Hell a doctrine... but what?

[TLP]

I need no convincing 'hell' is a theory pressed into the scripture by translators who either knowingly or unknowingly put it there.

But what about the locations or words behind the theory? 

Sheol, Gehenna, Hades, Tartaroo?

Seems whatever they may mean, it is not somewhere we'd want to be, even if some can't be avoided.  I have printed out the "What The Hell is Hell" biblical words behind 'hell', but has anyone looked further at the context of each example?

Just on a general reading, it seems sheol, while it can mean the grave, can also mean a state of spiritual being before physical death, a condition of misery in this life. For example, Isaiah 28:15, 18. 

Clearly, they cannot make a covenant (treaty) with death or hell as if making a covenant with literal persons. It sounds as if such has succumbed to the idea of oppression and being oppressed... they've come to terms with a lesser life, and because they have stopped faithing, they will be trodden down by it, but not destroyed.

I could be WAY off... not unusual for me, but my point is, other than listing verses, has anyone looked at each in its historical context?

[eaglesway]

Some thoughts...

I  personally think these words can refer metaphorically to things we may endure in life as chastisement for disobedience, but I also think they refer to "aionian kolassis" (correction in the next life) for the stubbornly wicked and for hypocrites(believers who have no practical expression of love..."I was thirsty and you gave me no drink")

For instance, Jesus spoke "And now the axe is laid to the root of the trees" and "If anyone does not abide in me they will be withered and cut off and gathered up by men and thrown into the fire".

These things speak to that which God consumes because it no longer serves Him-

Gehenna was a garbage dump. Those who rebel against the Spirit of God can find themselves "gnashing their teeth" and "eaten by worms" in this life.

They may also find themselves experiencing "aionian pyr"(age-during fire) in the next, depending on the degree of their resistance.

According to the grace of God which was given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building on it. But each man must be careful how he builds on it. 11 For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if any man builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, 13 each man's work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man's work. 14 If any man's work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward. 15 If any man's work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire. 1 Cor 3

I think verses like these can refer to this life and the world to come. As the Pharisees and Saducees were cut down like trees and cast into the garbage to be burned(Gehenna).

I also think the image of Gehenna, which was in the valley of Topeth, where Joshua the reformer king burned the bones of the priests of Baal and their altars fits with the verses in 1 Cor 3 and the testing of the works of supposed "people of God" and I have seen many trees cut down, and have had my own works tested in the fire of the Day(before His face in His presence) and seen the garbage burnt up- and been saved through it.

I liken this also to the verse in Jude(6) and also in 2 Peter 2:4

And angels who did not keep their own domain, but abandoned their proper abode, He has kept in eternal(aidos) bonds under darkness for the judgment of the great day

For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell(Tartarus), putting them in chains of darkness to be held for judgment;

They left their "proper abode"(archen- beginning, domain, rule) which is similar to not abiding within one's humble service in the body and seeking to rise in ambition....

Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. 2And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.
      3For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith. 4For just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function, 5so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.

Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. 15 This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic. 16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing. 17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy. 18 And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. James 3

Sheol, the grave is the abode of the dead between life in this world and life in the next, but it is also(imo) symbolic of those who are "dead while they live", living in "the grave"

"Awake O sleeper and arise from the dead, and the light of Christ will shine on you" was written in Romans as an exhortation to believers. To be conformed to this world while pledged to Christ is as living in the grave....Jesus called the Pharisees "open graves in the night".

[rosered]

Oh I was not going to post anything ,
  TLP , you have brought up  some excellent points and John has  shared his   great thoughts on them too.
  I  thought I would   just share some of the thoughts that have comforted me  personally   and how some of our own   understanding has changed  in our  minds eye .When the truth does set us free ..

For me  this is the same   world  that   is  on fire /in judgment  , as Sodom and Gomorrah , as the scriptures compare  , If God had not left us a seed/ descendants /remnant     as God deals with His people  directly , though the SPIRIT OF LIFE  .

Romans 9 The Calling of the Gentiles
...28For the Lord will carry out His sentence on the earth with thoroughness and decisiveness."

29It is just as Isaiah predicted: "Unless the Lord of Hosts had left us descendants, we would have become like Sodom, we would have resembled Gomorrah."

30What then will we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith;...


Faith , Hope and Love , We sure do know by now that  faith comes from God , When   Jesus asked  Peter   who do you say I am ?    and Peter spoke and said  , YOU are the son of  GOD .   JESUS give   credit where credit was due , saying flesh and blood did not  reveal / open this  understanding  for you Peter but MY FATHER  DID  THIS for you ..

My  own emphasis   knowing that     everyone   anyone ,  throughout all time  was under the law  of sin and death    , even Peter before   GOD  gave Peter this grace   and none of us are any different  or better off   as to being under the law of sin and death [in Adam all die, no flesh and blood inherit the kingdom of God  ] , God is fair .
 

I have considered that  the old heavens and earth    and Jesus come to fulfill  the laws requirements  , by His death being the perfect sacrifice   and  no need for   any of these sacrifices   of death  and bloodshed  ,  but obedience was    the new requirement  and the law of Love   being that    perfect bond of completeness   in Christ  and being the grace of God    by HIS WORD OF LIFE AND SPIRIT OF LIFE  [THIS  NAME  BEING , THE SON OF GOD  , JESUS CHRIST ]  ..

  The cross was the open showing of  the  perfect act of LOVE , being forgiveness,  GRACE ,  NOT HOLDING ANYTHING AGAINST ANYONE  EVER OR KEEPING A RECORD , once for  all time and Jesus saying  on the cross , it is finished  , now Him being the Lord and Master  of the dead and the living  to raise the dead to LIFE  AGAIN ,    Him and Him only  .... GODS WORD SAYS  , I have given all judgement to the SON and Jesus condemns/judges   no man , because it is condemned/judged  already  ,  never allowed to enter the Kingdom , But only though HIM , being the WORD OF LIFE BY THE SPIRIT OF LIFE /GOD HIMSELF
and nothing was ever created    that was NOT created by HIS WORD  and Spirit OF LIFE   John 1 ...2He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through Him all things were made, and without Him nothing was made that has been made.   4In Him was life, and that life was the light of men....


LIGHT consumes the darkness   and darkness cannot exit in HIS PRESENCE    the HOLY SPIRIT AND FIRE   are the  LOVE OF GOD expressed  consuming   the  darkness    that evil and bad  dwell in ...

  GOD WILL BE ALL IN ALL   

I recall walking out the back door one beautiful morning years ago  and Praising God  saying you have even made   hell  /this world / mortal life   beautiful , but only if  God,  if  you give us eyes to see it  and a heart to know  it   by your OWN WORD AND SPIRIT ....


If I make my bed in hell  you are there  Psalms  139 7Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? 8If I ascend to heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there. 9If I take the wings of the dawn, If I dwell in the remotest part of the sea,...


Wings of the dawn is the Light of Christ  in men[mind of Christ  , the New  DAY ]   and the sea is the dead  of all men gathering together  in thoughts and mind sets of the things of this world and its vanities   of darkness and gloom and  death and loss   , the temporal  state of being   , mind of man ,this old heavens and earth / World ,,,   Jesus  told them many times   when  giving love and life  ''tell no man ''  , the man of sin stumbles  fails  , falters  over the Word of God  / Jesus Christ /GODS GRACE .  forgiveness of sin.  desiring to ''hold them in death ''   the SPIRIT OF BABYLON    of human pride of this life ,   God has   also  made  a way to judge the     living and the dead  though the   bowls of His wrath on those children of disobedience   , Revelation of Jesus Christ / WORD OF GOD  is all about the destruction of Babylon for  the complete end .

Job 26:6
"Naked is Sheol before Him, And Abaddon has no covering.

Psalm 139:9
If I take the wings of the dawn, If I dwell in the remotest part of the sea,

Proverbs 15:11
Sheol and Abaddon lie open before the LORD, How much more the hearts of men!

Jeremiah 51:53
"Though Babylon should ascend to the heavens, And though she should fortify her lofty stronghold, From Me destroyers will come to her," declares the LORD.

Ezekiel 32:25
"They have made a bed for her among the slain with all her hordes.

Her graves are around it, they are all uncircumcised, slain by the sword (although their terror was instilled in the land of the living), and they bore their disgrace with those who go down to the pit; they were put in the midst of the slain.

Amos 9:2
"Though they dig into Sheol, From there will My hand take them; And though they ascend to heaven, From there will I bring them down.


I agree ,   Judgment begins in the House of GOD  and as we judge was also are being judged   [by the WORD OF GOD  working in you, life and death  , all things are yours  ]    , Mercy is   saving grace   in the here and now ..

The reward of obedience, to me ,  is peace and joy and the Holy Spirit now   and KNOWING GODS LOVE for all mankind and   knowing   that His love never fails .

[darryl]

sheol in the OT seems to be a gloomy place..ikn the OT theres no apparent mention of torment/ torture in there, that I can find ...is hades the NT equivalent of sheol ?..if so, maybe there is a form of torment there cos of luke 16, the Rich man parable, where Jesus says he's in torment..I'm really not sure..is Luke 16 meant to be taken as a definite teaching bout life after death ?..anyway, sheol/ hades is temporal, so even if there's ( corrective ) suffering there it is not eternal.

[eaglesway]

sheol in the OT seems to be a gloomy place..ikn the OT theres no apparent mention of torment/ torture in there, that I can find ...is hades the NT equivalent of sheol ?..if so, maybe there is a form of torment there cos of luke 16, the Rich man parable, where Jesus says he's in torment..I'm really not sure..is Luke 16 meant to be taken as a definite teaching bout life after death ?..anyway, sheol/ hades is temporal, so even if there's ( corrective ) suffering there it is not eternal.

Personally I dont think Hades is the equivalent of Sheol. Hades was the Greek realm of the dead ruled by their mythical god of the underworld, Hades. Greek translators made a "grave error" ;o) translating sheol into Hades because it changed the perception ot the thought out of the mind of God through the prophets. They should have stayed with the Hebrew proper name or used "the grave".

Hades wasntt so much a place of torment either, it was a gloomy depresssing prison.

Sheol is just the grave. It is representative of the state of the dead, the details of which engenders much debate. It is not clear. It is "unknown"- which is the meaning of the word sheol. There are traditions among the rabbi's  and some Christian's that their are two or more chambers in Sheol, one for the good and one for the evil, but to me thats all conjecture.

[marie glen]

Amen! :thumbsup:

--------------

I believe much of the "death" mentioned in the Bible is metaphor.. With, I think, it's main description being Ecclesiastes 9:10? Or is it 10:9.. Which says there's no thought or device/doing in Sheol.

Jacob, or was it Job, prayed "oh that you would hide me in Sheol".. And there's another verse, "all meet in Sheol"..

Gehenna, I'm sure someone has mentioned was the city dump where even the bodies of criminals were burned.. So it was kept burning. Better one throw their hand to it, than they offend one of the little ones and their whole body be cast there.

I found out recently when researching, that the Hebrews/Jewish folks built up some myths which many and much of is in the Talmud, and one of the things which got built upon was Gehenna, becoming more than it was.. Namely a sort of 'hell'. These Talmud (pagan really) myths I think add to the problem/confusion.

Which myths I think is why Jesus told the parable of the rich man and Lazarus.. But which parable/metaphor I think more closely describes a judgment age, rather than an afterlife. It's funny how the myths place folks in 'hell'/torments right after their death, long before judgment. Also seems kind of disorganized to me, if folks are here or there after death, before the great day of judgment..

And if God chooses who will believe and who won't, and faith is a gift from Him.. Why should anyone be tormented for not believing? Our Father's the one who designed things just as he has.. endowed thinking ability, thus choice. Surely He knows all which would come about.

And has designed things so all will come to believe and be born again and one day "put on immortality" (and incorruptibility). :dsunny:

He baptizes us with fire. And in that way he separates ones chaff/dross from the wheat.

I also learned an afterlife, or death as another form of life, to the pagan religions and ideas were gloomy places, usually underground. But I've never seen that in the Old Testament.

Hades, literally means "place of the dead". That, as mentioned, was the Greek belief (pagan) that it was a place. And I agree a bad choice of word. And I lean toward thinking the place of the dead is still the grave.

There's the verse which says Jesus went to the lower part of the earth, which I think also was the dust of the grave (where Jesus said He would be for 3 days and nights).

Also the verse in 1 Peter(?) which reads as though Jesus went to 'hell' and preached to the ones who perished in the flood, I find that pretty strange.. How about all others supposedly there? I think it likely means Jesus via the Spirit preached to them "while the ark was being prepared" - it's 1 Peter 3:20, which the word "prison" in verse 19 is this word - http://studybible.info/strongs/G5438

Also Tartarus which in Greek mythology was a place, but in scripture I would tend to think is metaphor for chains of darkness.. Since the Angels left their first place, being now (very) imperfect, they were/are locked into judgment, not being able to reverse their course.

Here's one more.. In the book of Revelation, in chapter 6, the fifth seal mentions those under the altar saying "when O God will you judge, and avenge our blood.." etc. But I have a hard time thinking this is literal and they are more or less imprisoned under the altar for millennia.. I think more likely it too is metaphor.. Like the blood of Abel which "cried out to God from the Earth".

:Peace2: :gsmile:

P.S - this verse about wheat and tares - Matthew 13:30- "Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, "First gather together the tares" [to Armageddon?] "and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn." {"Immediately after the tribulation of those days.. will send out His angels to gather His elect.." Mt 24:28-31.

[Ross]

Personally I dont think Hades is the equivalent of Sheol. Hades was the Greek realm of the dead ruled by their mythical god of the underworld, Hades. Greek translators made a "grave error" ;o) translating sheol into Hades because it changed the perception ot the thought out of the mind of God through the prophets. They should have stayed with the Hebrew proper name or used "the grave".

Hades wasntt so much a place of torment either, it was a gloomy depresssing prison.

Sheol is just the grave. It is representative of the state of the dead, the details of which engenders much debate. It is not clear. It is "unknown"- which is the meaning of the word sheol. There are traditions among the rabbi's  and some Christian's that their are two or more chambers in Sheol, one for the good and one for the evil, but to me thats all conjecture.

Indeed the Greeks added much to the variations about eternity; them and the Romans and the Egyptians are major influences in the discussions about the " Afterlife".
Much of this is based on their philosophers teachings which are claimed to be through their divine calling and experiences.
Considering the bible points out that angels interact with people seems to point to the basis for these beliefs.
What ever they call this place in their beliefs seems to be related to their understanding of judgment.

Also seems the key point they make relies on immortality. Because of this immortality they have to find punishments to correct lives and establish boundaries. The need to earn the level in the afterlife, which will be literally further up the ranks, places much pressure on the individual.
Egyptian pharaohs  took their treasures and their people into the tomb with them so that they were prepared for the new life.
Even the wars done today by the ISIS are based on their treasures to come in the afterlife.

We call the afterlife the resurrection.
KEY difference is what Christ has done exceeding our attempts to explain and justify ourselves.

[TLP]

Remember, I'm new here. You all are posting so much so fast, I'm not able to keep up. 

Small gentle advice...

Do you remember what it was like when you learned eternal didn't mean eternal and how much that gave you to review and seek to see anew again?

Baby steps please?  I'm not stupid, but I'm not quite at running stage yet. Kind of that toddling wall banging stage.

[Ross]

I apologise.
There is indeed much to learn.
From experience, I tried, even still try, to learn as quickly as possible.
The key point, for me, that comes to mind is that our Father and Christ will reveal things to you as you grow; and they will present for you the information in the most exact manner. Just as a father nurtures a child, so does He for us.
For me, all the essence of the word is the love of our Father being displayed through Christ for us.
Looking into Paul's writings seems to be the greatest pertinent information for us as gentiles being melded together with the Jews in  a promise for life to come being part of a plan to teach mankind what true love is all about.
Love covers a multitude of sins.
Perfect love casts out all fears.
Love grows through sharing experiences.
Paul highlights this in his writings. He explains the difference between law and grace.
One interesting observation, for me, is that he never talks about hell. If this was a major issue he would talk about it.
Feel free to raise specific questions. Hopefully we will indeed nurture correctly.

[rosered]

 
  Oh dear ....   
  So sorry Tracy   for  considering   HELL as the main stream  mindsets  of most  of Christianity , most have a grotesque  image in their minds eye of perception , they little about it , but  are trying to avoid it  at all cost .

I know that James hits on  HELL   more so than most  , Jesus Speaks of it also   and  those "studies "   helped most of us here  ..

Knowing the   tongue   is what sets the course of Hell / a fire that is destructive in nature ...    Many  mainstream   Christians  can only comprehend    this  HELL  as being LITERAL    and  see it as a future thing  , not a present condition   at all   But James   says it pretty  plainly it is  our tongue that no man can tame , and it is the unruly "  little member"  that defiles the WHOLE BODY ...

James  1 Good and Perfect Gifts
...16Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. 17Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, with whom there is no change or shifting shadow. 18He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we would be a kind of firstfruits of His creation....

I have considered James  wayyyy back than realizing   he was a firstfruit of Christ new   "heavens and earth"   and a witness  , a cloud with rain ,,   water of the Word   that pours out of his vessel/body    the waters of life freely , that  would " put the fires of hell out " 

   For me Gehenna    they call Hell  in scriptures is  " chastening judgment  "     What good does it to say all these things  and speak great WORDS OF LIFE  and never experience the   sufferings of Christ being the    WORD OF GOD made flesh and the world hating you for  it ?  The same following Him and the   taking up your cross ,  death in the world and to the world  ,  but Life  in God , by  Holy Spirit and walking in it ..

The old expression , "If you cannot take the heat  ", Get out of the kitchen ." 

  For me,  this does test our  faith as more precious than gold   and our hearts being made white   though purification of fiery trials of faith  , in just how sincere we truly are    ..As being the WORD OF GOD / WORD OF LIFE / JESUS CHRIST   /our Standard , the Touchstone ,     tester of purity in   us and what we are made of or changed though the testing  process ..touch·stone
ˈtəCHˌstōn/
noun
a piece of fine-grained dark schist or jasper formerly used for testing alloys of gold by observing the color of the mark that they made on it.
a standard or criterion by which something is judged or recognized.
"they tend to regard grammar as the touchstone of all language performance"
synonyms:   criterion, standard, yardstick, benchmark, barometer, bellwether, litmus test

James  says  the tongue is an unruly  member James 3 Taming the Tongue  5In the same way, the tongue is a small part of the body,

but it boasts of great things. Consider how small a spark sets a great forest on fire.

6The tongue also is a fire, a world of wickedness among the parts of the body. It pollutes the whole person, sets the course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.
...7All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, 8 but no man can tame the tongue.

It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. 9With the tongue we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness....


Wow !!! we all are spewing "  DEADLY POISON "  out of our mouths  ?
And until    the Love of Christ constrains us    , we would continue    that course of hell /  gehenna    fire in judging and being judged by the words   contrary   to   GODS WORD OF LIFE ...  Love peace  , joy in  the  Spirit of Truth ..

We have the watery grave   this hell to me is the dead sea     Rev 20  The Final Judgment
...12And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne. And there were open books, and one of them was the book of life.

And the dead were judged according to their deeds, as recorded in the books.

13The sea gave up its dead, and Death and Hades gave up their dead, and each one was judged according to his deeds.

14 Then Death and Hades/hell were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death—the lake of fire....

  This is a very interesting piece    in Rev 20  ,   that has many interpretations     
And am just now beginning   to apply it to the other scriptures and let the scriptures interpret the scriptures and Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.   But   only as   Jesus Christ the Lamb of God opens the seals    for us all ...

  I have considered  that  it is appointed to  man to die once and than the judgment   ..Hebrews 9 Redemption through His Blood
...26Otherwise, He would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world.

But now He has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of Himself.

27Just as man is appointed to die once, and after that to face judgment,

28so also Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many; and He will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who eagerly await Him....

That can mean those whom die in the Lord  and by faith are saved by the gift of grace  or those whom die in their  sins/ errors    , Just exactly as Jesus Christ  explained   it   to those still under the law of sin and death  and yet had no need for Jesus Christ saving grace of the Father   by His own sacrifice    have rejected     GODS PERFECT GIFT     , James 1

I love the simplicity in Christ and can only learn though  direct and simple  meanings ..  I see the Jordan  river as the baptism   of death  ,  we are  following Jesus to Galilee  , the place to meet teaming with new Life and  way of peace    , just as he told them and us whom listen to "meet him in Galilee "    or we are carried out into the dead sea   [no life ]  and wait upon judgment  of the dead  , to be purified and raised from the dead  to Life again  in and by and though and for Jesus Christ

I hope this does help you as it has me   and am still learning and consider   so many things very "symbolic "  in meaning ..Galilee  the circuit  noun
1.
a roughly circular line, route, or movement that starts and finishes at the same place.

synonyms:   lap, turn, round, circle
"two circuits of the course"
2.
an established itinerary of events or venues used for a particular activity, typically involving public performance.

verb
1.
move all the way around (a place or thing).
"the trains will follow the northern line, circuiting the capital"is upper and lower

Matthew 26:32
But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee."

Matthew 28:7
Then go quickly and tell His disciples, 'He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see Him.' See, I have told you."

Matthew 28:10
"Do not be afraid," said Jesus. "Go, tell My brothers to go to Galilee. There they will see Me."

Mark 14:28
But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee."

Mark 15:41
These women had followed Jesus and ministered to Him while He was in Galilee, and there were many other women who had come up to Jerusalem with Him.

Mark 16:7
But go, tell His disciples and Peter, 'He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see Him, just as He told you.'"


and Acts 1...10They were looking intently into the sky as He was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. 11"Men of Galilee, they said, "Why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen Him go into heaven." 12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives, which is near the city, a Sabbath day's journey away....

Acts   2

5 Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven staying in Jerusalem. 6 At this sound, they gathered in a large crowd, but they were confused because each one heard them speaking in his own language. 7 They were astounded, and in amazement they asked, "Are not all these people who are speaking Galileans? 8 Then how does each of us hear them in his own native language?


  the Jordan  empties out into  upper Galilee [LIFE ] or the lower  dead sea  [DEATH]  This also may help some , it not that easy to learn  it all  at once it does come though  study and experiences  of Gods Word and Spirit teaching us   His truth ... 

  God bless  :HeartThrob:

The Sea of Galilee & The Dead Sea     .  I  found this as helpful  also .......
June 24, 2013 at 1:38am

As you probably recall, the Dead Sea is really a Lake, not a sea. Its so high in salt content that the human body can float easily. You can almost lie down and read a book! The salt in the Dead Sea is as high as 35% – almost 10 times the normal ocean water. And all that saltiness has meant that there is no life at all in the Dead Sea. No fish. No vegetation. No sea animals. Nothing lives in the Dead sea. And hence the name: Dead Sea.


Dead Sea Turns out that the Sea of Galilee is just north of the Dead Sea. Both the Sea of Galilee and the Dead Sea receive their water from river Jordan. And yet, they are very, very different. Unlike the Dead Sea, the Sea of Galilee is pretty, resplendent with rich, colorful marine life There are lots of plants. And lots of fish too. In fact, the sea of Galilee is home to over thirty different types of fishes.



Same region, same source of water, and yet while one sea is full of life, the other is dead. How come?

Here's apparently why. The River Jordan flows into the Sea of Galilee and then flows out. The water simply passes through the Sea of Galilee in and then out – and that keeps the Sea healthy and vibrant, teeming with marine life.

But the Dead Sea is so far below the mean sea level, that it has no outlet. The water flows in from the river Jordan, but does not flow out. There are no outlet streams. It is estimated that over 7 million tons of water evaporate from the Dead Sea every day. Leaving it salty. Too full of minerals. And unfit for any marine life.

The Dead Sea takes water from the River Jordan, and holds it. It does not give. Result? No life at all.

Think about it.

Life is not just about getting. Its about giving. We all need to be a bit like the Sea of Galilee.

We are fortunate to get wealth, knowledge, love and respect. But if we don't learn to give, we could all end up like the Dead Sea. The love and the respect, the wealth and the knowledge could all evaporate. Like the water in the Dead Sea.

Sea of Galilee , If we get the Dead Sea mentality of merely taking in more water, more money, more everything the results can be disastrous.

Good idea to make sure that in the sea of your own life, you have outlets. Many outlets. For love and wealth – and everything else that you get in your life. Make sure you don't just get, you give too.


I believe it is as sharing what God has freely given  you ,     the waters of Life freely   to as many as you are able 7As you go, SHARE  this message: 'The kingdom of heaven is near.' 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.... :friendstu:

[marie glen]

Amen, Ross, I finally was able to connect the dots of the hell myth from Babylon and especially Egypt and Greece, Rome,etc.

And Amen Tracy, I know I for instance, try to address all the (supposed) hell verses at once, lest i miss any and someone is left with "but what about this verse?" ...I being slightly neurotic compulsive (or would that be paranoid?) :laughing7:
   :Peace2: :girlheart:

[marie glen]

Sister Rose,  :HeartThrob: very interesting about the Dead Sea and the 'Sea' of Galilee.. Ultimately perhaps the Dead Sea is a type of the lake of fire. A stewing in ones own psyche w/o the Lord. Just a sorta/kind of.. a passing thought..

And the touch stone.. When stress comes how do I react? Um, I have a way to go before I pass those tests with flying colors! Interesting about the touch stone..
  :gsmile:

[rosered]

Sister Rose,  :HeartThrob: very interesting about the Dead Sea and the 'Sea' of Galilee.. Ultimately perhaps the Dead Sea is a type of the lake of fire. A stewing in ones own psyche w/o the Lord. Just a sorta/kind of.. a passing thought..

And the touch stone.. When stress comes how do I react? Um, I have a way to go before I pass those tests with flying colors! Interesting about the touch stone..
  :gsmile:

Thanks Sister Marie !!!    I always  love your comments , I   do not always say so , but you have been a wonderful  witness  in the Lord Jesus  :HeartThrob:


Salt preserves ,  I do believe life and death are ours  , Knowing Jesus Christ is the Son of Man and the Son of God     for both the living and the dead ..

  There is  so much on the salt  covenant     , I just wonder     how many ''different '' meanings  we can perceive   from those studies ..

Mark 9 42 "Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea.

43 And if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than with two hands to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire.

45 And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame than with two feet to be thrown into Gehenna .Strong's G1067 - geenna
γέεννα
Transliteration
geenna
Pronunciation
ge'-en-nä (Key)

Part of Speech
feminine noun
Root Word (Etymology)
Of Hebrew origin גַּיְא (H1516) and הִנֹּם (H2011)
TDNT Reference
1:657,113
Vines
View Entry
Outline of Biblical Usage
Hell is the place of the future punishment called "Gehenna" or "Gehenna of fire". This was originally the valley of Hinnom, south of Jerusalem, where the filth and dead animals of the city were cast out and burned; a fit symbol of the wicked and their future destruction.



47 And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into Gehenna , 48 'where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.'

49 For everyone will be salted with fire.

50 Salt is good, but if the salt has lost its saltiness, how will you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another."

[marie glen]

 :thumbsup: :gsmile: