Heaven & Hell

Many people think these two places are just imaginary.

Heaven is often talked about in todays churches but Hell is very rarely taught.

The Bible speaks of four different heavens.

1) The Atmospheric heaven:

God has always existed but this heaven was part of the creation and has only existed for a period, but this heaven will have a limited time.. 2 Peter 3:10.

"10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which 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)The Planetary Heaven / space:

The Bible speaks of an overall creation which includes planets, stars, galaxies etc. These cover a very large area of space, which was also part of the creation, the facts show the full power and glory of God. The creation was massive and Man is still finding how large space and the universe are. Planetary heaven will also be destroyed some time in the future, 2 Peter 3:10.

3) The Third Heaven:

"2 I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven.
3 And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;)
4 How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. "

This heaven is the place of God, and will never to be destroyed.

This must be a wonderful place as God is there. Matt 6:9.

"9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. "

Christ is there, interceding for the true Believers. As a forgiven person we can approach God through the Death, Blood and Resurrection of Jesus so we always "pray in the Name of Jesus."

The spirits of the True Believers who have deceased are in this heaven - on death their body returns to the earth, their spirit goes to heaven, Heb 12:23.

"23 To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, "

All believers are citizens of heaven, even though we may be physically here on earth. Phil 3:20,21.

"20 For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:
21 Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself."

This heaven is a real eternal place, the final destination for the Believer, Rev 21:10-22

"10 And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,
11 Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal;
12 And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel:
13 On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates.
14 And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
15 And he that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof.
16 And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal.
17 And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred and forty and four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel.
18 And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass.
19 And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald;
20 The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolyte; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst.
21 And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass.
22 And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. "

Today, our bodies are the temple of God, then God and the Lamb will be the temple, Rev 21:3.

"3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God."

Eternal life, no more pain, no more death - a wonderful promise of God through Jesus.

Hell

The Bible gives this place we call "hell" many other names:

Hades

Hades represents the place where the dead go, often translated as "hell" or "grave" in the Bible text. This word is usually the translation of the Hebrew word "SHEOL".

The name is used in reference to the death of Jesus in Acts 2:27,31.

" 27 Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.
31 He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption."

Jesus also referred to "Hades" in Matt 16:18,

"18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. "

That the gates of Hades will not destroy His church, probably indicating that the power of death was gone.

In Luke 16:19-31 there is a parable given by Jesus, it shows that it as a place of sadness and misery for the lost. It is interesting that this is the only parable Jesus gave names to the people involved, possibly showing that the story was based upon a true event.

Jesus used the word "hell"to describe Capernaum, Matt 11:23.

Hell

Hell is a place for which we have to make a decision, we each have all of our life to make that decision, unfortunately many wait until it is "too late" or make the wrong decision 2 Peter 2:4-6.

"4 For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;
5 And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;
6 And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly;"

This word "Hell"is often translated from the three biblical language words:-

Sheol.

In the Old Testament this word occurs sixty-five times where it is translated "grave" for thirty-one times, for example:-
Genesis 37:35;
Genesis 42:38;
Genesis 44:29, 31;
1 Samuel 2:6.

The King James Authorized Version has translated this word in thirty-one places as following examples:-

(a) "The congregation of the dead" Proverbs 21:16
(b) The "home" of the wicked, Numbers 16:33; Job 24:19; Psalm 9:17; Psalm 31:17.
(c) Various, Psalm 16:10; Psalm 30:3; Psalm 49:15; Psalm 86:13.
Job 11:8; Job 10:21,22; Job 17:16; Numbers 16:30,33; Ezekiel 31:15-17.

Hades

In the New Testament the Greek word "Hades" has the same meaning as "sheol" in the Old Testament. In 1 Peter 3:19 it is translated "a prison"

Gehenna.

The place of punishment for sinners, the place of the lost Matt. 23:33. The condition there is described in Matt 8:12; Matt 13:42; Matt 22:13; Matt 25:30; Luke 16:24.

Lake of Fire

Rev 19-21 The Place of Final Judgement - eternal punishment.

Even Hell will be placed in the Lake of Fire.