Same or not?

[micah7:9]

I have a curiosity, are these two verses speaking of the same place?
This is a question that grew for me from the post "Job Chapter 10 Hell?"
Where marie glen posted she was convinced.
Just asking right now.

Eph 4:9  and that, he went up, what is it except that he also went down first to the lower parts of the earth?
Mat_12:40  For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

[Searching_For_The_Truth]

I think those are also references to Sheol (or the grave)

[lastpost]

Often, I see both a literal application and also a spiritual application, which to me is very much like the shadow before the fulfilment, in a manner. But I only offer my point of view because it is not my place to disagree with serious, honest, earnest triers.

I believe that Yeshua's way was (is) to transform and not to annihilate, therefore He used the same expressions as He found around Him, so that those who listened to Him could gain something of His meaning. For example, He might have spoken of the 'heart of the Earth' but He also spoke of never dying (or never seeing death) - to me this is the gentle change required to prevent total rejection of what is being heard.

I also see, for instance, a material aspect to the Revelation record, which was applicable in areas to that era, and also a spiritual aspect which means that I do not count given earthly times as literal but symbolic. I say this because I am not tying the following to earthly time...

In short, my understanding of these passages...

Eph 4:9  "...and that, he went up, what is it except that he also went down first to the lower parts of the earth?"

Mat_12:40  "For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth."

...is that they refer to kolasis aionion, into which the unspiritual and wicked soul departs from the physical body at individual physical death in an un-redeemed state. That is my opinion which differs from most with a more traditional and literal application, so I apologise if it causes any ill feeling of any sort.

Considering this context, in my opinion this then would be further expanded with the following...

1 Peter 3:18-20:

"...put to death in the flesh but caused to live in the spirit in which also he pursued the journey to proclaim the gospel to spirits in the place where captives are kept who in time past refused belief and obedience when at one time the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah" (1 Peter 3:18-20)

thanatoo: to put to death
sarx: flesh, the flesh, denotes mere human nature
de: but
zoopoieo: to produce alive, to cause to live, make alive, quickening as respects the spirit
pneuma: the spirit, vital principal which animates the body, a life giving spirit, a human soul that has left the body, God's power and agency distinguishable in thought from his essence
en: in, by, with
hos: who, which, what
kai: and, also
poreuomai: to lead over, carry over, transfer, traverse, travel, pursue or continue the journey one has entered
kerusso: to be a herald, to publish, proclaim openly, proclamation of the gospel
phulake: a watching, place where captives are kept, a prison
pote: in time past
apeitheo: refuse belief and obedience
hote: when
hapax: one time
makrothumia: patience, forbearance, longsuffering
theos: God, of God
ekdechomai: to look for, wait for, await
hemera: the day(s)
Noe: Noah

Furthermore, when 1 Peter 4:6, is applied in the same context, it shows to me that the post mortem visit by Christ enables those who hear Him to move from kolasis aionion into zoe aionion (aionial life) which is not for correction but for "living" in - and living involves movement too, movement forwards into evermore Christ-likeness...so, we could say, if we wanted to, that when all have passed from kolasis aionios into zoe aionion then that is when Christ hands everything over to the Father - it is finished. But LIFE continues!

"For this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit..." (1 Peter 4:6).

In my belief, while an unshakeable faith is essential, it is also essential to have a mind which is not closed, because that causes unnecessary difficulty when a person finds himself in God's World.

Oh Saviour, I need Thee every hour, for all life is Thy power.

PEACE

[eaglesway]

I think they all refer to Sheol, where both the wicked and the righteous await the great Day of God.

For all anyone knows these could be great chambers in the heart of the earth where souls float about at rest until awakened by the one who holds the keys to death and the grave- Jesus, who in my opinion can do whatever He wants whenever He wants since He took the keys and bound the strong man.

Interestingly enough the word Sheol doesn t occur in the chapter. Verse 19 is qeber...tomb or grave

verse 21, 22 shadow of darkness... salmawet -  same as Psalm 23, "though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death"

[micah7:9]

Perhaps. Yet I am caused to wonder. :dsunny:
Those of us who know that there is no eternal torment, we know that "hell" is the grave, pit, place of the unseen, are still quite in the glass darkly about the very words that Jesus spoke, for our instruction
Joh 6:63 the spirit it is that is giving life; the flesh doth not profit anything; the sayings that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life;
I do not have answers, wish I did, but Jesus dealt and spoke the "spirit" and I certainly am without, yet... I say unless and until we, and me, begin to consider.....spirit outside of our human, natural, carnal thinking, we remain outside.
I know that spirit is SUBSTANCE very unknown to me, but very real.