sufferings, and to be like him in his death,

Philippians 3:11and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.

Philippians 3:12 Not that I have already attained this - that is, I have not already been perfected - but I strive to lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus also laid hold of me.

The following verses summarizes the concept of a positive judgement well.

2 Corinthian 5:4 For we groan while we are in this tent, since we are weighed down, because we do not want to be unclothed, but clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.

Matthew 25:21His master answered, 'Well done, good and faithful slave! You have been faithful in a few things. I will put you in charge of many things. Enter into the joy of your master.'

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Hades is the Hebrew word Sheol and decribe the lower part of the earth, the residence of the death, divided in 3 parts: The one part for the righteous, the other part for the wicked, and the bottomless pit. H7585 שְׁאוֹל sh'owl (sheh-ole') n-f. שְׁאֹל sh'ol (sheh-ole') Hades (Sheol), the world of the dead (as if a subterranean retreat), including its accessories and inmates.

When the children of Ya'acov brought back the tunique of many colors and told their father that Yoseph was killed by a beast, this is what he said: Gen 37:31 So they took Yosĕph’s robe, slew a male goat, and dipped the robe in the blood, Gen 37:32 and sent the long robe and brought it to their father and said, “We have found this. Please look, is it the robe of your son or not?” Gen 37:33 And he recognised it and said, “It is my son’s robe. An evil beast has devoured him. Yosĕph is torn, torn to pieces.” Gen 37:34 And Ya‛aqoḇ tore his garments, and put sackcloth on his waist, and mourned for his son many days. Gen 37:35 And all his sons and all his daughters arose to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted, and he said, “Now let me go down into She’ol to my son in mourning.” So his father wept for him. How couold Ya'acov say that he will go down to "sheol" to his son, knowing that Yoseph has been killed or eating by a wild beast?

Sheol is known to be a real place with a dramatic change with Mashiach Yeshua.

Josephus Flavius discuss with the greek about "sheol": Un extrait de discours de Josephus pou Flavius (1er Siècle CE) les Grecs Concernant Hades 1. Maintenant Hadès, dans lequel les âmes voient des bonnes choses et se réjouissent là ou les justes et les injustes sont détenus, il est nécessaire d'en parler. Hadès est un endroit dans le monde pas régulièrement terminé; une région souterraine, dans lequel la lumière de ce monde ne brille pas; à partir desquelles circonstances, dans cette région la lumière ne brille pas, il ne peut pas être, mais il doit y avoir là une obscurité perpétuelle. Cette région est attribuée comme un lieu de garde pour les âmes, malades que les anges sont désignés comme gardiens, qui distribuent les peines temporaires, agréables au comportement et les manières de chacun. 2. Dans cette région, il y a un certain endroit mis à part, comme un lac de feu inextinguible, dans lequel nous supposons personne n'a jusqu'ici été jeté (voir Apocalypse 20:12-15); mais il est prêt pour une journée déterminée par Dieu, dans lequel une phrase sera justement transmise à tous les hommes (ce qui seront là lors du jugement); quand les injustes, et ceux qui ont été désobéissant à Dieu, et ont donné l'honneur à des idoles ont été de vaines opérations des mains des hommes envers Dieu lui-même, attendant d'être jugé de ce châtiment éternel, comme ayant été les causes de souillure; tandis que le juste obtiendra un royaume incorruptible et et sans fin. Ceux-ci sont maintenant bien confinés dans l'Hadès, mais pas au même endroit dans lequel les injustes sont confinés. 3. Car il est une descente dans cette région, à la grille duquel nous croyons qu'il se tient un archange avec un hôte; cette porte lorsque ceux qui la passent conduit par les anges nommés sur les âmes, ils ne vont pas dans la même direction; mais les justes sont guidés à la main droite, et sont dirigés par des hymnes, chantée par les anges nommés sur ce lieu, vers une région de la lumière, dans laquelle les justes ont habité depuis le commencement du monde; pas contraint par la nécessité, mais toujours profiter de la perspective des bonnes choses qu'ils voient, et se réjouissent dans l'attente de ces nouvelles jouissances qui seront propres à chacun d'eux, et estimant ces choses au-delà de ce que nous avons ici; et ou il n'y a pas lieu de labeur, pas de chaleur brûlante, pas de froid, ni des chardons; mais la physionomie du juste, qu'ils voient, toujours sourire , en attendant le repos et la nouvelle vie éternelle dans le ciel, ce qui succédera à cette région. Cet endroit nous l'appelons le sein d'Abraham (voir Luc 16:19-31). 4. Mais pour les injustes, ils sont entraînés par force, à la main gauche par les anges alloués pour la peine, plus avec une bonne volonté, mais en tant que prisonniers entraînés par la violence; à qui sont envoyés les anges nommés sur eux pour leur reprocher et les menacer avec leurs regards terribles, et les enfonçant encore vers le bas. Maintenant, ces anges qui sont fixés sur ces âmes les font glisser dans le voisinage de l'enfer; qui, quand ils entendent sans cesse le bruit de celui-ci, et ne se distingue pas clairement de la vapeur chaude elle-même; mais quand ils ont une vue de près de ce spectacle, comme d'une grande perspective terrible du feu, ils sont frappés d'une attente terrible du jugement futur, et en effet puni ainsi: et non seulement cela, mais où ils voient la place des pères et des justes, sont punis par cette vue; un chaos profond et large est fixé entre eux; de sorte qu'un homme juste qui a compassion sur eux ne peut être admise, ni celui qui est injuste, s'il était assez audacieux pour tenter de passer au-dessus. 5. Tel est le discours sur l'Hadès, dans lequel les âmes de tous les hommes sont confinés jusqu'à la bonne saison, que Dieu a déterminé, quand il fera une résurrection de tous les hommes d'entre les morts, et non pas pour une transmigration des âmes d'un corps à une autre, mais résurecter à nouveau ces corps eux-mêmes, que vous Grecs, voyant se dissoudre, ne croyez pas [leur résurrection]. Mais apprenez à ne pas croire; car si vous croyez que l'âme est créée, et est rendue immortelle par Dieu, selon la doctrine de Platon, et cela dans le temps, soyez pas incrédule; mais croyez que Dieu est capable, quand il a ressuscité à la vie ce corps qui a été fait et composé des mêmes éléments, peut le rendre immortel; car il ne faut jamais dire de Dieu, qu'il est capable de faire certaines choses, et incapable de faire d'autres. Nous avons donc cru que le corps va être ressuscité à nouveau; car, bien qu'il soit dissous, il ne périt pas; car la terre reçoit ses restes, et les conserve; et alors qu'ils sont comme des semences, et sont mélangés entre le sol plus fertile, ils prospèrent, et ce qui est semé est en effet semé tel un grain nu, mais au son puissant de Dieu le Créateur, il va germer et être élevés dans un carde et l'état glorieux, mais pas avant qu'il ait été dissous, et mélangés [avec la terre]. Alors que nous n’avons pas cru témérairement la résurrection du corps; car, bien qu'il soit dissous pendant un certain temps à cause de la transgression originelle, il existe encore, et est jeté dans la terre comme dans le four du potier, afin d'être formé à nouveau, non pas pour revenir à nouveau, comme il était avant, mais dans un état de pureté, et afin de ne jamais plus être détruit. Et à chaque corps sa propre âme est restaurée. Et quand il a sera revêtu de ce corps, il ne sera pas soumis à la misère, mais, étant lui-même pur, il continuera avec se corps pur, et se réjouis avec lui (corps), avec laquelle (âme) a marché vertueusement dans ce monde, et jamais ayant eu un piège, il le recevra (corps) à nouveau avec une grande joie. Mais comme pour les injustes, ils recevront leur corps qui ne changent pas, non libérés de maladies ou badigeons, ni fait glorieux, mais avec les mêmes maladies dans lesquelles ils sont morts; et tels qu'ils étaient dans leur incrédulité, même ils seront quand ils seront jugés fidèlement. 6. Pour tous les hommes, les justes aussi bien que les injustes, seront portés devant Dieu la Parole: car à elle le Père a remis tout jugement: et à lui, afin d'accomplir la volonté de son Père, viendra comme Juge, que nous appelons Mashiach (Christ). Pour Minos et Rhadamanthe ne sont pas les juges, comme vous Grecs le supposent, mais celui que Dieu le Père a glorifié: En ce qui le concerne nous avons d'ailleurs donné un compte rendu plus particulier, pour le bien de ceux qui cherchent la vérité. Cette personne, exerce le juste jugement du Père envers tous les hommes, et a préparé une peine juste pour chacun, selon ses œuvres; devant lequel siège de jugement lorsque tous les hommes, et les anges, et les démons se tiendront, ils enverra une seule voix, et dira, Juste est ton jugement; qui apportera une peine juste pour les deux parties, en donnant justement à ceux qui ont bien fait un fruit éternel; mais attribuer aux amateurs de mauvaises œuvres de punition éternelle. Pour ceux-là appartiennent feu inextinguible, et cela sans fin, et un certain ver terrible, qui ne meurt jamais, et ne peut détruire le corps, mais continue son éruption du corps avec des douleurs incessantes: dont même le sommeil ne pourra donner le repos à ces hommes, ni ne la nuit les moyens de confort; la mort ne pourra pas les libérer de leur peine, ni ne les prières d'intercession (catholique priant pour les morts) de leur parents ne leur profiterons; mais les justes ne sont plus vus par eux, ils ne sont pas jugés dignes de mémoire. Mais les justes se souviennent de leurs actions justes, de sorte qu'ils ont atteint le royaume céleste, où il n'y a pas de sommeil, pas de douleur, pas de corruption, pas de soins, pas de nuit, pas de jour mesurée par le temps, pas de soleil entraîné dans sa course le long le cercle du ciel par nécessité, et en mesurant les limites et les conversions des saisons, pour le meilleur éclairage de la vie des hommes; pas de lune décroissante et croissante, ou l'introduction d'une variété de saisons, ni humidifier la terre; pas de soleil brûlant, pas d'ours tournant [pôle], pas d'Orion se lever, pas errance d'innombrables étoiles. La terre ne sera alors pas difficile d'être passé au-dessus, ni difficile de trouver la court du paradis, il n'y aura plus le rugissement de la mer, interdisant aux passagers de marcher sur elle; qui sera fait facilement praticable pour le juste, même si elle ne sera pas vide d'humidité. Le ciel ne puis être inhabitables par les hommes, et il ne sera pas impossible de découvrir la façon d'y monter. La terre ne sera pas inculte, ni n'exigera trop de travail des hommes, mais apportera ses fruits de son propre gré, et sera bien parée avec eux. Il n'y aura pas plus de générations de bêtes sauvages, il ne produira plus les hommes, mais le nombre des justes se poursuivra, ne manquent jamais, avec les anges justes, et les esprits [de Dieu], et avec sa parole, comme un chœur d'hommes et de femmes justes qui ne vieillissent jamais, et continuent dans un état incorruptible, chantant des hymnes à Dieu, qui les a avancé à ce bonheur, par le biais d'une institution régulière de la vie; avec qui toute la création sera également soulèvera un hymne perpétuel en dehors de la corruption, à l'incorruptibilité, comme glorifié par un esprit magnifique et pur. Il ne sera pas alors être retenu par un lien de nécessité, mais avec une liberté vivante offrant un hymne volontaire, louant celui qui les a faits, avec les anges et les esprits, et les hommes maintenant libéré de toute servitude. 7. Et maintenant, si vous nations (païens) persuadés par ces motifs, laissez vos vaines imaginations sur vos pedigrees, et accumulation de richesses et de philosophie, et ne passant pas votre temps sur les subtilités des mots, et ainsi mener vos esprits en erreur , et si vous allez appliquer vos oreilles à l'audition des prophètes inspirés, les interprètes à la fois de Dieu et de sa parole, et vous croyez en Dieu, vous serez tous aussi participants de ces choses, et obtenir les bonnes choses qui sont à venir ; vous verrez l'ascension vers l'immense ciel clair, et ce royaume qui est là. Pour ce que Dieu a maintenant caché dans le silence [sera alors manifesté,] ce que ni l'œil n'a vu, ni l'oreille a entendu, ni a son entrée dans le cœur de l'homme, les choses que Dieu a préparées pour ceux qui l'aiment. 8. Que ce soit la façon dans laquelle je vous trouve, en elle je vous juge entièrement: alors pleure la fin de toutes choses. Et celui qui a tout d'abord vécu une vie vertueuse, mais vers la fin tombe dans le vice, ces œuvres d'avant qu'il a enduré seront tout à fait vaines et inutiles, comme dans un jeu, conduisant à une catastrophe. Quiconque ayant vécu méchamment et luxueusement peut se repentir; cependant, il y aura besoin de beaucoup de temps pour conquérir ses mauvaises habitudes, et même après la repentance toute sa vie doit être surveillé avec beaucoup de soin et de diligence, à la manière d'un corps, qui, après qu'il a été longtemps affligé d'une maladie, nécessite un régime alimentaire strict et le mode de vie; pour que le résultat puisse être possible, peut-être, afin de rompre la chaîne de nos affections passées, mais notre amendement ne peut être assurée, sans la grâce de Dieu, les prières des hommes bons, l'aide des frères, et notre propre repentir sincère et des soins constants. Il est une bonne chose de ne pas pécher du tout; il est également bon, avoir péché, de se repentir; car il est préférable d'avoir la santé toujours, mais il est une bonne chose pour récupérer d'une maladie. A Dieu soit la gloire et la puissance pour les siècles des siècles Amen.

When Mashiach went back to the Father, He set captive free, he went to Sheol/Hades and delivered the righteous from Sheol to bring them with him in Heaven (not in Paradise which is the second heavens). Abraham, Itzahk, Ya'acov, King David, and all before and after them who were righteous, are now in heaven and will return with Mashiach Yeshua at the end of this age: Mt 24:29 “And immediately after the distress of those days the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give its light, and the stars shall fall from the heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken. Mt 24:30 “And then the sign of the Son of Aḏam shall appear in the heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth shall mourn, and they shall see the Son of Aḏam coming on the clouds of the heaven* with power and much esteem.

  • clouds of heaven = the multitude of the righteous Hé 12:1 We too, then, having so great a cloud of witnesses all around us, let us lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race set before us,

The end of the age is at the coming of Mashaich during or just before the Feast of Shavuot, the Feast of weeks (Pentecost) Mt 13:24 Another parable He put before them, saying, “The reign of the heavens has become like a man who sowed good seed in his field, Mt 13:25 but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed darnel among the wheat and went away. Mt 13:26 “And when the blade sprouted and bore fruit, then the darnel also appeared. Mt 13:27 “And the servants of the master of the house came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? From where then does it have the darnel?’ Mt 13:28 “And he said to them, ‘A man, an enemy did this.’ And the servants said to him, ‘Do you wish then, that we go and gather them up?’ Mt 13:29 “But he said, ‘No, lest while you gather up the darnel you also uproot the wheat with them. Mt 13:30 ‘Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I shall say to the reapers, “First gather the darnel and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my granary.” ’ ”

EXPLANATION OF THE PARABLE Mt 13:36 Then, having sent the crowds away, יהושע went into the house. And His taught ones came to Him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the darnel of the field.” Mt 13:37 And He answering, said to them, “He who is sowing the good seed is the Son of Aḏam, Mt 13:38 and the field is the world. And the good seed, these are the sons of the reign, but the darnel are the sons of the wicked one, Mt 13:39 and the enemy who sowed them is the devil. And the harvest is the end of the age*, and the reapers are the messengers. Mt 13:40 “As the darnel, then, is gathered and burned in the fire, so it shall be at the end of this age. Mt 13:41 “The Son of Aḏam shall send out His messengers, and they shall gather out of His reign all the stumbling-blocks, and those doing lawlessness, Mt 13:42 and shall throw them into the furnace of fire – there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Mt 13:43 “Then the righteous shall shine forth as the sun in the reign of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear! The Wheat harvest start before the Feast of Shavuot

In Judaism it is tradition to stay awake during the night of Shavuot "waiting for the Master" Mt 25:1 “Then the reign of the heavens shall be compared to ten maidens who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Mt 25:2 “And five of them were wise, and five foolish. Mt 25:3 “Those who were foolish, having taken their lamps, took no oil with them, Mt 25:4 but the wise took oil in their containers with their lamps. Mt 25:5 “Now while the bridegroom took time, they all slumbered and slept. Mt 25:6 “And at midnight a cry was heard, ‘See, the bridegroom is coming, go out to meet him!’ Mt 25:7 “Then all those maidens rose up and trimmed their lamps. Mt 25:8 “And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us of your oil, because our lamps are going out.’ Mt 25:9 “But the wise answered, saying, ‘No, indeed, there would not be enough for us and you. Instead, go to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’ Mt 25:10 “And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast, and the door was shut. Mt 25:11 “And later the other maidens also came, saying, ‘Master, Master, open up for us!’ Mt 25:12 “But he answering, said, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ Mt 25:13 “Watch therefore, because you do not know the day nor the hour in which the Son of Aḏam is coming,

To think that the book of Revelation is already fulfilled is in contradiction with the Prophets, because many prophcies are waiting to be fulfilled: SOME FEW WHO ARE NOT FULFILLED YET: Es 66:22 “For as the new heavens and the new earth that I make stand before Me,” declares יהוה, “so your seed and your name shall stand.

Ez 37:16 “And you, son of man, take a stick for yourself and write on it, ‘For Yehuḏah and for the children of Yisra’ĕl, his companions.’ Then take another stick and write on it, ‘For Yosĕph, the stick of Ephrayim, and for all the house of Yisra’ĕl, his companions.’ Ez 37:17 “Then bring them together for yourself into one stick, and they shall become one in your hand. Ez 37:18 “And when the children of your people speak to you, saying, ‘Won’t you show us what you mean by these?’ Ez 37:19 say to them, ‘Thus said the Master יהוה, “See, I am taking the stick of Yosĕph, which is in the hand of Ephrayim, and the tribes of Yisra’ĕl, his companions. And I shall give them unto him, with the stick of Yehuḏah, and make them one stick, and they shall be one in My hand.” ’ Ez 37:20 “And the sticks on which you write shall be in your hand before their eyes. Ez 37:21 “And speak to them, ‘Thus said the Master יהוה, “See, I am taking the children of Yisra’ĕl from among the gentiles, wherever they have gone, and shall gather them from all around, and I shall bring them into their land. Ez 37:22 “And I shall make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Yisra’ĕl. And one sovereign shall be sovereign over them all, and let them no longer be two nations, and let them no longer be divided into two reigns. Ez 37:23 “And they shall no longer defile themselves with their idols, nor with their disgusting matters, nor with any of their transgressions. And I shall save them from all their dwelling places in which they have sinned, and I shall cleanse them. And they shall be My people, and I be their Elohim, Ez 37:24 while Dawiḏ My servant is sovereign over them. And they shall all have one shepherd and walk in My right-rulings and guard My laws, and shall do them. Ez 37:25 “And they shall dwell in the land that I have given to Ya῾aqoḇ My servant, where your fathers dwelt. And they shall dwell in it, they and their children and their children’s children, forever, and My servant Dawiḏ be their prince forever. Ez 37:26 “And I shall make a covenant of peace with them – an everlasting covenant it is with them. And I shall place them and increase them, and shall place My set-apart place in their midst, forever. Ez 37:27 “And My Dwelling Place shall be over them. And I shall be their Elohim, and they shall be My people. Ez 37:28 “And the gentiles shall know that I, יהוה, am setting Yisra’ĕl apart, when My set-apart place is in their midst – forever.” ’ ”

Ysrael is still divided today, waiting to bring back The house of Judah and the House of Ysrael (Ephraim) together.

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Peace.

In order to understand what they (Death, Hades, and the Lake of fire) are in Revelation 20, we must look at who this is really talking about…..the “dead”. The “dead” are not the dearly departed but those who are still in this earth and are “dead” in trespasses and sins as they walk according to the course of this world. We are to be made alive by the voice of the Son of God who comes to give us an understanding according to the rich mercy of God upon us.

Ephesians 2:1-5 KJV (1) And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; (2) Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: (3) Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. (4) But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, (5) Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)

The “dead” in sins will stand before God as the books are opened. The “books” that are opened are the Scriptures that are opened to our minds by the Lord. For example, the Lord opened up Moses and all the prophets to the two disciples who were on their way to Emmaus. He was a “stranger” to them.

Luke 24:25-27 KJV (25) Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: (26) Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? (27) And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.

He opened up the Scriptures thoroughly to them.

Luke 24:32 KJV (32) And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?

The 2 disciples did not contend with Jesus over the interpretation of the Scriptures but instead were found being hospitable towards a “stranger” ….being inviting: “abide with us”.

Luke 24:28-30 KJV (28) And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: and he made as though he would have gone further. (29) But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them.

They did keep the feast not with the old bread leavened with malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. They remembered to let brotherly love continue and did entertain a “stranger” and His words.

(30) And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them.

The same thing (the Scriptures will be opened up) will happen again at the “great white throne” judgment and we are to be found of Him (the "stranger") behaving with brotherly love. "And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in?" (Matthew 25:38).

The Son of God comes to give us an understanding…..by the opening up the “books”…so that we may show that we know Him who is true and have eternal life. We do His commandments at the hearing of His voice that comes to open up the Scriptures.

1 John 5:20 KJV (20) And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.

Whosoever shall hear His Word and believe on Him that sent the Son of God to speak to us, has everlasting life and shall not come into Judgment. The “dead” in trespasses and sins shall hear the voice of the Son of God and they that hear shall live.

John 5:24-25 KJV (24) Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. (25) Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.

We will hear His voice as He speaks to us (in the opening up /interpreting of the Scriptures) via the Spirit through those “strangers” whom He will send out to speak His words of life and spirit.

Revelation 20: (11) And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.

The Scriptures (the books….the scrolls) are opened up to our hearing ears…..and we are judged according to how we respond toward the hearing of His expounding of the Scriptures to us.

Some will hear and do good unto the resurrection (standing up) of life while others will react with evil works: in their contentions, unbelief, envy, strife, wrath, hatred, etc. We will be judged according to our own works.

John 5:28-29 KJV (28) 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.

Those who will not be found behaving in brotherly love towards the speaker of His words will be not found in the book of life.

The dead were judge out of those things which were written in the scrolls (the Scriptures). They will either believe in what they hear or not believe as the Scriptures are opened up to their ears.

They will be judged according to their works towards the hearing of the Scriptures being opened….being judged out of those things which were written in the scrolls as the interpretation of them shall provoke a response…whether good or bad..

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 “sea” represents the unstable that are being tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. (Ephesians 4:14).

“Death” here speaks of those who are “abiding in death”….that is, not having love for their brothers. (1 John 3:14).

Hades means the “unseen”. People sit in the “graves” of men (churches of men)where there is no knowledge (the “unseen”) of God being preached to them by their religious leaders. (Luk 11:44 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are as graves which appear not, and the men that walk over them are not aware of them.)

(13) 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.

The judgment of the lake of fire is reserved for those who will not hear and believe and will be found by Him not remembering to let brotherly love continue as they will speak evil of the speaker (as a “fool”… “raca”)…for what is preached at the opening up of the Scriptures to their ears. This is not about dying and going to an eternal hell to literally burn forever and ever.

Matthew 5:21-26 KJV (21) Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:

A brother comes along….a “stranger”….and preaches the words of the Lord (in the Spirit of Truth) who comes to give us an understanding of the Scriptures (the opening up the books). Whoever will hear him hears the One who sent him to speak.

Some people will be found not “watching”….not being awake to His righteousness and will not continue with brotherly love. In their wrath, they will speak evil of the brother sent by Him to speak. Some will continue to sin (willful sin) after being warned to remember the covenant (have brotherly love).

These will be the ones who will be in danger of “hell fire”….Gehenna fire….that they will be cast into at the great white throne Judgment as they will hear and not believe in what they hear and not be found written in the book of life as they will persist in their sinning when they know better.

(22) But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire. (23) Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; (24) Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. (25) Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison.

They will by no means come out (from the “hell fire”) until they have paid the uttermost farthing…..which is death to the mortal body.

(26) Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing.

The “fire” is their own tongue that will bring themselves torment and will persist until they finally perish from this earth. This will be without any remedy. The tongue is set on fire of “hell”….Gehenna.

James 3:6 KJV (6) And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.

The “worm”….from the Hebrew word “yala” which means “to blurt or to utter inconsiderately” …is their tongue. Their worm….the tongue…will not cease from speaking/blurting evil (it shall not die). Nor shall the torment (the fire) be quenched that their own tongue causes them. Evil speaking will not die nor will the torment that comes upon them for doing it.

Isaiah 66:24 KJV (24) And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh.

There will be no remedy. There will be no more sacrifice for their willful sins. Their judgment will be fixed in which they cannot come out of. The great fixed chasm in Luke 16:26 is the open mouth of those who speak evil and will not be able to hear those who speak the Word of Truth nor will they be able to understand. The wicked shall not understand.

The tongue is a fire that sets the whole course of nature on the fire of Gehenna and it will bring their own wickedness upon their own heads as punishment for not remembering to let brotherly love continue.

Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire as their judgment is final until they die from this earth (the second death).

Death and Hades is secured for them in the final judgment as signified by both being cast into the lake of fire. “Hades”….the “unseen” …signifies that they will not know why these things happen to them. The wicked shall not understand.

Revelation 20:14-15 KJV (14) And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. (15) And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

Those who can overcome their wrath over what they hear (the opening up of the books….the Scriptures) shall inherit all things. They will show that they know God by having brotherly love. But all liars (who say that they know God and yet hate the brothers who come to speak His words to their ears) shall have their place in the lake of fire.

Revelation 21:7-8 KJV (7) He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.

The fearful and the unbelieving (in what they hear) and the abominable, and murderers (those who hate their brothers) ,etc shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone which is the second death.

There will be no more sacrifice (by the sacrifice of the death of our Lord Jesus) remaining for them as they shall die in their own sins (as their tongues shall not cease from uttering evil) without remedy. The “brimstone” signifies that this is the divine righteous Judgment of God upon them: Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you (2 Thessalonians 1:3-8).

(8) 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

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This isn't from Scripture but perhaps like an oubliette it is a place of forgeting. Throw death and hades as a concept into a place where no one thinks of it again. Please note:

Revelation 1:18 I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.

Romans 6:5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his.

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The wicked are thrown into the lake of fire (New Testament). In Revelations Death and Hell/Hades are thrown into the lake of fire. The reason why that doesn't seem to make sense is that we have not been taught the truth! The English bible is a translation, and we have been taught that Hell/Hades is a place of eternal punishment in hell-fire---for ever and ever! Wrong!!! Hell/Hades is the same as the Hebrew word Sheol, and simply means the grave! If you read revelations (corrected) it should say death and the grave were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is symnbolic (only!) of permanently destroying something! Death and the grave will be destroyed in the end, and all the true believers will have eternal life!!! No need for death and hell anymore, since Death and the grave were a punishment for sin! Halleluyah!

Ps--You were absolutely correct in saying the verse doesn't make sense (according to what we have been taught in the churches)! You cannot throw Death into a fire, and it certainly would not make sense to throw hell-fire into a fire either!....lol...

More proof...People (Europeans) use to refer to "planting their potatoes in hell". They understood hell to mean the ground/earth or when talking about a human body, the grave!

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    We are looking for well-supported and well-reasoned answers here. This answer is neither. I encourage you to look around the site and see how other answers are written. Sep 24, 2012 at 6:33

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