The Watchtower, February 1, 1893

VOL. XIV. FEBRUARY 1 & 15, 1893.--DOUBLE NUMBER. NOS. 3 & 4.

WHAT SAITH THE SCRIPTURE ABOUT HELL?

THE AWFUL THEORY OF MEN.--ITS INCONSISTENCIES.-- ITS BANEFUL RESULTS.--THE TRUE SCRIPTURE TEACHING. --HELL IN THE OLD TESTAMENT--"SHEOL."-- HELL IN THE NEW TESTAMENT--"HADES."--"GEHENNA." --"TARTAROO."--"THE RICH MAN AND LAZARUS." --"WAILING AND GNASHING OF TEETH."-- "THE SHEEP AND THE GOATS."--"KOLASIN."-- "EVERLASTING DESTRUCTION."--"THE LAKE OF FIRE AND BRIMSTONE."--"TURNED INTO HELL." --GOD'S VERDICT.--"THE SECOND DEATH."

Some will say, "I don't care to think about the awful place, for I don't expect to go there --I have no interest in it." Yet, if the "orthodox" view of it be true, that all except the saints of God go there,--that hell is the penalty for Adam's sin, that all of Adam's posterity are under that penalty except those few faithful believers in Christ who escape it,-- then it follows that you, and I, and all, ought to be deeply interested in finding out all we can about that which is represented as the surest and most awful and most general calamity to which our poor race is exposed. If you and I do expect to escape, we should be anxious on behalf of the others; for in proportion to the world's population even in this enlightened day, the faithful believers in Christ are but as one out of a thousand. Nor will it do to excuse one's self with the idea that "My friends and relations will all escape." You know that many, yea, most of your friends and relatives are not faithful believers; and, as you look back over the pages of history, it is not a great way back that you find that your great-great, grandparents were heathen idolaters who knew not of the Redeemer, and hence could not have been justified by faith in him. Besides, are not all mankind our relatives? and are not all brethren?--children of one common father, Adam?

Subjects like slavery, intemperance, pestilence or epidemics, affecting only a part of the human family, we see hundreds, yes, thousands, of men and women spending time and talent and money in examining, and in arranging for the relief and safety of their fellows. Yet there is no comparison between human slavery, etc., and everlasting torture in misery and anguish, which human tongue, we are told, cannot describe. The most terrible human sufferings of the present, which soon end life and thus bring relief, are really pleasurable moments in comparison to what we are told of hell, which, besides, will never end while the years of eternity roll.

Now what is being done about this monstrous evil before which all others combined pale into insignificance--anything?

Oh, yes, there are thousands of clergymen who are supposed to have studied all about this awful subject, who weekly meet with about two millions of the fourteen hundred millions of the earth's present population, to consider this very subject which they claim is all-important. They meet in comfortable and elegant buildings, expensively attired, and are entertained by music and oratory; and if the subject they claim as the all-important cause of their assembling is mentioned at all, it is to assure the hearts of those present that they have nothing to fear; for though God will deal most

awfully with others, he will deal kindly with them, and instead of delighting to torture them to all eternity, God will be glad to have such genteel people as attend their entertaining church services and participate in the usual suppers, fairs, etc., to adorn heaven. Why will God thus favor them? Not because of good works, they admit; nor because of great faith, we would claim, for they know little of God or his Word, and hence cannot believe much or firmly. Their hopes must therefore be built mainly upon their morality, because they are civilized, and specially because they have joined an earthly church and assented to a creed which they do not know, nor understand, nor believe--in a word because they are thus deceiving themselves and others with a form of godliness without the real power thereof. Do these people really believe

THIS AWFUL DOCTRINE

concerning hell? Surely not! To us their actions speak louder than words. They even count the "Salvation Army" people fools and fanatics, because they, less intelligent and less learned, believe the story of the clergy about this awful place they describe hell to be, and honestly act out their belief.

Of all the people in the world to-day who profess to believe this awful doctrine of eternal torment, the "Salvation Army" alone acts reasonably and consistently. And their wildest freaks and fancies are tame compared with what might be expected if they were fully convinced of the truth of the doctrine. The men and women who have ever fully believed the doctrine are undoubtedly those hundreds who have gone insane from sympathy with their fellows: the effort to save others from everlasting torture unbalanced their reason. We cannot imagine how sincere believers of this terrible doctrine go from day to day about the ordinary affairs of life, or meet quietly in elegance every Sunday to hear an essay on the peculiar subjects often advertised. Could they do so while really believing all the time that fellow mortals are dying at the rate of one hundred a minute, and entering

"That lone land of deep despair," where

"No God regards their bitter prayer."

They could not complacently sit there and think of those hurrying every moment into that awful state described by the good, well-meaning, but terribly deluded man, Isaac Watts (whose own heart was infinitely warmer and larger than that he ascribed to the great Jehovah), when he wrote that sweet (?) hymn, which, thank God, sensible people have ceased to love, and almost ceased to sing:--

"Tempests of angry fire shall roll

To blast the rebel worm,

And beat upon the naked soul

In one eternal storm."

Surely men and women believing thus would rush frantically to the heathen and to all unbelievers everywhere, would describe hell, and make people join their churches or set them crazy with fear, or both. Mothers, fathers and children have become insane from anguish, when their loved ones have been caught in a burning building, though they knew that their pain would endure but a few minutes; yet they pretend to believe that God is less loving than they, and that he can look with indifference, if not with delight, at billions of his creatures enduring an eternity of torture far more terrible, which he prepares for them and prevents any escape from, forever. Not only so, but they expect that they will get literally into Abraham's bosom, and will then look across the gulf and see and hear the agonies of the multitudes (some of whom they now love and weep over), and will be so changed (become so like their present idea of God), so hardened against all pity and so barren of love and sympathy, that they will delight in such a God and in such a plan.

It is wonderful that otherwise sensible looking and acting men and women, who love their fellows, establish hospitals, orphanages, asylums, and societies for the prevention of cruelty to even the brute creation, are so unbalanced mentally that they can believe and subscribe to such a doctrine, and yet be so indifferent about investigating the subject of "everlasting torture."

Only one exception can we think of--those who hold the ultra-Calvinistic doctrine; who believe that God has decreed it thus, that

all the efforts they could put forth could not alter the result with a single person, and that all the prayers they could offer would not change that awful plan they believe God has marked out for his and their eternal pleasure. These indeed could sit still, so far as effort for their fellows is concerned, but why sing the praises of such a God and such a plan. They who hold this view of their own unconditional and unalterable election could surely afford to be honest, since they think that they could not be rejected. Why should not these, instead of singing the praises of such a plan and keeping quiet, hide their faces in shame for their God, express their true heart-sympathy for the people, and, instead of singing, weep and lament. It would be far more creditable to their faith and their hearts;--would it not?

Why not rather begin to doubt this "doctrine of devils," this blasphemy against the great God, hatched in the "dark ages," when a crafty priesthood thought it right to do evil, that good might result. The doctrine of eternal torment was introduced by Papacy to compel pagans to join her system and support her priesthood. It flourished at the same time that "bull fighting" and gladiatorial contests were the public amusements most enjoyed, when the Crusades were called "holy wars," and when men and women were called "heretics" and slaughtered for thinking or speaking contrary to the teachings of Papacy; at a time when the sun of gospel truth was obscure, when the Word of God had fallen into disuse and was prohibited to be read by any but the clergy, whose love of their neighbors was often shown in torturing heretics to induce them to recant and deny their faith and their Bibles--to save them, if possible, they explained, from the more awful future of heretics, eternal torture. They did not borrow this doctrine from the heathen, for no heathen people in the world have a doctrine half so terrible, cruel, fiendish and unjust. Find it, whoever can, and show it up in all its blackness, that, if possible, it may be shown that the essence of barbarism, malice, hate and ungodliness, has not been exclusively appropriated by those whom God has most highly favored with light from every quarter, to whom God has committed the only oracle--his Word. Oh! the shame and confusion of face that will cover many even good men (who verily thought that they did God service while propagating this misrepresentation of the devil), when they awake in the resurrection, to learn of the love and justice of God, and when they come to know that the Bible, for which some of them would lay down their lives, does not teach this God-dishonoring, love-extinguishing, truth-beclouding, saint-hindering, sinner-hardening, damnable heresy.

But we repeat that in the light and moral development of this day, sensible people do not believe this doctrine. However, since they think that the Bible teaches it, every step they progress in real intelligence and godlikeness of mind, which hinders such belief, is in most cases a step away from God's Word, which they falsely accuse of this teaching. Hence this second crop of evil fruit, which the devil's engraftment of this error is producing. The intelligent, honest thinkers are thus driven from the Bible into vain philosophies and sciences, falsely so-called, and into skepticism. Nor do the "worldly" really believe this doctrine. It does not restrain from crime: theft, murder, suicide, immorality and drunkenness are more common by far in the countries where this doctrine is taught, than in other lands. Mohammedan and Buddhist countries are much more moral than those misnamed "Christendom." True, some instances are known where murderers nearing death's door, under pressure of fear or sickness, confess a faith under the teaching that to doubt it is to make sure the penalty. But their lives of disregard, as well as their profanity, show that if this doctrine ever restrained men, it does not now.

But did the error not do real good? Have not many been brought into the churches by the preaching of this doctrine in the past?

No error, we answer, ever did real good, but always harm. Those whom error brings into a church, and whom the truth would not move, are an injury to the church. The thousands terrorized, but not at heart converted, which this doctrine forced into Papacy, and which swelled her numbers and her wealth, diluted

what little truth was held before, and mingled it with their unholy and ignorant sentiments, so that, to meet the changed condition of things, the "clergy" found it needful to add error to error, and to resort to methods, forms, etc., not taught in the Scriptures and useless to the truly converted whom the truth controls. Among these were pictures, images, beads, vestments, candles, grand cathedrals, altars, etc., to help the unconverted heathen to a form of godliness more nearly corresponding to their former heathen worship.

The heathen were not benefited, for they were still heathen in God's sight, deluded into aping what they did not understand or do from the heart. They were tares to choke the wheat, without being profited thereby themselves.

The same is true of those who assume the name "Christian" to-day, who are not really at heart converted by the truth, but merely frightened by the error, or allured by promised earthly advantages of a social or business kind. Such add nothing to the true Church: by their ideas and manners they become stumbling-blocks to the truly consecrated, and by their inability to digest the truth, the real food of the saints, they lead even the few true pastors to defraud the true sheep in order to satisfy the demands of these goats for something pleasing to their unconverted tastes. No: in no way has this error accomplished good, but in every way harm. Let us now inquire:--

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE TEACH?

Seeing, then, the unreasonableness of man's view, let us leave human creeds and dogmas and come to the oracle of God, that we may hear his own Word on this subject, fully convinced that

"Blind prejudice is sure to err,

And scan his Word in vain.

God is his own interpreter,

And he will make it plain."

In the first place, let none forget that the English translation of the Bible was not inspired, but that the inspired Scriptures, which "holy men of old wrote as they were moved by the holy Spirit," were written, the Old Testament in the Hebrew and the New Testament in the Greek language. We know, further, that the translators were not inspired of God so as to prevent mistakes creeping in; for all scholars recognize some mistakes in the English translations.

Admitting that the translators were honest men who reverently desired to serve God and the Church by giving English readers a faithful translation from the original, all who have a knowledge of more than one language, and who have ever tried translating from one to another, well know they had a difficult task, the range of both languages making it often possible to translate a word by any one of several words, all having slightly different shades of meaning; besides which the idiomatic differences, the peculiarities in the construction of sentences in both languages, must be taken into account. This makes it necessary for a translator frequently to use his judgment both in deciding which of several words he would best use, and also as to their arrangement to reproduce faithfully the original thought. And, if the translators have certain false ideas fixed in their minds, they are almost sure at times to color their renderings, without wrong intention.

Now, no matter how little hell is talked or thought or sung about to-day, there is no other point of doctrine more firmly held by Christian people, who feel sure that to deny hell would be to deny the Bible, and yet who know little of what the Bible says about hell. So, in coming to the English Bible to examine the subject, do not forget to exercise charity toward the translators when we show that their translation has helped forward the wrong ideas generally held. You will be far more justifiable in feeling unthankful toward the "pastors" and "shepherds," whom you have for years helped to support and educate. But remember that not all ministers know of the errors of the translators. Not all deliberately cover and hide those errors from the people who are paying them for the information. Many, the great majority, indeed, do not know, having merely swallowed the theories of their seminary professors. It is the professors and learned ones who are most blameworthy. These have kept back the truth about "hell" for several reasons. Firstly, there is

a sort of understanding or etiquette among them, as among physicians, that if they wish to maintain their standing in the "profession" they "must not tell tales out of school"-- must not divulge professional secrets to the "common people," especially to the "laity." Secondly, they all fear that to let it be known that they have been teaching an unscriptural doctrine for years would bring disgrace and disreverence upon them, their denominations and their schools, and unsettle confidence in their wisdom. And oh! how much depends upon confidence and reverence for men, when God's Word is so generally ignored. Thirdly, they know that many of the members of their sects are not constrained by "the love of Christ" (`2 Cor. 5:14`), but merely by the fear of hell, and they see clearly therefore that to let the truth be known would soon cut loose the names and the dollars of many in their flocks; and this, to those who desire to make a fair show in the flesh (`Gal. 6:12`), would be terrible in the extreme.

Nevertheless, it has for some years been seen that knowledge is increasing among the people (`Dan. 12:4`), and the "Revised English Version" of the Bible was gotten out--in great part to patch up this hell doctrine. But the revisers had not the courage to come out and give a correct translation: that, as we have shown, would be too serious a matter to be thought of; so they merely refused to translate the word at all, and put the Hebrew word sheol and the Greek word hades into the English text. They well knew that the English reader would know little difference between "hell" and sheol or hades, and would soon come to use them synonymously. And this is the case. The learned professors and pastors consider, therefore, that they are justified by the course of the revisers, though they never explain the meaning of the Greek word hades; but by their use of the word, without saying so directly, they give their confiding flocks to understand that it means a place of torture, a lake of fire. But what will be the judgment of the Great Jehovah, whose character and plan are traduced by the blasphemous doctrine which this mistranslated word helps to support? Will he commend them? Will he justify their course? Will the Chief Shepherd call these his beloved "friends?" Will he make known unto them his further plans (`John 15:15`), that they may misrepresent them also, to preserve their own dignity and reverence? Will he continue to send forth "things new and old," "meat in due season" to the household of faith, by the hand of these unfaithful servants? Nay, such shall not continue to be his mouth-pieces: he will spew them out of his mouth. (`Rev. 3:16`.) He will choose instead, as at the first advent, from among the laity--"the common people"--mouth-pieces, and will give them words which none of the chief priests shall be able to gainsay or resist. (`Luke 21:15`.) And, as foretold, "the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid."--`Isa. 29:9-19`.

Consider first, then:--

HELL IN THE OLD TESTAMENT.

The word "hell" occurs thirty-one times in the Old Testament, and in every instance it is sheol in the Hebrew. It does not mean a lake of fire and brimstone, nor anything at all resembling that thought: not in the slightest degree! Quite the reverse: instead of a place of blazing fire it is described in the context as a state of "darkness;" instead of being a place where shrieks and groans are heard, it is described in the context as a place of "silence;" instead of representing in any sense pain and suffering, or remorse, the context describes it as one of forgetfulness. "There is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, in the grave [sheol] whither thou goest."--`Eccles. 9:10`.

The meaning of sheol is, the hidden state, as applied to man's condition in death, in and beyond which all is hidden, except to the eye of faith; hence, by proper and close association the word was often used in the sense of the grave--the tomb, the hidden place, or place beyond which only those who have the enlightened eye of the understanding can see resurrection, restitution of being. And be it particularly noted that this very same word sheol is translated "pit" and "grave" thirty-four times in our common version by the same

translators*--more times than it is translated "hell;" and twice, where it is translated "hell," it seemed so absurd, according to the present accepted meaning of the English word "hell," that, in the margin of modern Bibles, the publishers explain that it means grave. (See `Isa. 14:9` and `Jonah 2:2`.) In the latter case, the hidden state, or grave, was the belly of the fish in which Jonah was buried alive, and from which he cried to God.

BELOW WE QUOTE ALL THE PLACES WHERE SHEOL IS TRANSLATED HELL.

(1) `Amos 9:2`.--"Though they dig into hell, thence shall mine hand take them." [A figurative expression; but certainly pits of the earth are the only hells men can dig into.]

(2) `Psa. 16:10`.--"Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption." [This refers to our Lord's three days in the tomb. See `Acts 2:31`; `3:15`.]

(3) `Psa. 18:5` and `2 Sam. 22:6`--margin.-- "The cords of hell compassed me about." [A figure in which trouble is represented as hastening one to the tomb.]

(4) `Psa. 55:15`.--"Let them go down quick into hell"--margin, "the grave."

(5) `Psa. 9:17`.--"The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God." [This text should read, "The wicked shall be re-turned into hell"--into the state of death-- the "second death." See explanation of this passage farther on in this issue.]

(6) `Psa. 86:13`.--"Thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell"--margin, "grave."

(7) `Psa. 116:3`.--"The sorrows of death compassed me, and the pains of hell gat hold upon me." [Sickness and trouble are the figurative hands of the grave to grasp us.]

(8) `Psa. 139:8`.--"If I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there." [God's power is unlimited: even those in the tomb he can and will control and bring forth.]

(9) `Deut. 32:22`.--"For a fire is kindled in mine anger, and shall burn unto the lowest hell." [A figurative representation of the destruction, the utter ruin, of Israel as a nation-- "wrath to the uttermost," as the Apostle called it, God's anger burning that nation to the "lowest deep," as Leeser translates the word sheol here.]

(10) `Job 11:8`.--"It [God's wisdom] is as high as heaven; what canst thou do? deeper than hell [than any pit]; what canst thou know?"

(11) `Job 26:6`.--"Hell [the tomb] is naked before him, and destruction hath no covering."

(12) `Prov. 5:5`.--"Her feet go down to death; her steps take hold on hell" [i.e., lead to the grave].

(13) `Prov. 7:27`.--"Her house is the way to hell [the grave], going down to the chambers of death."

(14) `Prov. 9:18`.--"He knoweth not that the dead are there, and that her guests are in the depths of hell." [Here the harlot's guests are represented as dead, diseased or dying,

*To the credit of the translators of the Common Version (the King James Version) it should be stated that the English word "hell" has gradually come to have a very different meaning from what it once had, and that when used by them in the sixteenth century the word still retained much of its original meaning, which made it a fair equivalent of the Greek and Hebrew words they translated by it. There is no such excuse, however, for modern translators and teachers, for the original meaning has entirely passed from the word, except as found occasionally in old books, giving place to the "hell fire" idea.

The word "hell" is Anglo-Saxon, and in old English usage meant a place of concealment--the hidden, or secret, or covered place. Its transitive verb was hele or hill meaning to hide, to conceal, to cover, to roof. In old English books you will find numerous instances of the use of this word, in connection with roofing houses, planting, hilling, hiding, etc. To hele a house did not mean to burn it, or torture it, but to cover or thatch it; to hele potatoes did not mean to burn them, but to conceal them in a pit; and so, likewise, when men were heled there was no thought of fire, torture and pain, but of covering, concealing, etc. Both good and bad were thus heled or buried.

"Conceal" is the corresponding word from the Latin. See Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, under hell, hele, hill and conceal. From this it will be seen that the use of the word "hell" by the translators of the King James' Version was at a time when its meaning had not become so changed as at present. Yet modern translators and ministers, who well know that the word "hell," as now used, does not cover the thought of hades of the Greek, or sheol of the Hebrew, refuse to enlighten their credulous flocks.

and many of the victims of sensuality in premature graves from diseases which hurry off their posterity also to the tomb.]

(15) `Prov. 15:11`.--"Hell and destruction are before the Lord." [Here the grave is associated with destruction and not with a life of torment.]

(16) `Prov. 15:24`.--"The path of life (leadeth) upward for the wise, that he may depart from hell beneath." [The hope of resurrection from the tomb.]

(17) `Prov. 23:14`.--"Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell" [i.e., wise corrections will save a child from vicious ways which lead to premature death, and may possibly prepare him to escape the "second death" also].

(18) `Prov. 27:20`.--"Hell [the grave] and destruction are never full: so the eyes of man are never satisfied."

(19) `Isa. 5:14`.--"Therefore hell hath enlarged herself and opened her mouth without measure." [Here a symbol of destruction.]

(20) `Isa. 14:9`.--"Hell [margin, grave] from beneath is moved for thee, to meet thee at thy coming."--`Verse 15`. "Thou shalt be brought down to hell" [the grave--so rendered in `verse 11`.]

(21) `Isa. 57:9`.--"And didst debase thyself even unto hell." [Here figurative of deep degradation.]

(22) `Ezek. 31:15-17`.--"In the day when he went down to the grave,...I made the nations to shake at the sound of his fall, when I cast him down to hell with them that descend into the pit....They also went down into hell with him, unto them that be slain with the sword." [Figurative and prophetic description of the fall of Babylon into destruction, silence, the grave.]

(23) `Ezek. 32:21`.--"The strong among the mighty shall speak to him out of the midst of hell with them that help him." [A continuation of the same figure, representing Egypt's overthrow as a nation to join Babylon in destruction.]

(24) `Ezek. 32:27`.--"And they shall not lie with the mighty that are fallen of the uncircumcised, which are gone down to hell with their weapons of war: and they have laid their swords under their heads; but their iniquities shall be upon their bones, though they were the terror of the mighty in the land of the living." [The grave is the only "hell" where fallen ones are buried and lie with their weapons of war under their heads.]

(25) `Hab. 2:5`.--"Who enlargeth his desire as hell [the grave] and as death, and cannot be satisfied."

(26) `Jonah 2:1,2`.--"Then Jonah prayed unto the Lord his God, out of the fish's belly, and said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the Lord, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice." [The belly of the fish was for a time his grave.]

(27) `Isa. 28:15-18`.--"Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell [the grave] 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: Therefore, saith the Lord,...Your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell [grave] shall not stand." [God thus declares that the present prevalent idea, by which death and the grave are represented as friends rather than enemies, shall cease; and men shall learn that death is the wages of sin and that it now is in Satan's power (`Rom. 6:23`; `Heb. 2:14`), and not an angel sent by God.]

ALL OTHER PLACES WHERE SHEOL OCCURS-- RENDERED GRAVE AND PIT.

`Gen. 37:35`.--"I will go down into the grave unto my son."

`Gen. 42:38`.--"Then shall ye bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave." [See also the same expression in `44:29,31`.]

`1 Sam. 2:6`.--"The Lord killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up."

`1 Kings 2:6,9`.--"Let not his hoar head go down to the grave in peace." "His hoar head bring down to the grave with blood."

`Job 7:9`.--"He that goeth down to the grave."

`Job 14:13`.--"Oh, that thou wouldst hide me in the grave, that thou wouldst keep me secret, until thy wrath be past, that thou wouldst appoint me a set time, and remember me" [resurrect me]!

`Job 17:13`.--"If I wait, the grave is mine house: I have made my bed in the darkness." [Job waits for resurrection--"in the morning."]

`Job 21:13`.--"They spend their days in mirth, in a moment go down to the grave."

`Job 24:19,20`.--"Drought and heat consume the snow waters: so doth the grave those which have sinned." [All have sinned, hence "Death has passed upon all," and all go down to the grave. But all have been redeemed, by "the precious blood of Christ," hence all shall be awakened and come forth again in God's due time--"in the morning."]

`Psa. 6:5`.--"In death there is no remembrance of thee: in the grave who shall give thee thanks?"

`Psa. 30:3`.--"O Lord, thou hast brought up my soul from the grave: thou hast kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit" [--recovery from danger of death].

`Psa. 31:17`.--"Let the wicked be ashamed; let them be silent in the grave."

`Psa. 49:14,15`, margin.--"Like sheep they are laid in the grave; death shall feed on them; and the upright [the saints--`Dan. 7:27`] shall have dominion over them in the morning [the Millennial morning]; and their beauty shall consume, the grave being an habitation to every one of them. But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave."

`Psa. 88:3`.--"My life draweth nigh unto the grave."

`Psa. 89:48`.--"Shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the grave?"

`Psa. 141:7`.--"Our bones are scattered at the grave's mouth."

`Prov. 1:12`.--"Let us swallow them up alive as the grave; and whole, as those that go down into the pit" [i.e., as of an earthquake, as in `Num. 16:30-33`].

`Prov. 30:15,16`.--"Four things say not, It is enough: the grave," etc.

`Eccl. 9:10`.--"Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest."

`Job 17:16`.--"They shall go down to the bars of the pit, when our rest together is in the dust."

`Song of Solomon 8:6`.--"Jealousy is cruel as the grave."

`Isa. 14:11`.--"Thy pomp is brought down to the grave."

`Isa. 38:10`.--"I shall go to the gates of the grave: I am deprived of the residue of my years."

`Isa. 38:18`.--"The grave cannot praise thee, death cannot celebrate thee: they that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth."

`Num. 16:31-33`.--"The ground clave asunder that was under them, and the earth opened her mouth and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods. They and all that appertained to them went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed upon them: and they perished from among the congregation."

`Ezek. 31:15`.--"In the day when he went down to the grave."

`Hosea 13:14`.--"I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death: O death, I will be thy plagues; O grave, I will be thy destruction. Repentance shall be hid from mine eyes." [The Lord did not ransom any from a place of fire and torment, for there is no such place; but he did ransom all mankind from the grave, from death, the penalty brought upon all by Adam's sin, as this verse declares. And shortly now, we trust, he will destroy death and the grave, and every vestige of Adam's penalty, as is also declared in this verse. This sheol, hell or grave shall be destroyed, that all may come to a full knowledge of the truth, and if they then will (by obedience), they may live forever.]

The above list includes every instance of the use of the English word "hell" and the Hebrew word sheol. From the examination it must be evident to all readers that the Old Testament, covering God's revelation for four thousand years, contains not a single hint of "hell," as the word is now understood.

HELL IN THE NEW TESTAMENT.

In the New Testament, the Greek word hades corresponds exactly to the Hebrew word sheol. As proof see the quotations of the Apostles from the Old Testament, in which they render it hades. For instance, `Acts 2:27`, "Thou wilt not leave my soul in hades," is a quotation from `Psa. 16:10`, "Thou wilt not leave my soul in sheol." And `1 Cor. 15:54,55`, "Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O hades [grave], where is thy victory?" is an allusion to `Isa. 25:8`, "He will swallow up death in victory," and to `Hos. 13:14`, "O death, I will be thy plagues: O sheol, I will be thy destruction."

IN THE FOLLOWING CASES "HELL" IS FROM THE GREEK WORD "HADES."

`Matt. 11:23`.--"And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell." `Luke 10:15`: "Shalt be thrust down to hell." [In privileges, etc., the city was highly favored, or, figuratively, exalted to heaven; but because of misuse of God's favors, it would be debased, or, figuratively, cast down to hades, overthrown, destroyed. It is now so thoroughly buried in oblivion, that even the site where it stood is a matter of dispute. Capernaum is certainly destroyed, thrust down to hades.]

`Luke 16:23`.--"In hell he lifted up his eyes, being in torments." [A parabolic figure. See article, "The Rich Man and Lazarus."]

`Rev. 6:8`.--"And behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him." [Symbol of destruction or the grave.]

`Matt. 16:18`.--"Upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." [Here the tomb is represented as a great prison with strong doors. The Lord's assurance is that though his Church may seem to be forever locked up in the tomb, yet its strong gates will not hold her when the due time comes and her Lord breaks the bars and by his resurrection power sets at liberty the captives, the result of the ransom which he gave once for all. Compare `Luke 4:18`; `Isa. 61:1`.]

CHRIST IN "HELL" (HADES) AND RESURRECTED FROM "HELL."--`ACTS 2:1,14,22-31`.

"And when the day of Pentecost was fully come,...Peter...lifted up his voice and said....Ye men of Israel, hear these words:--Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you,...being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God ["He was delivered for our offences"], ye have taken and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains [or bands] of death, because it was not possible that he should be holden of it [for the Word of Jehovah had previously declared his resurrection]; for David speaketh concerning him [personating or speaking for him], 'I [Christ] foresaw the Lord [Jehovah] always before my face; for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved. Therefore did my heart rejoice and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope, because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell [hades] neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. Thou [Jehovah] hast made known to me [Christ] the ways of life'" [thy plan]. Here our Lord, as personified by the prophet David, expresses his faith in Jehovah's promise of a resurrection and in the full and glorious accomplishment of Jehovah's plan through him, and rejoices in the prospect.

Peter then proceeds, saying--"Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulcher is with us unto this day [so that this prophecy could not have referred to himself personally; for his soul was left in "hell" [hades], and his flesh did see corruption]: Therefore, being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne; he, seeing this before[prophetically], spake of the resurrection of Christ [out of "hell"-- hades--to which he must go for our offences], that his soul was not left in hell [hades-- the death state], neither his flesh did see corruption." Thus Peter presents a strong, logical argument, based on the words of the prophet David--showing firstly, that Christ, who

was delivered by God for our offences, went to "hell," the grave, the condition of death, destruction (`Psa. 16:10`); and secondly, that according to promise he had been delivered from "hell," the grave, death, destruction, by a RESURRECTION --a raising up to life, being created again, the same identical being, yet more glorious, and exalted even to the express image of the Father's person. (`Heb. 1:3`.) And now "this same Jesus" (`Acts 2:36`), in his subsequent revelation to the Church, declares--

`Rev. 1:18`.--"I am he that liveth, and was dead, and, behold, I am alive forevermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell [hades, the grave] and of death." Amen! Amen! our hearts respond; for in his resurrection we see the glorious outcome of the whole plan of Jehovah, to be accomplished through the power of the resurrected one who now holds the keys of hell and of death, and in due time will release all the prisoners--who are therefore called the "prisoners of hope."--`Zech. 9:12`. No craft or cunning can by any possible device wrest these scriptures entire and pervert them to the support of that monstrous and blasphemous papal tradition of eternal torment. Had that been our penalty, Christ, to be our vicarious sacrifice, must still and to all eternity endure it--which is not the case, as these scriptures affirm. But death was our penalty, and "he died for our sins," and "also for the sins of the whole world."--`1 Cor. 15:3`; `1 John 2:2`.

`Rev. 20:13,14`.--"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." [The lake of fire is the symbol of final and everlasting destruction.]

OTHER OCCURRENCES OF THE WORD "HELL."

Having examined the word sheol, the original and only word in the Old Testament for "hell," and the word hades, most frequently rendered "hell" in the New Testament, we now notice every remaining instance in Scripture where the English word "hell" occurs. In the New Testament there are but two other words than hades rendered "hell," namely, gehenna and tartaroo, which we will consider in the order named.

GEHENNA.

This word occurs twelve times. It is the Grecian mode of spelling the Hebrew words which are translated "the Valley of Hinnom." This valley lay just outside the city of Jerusalem, and served the purpose of sewer and garbage burner to that city. The offal, garbage, etc., were emptied there, and fires were kept continually burning to consume utterly all things deposited therein, brimstone being added to assist combustion and insure complete destruction. But a living thing was never cast into gehenna. The Jews were not permitted to torture any creature.

When we consider that in the people of Israel God was giving us object lessons illustrating his dealings and plans, present and future, we should expect that this Valley of Hinnom, or gehenna, would also play its part in illustrating things future. We know that Israel's priesthood and temple illustrated the Royal Priesthood--the Christian Church as it will be, the true temple of God--and we know that their city was a figure of the New Jerusalem, the seat of kingdom power and centre of authority --the city (government) of the Great King, Immanuel. We remember, too, that Christ's government is represented in the book of Revelation (`Rev. 21:10-27`) under the figure of a city--the New Jerusalem. There, after describing the class permitted to enter the privileges and blessings of that kingdom--the honorable and glorious, and all who have right to the trees of life--we find it also declared that there shall not enter into it anything that defileth, or that worketh abomination, or lies; but only such as the Lamb shall write as worthy of life. This city, representing the redeemed world in the end of the Millennium, was typified or represented in the earthly city, Jerusalem; and the defiling, the abominable, etc., the class unworthy of life, who do not enter in, were represented by the refuse and the filthy, lifeless carcasses cast into gehenna outside the city, for utter destruction. Accordingly, we find it stated that those not found

worthy of life are to be cast into the fire (`Rev. 20:15`) --fire here, as everywhere, being used as a symbol of destruction.

Thus we see that while gehenna served a useful purpose to the city of Jerusalem as a place for garbage burning, it, like the city, illustrated the future dealing of God, when the refuse and impure elements will be forever destroyed and prevented from contaminating the holy and pure, after that age of judgment, or trial, has proved all--which are sheep and which are goats.

Gehenna, then, was a type or illustration of the second death--final and complete destruction. Strictly speaking, none could be in any danger of the second death while as yet under the first or Adamic death, and while as yet no ransom from it had been given. Consequently no one could have been liable to the second death before the coming of our Lord, who brought to light the plan of God (to be accomplished through Christ) for the resurrection of all from the first death, and a second trial of all men individually for the eternal continuance of that life, by obedience to the law of Christ. The penalty of failure to comply with those just and righteous conditions is to be the second death--condemnation a second time to death, for failure the second time, and this time individually. Nor is the world in general now liable to this penalty: none but consecrated believers could possibly incur it yet; because no others have escaped (even reckonedly) the condemnation that is on the world--the first death, for Adam's sin. The consecrated have escaped it reckonedly, the sin of Adam being no longer imputed to them.--`Rom. 8:1`; `4:6-8`.

But remember that Israel, though they were not, and could not be, actually ahead of other men in this matter, were, for the purpose of being used as types of God's future dealing with the race, typically treated as though the ransom had been given before they left Egypt, though only a typical lamb had been slain. When Jerusalem was built, and the Temple--representative of the true temple, the Church, and the true kingdom as it will be established by Christ in the Millennium--that people typified the world in the next age. Their priests represented the glorified Royal Priesthood, and their Law and its demands of perfect obedience represented the Law and conditions under the New Covenant, to be brought into operation for the blessing of all the obedient, and for the condemnation of all who, when granted fullest opportunity, will not submit to the righteous ruling and laws of the Great King.

Seeing then that Israel's polity, condition, etc., prefigured those of the world in the coming age, how appropriate that we should find the valley or abyss, gehenna, a figure of the second death, the utter destruction in the coming age of all that is unworthy of preservation; and how aptly, too, is the symbol, "lake of fire burning with brimstone" (`Rev. 19:20`), drawn from this same gehenna, or Valley of Hinnom, burning continually with brimstone. The expression, "burning with brimstone," adds force to the symbol, "fire," to express the utter and irrevocable destructiveness of the second death; for the latest deductions of scientists are that burning brimstone is the most deadly agent known. How reasonable, too, to expect that Israel would have courts and judges resembling or prefiguring such courts and judges in the next age; and that the sentence of those (figurative) courts of that (figurative) people under those (figurative) laws, to that (figurative) abyss, outside that (figurative) city, would largely correspond to the real sentences of the real court and judges in the next age. If these points are kept in mind, they will greatly assist us in understanding the words of our Lord in reference to gehenna; for though the literal valley just at hand was named and referred to, yet his words carry with them lessons concerning the future age, and the antitypical gehenna --the second death.

`MATT. 5:21,22`.

"Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, 'Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be amenable to the judges:' but I say unto you, that whosoever is angry with his brother [without a cause] shall [future-- under the regulations of the real kingdom] be amenable to the judges; and whosoever shall

say to his brother, 'Raca' [villain], shall be in danger of the High Council; but whosoever shall say 'Thou fool,' shall be in danger of hell [gehenna] fire."

To understand these references to council and judges and gehenna, all should know something of Jewish regulations. The "Court of Judges" consisted of seven men (or twenty-three, --the number is in dispute), and had power to judge some classes of crimes. The High Council, or Sanhedrin, consisted of seventy-one men of recognized learning and ability. This constituted the highest court of the Jews, and its supervision was over the gravest offences. The most serious punishment was death, but certain very obnoxious criminals were subjected to an indignity after death, being refused burial and cast with the carcasses of dogs, the city refuse, etc., into gehenna, to be there consumed. The object of this burning in gehenna was to make the crime and the criminal detestable in the eyes of the people, and signified that the culprit was a hopeless case. It must be remembered that Israel hoped for a resurrection from the tomb, and hence they were particular in caring for the corpses of their dead. Not realizing the fulness of God's power, they thought he needed their assistance to that extent. (`Exod. 13:19`; `Heb. 11:22`; `Acts 7:15,16`.) Hence the destruction of the body in gehenna after death implied to them the loss of hope of future life by a resurrection. Thus it represented the second death in the same figurative way that they as a people represented or illustrated a future order of things under the New Covenant.

Now notice that our Lord, in the above words, pointed out to them that their construction of the Law, severe though it was, was far below the real import of that Law, as it shall be interpreted under the real kingdom and judges which theirs only typified. He shows that the command of their Law, "Thou shalt not kill," reached much farther than they supposed; that malicious anger and vituperation "shall be" considered a violation of God's Law, under the New Covenant; and that such as, under the favorable conditions of that new age, will not reform so thoroughly as to fully observe God's Law would be counted worthy of that which the gehenna near them typified-- the second death. However, the force and severity of that Law will be enforced only in proportion as the discipline, advantages and assistance of that age shall enable each to comply with it, and yet be disregarded.

The same thought is continued in

`MATT. 5:27-30`.

Here again the operation of God's Law under the New Covenant is contrasted with its operation under the Old or Jewish Covenant, and the lesson of self-control is urged by the statement that it is far more profitable that men should refuse to gratify depraved desires (though they were dear to us as a right eye, and as convenient and almost indispensable as a right hand) than that they should gratify these, and lose, in the second death, the future life provided, through the atonement, for all who will return to perfection, holiness and God.

These expressions of our Lord not only serve to show us the perfection (`Rom. 7:12`) of God's Law, and how fully it will be defined and enforced in the Millennium, but they served as a lesson to the Jews also, who previously saw, through Moses' commands, only the crude exterior of the Law of God. Since they found it difficult in their fallen state to keep inviolate even the surface significance of the Law, they must now see the impossibility of their keeping the finer meaning of the Law, revealed by Christ. Had they understood and received his teaching fully, they would have cried out, Alas! if God judges us thus, by the very thoughts and intents of the heart, we are all unclean, all undone, and can hope for naught but condemnation to gehenna (to utter destruction, as brute beasts). They would have cried, Show us a greater priesthood than that of Aaron, a priest and teacher able fully to appreciate the Law, and able fully to appreciate and sympathize with our fallen state and inherited weaknesses, and let him offer for us "better sacrifices," and apply to us the needed greater forgiveness of sin, and let him as a great physician heal us and restore us, so that

we can obey the perfect Law of God from our hearts. Then they would have found all their needs in Christ.

But this lesson they did not learn, for the ears of their understanding were "dull of hearing;" hence they knew not that God had already prepared the very priest and sacrifice and teacher and physician they needed--who in due time redeemed those under the typical Law, as well as all not under it, and who also "in due time," shortly, will begin his restoring work--restoring sight to the blind eyes of their understanding, and hearing to their deaf ears. Then the "vail shall be taken away"-- that vail of ignorance, pride and human wisdom which Satan now uses to blind the world to God's true law and true plan of salvation in Christ.

And not only did our Lord's teaching here show the Law of the New Covenant, and teach the Jew a lesson, but it is of benefit to the Gospel Church also. In proportion as we learn the exactness of God's Law, and what would constitute perfection under its requirements, we see that our Redeemer was perfect, and that we, totally unable to commend ourselves to God as keepers of that Law, can find acceptance with the Father only under the merit of our Redeemer, while none can be of that "body," covered by the robe of his righteousness, except the consecrated who endeavor to do only those things well pleasing to God, which includes the avoiding of sin to the extent of ability. Yet their acceptability with God rests not in their perfection, but upon the perfection of Christ, so long as they abide in him. These, nevertheless, are benefited by a clear insight into the perfect Law of God, even though they are not dependent on the perfect keeping of it. They delight to do God's will to the extent of their ability, and the better they know his perfect Law, the better they are able to rule themselves and conform to it. So, then, to us also the Lord's words have a lesson of value.

The point, however, to be noticed clearly is the mistake commonly made, of supposing the gehenna which the Jews knew, and of which our Lord spoke to them, to be a lake of fire to be kept burning to all eternity, into which all would be cast who get "angry with a brother" and call him a "fool," or who "look upon a woman to lust." Nay, the point is that gehenna symbolizes the second death--utter, complete and everlasting destruction. This is clearly shown by its being contrasted with life as its opposite. "It is better for thee to enter into life halt, or maimed, than otherwise be cast into gehenna." It is better that you should deny yourself sinful gratifications than that you should completely lose all future life, and perish in the second death.

`MATT. 10:28`; `LUKE 12:5`.

"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" [gehenna]. [See also another account of the same discourse by `Luke--12:4,5`.]

Here our Lord pointed out to his followers the great cause they had for bravery and courage under the most trying circumstances. They were to expect persecution, and to have all manner of evil spoken against them falsely, for his sake, and the sake of the "good tidings" of which he made them the ministers and heralds; yea, the time would come, that whosoever would kill them would think that he did God a service. Their consolation or reward for this was to come, not in the present life, but in a life to come. They were assured, and they believed, that he had come to give his life a ransom for many, and that all in their graves must in consequence, in due time, hear the Deliverer's voice and come forth, either to reward (if their trial was passed in this life successfully), or to trial, as it must be to the great majority who had not, in the present life, come to the necessary knowledge and opportunity constituting the new trial.

Our Lord here speaks of the present life and the life to come (which he was about to secure for all by the ransom-sacrifice he was giving). He calls that future condition the real "soul" or being ("soul" signifies being), while the present life (which is really a dying rather than a living state) he designates or indicates by the word "body." His bidding then is, Fear not

them which can terminate the present (dying) life in these poor dying bodies, which, full of frailties and weaknesses and aches, you received from dying Adam. Care little for it, its food, its clothing, its pleasures, in comparison with that future existence or being which God has provided for you, and which, if secured, may be your portion forever. Fear not the threats, or looks, or acts of men, whose power can extend no farther than the present being, who can harm and kill these bodies, but can do no more. Rather have respect and deference to God, with whom are the issues of life everlasting--fear him who is able to destroy both the present dying existence and the future existence, in gehenna--the second death.

Here it is conclusively shown that gehenna, as a figure, represented the second death--the utter destruction which must ensue in the case of all who, after having fully received the opportunities of a future being or existence through our Lord's sacrifice, prove themselves unworthy of God's gift, and refuse to accept it, by refusing obedience to God's just requirements. For it does not say that God will preserve soul or body in gehenna, but that he can and will destroy both in it. Thus we are taught that any who are condemned to the second death are hopelessly and forever blotted out of existence.

`MATT. 18:9`; `MARK 9:43-47`.

[Since these two refer to the same discourse, we quote from `Mark`--remarking that verses 44 and 46, and part of 45, are not found in the oldest Greek MSS., though verse 48, which reads the same, is in all manuscripts. We quote only what is in the ancient MSS.] "If thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into gehenna, into the fire that never shall be quenched. And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into gehenna. And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into gehenna, where the worm dies not and the fire is not quenched."

After reading the above, all must agree with the prophet that our Lord opened his mouth in figures and obscure sayings. (`Psa. 78:2`; `Matt. 13:35`.) No one for a moment supposes that our Lord advised the people to mutilate their bodies by cutting off their limbs, or gouging out their eyes. Nor does he mean us to understand that the injuries and disfigurements of the present life will continue beyond the grave, when we shall "enter into life." The Jews whom he addressed must have understood him better than many do to-day; because at that time the Jews had no conception of a place of everlasting torment, and knew the word gehenna to refer to the valley outside their city, which was not a place of torment (nor a place where any living thing was cast), but a place for the utter destruction of whatever might be cast into it; so that when they saw the Lord's expression regarding limbs and eyes to be figurative, they knew that the gehenna mentioned was not the valley of destruction, but a destruction which it prefigured or illustrated.

The Lord meant simply this: The future life, which God has provided for sin-cursed, defiled and condemned man, is of inestimable value. It will richly pay you to make any sacrifice to receive and enjoy that life. Should it even cost an eye, a hand or a foot, so that to all eternity you would be obliged to endure the loss of these, yet life would be cheap at even such great cost. That would be better far than to retain your members and lose all in gehenna. Doubtless, too, the hearers drew the lesson as applicable to all the affairs of life, and understood the Master to mean that it would richly repay them to deny themselves many comforts and pleasures and tastes, dear as a right hand, precious as an eye and serviceable as a foot, rather than by gratification to forfeit the life to come and be utterly destroyed in gehenna--the second death.

But what about the worms and the unquenchable fire?

We answer, In the literal gehenna, which is the basis of our Lord's illustration, the bodies of animals, etc., frequently fell upon ledges of rocks and not into the fire kept burning below. Thus exposed, these would breed worms and be

destroyed, as completely and as surely as those which burned. No one was allowed to disturb the contents of this valley; hence the worm and the fire together completed the work of destruction--the fire was not quenched and the worms died not. This would not imply a never-ending fire, nor immortal worms--the thought is that the worms did not die off and leave the carcasses there, but continued and completed the work of destruction. So with the fire also: if not quenched, it burned on until all was consumed, just as we might say, if a house were on fire and it could not be controlled or quenched, but burned until the building was destroyed--it would be an "unquenchable fire."

Our Lord wished to impress the thought of the completeness and finality of the second death. All who go into the second death will be thoroughly and completely and forever destroyed; no ransom will ever again be given for any (`Rom. 6:9`); and there will be no occasion, for none worthy of life will be cast therein --but only those who love unrighteousness after coming to the knowledge of the truth.

Not only in the above instances is the second death pointedly illustrated by gehenna, but it is evident that the same Teacher used the same figure to represent the same thing in the symbols of `Revelation`, though there it is not called gehenna, but a "lake of fire."

The same valley was once before used as the basis of a discourse by the Prophet Isaiah. (`Isa. 66:24`.) Though he gives it no name, he describes it; and all should notice that he speaks, not as some with false ideas might expect, of billions in flames and torture, but of the carcasses of those who transgressed against the Lord, who are thus represented as utterly destroyed in the second death.

The `two verses preceding` show the time, and it is in perfect harmony with the symbols of Revelation: it is in the new dispensation or the Millennium, in the "new heavens and new earth" condition of things. Then all the righteous will see the justice as well as the wisdom of the utter destruction of the incorrigible, wilful enemies of right--as it is written: "They shall be an abhorring unto all flesh."

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