Is Hell Eternal Fire
by PJ Salas
"behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, and all the proud, yes, all who do wickedly will be stubble. And the day that is coming will burn them up, says the Lord of hosts, and will leave them neither root nor branch."
Malachi 4:1.
False Teaching
The Bible is often misrepresented, and used to teach false concepts, which generally come from pagan thought and custom, adopted by Christianity and passed down through the centuries, disseminated as truth.
Fervid predilection for the instilled fabled beliefs leads to a defensive stance of the false teachings, misusing the Bible to defend them. The acceptance of these erroneous philosophies is so ingrained in Christian culture, education, and mindset that many justify their belief to the point of rejection of truth.
What Hell Means
In the Old Testament the word Hell (sheol) is translated from a Hebrew word שְׁאֹל שְׁאוֹל meaning "a pit, the grave, place of the dead". And in the New Testament the English word Hell, translated from Greek, has three different definitions coming from three different Greek words.
1- Hell (hades), from Greek (ᾅδης) meaning "the grave, place of the dead".
2- Hell (tartaroō), from Greek (ταρταρόω) meaning "a place of burning".
3- Hell (Gehenna), from Greek (γέεννα) meaning "Valley of Hinnom", which was a garbage dump, and prior to that was a place of idolatry where children were sacrificed to false gods. It too was a place of burning.
So, according to the Bible "Hell" is "the grave" and "a place of burning".
Hell the Grave
"All go to one place, all are from the dust, and all return to dust." Ecclesiastes3:20.
After death we go to the grave, and there we remain until Jesus returns and resurrects us from the grave.
"...the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth, those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation." John5:28,29.
Hell A Place Of Burning
"the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars will have their part in the Lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death." Revelation21:8.
The Lake of Fire is Hell, a place of burning. The Bible also calls the Lake of Fire the second death (Re20:14;21:8). The Lord will destroy the wicked, and all evil in the Lake of Fire.
"the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up." 2Peter3:10.
Not Burning Eternally
"behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, and all the proud, yes, all who do wickedly will be stubble. And the day that is coming will burn them up, says the Lord of hosts, it will leave them neither root nor branch." Malachi 4:1.
The wicked will burn up; they will be destroyed in the Lake of Fire. The wicked will not burn eternally.
The Lake of Fire Goes Out
Hell, the Lake of Fire, will go out; it does not burn forever. The Bible says that the wicked will be burned up, and become as stubble (Mal4:1).
"the wicked will perish; the enemies of the Lord, like the splendor of the meadows, will vanish; into smoke they will vanish away." Psalm37:20.
Purpose of the Lake of Fire
Sin destroys, and satan is the Destroyer. The reason for the Lake of Fire is to rid the universe of the vile forever. This is the whole purpose of the Lake of Fire (Hell). God is going to destroy all evil.
God is a loving God, and as a loving God He will end all wickedness; but He does not burn people forever and ever.
Forever and Ever
The phrase forever and ever is an expression. The prophets Samuel and Jonah are examples of this.
As a child, Samuel was given to the Lord's service forever (1Sam1:21-28). However, he is no longer alive. So what does this mean? The Bible explains itself. Second Samuel, chapter one, verse twenty-eight tells us that for as long as he lived he was lent to the Lord. Thus, the meaning of forever is for as long as Samuel lived.
The prophet Jonah declared he was closed in by the waters forever (Jon2:3-6); yet, he was not in the water forever, for after he was cast into the sea he was swallowed up by a whale, and three days later returned to dry land (Jon2:10). Jonah was not in the deep forever; but that is how it felt. Forever is an expression of Jonah's feelings.
Forever and ever is an expression.
Fire Never Quenched and Worm Does Not Die
In demonstrating the eternal consequence of those who do wickedly, Jesus said it is better to enter life maimed than to go into Hell where worm does not die and the fire will not be quenched (Mk9:43,44).
The word Hell comes from a Greek word γέεννα that translates Valley of Hinnom. And the word "quenched" is from a Greek word ἄσβεστος meaning "not extinguished".
The Valley of Hinnom was a city dump outside Jerusalem where there was a constant influx of refuse. The phrase "where worm does not die" is referring to the city dump in the Valley of Hinnom. Where there is waste there are worms. A continual inflow of garbage brings recurrent worm breeding. "Where worm does not die" is an expression.
The fire that will never be quenched is the Lake of Fire. No one is going to put the Lake of Fire out. Jesus did not say the fire will never go out, He said the fire will not be quenched, not extinguished. There is a difference.
No one is going to put the fire out. Twice Jesus states the fire is not going to be put out. First He says it "will never be quenched", then He says it "will not be quenched" (Mk9:43,44). Twice stated is emphasis, assurance that the wicked and satan will be destroyed, no one is going to interfere and halt their final destruction.
Vengeance of Eternal Fire
In the Bible, the book of Jude says Sodom and Gomorrah suffered "the vengeance of eternal fire" (Jude1:7). These cities are not still burning. What does it mean? Second Peter clarifies. Sodom and Gomorrah, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire turned into ashes (2Pe2:6).
The "vengeance of eternal fire" is an expression that speaks to the results of wickedness. It signifies all who live ungodly will suffer the fate of Sodom and Gomorrah, which turned into ashes. Eternal fire means eternal in consequence; the result is eternal, not the fire.
Fire dies and goes out when there is nothing to fuel it. Eternal fire does not mean burning for eternity; rather, the results of the fire are eternal. Eternal fire is not an eternally burning fire; but the consequence of the fire is eternal.
Eternal Consequence
The consequence of Hell is eternal loss. God does not burn people for-ever; the Bible does not teach this, ill-informed and unlearned people do.
Carelessly, fables are incorporated in Biblical interpretation and deemed truth. We need to be cautious about what we accept as truth. Remember, it was one lie that brought sin, suffering, and death into our world. Prudence is our necessity.
Study
Breezing through God's Word does not yield understanding. Taking time, paying close attention, and reading thoroughly are essential. Studying the Bible, in its entirety, from beginning to end, repeatedly, is vital.
A deep, personal knowledge of Scripture is crucial; this cannot be overstated. We need to set our minds on learning and comprehending the Bible, now more than ever.
Carefulness about how we read and perceive things is requisite.
Everything in Holy Writ is understood in the context of the totality of God's Word. Read and study. Pray. Dig in. Be patient. It takes time, diligence, and consistence.
Good News
In the Lake of Fire God will destroy all evil; but His process is not burning people forever and ever. This is an idea of human invention, born out of pagan myth, and the unwillingness of people to learn about what God actually says.
For those who desire to live righteously, Christ walks with them, strengthening and teaching them in the good way. Their fate is eternal life. For those who prefer ungodliness, their destiny is everlasting loss.
The good news is that Jesus came to save us from eternal extinction. We do not have to suffer the eternal second death. No one has to experience the Lake of Fire; we have a choice. We can seek Jesus, and His help in living an upright life, or we can choose to live in ungodliness. The choice is ours.
May you choose Jesus and His righteousness. May you, by faith, live in godliness through Christ our Savior.
"My child, give Me your heart, and let your eyes observe My ways."
Proverbs23:26.
Visit our How to Become a Christian page, and our Salvation page to learn about choosing a godly life. Contact us for help and further information; we are happy to help.
