What was the purpose of hell/Sheol for?
"Sheol" is the Hebrew word for the common grave.....it wasn't made by God, but the need for a place to bury the dead was brought about by Adam's sin. In Eden there was no natural cause of death, and hence no need for a place called sheol. Mankind had the opportunity to live forever on earth, but sin introduced death and death made sheol a place to lay them to rest.
As you know, "hades" is the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew word "sheol" and means the same thing. The Greeks however had belief in an immortal soul and "hades" came to represent a horrible place where the wicked are tortured forever in flames....this is NOT a Bible teaching.
The dead "sleep"....like Jesus said of Lazarus.....(John 11:11-14; 1 Thessalonians 4:13; 2 Peter 3:4)
The Bible uses this expression "fell asleep" to describe natural sleep as well as death....
G2837 - koimaō - Strong's Greek Lexicon (nasb20)
God has no reason to torture anyone. In Israel's law, the highest penalty for any crime, was death. Once a person had died his sins were erased because his death had paid for them. (Romans 6:7) Jesus died so that all might live...even the dead, by them being restored to life.
The thought of burning his children alive was repugnant to God. (Jeremiah 7:31)
Why was it something that was created by God? It is a biblical tenant that is taught in the Bible. From the definition: Hades/Sheol mean Covered place where departed soul go to.
Yes, sheol/hades is a place to cover the dead.....the grave where we all go eventually.
The point is....what is a departed soul? A soul in the Bible is a breather.....a living creature. All air breathers are called "souls" in the Bible. But souls die....they are not immortal. (Ezekiel 18:4)
So, contrary to popular belief, there is no immortal soul to go anywhere at death.....they sleep peacefully in sheol, awaiting their resurrection...this is what the ancient Jews believed.....and what Jesus taught his followers to believe. Lazarus; sister Martha knew about the resurrection. (John 11:20-24) He promised to raise the dead by calling them from their graves....like he did with Lazarus. (John 5:28-29; John 11:11-14)
Souls are not conscious after death. (Ecclesiastes 9:10)
Hell is refereed to a psychical representative of the valley of hinnon, which people would come from out of Jerusalem to put their trash into, along with sometimes people where thrown in there to be killed.
Actually, nothing alive was ever thrown into Gehenna. Only dead carcasses of animals or the the bodies of executed criminals were cast into the flames for disposal with the rest of the garbage. These humans were not considered worthy of a decent burial and hence would not be remembered by God.
So Jesus' reference to Gehenna was indicating that these ones would not receive a resurrection...the eternal punishment of everlasting death awaits the wicked...not everlasting torture. Only the righteous are promised everlasting life....and those souls who go to Gehenna have to be alive in order to suffer. But Jesus said that those in Gehenna are "destroyed" not tortured. (Matthew 10:28)
With all this what are your thoughts on the question? What as the purpose for Hell/Sheol/Hades?
There is no "hell/sheol/hades as Christendom portrays them...it is simply a place where the dead are buried. No one is conscious after death. (Ecclesiastes 9:5, 10)
Side questions: do you believe Jesus has had victory over these things now? Or are you waiting for him to have victory and fix these things?
Is there still wickedness in the world....is there still sin and death...then Jesus has not fixed these things yet...but he will with the establishment of God's Kingdom....a time when God's will can "be done on earth as it is in heaven". (Matthew 6:9-10)
Please scripture references would be good to share, and I do not care if someone had the same type of response: if you desire to participate feel free too.
I know that there is a lot that does not make sense to a lot of people.....but the Bible tells one story from beginning to end.....you just have to know what it says, rather than the spin put on it by people who try to make it say what it never did.
Isaiah 55:11 indicates that what God starts, he always finishes.....so what did he start...?
