The Truth About Death

The Truth About Death C a n W e T a l k T o T h e W h a t H a p p e n s W h e n G r a v e E r r o r s A b o u t • • • • •

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The Truth About Death - By Steve Wohlberg Can We Talk to the Dead? “They See Dead People!” was the eerie title of a haunting article in the November 7, 2005 issue of People magazine. “What is it with the dearly departed?” wrote an unnamed author, “Seems they’re everywhere lately. Ghosts, ghouls and spirits are invading prime time (Medium, Ghost Whisperer, Supernatural) and buying second yachts for pop psychics like John Edward” [1]. Indeed. The idea of ‘talking to the dead’ has gone mainstream. So what is the truth about death? As reported by People, Hollywood has recently produced multiple TV series centered around the fascinating possibility of contacting or being influenced by those on the ‘other side.’ NBC’s Medium is a prime example about a woman who helps law officers solve crimes through supernatural assistance from the ‘disembodied.’ Released in January of 2005, Medium continues to garner rave reviews. In the spring of 2005, NBC aired Revelations, a supposedly biblical apocalyptic thriller with a storyline that included

the spirit of a dead girl mouthing messages through the placid lips of another comatose girl about the ‘End of Days.’ Not to be outdone by competition, CBS recently premiered Ghost Whisperer about Melinda Gordon, a woman able to “see and talk to dead people” [2]. Not only is Hollywood fictitiously bringing the dead to life, but also real-life mediums like John Edward, James Van Praagh, and Carla Mae are raking in non-fiction dollars by connecting with real spirits on TV. James Van Praagh is Co-Executive Producer of Ghost Whisperer. The CBS website promoting the new show contains a section called “The Spirit World According to James Van Praagh” which even shows pictures of “spooky visitors” right on the set [3]. Then there’s White Noise, a scary movie about a dead woman making contact with her grieving husband through “Electronic Voice Phenomenon” (EVP). EVP is the idea that the spirits of the dead can talk to the living by speaking directly through the ‘white noise’ or static of common electronic recording devices. Their words can be recorded and then played back. That’s what the movie describes. The most frightening thing is not the film, but the practice itself, which is actually promoted on the official White Noise web site as something people can really do [4]. There’s even an “American Association of Electronic Voice Phenomenon” now offering resources, support and conferences [5]. There has never been such promotion of ‘talking to the dead’ in all of history. Of course, the idea and practice has always been around, but it has usually been relegated to séances, Ouija boards, and isolated instances. Now Hollywood is behind it and books written by practicing mediums have become New York Times bestsellers. Losing a loved one is incredibly painful, and it’s natural to wish they were still here. It’s perfectly normal to long to hear their voice and feel their touch. But is trying to contact them advisable? Is this the best way to receive comfort? Make no mistake about it: real spirits do inhabit our atmosphere, and they often do claim to be the spirits of the dead. But are they really? Our family used to have a housekeeper named Mary who told us point blank that after her husband died his spirit visited her. “I saw him myself,” Mary reported. “His spirit walked right through the screen door into my bedroom and talked to me!” Was it really her husband? How can we know? Just because a spirit looks, talks, and acts like a dead person, is this proof it is really that person? Personally, I believe the Bible. Paul wrote, “We walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7). This means that no matter what our sight, senses, or feelings may tell us, we should trust God and His Word first and foremost. This is the true Christian position. So what about talking to the dead? Does the Bible say anything about it? Get ready for a shock: The Bible categorically forbids all communication with the spirits of dead people. In Deuteronomy 18:9-12, God lists various occult practices that His people should avoid like the bird flu. “When you come into the land,” God commanded, “you shall not learn to follow the abominations of those nations.” What abominations? Note carefully: “There shall not be found among you anyone… who conjures spells or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. For all who do these things are an abomination to the Lord” (verses 10 and 11, NKJV, italics added). Again God warned, “Give no regard to mediums and familiar spirits; do not seek after them, to be defiled by them: I am the Lord your God” (Leviticus 19:31, NKJV, italics added). These verses are clear. God forbids any involvement with “mediums” or “spiritists,” and He specifically forbids trying to contact the dead. NBC, CBS, James Van Praagh, John Edward, Carla Mae, the producers of White Noise, and countless others may promote it, but God plainly says, don’t do it!

Why not? Is God trying to prevent us from finding comfort, or receiving real guidance from deceased loved ones or the truth about death? No. His reason is simple. Mysterious non-physical entities may look like, talk like, and act like the dead, but according to a careful study of the Book of books – they are not the dead. Who are they then? Revelation lifts the veil by declaring, “For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty” (Revelation 16:14, KJV, italics added). Here the Bible warns that the tricky activity of “spirits of devils” will ‘go global’ right before the Day of the Lord. This is happening right now. God loves us and wants to protect us. He wants us to avoid having “fellowship with devils” (1 Corinthians 10:20, KJV). As noted earlier, Hollywood has recently released numerous movies and TV series featuring the living talking to the dead. Medium, Ghost Whisperer, White Noise, Sixth Sense, Supernatural, Revelations, and of course, Harry Potter, all depict communication with disembodied entities. Just a few days ago, as I sat on a United Flight from Chicago to L.A.X., a friendly looking commercial popped onto a large screen. An attractive blond woman stood cooking in the kitchen. These words appeared: “ 6:30 am, prepare breakfast for the family.” The scene changed, and then came “ 7:30 am, send the kids off to school.” After another scene change, then: “ 9:30 am, clean the house.” Finally, “ 11:00 am, talk to the dead.” Then came the promotion for viewers to watch “Medium, 9:0010:00 pm CT on NBC.” It all looked so homey, yet the Bible plainly says that that being a “medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead” is “an abomination to the Lord” (Deuteronomy 18:11, 12, NKJV, italics added). This is serious stuff. God doesn’t use such forceful language because He hates us. Not at all. He even cares about mediums and spiritists. The reason He speaks so strongly is because He loves us enough to warn us against practices which open doors to demons and fallen angels who can easily impersonate the dead. This will become clearer as we go along. The only way to understand the truth about death, the dead, and the perils of trying to communicate with ghosts is to go back to the beginning, to the book of Genesis. The Bible’s first chapter clearly says that God made the world in six days, and rested on the seventh. On day six, the Lord “created man in his own image… male and female He created them” (Genesis 1:27). In the midst of a beautiful garden, the Lord placed two special trees called “the tree of life” and “the tree of the knowledge of good and evil” (Genesis 2:9). These trees were designed to give Adam and Eve a choice, either to follow their Maker or a rebel angel who had previously been kicked out of heaven (see Luke 10:18; Revelation 12:9). Notice carefully: And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “Of every tree in the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die” (Genesis 2:16, 17, italics added). Here God warned Adam and Eve that if they sinned against Him by eating the forbidden fruit, they would surely die. No ifs, ands, or buts. This was the first warning God ever gave to the human family. And He meant it. In Chapter 3, the drama begins. A mysterious serpent entered Eden and began slithering around inside the forbidden branches. Behind its beady eyes lurked an invisible, sinister force. A dialogue ensued between the snake and Eve. “And the serpent said to the woman, ‘you shall not surely die’” (Genesis 3:4, italics added).

This was Satan’s first lie to humanity. It was a deception about death. God said that if Adam and Eve sinned, they would “surely die;” but the serpent said, “you shall not surely die.” Now two voices rattled around inside Eve’s pretty head. Which voice would she believe, that of God or the snake? Sadly, she believed the slithering reptile, tasted the forbidden fruit, and then gave some to her husband, and he ate (see Genesis 3:6). After their sin, the Lord said to Adam, “In the sweat of your face shall you eat bread, until you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for dust you are, and to dust you shall return” (Genesis 3:19, italics added). Thus man came from the dust, and now he was destined to return to the dust. Now notice carefully: Then the Lord God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of Us, to know good and evil. And now, lest he put out his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever”-- therefore the Lord God sent him out of the garden of Eden to till the ground from which he was taken. So He drove out the man; and He placed cherubim at the east of the garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life. (Genesis 3:22-24). Don’t miss the significance of this passage. According to the text, eating from “the tree of life” would cause Adam and Eve to “live forever.” But now they were sinners. If they ate from the tree of life as sinners they would live forever as sinners, which would mean that sin itself would go on forever. God definitely didn’t want this. So He placed sentinel angels with fiery swords “which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life.” Did Adam and Eve, in their fallen state, ever eat from the tree of life? Obviously not. Thus fallen human beings do not naturally live forever. Instead, they die and return to the dust, just like God said. This next verse reveals the simple truth: “So all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years; and he died” (Genesis 5:5). God was right; Satan was wrong. Sin results in death. Adam and Eve sinned, and they died. So do we. At the end of life, we disintegrate into dirt. Now don’t miss this point: The notion that we can somehow communicate with dead people today is based on the prior assumption that the dead aren’t dead after all, that they are really alive somewhere ‘beyond the veil.’ Based on Genesis 3:4, whose slick voice first promoted that idea? It was the voice of the serpent. Look again: “The serpent said to the woman, ‘you will not surely die.’” This was the devil’s line. In the next part we will examine more closely what the Bible says about man’s condition at death. Then we will discover exactly who and what our hope is. Okay, I’ll tell you now. It’s Jesus Christ and the resurrection of the dead.

What Happens When We Die? Are you ready for the truth about death? We have seen that the Bible forbids all attempts to communicate with the dead (see Deuteronomy 18:11). There are two reasons: 1) Demons can easily impersonate those who have died, thereby tricking the living into communicating with them; and 2) It is impossible for the dead to talk with the living anyway. I hope to prove this below. Honestly, I have wrestled over the contents of this article. After prayer and thought, I have decided to present my views, based on the Bible, even though some may disagree. I urge you to read each Scripture presented, and then come to your own conclusions. David prayed, “Open my eyes” (Psalms 119:18). May this be our prayer. Based on years of research, I have concluded that there are essentially two different views about the nature of man that affect one’s beliefs about what happens after death.

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The Immortal Soul view The Non-Immortal Soul view

The Immortal Soul view is believed by most of the world’s religions. The idea is that every human body houses an immortal soul that continues after death. When we die, only our body disintegrates back to dust, but the soul goes on, much like a snake shedding its skin. Of course different religions disagree with each other about where souls go after death, but the basic idea of the soul surviving physical decease is shared by most in our society. And like it or not, the Immortal Soul doctrine is the basis of the belief that we can talk to the dead. The reason is simple: the dead supposedly aren’t really dead. The Non-Immortal Soul view is different and contends that – biblically speaking – the word “soul” applies to the entire person. When God first created Adam in Paradise, He “breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living soul” (Genesis 2:7). Thus man doesn’t have a separate soul, but rather he is a soul (see also Joshua 10:35, 37, 39; Lev. 23:30; Acts 27:37, KJV). After man sinned, his entire person, or soul, became mortal, or subject to death. When a sinner dies, he or she returns to the dust, and “the breath of life” returns to God. This “breath” is not a conscious entity, but is the spark of life that exists in everything alive. At death, the sinner is truly dead – unconscious, asleep, waiting for the resurrection. This view is sometimes called “soul sleep.” Which view is right? What does the Bible really say? For the moment I am going to build a case for the non-immortality of the soul. Later on in this article on the truth about death I will examine the passages about being “absent from the body” (2 Corinthians 5:8), the thief on the cross (Luke 23:43), the appearance of Moses and Elijah (Matthew 17:3), the rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31), Paul’s desire to depart and be with Christ (Philippians 1:23) and the martyred souls under the altar (Rev. 6:9-11). These verses are often quoted to support the Immortal Soul teaching. Do they really? We hope to find out. After this, we will closely examine another big topic – the doctrine of Hell. First, let’s see what the Bible says about “immortality.” As we discovered earlier in this article on the truth about death, after Adam and Eve sinned they were barred from the tree of life, lest they should “eat, and live forever” (Genesis 3:22 -24). The message here is that sinners do not naturally “live forever.” Paul wrote that we “seek for glory and honor and immortality” (Romans 2:7) and that Christians will “put on immortality” (1 Corinthians 15:53, 54) on Resurrection Day. Presently, God “only has immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach” (1 Timothy 6:16). To me, these verses are clear. Fallen man is not immortal. Next, what does the Bible say happens at death? Notice carefully: “The living know that they shall die, but the dead know nothing…there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, where you are going” (Ecclesiastes 9:5, 10). “For in death there is no remembrance of You, in the grave who shall give You thanks?” (Psalms 6:5). “The dead praise not the Lord, neither any that go down into silence” (Psalms 115:17). “His breath goes forth, he returns to his earth, in that very day his thoughts perish” (Psalms 146:4). These Bible verses say that after death a person knows nothing, has no thoughts, doesn’t remember God, and lies silent in the grave. This is God’s Word, not man’s opinion. Next, death is sleep. David spoke of “the sleep of death” (Psalms 13:3). All throughout the Old Testament, when kings died, they “slept with their fathers” (1 Kings 2:10). The same is true in the New Testament. When Lazarus died, Jesus Christ said, “Our friend Lazarus is sleeping… Jesus spoke of his death” (John 11:11 -13). After Stephen was martyred, “he fell asleep” (Acts 7:60). Dead Christians “sleep in Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 4:14). Daniel wrote that at the end of time, “many who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to

shame and everlasting contempt” (Daniel 12:2). Thus the dead are sleeping in the dust of the earth. Someday, they will wake up. Finally, the Christians’ hope is the return of Jesus Christ and the resurrection. When our Lord returns, “the dead in Christ shall rise…so shall we ever be with the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 4:16, 17). Look closely. Paul said Christians will “be with the Lord” when He returns. Jesus taught the same thing when He promised His disciples, “I will come again, and receive you to Myself” (John 14:3). Again, look closely. Jesus did not say, “I’ll meet you in Heaven when you die,” but that He would receive us when He returns. Ultimately, Bible truth about death is comforting. Our beloved dead are sleeping quietly, awaiting the resurrection when Jesus returns. Truth also protects us from being deceived by heartless, tricky demons who can easily impersonate the dead. I encourage my readers to continue studying this topic prayerfully. I’ll conclude with the words of Jesus Christ Himself: Do not marvel at this; for 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 (John 5:28, 29, NKJV).

Grave Errors about Death In the first two topics we covered here on the truth about death we discovered that:

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The Bible forbids all attempts to communicate with dead people (see Deuteronomy 18:11) Demonic spirits are deceptively at work around the world (see Revelation 16:14) that can easily impersonate those who have died. Communication with dead people is impossible because those who have died are dead. They lie unconscious, asleep in their graves, awaiting the resurrection (see Ecclesiastes 9:5, 10; Psalm 6:5; 13:3; 115:17; 146:4; John 5:28, 29; 6:39, 40, 44, 54: 11:11-14; 1 Corinthians 15:51-54; 1 Thessalonians 4:16, 17).

Twenty-six years ago I learned this Bible truth: Jesus Christ died for my sins, was buried in Joseph’s tomb, and rose from the grave (see 1 Corinthians 15:3, 4). To Christians, these facts should be non-negotiable. As I have continued studying my Bible, I have also come to believe that when human beings die, they are dead, asleep in their graves, waiting for “the resurrection at the last day” (John 11:24). Death, burial and resurrection, this is what God’s Book says. I realize that many other God-fearing Christians don’t quite view everything as I do. Most believe that when we die, only our bodies disintegrate to dust, whereas our souls instantly enter the presence of Jesus. Personally, I don’t believe this. If we disagree, can we do it respectfully? I hope so. Later on this article on the truth about death, I will closely examine some well-known Bible texts normally used to support the “we go to Heaven immediately at death” doctrine. Much is at stake here. Please consider my arguments, and then come to your own conclusions.

Absent from the body, present with the Lord? (2 Corinthians 5:8) This is probably the main Scripture used to support the common view. The exact text reads, “We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.” Paul is clearly talking about a transition from this sinful “body” to being “present with the Lord.” There is no question about this. But notice carefully that in this verse Paul doesn’t specifically say when this transition occurs. Most assume he meant at death. Did he? Could he have meant on Resurrection Day

when Jesus Christ returns? Amazingly, we don’t have to guess, for the following verses make Paul’s meaning plain. Four verses earlier Paul said this transition occurs when “mortality” is “swallowed up by life” (2 Corinthians 5:4). When is that? If we back up a few chapters to Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians, the answer is obvious. Notice carefully: Behold, I show you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? (1 Corinthians 15:51-55) Here Paul is writing about the climactic return of Jesus Christ and the resurrection of God’s saints. Paul called death “sleep” (verse 51). He also said we are currently “mortal” (verse 53). Finally, he clarified that when “the trumpet shall sound and the dead shall be raised… then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory” (verses 52-54). Add 2 + 2. In 2 Corinthians 5:4 and 5:8, Paul said the transition from this sinful “body” to being “present with the Lord” occurs when “mortality is swallowed up by life.” In 1 Corinthians 15:51-55, he clarified that this “mortal” will “put on immortality” and that death will be “swallowed up in victory” at the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. Beyond this, did Paul clarify anywhere else at what point believers will be “present with the Lord”? Yes indeed. Once again, notice carefully: For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord (1 Thessalonians 4:16, 17). These verses parallel 1 Corinthians 15:51-55, which explain 2 Corinthians 5:4-8. According to 1 Thessalonians 4:16, 17, when will believers get to be “present with the Lord”? Answer: When Jesus Christ comes crashing into our polluted atmosphere with a shout, a voice, and the ear splitting trumpet of God! That trumpet will be so loud it will pierce the slumbering ears of those who have died trusting the Crucified and Resurrected One. They will burst out of their clammy graves. How awesome! Then those of us who are still living (I hope to be among this group) will be “caught up” into the greatest space ride humans have ever experienced. And then? Don’t miss it: “so shall we ever be with the Lord.” This is the Word of God. Alleluia! There lies Uncle Manuel. He’s dead. My seven-year-old brain tried to comprehend what was happening as I attended my uncle Manuel’s funeral, beheld his casket, starred into his pale face, held my dad’s hand while surrounded by mourners dressed in black, and witnessed my mother’s tears. It was all very strange. At such a young age, I could hardly understand what death meant, much less what happens next to those whose short life on this earth has ended. Uncle Manuel’s funeral was almost 40 years ago. Since then, I’ve done a lot of research into what the Bible says in regards the truth about death, burial, and the resurrection. After years of study, I’ve come to the conclusion that when a person dies – whether saint or sinner – they are dead, that is, they lie unconscious in their graves awaiting the “resurrection of the dead” (Acts 24:15). I realize this is a bit different from what most people believe. Nevertheless, I am not accountable to man, but to God alone. To my readers I make this plea: Read my arguments, study the Bible for yourself, pray, and come to your own conclusions. Sound fair enough?

Solomon said that “there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going” (Ecclesiastes 9:10) and that “the dead know nothing” (Ecclesiastes 9:5). Both the Old and New Testaments plainly teach that the dead “sleep in the dust of the earth” (Daniel 12:2) as they await the resurrection (see Psalms 13:3; John 5:28, 29; 11:11-14; Acts 7:60; 1 Corinthians 15:6, 51-55). Jesus Christ said concerning the man who dies believing in Him, “I will raise him up at the last day” (John 6:44). I have found this to be the consistent teaching of Scripture. Yet as I mentioned earlier, there are a few Bible passages that seem to support a different view – that of immediate entrance into heaven, or of instant descent into hell-fire. Earlier we looked at 2 Corinthians 5:8 where Paul wrote about being “absent from the body and present with the Lord.” It’s time to look at another wellknown passage.

The thief on the cross (Luke 23:42,43) On history’s darkest day, as the Son of God hung suspended between heaven and earth bearing the sins of the world, a dying criminal crucified beside Jesus breathed hopefully, “Lord, remember me when you come into your kingdom” (Luke 23:42). The King responded, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise ” (verse 43). Many interpret Christ’s response as conclusive evidence that the dying thief’s soul was instantly ushered into the presence of Jesus on that very day. I disagree. Here’s why: First, the dying thief pleaded, “Lord, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Thus the thief hoped to be remembered at the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, not before. Second, Jesus Himself did not go to Paradise that day, but into Joseph’s tomb. Three days later, after rising from the dead, Jesus candidly told Mary, “I have not yet ascended to My Father” (John 20:17). Thus our Lord did not ascend to glory on the day of His death. Thirdly, Jesus clarified that His followers will be with Him when He returns. “I will come again”, He promised, “and receive you to Myself” (John 14:3, italics added). Paul taught the same thing when he wrote that true believers will get to “be with the Lord” when He descends from heaven and resurrects the dead (see 1 Thessalonians 4:16,17). So what did Jesus mean when He spoke to the dying thief? Believe it or not, the confusion stems from one tiny piece of punctuation called a ‘comma.’ Before we look again at Christ’s exact words to the thief, let me clarify that the Bible calls itself “the Word of God”, not “the Comma of God”. The fact is that punctuation and commas were added to the inspired text many years after the New Testament was written. It is the same with the numbering of verses. Whatever translation you are reading from, your Bible says “43” before Christ’s response the dying thief. “42” comes before that, then “41”, etcetera. Guess what? Luke didn’t write “41” or “42” or “43” or “44.” He just wrote one book of Luke. It wasn’t until many years later that men numbered the verses to make it easier for us to find them. I’m glad they did. It helps. But they also added commas where they assumed they should go. So let’s remove the comma and look at what Jesus Christ literally said to the thief. His exact words were: Assuredly I say to you today you will be with Me in Paradise (Luke 23:43). Now, if you place the comma before the word “today,” which is where most Bible’s place it, then Jesus told the thief, “today you will be with Me in Paradise.” But if you place the comma after the word “today,” Christ’s meaning is switched entirely. Then Jesus would have said, “I say to you today, you will be with Me in Paradise.” In other words, Christ would be telling the thief, “I tell you today” (right then two thousand years ago) that he would be with Him in the future when He returns. So which is it? Where should the comma go? Fortunately, we don’t have to guess. Other verses make Christ’s answer clear. First, Jesus didn’t go to Paradise that day. Second, on Sunday morning He had not yet ascended to His Father (see John 20:17).

Thirdly, and most importantly, Jesus never contradicted Himself. He plainly promised His followers, “I will come again and receive you to Myself” (John 14:3). Martin Luther once said, “Here I stand. So help me God. Amen.” This is where I stand. My hope is the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. My uncle Manuel was Jewish. As far as I know, he was not a believer in the Crucified and Risen One. Where did Uncle Manuel go? And if he is lost (I hope this is not the case!), what will finally happen to him? As we continue reading this article on the truth about death, we’ll find out. Elvis Presley. Marilyn Monroe. Princess Diana. Ronald Reagan. Pope John Paul II – what do they have in common? They’re all famous, and they’re all dead. No matter how large a person’s bank account, or how attractive their physical appearance, or even how close to God they may become in this life, “All things come alike to all: One event happens to the righteous and to the wicked; to the good, the clean, and the unclean…after that they go to the dead” (Ecclesiastes 9:2, 3, italics added). “ But in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes,” penned Benjamin Franklin. He was correct. So far I have built my case that when a human being dies – whether saint or sinner – they are truly dead, that is, they lie unconscious in their graves awaiting the resurrection. To briefly summarize, Solomon said “the dead know nothing” (Ecclesiastes 9:5) and that “there is no work, or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going” (Ecclesiastes 9:10). David wrote about “the sleep of death” (Psalms 13:3), Daniel said the dead “sleep in the dust of the earth” (Daniel 12:2), and Jesus Christ emphatically declared that someday “all who are in their 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” (John 5:28, 29). These passages describe man’s condition at death, his sleeping in the grave, and finally – a bodily resurrection back to life. To repeat what I have written previously, I realize that majority opinion thinks differently. Shortly after Pope John Paul II died at the ripe age of 84, Vatican officials declared that their departed leader was now “looking down from heaven” after being “welcomed into the presence of Jesus.” With all due respect, I don’t think so. If you are Catholic, please don’t take offense. I would say the same thing about my own mother whom I love dearly. Based on my study of the Bible, I believe Pope John Paul II and countless others are not in heaven at this exact moment. Rather, they are silently sleeping in their graves waiting for Resurrection Day. Earlier in this article on the truth about death, I examined two biblical passages often quoted to support the common view of ‘instant heaven at death’: 1) Paul’s expression about longing to be “absent from the body” and “present with the Lord” (2 Corinthians 5:8) and 2) Jesus Christ’s promise to a dying thief about being with Him in Paradise (Luke 23:42, 43). I think these arguments are pretty convincing. It’s time to examine a few more verses that I believe are often misinterpreted to teach ‘instant heaven’ rather than the doctrine of literal death, unconscious sleep, and future bodily resurrection.

Paul’s “desire to depart and be with Christ” (Philippians 1:23) Paul knew that sometime after he died he would be with Jesus, yet it as an assumption to think that in Philippians 1:23 he meant at the moment of his death. In another letter, Paul clarified that he expected to “always be with the Lord” when Jesus Christ returned to resurrect the dead (read 1 Thessalonians 4:16, 17). It is significant to note that the very last letter Paul penned was 2 Timothy. In that letter’s concluding chapter, notice carefully Paul’s ‘famous last words’: For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the

righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing (2 Timothy 4:6-8, italics added). Here again Paul clarified – just like he did in 1 Thessalonians 4:16, 17 – that he looked forward to being with Jesus Christ on “the Day” of “His appearing”.

Souls under the altar (Revelation 6:9-11) In the book of Revelation, John beheld under a heavenly “altar” “the souls” of many Christian martyrs calling out for vengeance against their persecutors. “There!” some claim, “There are souls alive in heaven after they died!” But look closer. This entire passage is filled with symbolism. In the same chapter John also saw four horses with riders, the fourth rider being “Death” itself, followed by “Hell” (Revelation 6:18). Can “Death” literally ride a horse? Are literal souls crammed underneath a physical altar? Not a very pleasant place to hang out, do you think? Biblically speaking, the idea of martyred souls crying out for vengeance is rooted in Genesis 4 when God told Cain after he murdered Abel, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground!” (Genesis 4:10) Does this mean that Abel’s blood literally muttered syllables through dirt? Obviously not. Again, this is a symbolic.

The appearance of Moses and Elijah (Luke 9:28 -32) Not long before Jesus died on the cross for the sins of the world, “Moses and Elijah” appeared to comfort the Saviour. This supposedly proves that Moses, Elijah, and all the saints are now alive ‘on the other side’. But it doesn’t. First of all, it was not disembodied ‘souls’ that appeared before Christ and His disciples, but “two men” (Luke 9:30) in physical form. Second, Elijah himself never died, but was translated in Old Testament times without seeing death (see 2 Kings 2:11). Thirdly, Moses did die, but Jude 9 implies that “the body of Moses” was at some point raised back to life. In Luke 9:28-32, Elijah appeared representing all those who shall one day be translated at the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, while Moses represented all others who shall be resurrected “at the last day” (see John 11:24). Again, the text says “two men,” not two ghosts. Why did Moses and Elijah appear? To encourage Jesus to go through with His death, burial, and resurrection, and to assure Him that millions of other believers – just like them – would someday be translated or raised from the grave. At this point, I think I’ve said enough in regards the truth about Death. What about Hell, the mysterious rider on the fourth horse? Is Hell burning now? Will it burn forever? Or will Hell itself come to an end? What does the Bible really say? Select the truth about hell fire and find out or for more reading on this topic you can read what happens when we die. Please Note: This ministry is full time and runs on faith and has over 120 domain names and growing. The domain registration costs alone are well in excess of $1500 per annum. As we require an income to survive, any assistance would be greatly appreciated to help keep this Internet ministry growing and spreading truth to the world. Thank you for your support. Total amount donated this month: $70.00.

Watch excellent Prophecy Seminars online If you have a reasonably fast internet connection and would like to learn more about the truth about hell and the truth about death and have a passion for the truth, you will find Deadly Delusions, the Lake of Fire and the Devil Chained very enlightening. You may want to start about 20-23 minutes in depending on the selected title to bypass singing items etc. If you would like to watch more from this and other

Prophecy Seminars you will find the menus here. Be prepared to discover many mind blowing, lost Bible truths.

References

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

People magazine, Nov. 7. 2005, p. 91. See http://www.cbs.com/primetime/ghost_whisperer/about See http://www.cbs.com/primetime/ghost_whisperer/blog.php See http://www.whitenoisemovie.com See http://aaevp.com

About the Author

Steve Wohlberg is Speaker/Director of White Horse Media and hosts the national radio show, World News and the Bible. He is the author of ten books and has been guest on over 400 radio and TV shows. His web site is www.whitehorsemedia.com. 1-800-78-BIBLE. Visits: 15352 Page Last Modified: 07/20/2008 12:44:05 © Copyright 2007 http://www.TheTruthAboutDeath.org

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The Truth About Hell - By Steve Wohlberg The Very Hot Topic of Hell Hell! It’s a terrifying subject and the truth about hell is very much misunderstood. A U.S. News and World Report article entitled “Hell’s Sober Comeback” reported that “Three out of 5 Americans now believe in Hades, but their views on damnation differ sharply” [1]. Some teach that Hell simply means ‘separation from God’, that’s it. Others vigorously contend, “It’s not just separation, but fiery separation that lasts forever!” The traditional view is that Hell is a hot, smoky place somewhere beneath our feet where lost souls instantly soar at the moment of death. According to this theology, the damned are sizzling right now, somewhere, consciously, and painfully. A large percentage is convinced that Hell never ends. To begin with, I believe there is a Hell, that there is a fiery Hell, and that the Bible is true – literally. So don’t worry about this. I’m not a liberal, or a heretic. Yet as we plunge into this controversial topic, my conclusions may shock you. So prepare yourself. As always, I encourage you to pick up a Bible and look up the texts. As you are about to see, what many think about Hell isn’t always exactly what God’s Word really says. There are three different Greek words that are translated “Hell” in our English New Testaments. It’s important to know this, for they each mean something different. They are “Tartarus,” “Gehenna,” and “Hades.” Tartarus is used only once in the New Testament, in 2 Peter 2:4. The Scripture says, “God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell [Tartarus], and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment.” (2 Peter 2:4, KJV). This verse says that “the angels that sinned,” which would include Lucifer, too, have already been cast down “to hell” by God Himself. Yet they aren’t roasting right now, obviously, and they certainly aren’t suffering somewhere far beneath Los Angeles or Tokyo. Tartarus means “dark abyss” or “place of restraint.” It isn’t a place of punishment either. Look carefully. 2 Peter 2:4 says Satan’s angels are “reserved unto judgment,” which means their punishment is yet future. For Lucifer and his diabolical demons, the fire hasn’t started yet. So much for Tartarus. Next word: “Gehenna.” All authorities admit this word is derived from the name of the narrow, rocky valley of Hinnom just south of Jerusalem where trash, filth, and

the bodies of dead animals were burned up in Bible days. Jesus Christ spoke about Gehenna many times such as in Matthew 5:22, 29 & 30 where He warned about “the danger of hell [Gehenna] fire” (Matthew 5:22). Gehenna definitely suggests real flames. But a key question is: when will this fire burn? In Matthew 13:40-42, in His explanation to His disciples about His parable concerning plants, reapers and a harvest, Jesus provided this definite answer: “The harvest is the end of the world, and the reapers are the angels. As therefore the weeds are gathered in burned in the fire, so shall it be at the end of this world. The Son of Man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them that do iniquity, and shall cast them into a furnace of fire, and there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the righteous shine forth like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” (Matthew 13:40 -42, italics added). “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” As to when the fire burns, what should we hear? Christ’s direct answer is, “at the end of this world” (verse 40). Amazingly, Peter taught the same thing when he wrote: “But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.” (2 Peter 3:7). Peter’s words may seem radical, but they are the truth of God. By analysing carefully 2 Peter 3:7, we discover:

• • • • •

A real fire is coming. It will burn “the heavens” – the polluted atmosphere we breathe. It will burn “the earth” – the ground we walk on. These flames will blaze on “the day of judgment.” “Ungodly men” will end up in this fire.

Three verses later, Peter elaborated further, “But the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night; in the which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.” (2 Peter 3:10). This passage is crystal clear: At some point in the future the sky above and the earth beneath will literally catch fire and “melt with fervent heat.” So if you’ve been taught that the sum total of hell-fire is some smoky place beneath the ground, think again. The Bible says our entire sin-polluted planet is destined for the flames. Peter concluded with this comforting assurance: “Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein righteousness dwells.” (2 Peter 3:13). According to these truth-filled Bible verses, God will use fire to cleanse planet Earth of its wickedness, then He will marvellously recreate it entirely. This is His “promise” which “we” should be looking forward to. The book of Revelation teaches the same message about a future Judgment Day and cleansing fire, followed by a new heaven and earth. Again, look carefully. After every lost soul is “judged… according to their works” (Revelation 20:13), then, “Whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away… And he that sat upon the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” (Revelation 20:15; 21:1, 5).

Here’s the inspired sequence:

• • •

Judgment Day The Lake of Fire A New Heaven and Earth

Thus we have seen, so far, that Jesus Christ, Peter, and the book of Revelation teach the same thing. Real fire is coming at the end of this world. It will not only become the place where the lost are punished, but will serve a dual function of purifying our polluted sky and chemically-saturated ground from every vestige of impurity. Then God will make a new heaven and earth to become the eternal home of His saved, blood-bought children. One frightening thought is that “all liars” will wind up “in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death” (Revelation 21:8). This should impress us with the importance of knowing and speaking the truth. We need the truth about Hell. Above all, we need the truth about Jesus Christ, His love, and His death, burial, and resurrection in our behalf. May we be washed from our sins by the blood of the Lamb so we can be assured of a place in God’s recreated earth. Hell. Few Bible topics generate such emotion and controversy. Liberals reject the idea, yet Jesus Christ plainly taught a real Hell when He solemnly warned that the lost will be cast “into a furnace of fire” where “there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth” (see Matthew 13:42). Thus liberals are wrong in denying Hell’s existence. On the other hand, many conservative Bible-believing Christians often misunderstand the subject as well. This goal of this article is to continue separating fantasy from reality. Earlier in this article on the truth about hell we saw that there are three different Greek words translated “Hell” in our English New Testaments: “Tartarus,” “Gehenna,” and “Hades.” “Tartarus” is used once, in 2 Peter 2:4, and means “a place of darkness or restraint.” “Tartarus” is where Satan and his demons reside now. It isn’t a place of punishment or flames. That comes later. Satan and his hosts will reap their reward in due time. “Gehenna” is used many times in the New Testament, such as in Matthew 5:22, 29, and 30, and refers to a place of fire, brimstone, and punishment. Earlier we discovered that Jesus Christ clearly pinpointed the time of this fire as being “the end of this world” (see Matthew 13:40) and that Peter identified the place of this fire as being “the heavens and the earth which are now” (see 2 Peter 3:7). On Earth’s last day, “the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up” (2 Peter 3:10). In other words, earth itself is destined for flames. Then God will create “new heavens and a new earth, wherein righteousness dwells” (2 Peter 3:13; see also Revelation 21:1). We shall discuss the duration of this fire soon in this article on the truth about hell. Now for “Hades.” This Greek word is also translated “Hell” in many English Bibles, such as the King James Version. In Revelation 6:8, the King James Version refers to “Death, and Hell [Hades].” It does this same in Revelation 20:14. Yet some English Bibles leave the word “Hades” itself, such as the New International Version, which translates both Revelation 6:8 and 20:14 as “Death, and Hades.” Now here’s a key point: in Revelation 20:14 “Hades” (“Hell”) is eventually “cast into the lake of fire.” Thus “Hades” itself is not a fiery place, but is cast into “the lake of fire.”

Here is Revelation 20:14 in both the KJV and NIV: “And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire.” (Revelation 20:14, King James Version, italics added) “Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire.” (Revelation 20:14, New International Version, italics added) In my personal King James Version, which I often preach from, there is a marginal reference beside the word “Hell” (Hades) listed in Revelation 20:13 and 14. It says “Hell” literally means “the grave.” Thus Revelation 20:14 could properly be translated, “death and the grave were cast into the lake of fire.” This makes sense. To make it simple, biblically speaking, Hades means the grave. This is easy to prove from 1 Corinthians 15:55, which in the King James Version states, “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?” (1 Corinthians 15:55, KJV, italics added) If you look in any Strong’s Concordance, you’ll discover that the original Greek word here translated “grave” is “Hades.” By looking at the context, it’s obvious that “Hades” means “the grave” because it is God’s saints who rise out of “Hades” when Jesus Christ returns. See for yourself: “Behold, I shew you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up on victory. O death, where is your sting? O grave [Hades] where is your victory?” (1 Corinthians 15:51-55, King James Version, italics added) “O grave [Hades] where is your victory?” the redeemed triumphantly shout. Thus “Hades” here cannot mean a place of burning, for who can imagine God’s people writhing in flames as they await the resurrection? Impossible! Additional proof that “Hades” means “the grave” is the fact that “Hades” was the place Jesus Christ’s body rested in immediately after His death. In Acts 2:31, the King James Version declares, “His [Christ’s] soul was not left in hell [Hades] neither [did] his flesh see corruption.” (Acts 2:31, KJV, italics added). The New International Version translates Acts 2:31 as, “He was not abandoned to the grave, nor did his body see decay.” (Acts 2:31, NIV, italics added) Thus Christ’s “body” (NIV) or “flesh” (KJV) was not allowed to see “corruption” (KJV) or “decay” (NIV) because it remained in the grave only a short time before He rose. This should be plain to any unprejudiced mind. To summarize the meaning of the three Greek words translated “Hell” in our English Bibles:

• •

“Tartarus” means “a place of darkness or restraint” (2 Peter 2:4). Satan abides there now. “Hades” means “the grave” (Acts 2:31; 1 Corinthians 15:55; Revelation 20:14). Jesus Christ’s body rested there, and His saints rest there now awaiting the resurrection.

•

“Gehenna” means a place of fire, brimstone, and punishment (see Matthew 5:22, 29, 30, described in Matthew 13:40-42, 2 Peter 3:7, 10-12). These flames are yet future, at the end of the world.

In its description of this final fire, and the doom of the lost, the Bible’s last book solemnly declares, “Whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” (Revelation 20:15). Will “the lake of fire” burn forever? Or will its unfortunate inhabitants – including Satan and his demons – finally burn up, and thus cease to exist? What does the Bible really say?

Death Discussions – The Truth about Hell Will Hell burn forever, or will its flames finally cease smouldering? To discover the correct answer, we must accept what the Bible says above the opinions of men. Do you agree? I hope so. As we dive into this controversial topic, let me make my personal position clear. I believe God’s Word above popular theories. That said, first of all, the subject requires close examination, for some texts appear contradictory. In Matthew 25:41, Jesus Christ warned that unsaved sinners will enter “the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels.” Many read this and say, “That settles it for me! The lost will sizzle forever. Don’t even try to convince me otherwise.” Yet Jesus Christ also declared, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16, italics added). So which is it? Will the damned roast eternally in “everlasting fire,” or finally “perish,” and thus cease to exist? Another example of apparent contradiction concerns the fate of Lucifer himself. The book of Revelation says that “The devil,” along with “the beast” will “be tormented day and night forever” in the lake of fire (see Revelation 20:10). Some respond, “There’s more proof! Satan will never cease frying like an egg in a skillet.” Yet Ezekiel chapter 28 reveals a different picture. Initially discussing the ancient “king of Tyre” (Ezekiel 28:12), God’s prophet then looks behind the scenes and identifies Lucifer himself, “the anointed cherub” (verse 14), who inhabited “Eden, the garden of God” (verse 13), and who was originally “perfect in [his] ways from the day [he] was created,” until “iniquity was found in [him]” (verse 15). Moving forward to this fallen angel’s final fate, God declares, “I turned you to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all who saw you… You have become a horror, and shall be no more forever” (verses 18 and 19, italics added). Again, which is it? Will Satan be “tormented day and night” throughout endless ages, or will he become “ashes,” and “be no more forever”? Let me clarify: the Bible DOES NOT contradict itself. These are only APPARENT contradictions. The solution is to examine what the whole Bible says about the fate of the lost, discover its overall teaching, and then to closely analyse the difficult verses until we understand them correctly. Once we do, we will discover that everything fits and makes perfect sense. Obviously, this isn’t the place to quote every Bible verse about the fate of the unsaved. But I will cover enough to make my point, and hopefully, this will motivate you to further research. In the remainder of this article on the truth about hell, I will list a group of exceedingly clear verses describing the doom of the damned, and then soon in this article on the truth about hell we will take a closer look at some other apparently contradictory verses to see what they really say, and don’t say. Looking forward to the Day of the Lord, God Himself declares:

“‘Behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, and all the proud, yes, all who do wickedly, will be stubble. And the day which is coming shall burn them up,” says the Lord of hosts, “That it will leave them neither root nor branch’” … ‘[And] you shall trample down the wicked, for they shall be ashes under the souls of your feet on the day that I do this, says the Lord of hosts’” (Malachi 4:1, 3). This is “the Lord of hosts” speaking, not Steve Wohlberg. Here God says that when His final day bursts upon the wicked, it will “burn them up” and reduce them to “ashes” so that “neither root nor branch” remains. Think about it. If a plant is destroyed, so that “neither root nor branch” remains, how much is left? Absolutely nothing. This is what God says will happen to “all who do wickedly.” David wrote about the fate of the unsaved, “As wax melts before the fire, so let the wicked perish at the presence of God.” (Psalms 68:2, italics added). “For yet a little while, and the wicked shall be no more.” (Psalms 37:10, italics added). “The enemies of the Lord, like the splendor of the meadows, shall vanish, into smoke they shall vanish away.” (Psalms 37:20, italics added). “But the transgressors shall be destroyed together; the future of the wicked shall be cut off.” (Psalms 37:38, italics added). John the Baptist proclaimed about the Messiah, “He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire” (Matthew 3:12, italics added). Paul wrote about those who “obey not the gospel”, “These shall be punished with everlasting destruction…” (2 Thessalonians 1:9, italics added). Paul also declared, “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 6:23, italics added). I presented these passages – and many more like them - at a Bible Seminar in Woodbury, New Jersey. A Jewish man named Corrie listened with rapt attention. With great carefulness, I built my case that a loving God will administer nothing more than perfect justice on Judgment Day, and that this will result in the tragic, total annihilation of those who have rejected His gift of salvation through Jesus Christ. At the end of my talk, with teary eyes, Corrie approached me with an outstretched hand. “Steve, now I can believe in God’s love!” He then told me that the notion of God torturing unsaved sinners forever – including his unbelieving Jewish mother – had always hindered his having personal faith in Jesus Christ. Then he walked away. The next night Corrie again approached me, but this time, his face was glowing. “Last night,” he excitedly reported, “I went home, dropped to my knees, and accepted Jesus as my Savoir. Praise God!” he happily announced, “I’m born again!” At the conclusion of my seminar Corrie was baptized. His mother came. “I don’t know what has happened to my son,” she commented, “but he’s happy. What more can a mother want?” The doctrine of God eternally tormenting sinners in a smoky place called “Hell” had prevented Corrie from becoming a Christian. During my seminar, he rejected this idea, became a believer in Jesus Christ, and was baptized.

Was Corrie deceived, or had he discovered the truth? Mohammed Ali (as the story goes) boarded an airplane and refused to buckle up. “Mr. Ali,” commanded the flight attendant, “everyone must fasten their seatbelt.” “I don’t need one,” the fighter proudly responded, “I’m Superman!” “No, you’re not,” the woman countered promptly, “Superman didn’t need an airplane. Now fasten your seatbelt or you will be ushered off this aircraft.” Needless to say, the man with a punch complied. The moral of this story is that each of us – including Mohammed Ali – needs a good dose of humility. Jesus Christ said, “Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself shall be exalted” (Luke 18:14). As we continue our journey into the highly controversial doctrine of ‘hell-fire,’ it is my hope that each of my readers will put aside preconceived opinions and humbly examine the Bible texts below. Fasten your seatbelt! You may need one. First, let’s take a close look at the book of Jude, right before Revelation. At the beginning of his letter, Jude urged Christians to “earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered to the saints” (verse 3). Next he warned of “certain men” who were planting false doctrines inside the early church (see verse 4). In verses 5 and 6, Jude warned of the consequences of being led astray. Then he warned about “the vengeance of eternal fire” (verse 7). This is what we must examine, humbly and reverently. Here’s the entire verse: “Even as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.” (Jude 7) Notice carefully: it was the physical cities of Sodom and Gomorrah that “suffered the vengeance of eternal fire,” not just the people. In addition, their punishment is “set forth as an example” of what will happen to the unsaved. In 2 Peter, we find an almost identical verse, yet Peter inserts one tiny, significant detail. Look closely: “And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an example unto all those that after should live ungodly.” (2 Peter 2:6, italics added). What was the net result of that “eternal fire” which fell upon Sodom and Gomorrah ? Those cities became ashes. But that’s not all. Describing “the punishment of the sin of Sodom,” Jeremiah said that those evil cities were “overthrown as in a moment” (Lamentations 4:6, italics added). Now put the pieces together. By comparing Jude 7 and 2 Peter 2:6 with Lamentations 4:6, we discover plainly that the “the vengeance of eternal fire” was so incredibly hot that it reduced Sodom and Gomorrah “into ashes” in “a moment” of time. Now think about it. Are Sodom and Gomorrah still destroyed? Yes. But are they burning now? Obviously not. Then what does “eternal fire” mean? By comparing Scripture with Scripture, it means that the fire came from God and that the punishment lasts forever, not the flames. And again, both Jude and Peter called this punishment “an example” of what will happen to all the lost. Jesus Christ also warned that He will someday declare to lost sinners, “Depart from me, you cursed, into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matthew 25:41, italics added). Is this fire the same type of fire mentioned in Jude 7, one which destroys completely? We know it is because five verses later our Lord clarified, “And these [the lost] shall go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into life eternal” (Matthew 25:46). Thus the lost experience “everlasting punishment,” not punishing, just like the Sodomites. Paul also wrote about “everlasting” consequences overwhelming unsaved sinners. Does his teaching agree with Jesus Christ and Jude? In the following passage, you

will see that it does. Paul warned that when Jesus Christ returns He will come “in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power…” (2 Thessalonians 1:8, 9, italics added). Here “everlasting” is combined with “destruction,” which means the lost are destroyed forever, just like the Gomorrahites. In addition to Jesus Christ, Jude, and Paul, John the Baptist also warned about “unquenchable fire” engulfing the unredeemed. On the surface, one might assume John was referring to ceaselessly burning flames. But he wasn’t. Calling the saved “wheat” and the lost “chaff,” the wilderness prophet announced that God’s Messiah would “thoroughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire” (Matthew 3:12, italics added). Thus “unquenchable fire” isn’t fire that burns forever, but fire that can’t be snuffed out by man. It burns up the chaff until there is nothing left. The Twin Towers of the World Trade Center no longer exist. On September 11, 2001 they were rammed by two hijacked planes on a mission of death. Airplane fuel ignited and blazing fires could not be quenched. What remains is little more than ashes and memories, somewhat comparable to Sodom and Gomorrah. For those who lost loved ones, the results of that fateful day seem eternal. The Muslim terrorists who brought down the Twin Towers believed they were serving Allah. They also imagined they would be rewarded with 72 virgins in heaven for their faithfulness to God’s truth. But they were grossly mistaken. Their future will be quite different from their expectations. How about us? Do we know what the Bible really teaches about heaven, how to get there, and the fate of the lost? In this article on the truth about hell we have discovered that Jesus Christ (Matthew 25:41, 46), John the Baptist (Matthew 3:12), Paul (2 Thessalonians 1:8, 9) and Jude (verse 7) all predicted that “eternal fire,” “everlasting fire,” and “unquenchable fire,” will eventually “burn up” all unsaved sinners to their “everlasting destruction,” just like Sodom and Gomorrah became “ashes” in “a moment.” And Sodom ’s holy judgment is “set forth as an example” (Jude 7) to us today. Let’s humbly learn this lesson from God’s Word. Let’s “earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered to the saints” (Jude 3). When Thailand police arrested American schoolteacher John Mark Karr in August 2006, investigators hoped a 10-year murder mystery had been solved and that the killer of 6-year-old beauty queen Jon Bennet Ramsey was finally in custody. Almost everyone thought they had their man, especially after the teacher himself candidly confessed, “I did it.” Yet shortly thereafter Karr’s DNA was tested and results didn’t match traces left on Ramsey’s corpse. Universally abhorred, Karr was labelled a sick, creepy craver of media attention, and released. In the earlier parts of this controversial article on the truth about hell, I have attempted to systematically build my case from Scripture that although the flames of hell are certainly real and do await the lost, they will not crackle endlessly but will finally be extinguished at the end of the world. Unsaved sinners, after facing a just judgment before a righteous God, will ultimately reap “the wages of sin,” which is “death” (Romans 6:23). God Himself declares, “Behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, and all the proud, yes, all who do wickedly, will be stubble. And the day which is coming shall burn them up, says the Lord of hosts, That it will leave them neither root nor branch.” (Malachi 4:1). There are hundreds of Bible verses teaching the same thing – that the lost will “burn up” (Matthew 3:12), “be destroyed” (Psalms 37:38), and be “no more” (Psalms

37:10). Even Satan himself will become “ashes on the earth” (Ezekiel 28:19). This has been my earnest contention all along. Yet there are a few other texts that appear, at least on the surface, to pronounce me guilty of the crime of perverting Scripture. Am I guilty or not? While I certainly don’t identify myself with Mr. Karr, I believe a close analysis of biblical DNA will prove my innocence. More importantly, it will testify that Jesus Christ is not a Person who will endlessly torture those who reject His love. That said, it’s time to examine some DNA about “the worm,” plus verses in the book of Revelation about being tormented “for ever.” Coming soon to this article on the truth about hell we will discuss a man named “Lazarus.” Let’s start with “the worm.”

The Worm that Dieth Not – The Truth about Hell Jesus warned about being cast “into the fire that never shall be quenched: where their worm dieth not, and their fire is not quenched (Mark 9:43, 44). Many view this as evidence that I’m guilty of twisting the Bible. So let’s examine the DNA. First of all, by comparing Christ’s statement with Isaiah 66:24, it’s unquestionably clear that Jesus was quoting Scripture. See for yourself: “And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcasses of the men who have transgressed against Me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh.” (Isaiah 66:24). This is precisely what Jesus Christ said. But notice carefully that Isaiah applied this morbid scene to the “carcasses” of sinners that God’s people will someday “look” at. In other words, at time’s end, the righteous will behold dead bodies, not living souls endlessly tormented. What about the fire that can’t be “quenched”? By comparing Isaiah 66:24 with Jeremiah 17:27, it’s clear this means that the fire can’t be quenched by man until it finishes its job. What about the “worm”? In the Isaiah text, the worm doesn’t die, but the people are dead. This is biblical imagery. In Bible days, outside Jerusalem, there was a garbage dump where the carcasses of dead dogs and criminals often ended up. Worms continually crawled there within rotting flesh. Jesus used this imagery, quoting Isaiah, to illustrate the fearful fate of the lost. But again, its dead bodies, not eternal torment, being described.

Tormented Day and Night forever – the Truth about Hell There are three places in book of Revelation that say, “the smoke of their torment ascendeth up forever and ever” (Revelation 14:11), “her smoke rose up forever” (Revelation 19:3), and “tormented day and night forever” (Revelation 20:10). “Those verses prove you’re wrong, Mr. Wohlberg!” I sometimes hear. Again, let’s analyse the DNA. Everyone knows that Revelation contains some symbolism, such as its references to a seven-headed beast, a Babylonian harlot holding a golden cup, and a glistening woman clothed with the sun. Obviously, these aren’t literal. What about the ‘tormented forever’ texts? Could they be symbolic too? Here’s something significant: If you look closely at each ‘tormented forever’ passage, every one is connected to symbolism. Revelation 14:11 and Revelation 20:10 refer to “the beast,” and Revelation 19:3 states, “her smoke rose up forever.” Whose smoke? The Whore riding the beast. Will a literal Harlot sizzle forever? No. This is symbolism. Here’s more evidence worth considering: While Revelation 20:10 refers to torment forever, verse 9 says the opposite and contains no symbolism. Verse 9 - And they [the lost] went up on the breadth of the earth [at the end of the Millennium], and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city [the New Jerusalem], and fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them.

Verse 10 – And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night forever and ever. Verse 9 has no symbolism and says the lost are “devoured.” Verse 10 has symbolism and says they are tormented “forever.” Which is it? The literal truth lies in the text that contains no symbolism: “fire came down… and devoured them.” Beyond this, after “the lake of fire” is again described in verse 15, the next verse says, “And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away.” (Revelation 21:1) Revelation 20:9 says the lost are upon “the earth” when God’s fire devours them. Thus “the earth” is the location of “the lake of fire.” Then Revelation 21:1 says the “first earth” passes away which must include the lake of fire! Then there will be “no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain” (Revelation 21:4). Here’s even more proof that “the lake of fire” will disappear. “I did it,” Mark Karr claimed, but he didn’t. DNA evidence revealed otherwise. Dear friend, I hope you are open-minded enough to accept DNA truth from the Bible. Jesus Christ is good. He’s not a wicked murderer (like Mr. Karr claimed to be), nor an eternal tormentor of souls. One day soon, when the smoke clears, the entire universe will proclaim, “just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints” (Revelation 15:3).

The Rich Man and Lazarus – The Truth about Hell My own mother – who recently turned 73 years old – is not presently a believer in Jesus Christ. Neither is my brother. Nor are many of my Jewish relatives. According to many well-meaning Christian teachers, if nothing changes, these relatives of mine are doomed to eternal flames. Throughout this article, I have tried to disprove this popular teaching from God’s Word. I’ve quoted Scriptures like, “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23), and Jesus Christ’s own words, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). Based on my research, words like “death” and “perish” do not mean “conscious eternal torment.” Rather, they mean just what they suggest, that the unsaved will someday cease to exist. Because of their sinful choices, the lost have forfeited eternal life. After the Day of Judgment and a just sentence, the only thing a merciful God can do is to finally pull the plug, thus ending their existence. I pray that my family members will wake up before it’s too late. In previous chapters we have closely examined key passages that seem, at least on the surface, to contradict my conclusions. We’ve discussed “absent from the body” (2 Corinthians 5:8), the dying thief (Luke 23:43 ), the appearance of Moses and Elijah (Luke 9:28 -36), and souls under the altar (Revelation 6:9-11). It’s now time to zero in on the Mother of all Hell Verses – the Rich Man and Lazarus. More than any other passage, this section is used to prove that lost sinners don’t sleep unconsciously in their graves awaiting the resurrection (which so many Bible verses plainly teach – see Ecclesiastes 9:5, 10, Psalms 13:3; Acts 7:60; John 5:28, 29; 6:39, 40, 44, 54; 11:11-14, etc.), but that they plunge instantly into flames at death, and sizzle eternally. Let’s take a closer look. The story is found in Luke 16:19-31. Because of space limitations, I will not quote the entire passage. Jesus Christ declared: There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day. But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate, desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich

man's table. Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. Then he cried and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.’ After denying his request, Abraham finally told the rich man, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.’ To begin with, I want to make one highly significant mega-point: This is the ONLY place in the entire New Testament that says that a lost soul descends into a fiery hell immediately at death! Such a doctrine is not taught anywhere else – not by Matthew, Mark, John, James, Peter or Paul. Did you get that? Paul wrote most of the New Testament, and he didn’t teach it even once. Let this fact sink into your soul. Second, Jesus often told “parables” or stories that were symbolic of deeper truths. Although parables contain many practical lessons, not every item should be taken literally. Is this story a parable? We believe so. Here are 7 reasons why: 1. Jesus often began His parables with the phrase, "a certain…man." If you look at these verses in Luke’s gospel, you will discover that they are all parables. Thus it’s logical to assume the Rich Man and Lazarus story is also a parable. Luke 12:16 “And he spoke a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully:” Luke 13:6 “He spoke also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none.” Luke 14:16 “Then said he unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many:” Luke 15:11 “And he said, A certain man had two sons:” Luke 16:1 “And he said also unto his disciples, There was a certain rich man, which had a steward; and the same was accused unto him that he had wasted his goods.” Luke 16:19 “There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:” Luke 19:11-12 “And as they heard these things, he added and spoke a parable, because he was nigh to Jerusalem, and because they thought that the kingdom of God should immediately appear. 12 He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return.” Luke 20:9 “Then began he to speak to the people this parable; A certain man planted a vineyard, and let it forth to husbandmen, and went into a far country for a long time.” 2. A man cannot physically enter into "the bosom" or chest of another person as Christ described. 3. Can someone literally burning in flames carry on a normal, rational conversation? 4. Can those in heaven and hell talk to each other? If that were the case then we would be able to see our loved one’s such as a family member and we would be able to see them burning and going through horrible suffering. Would this be something that we would desire? Would we enjoy heaven if it involved watching people we loved suffer like this. What if it was a son or daughter or a mother or father, could that person even for a moment enjoy there stay in heaven seeing this every day?

5. Jesus represented the rich man as being bodily in hell, with eyes, a mouth, a tongue, etc. This is obviously symbolic. If you were to dig up a real rich man's grave, wouldn't his body be there? Of course! 6. A real burning man would not request a little water to cool his tongue alone. What about the rest of his body? Would a drop of water really help? Besides the fact a drop of water would not survive the flames to get to his tongue, if you were in that situation would you ask for a drop of water or the whole local fire department? 7. Consciousness at death contradicts the rest of the Bible. Significantly, Jesus didn’t interpret every parable He told. Yet when His disciples asked Him to interpret another parable about weeds in a field, Jesus plainly explained that hellfire occurs at “the end of this world,” rather than at death (see Matthew 13:36, 40-42, KJV). There is a historian who wrote that this was a story popular in Jesus time and that He took this story and used it as a way to try to express spiritual truth to the people of His day. The story actually has nothing directly to do with death or hell and is teaching about faithfulness. It is also in line with other parables about faithfulness. So what is the meaning of this parable and what spiritual lesson is to be learnt from this story? The rich man undoubtedly represents the Jewish nation which actually prayed to father Abraham. The poor man, Lazarus the beggar, represented the Gentiles. The Jews believed if you were rich, it was a sign of blessing from God because of their righteousness and that they were guaranteed getting into heaven. If you were poor they figured there was a curse upon you probably because of your sinfulness and so you had a poor chance of getting to heaven. The Jews also believed if you were a literal child of Abraham than you had it made. So what did Jesus do? Jesus flipped things upside down by describing a saved poor man, and a lost rich man The context of Christ’s parable shows He was talking directly to wealthy Pharisees who were mocking Him with their tongues (see Luke 16:14 ). Those Pharisees believed the rich were blessed, while the poor lived under God’s curse. Jesus flipped things upside down by describing a saved poor man, and a lost rich man. The part about the rich man asking for his tongue to be soothed was a direct warning to those Pharisees that their lips were catapulting them toward hell-fire. Finally, at the end of His parable, Jesus declared that even resurrecting Lazarus from the dead wouldn’t convince the doubters. This leads to the next point: Why did Jesus specify the name Lazarus? Because His parable was also a prophecy. Later Jesus would resurrect a real person named Lazarus, yet this miracle would not convince the Pharisees that He was the Messiah (John 11:1-53). Here’s a solid principle: We should interpret parables in the light of the rest of the Bible, rather than the rest of the Bible in the light of one parable.

The Perfect Sacrifice – The Truth about Hell To nearby residents, it will always be remembered as the “Esperanza Fire.” Deliberately ignited by an evil arsonist, the October 2006 wind-driven blaze destroyed nearly 60,000 acres and 34 homes 100 miles east of Los Angeles, California. Worst of all, it killed five fire fighters who were suddenly immersed in flames when the wind unexpectedly shifted. On Sunday, November 5, nearly 10,000 mourners attended a memorial service for the fallen fighters at an outdoor amphitheatre in Devore, CA. “We will never forget their sacrifice,” Governor Arnold

Schwarzenegger declared. As the ceremony concluded, a group of U.S. Forest Service airplanes soared overhead while bagpipers played "Amazing Grace." Believe me, as awful as the Esperanza Fire was, it bears no comparison to the fiery sea of judicial punishment described in Scripture. West of Palm Springs, CA, five men lost their physical lives. At the end of the world, the consequences are infinitely more serious. Notice carefully the net result of being in cast into Revelation’s apocalyptic furnace: “Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death” (Revelation 20:14, 15). “But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death” (Revelation 21:8). Twice the book of Revelation states that the fate of sinners who suffer in “the lake of fire” is “the second death.” Underscore that last word: death. Throughout this “Hot Topic of the truth about Hell” article, I have contended that contrary to popular opinion, the final fate of the damned is not to sizzle endlessly in conscious torment, but to ultimately “perish” (John 3:16) and become “ashes” (Malachi 4:3). “‘The day which is coming shall burn them up,’ says the LORD of hosts, ‘that will leave them neither root nor branch’” (Malachi 4:1). This is God’s Word, not my opinion. But I have saved my best argument for last. Every true Christian who believes the gospel accepts the fundamental truth that, on the cross of Calvary, Jesus Christ paid the “full price” for the sins of the world. Agreed? The Bible says unequivocally, “Christ died for our sins” (1 Corinthians 15:3). “He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world” (1 John 2:2). This truth is basic. Jesus Christ paid the full price for our sins. Isaiah predicted, “The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5). “Chastisement” means “punishment.” It was our “punishment” that Jesus Christ endured in Gethsemane and on the cross. In other words, what should have happened to us, fell on Him. What we deserve, He endured. He took our place. Again, all true Christians accept this, but only a few realize the inescapable implications. Think about it. If “the wages of sin” were conscious, unending, never ceasing, eternal torment, then the ONLY WAY that Jesus Christ could experience the full penalty for our sins would be for Him to consciously suffer eternal torment in our behalf. “I’m so glad we don’t have to sizzle forever,” the righteous would be saying throughout endless ages, “because Jesus Christ is burning right now for us!” Do you see my point? There’s really no way around it. To say that “the wages of sin” is burning forever, and then to deny that Jesus Christ will burn forever, is to deny that Jesus Christ paid the full penalty for our sins. In that case, He really didn’t. He would only have paid a mini, 3–day discounted price — between Friday and Sunday. And even then, “eternal torment” believers don’t believe that Jesus was consciously suffering from Friday to Sunday anyway. At least I’ve never heard anyone say this. The only way to escape the proverbial horns of this dilemma is by accepting the Bible as it reads – “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23 ). Each time a lamb was sacrificed in the Jewish Temple, this message was proclaimed. Those animals died, and then portions of their bodies were consumed on Jewish altars. Period. That was it. On the cross of Calvary, after 6 hours of unimaginable horror, Jesus Christ breathed His last breath, and then He died. Paul wrote, “Christ died for our sins” (1 Corinthians 15:3).

But here’s a key question. What kind of death did Jesus die? It wasn’t a normal death, like we die, at the end of our lives. When people die today, their deaths are not “the wages of sin.” Nowadays, death comes alike to us all – the saved and the lost. Everyday deaths are called “sleep” in the Bible (see Psalm 13:3; Daniel 12:2; Acts 7:60; 1 Corinthians 15:6, etc). Today, when lost sinners die, they sleep in the grave. At the end of the Millennium, they will be resurrected, judged, and then punished in the “lake of fire,” which is “the second death” (see Revelation 20:5a, 11-15). This “second death” is the full penalty of sin. It will be horrible. It will go beyond the pain of flames. And then, it will be over. Finished. Done. This is the death that Jesus Christ died when He cried out, “It is finished!” “We will never forget their sacrifice,” Schwarzenegger declared about the five lost fire fighters. I pray we will never forget the sacrifice of Jesus Christ in our behalf. And part of this remembrance is to teach the truth about hell.

If we say, “the wages of sin is eternal torment,” then we are really denying that Jesus Christ paid the full penalty for our sins. May we “never forget” the Word of God, which declares, “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23 ). What “Amazing Grace!” If you have not yet read Steve’s article on the Truth about death, then consider the following questions. What happens when we die? Can we speak to the dead? What does the Bible really say? Select the image on solving the mystery of death and you will find out or for further reading on this topic you can read the truth about hell fire. Please Note: This ministry is full time and runs on faith and has over 120 domain names and growing. The domain registration costs alone are well in excess of $1500 per annum. As we require an income to survive, any assistance would be greatly appreciated to help keep this Internet ministry growing and spreading truth to the world. Thank you for your support. Total amount donated this month: $70.00.

Watch excellent Prophecy Seminars online If you have a reasonably fast internet connection and would like to learn more about the truth about hell and the truth about death and have a passion for the truth, you will find Deadly Delusions, the Lake of Fire and the Devil Chained very enlightening.

You may want to start about 20-23 minutes in depending on the selected title to bypass singing items etc. If you would like to watch more from this and other Prophecy Seminars you will find the menus here. Be prepared to discover many mind blowing, lost Bible truths.

References 1. U.S. News and World Report, March 25, 1991, p. 56

About the Author

Steve Wohlberg is Speaker/Director of White Horse Media and hosts the national radio show, World News and the Bible. He is the author of ten books and has been guest on over 400 radio and TV shows. His web site is www.whitehorsemedia.com. 1-800-78-BIBLE. Visits: 13092 Page Last Modified: 07/20/2008 12:47:07 © Copyright 2007 http://www.TheTruthAboutHell.org

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