The Law of Sin

This topic (Death & Hell) is rather unknown, uncomfortable, and even scary to think about. Our culture, traditions, and sayings were designed to ease our discomfort and worry. Throughout my life, I have been told many ideas which I now know to be misinformation, or an incorrect understanding of what the Bible truly says. Below is what I have found in my search for truth from a Biblical perspective, not one which man has created or contrived, but one derived contextually from Scripture. I hope you find it useful in your own search...

Death - A Common Enemy

Death is an event which touches every living creature. Dying can be difficult to deal with, especially when it hits close to home. Most of us are fully aware of our own mortality and no rational person expects to live forever. None of us want to die, but innately it happen:

“For the living know that they will die; But the dead know nothing, And they have no more reward, For the memory of them is forgotten.” - Ecclesiastes 9:5

Besides our physical expiration, there are many other life-events which we encounter in our lives: famine, sickness, poverty, abuse, or various handicaps. While it is possible to struggle with any one of these events, it is very unlikely we would experience all of them personally. Therefore, the only event affecting every single person is death because:

“it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment.” (Hebrews 9:27)

Death does not discriminate nor show favoritism. And though we know it is coming, we are almost never prepared. Frankly, there is no escaping the inevitable. Scripture's portrayal of death and Sheol is always represented as either a potential or actual threat. "Death is our enemy". The Bible tells us:

"The last enemy to be destroyed is death." (1 Corinthians 15:26)

Have you ever heard the phrase, “death is only the beginning”? Some people hold to the belief that our soul (or spirit) continues to live after the body dies. To these people, death might even be seen as a friend who brings comfort and relief from this bodily life. However, this idea is completely contrary to what the Bible teaches.

People search for ways to cheat death and live forever, but only one person has ever truly defeated death--Jesus. And it is only through Him that are we able to escape our great enemy--death. Jesus triumphed victoriously over death (the resurrection) showing He truly has power over both life and death. Paul explains it this way:

“has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.” (2 Timothy 1:10)

Just having a discussion about death can be disheartening and/or difficult to think about. It may remind of us those we once knew or worry us about things we have no understanding. However, our hope should be in Him who is the ultimate promise keeper. He promised death will be defeated and we will live forever with Him. Yes, death has been destroyed! Isaiah 25:7-10

NOTE: For the remainder of this paper, Jesus will be substituded with His Hebrew name, Yeshua.

I am a mortal being

Have you ever wondered why we grow old, get sick, and eventually die? Ancient mythology is filled with stories about man’s quest for the fountain of youth--searching for ways to extend life. Medical science continually discovers new ways to save lives and heal sickness. Today, cancer is the number one killer, and people are feverously looking to cure and prevent it in our lifetime.

However, even if we do find a cure for all cancer, we’ll just die of something else. Sounds tragic and pessimistic, right? But it simply states an inescapable fact--we all will eventually die (Hebrews 9:27). You may ask yourself: Why must we die? Why didn’t God give us immortality from the beginning?

Through religion and philosophy, man has tried for centuries to answer the first question. Why do we die? According to the Bible, God gave us the opportunity to have immortality (in Genesis). He gave very clear instructions about what Adam and Eve were allowed to eat. These instructions came with a warning about what would happen if they disobeyed. They were presented with life or death, a blessing or curse:

“And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, ‘Of every tree of the garden you may fireely 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

If they ate from the tree of life, they would have lived forever (immortality). But they couldn't keep God's one commandment. And now, the disobedience of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden clearly points to sin as the reason we must experience death. Some people argue that Adam and Eve should have died on the day they ate from the tree. However, the text does not define the time of death. Rather, it clearly states “You shall surely die” as the verdict given in response to their actions. They were given the opportunity to choose life--death was chosen instead.

It is easy for us to criticize Adam & Eve for choosing to disobey God, knowing the result would be death. Yet even today we continue to ignore God's commandments and make the same choice as they did: to sin instead of obey. Scripture warns us about disobedience and clearly states the rewards:

"See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil, in that I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commandments, His statutes, and His judgments, that you may live and multiply; and the Lord your God will bless you in the land which you go to possess… I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live” - Deuteronomy 30:15-19

We all sin! So, it is hypocritical to think we might have done any better in the Garden. Every time we knowingly sin, we choose death rather than life. Each time, we eat from the wrong tree. We are no different than Adam! And because of Adam’s sin, we are all mortals. None of Adam’s descendants ever live a life without sin.

“Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned.” - Romans 5:12

Not only were we born into sin through Adam, but “all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Scripture also says, “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). Therefore, we all deserve death. Because of our sin, we have been barred access to the tree of life. However, we should thank God that He hid the tree of life from us, because if we were to eat of the tree of life in our current sinful state, we would become eternally sinful. It was God’s love and grace that that protected us from making a very HUGE mistake!

“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

We are not immortal because we have not yet eaten from the tree of life. This is why the gospel message is so important! While it is true “the wages of sin is death”, the gospel teaches us we have hope in conquering death through the resurrection of Yeshua, because “the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23). I’m mortal, but the gospel promises I can become immortal.

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." - John 3:16

The Bible explains we bear the image of Adam, we inherited our sinful nature from him, and we will die because sin entered the world through him. However, the good news is we can be changed through the work of Yeshua. This is why Paul describes Yeshua as the “last Adam” because He came to save us from our sinful nature and transform us into His likeness.

“And so it is written, ‘The first man Adam became a living being.’ The last Adam became a life-giving spirit… The first man was of the earth, made of dust; the second Man is the Lord from heaven. As was the man of dust, so also are those who are made of dust; and as is the heavenly Man, so also are those who are heavenly. And as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man.” - 1 Corinthians 15:45-49

We are mortal because of sin, described in Scripture as the “law of sin and death” (Romans 8:2). That is what God told Adam when He said, “for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” If the consequence of sin is death, then we are mortal. For if we possessed immortality, then we would have no need of a savior. To claim we have an immortal soul renders the gospel meaningless. Therefore, it should be unthinkable for anyone, who claims to follow the Bible, to believe in the natural immortality of the soul. The soul is not naturally immortal. This is what makes the work of Yeshua so signifcant because He gives mortals the opportunity to become immortal!

This view is commonly referred to as “conditional immortality” or “Conditionalism” in Christian theology. It states that our immortality is based upon meeting certain conditions. Conditionalism emphasizes our dependence upon God for life and realizes eternal life is a gift from God:

“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” - Romans 6:23

Conditionalism stands in direct opposition to the more popular belief in the “immortal soul” concept. At the Fifth Council of the Lateran (1512-17 A.D.), the Roman Catholic Church reaffirmed its belief in the immortality of the soul, and condemned Conditionalism as erroneous assertions. “We condemn and reject all those who insist that the intellectual soul is mortal… For the soul not only truly exists of itself… but it is also immortal.” They proclaim the soul “exists of itself”. A being exists of itself, by its own nature and without cause from another, is considered a god. To claim we are self-existent beings is to claim that we were not created by God and that we have always existed on our own. This is overt blasphemy.

The Bible tells us we were created by God, He is the one who “gives life to all things” (1 Timothy 6:13), and Yeshua “alone has immortality” (1 Timothy 6:16). Right now, I acknowledge and accept the fact that I am mortal. And I also believe the promise we have been given in the Word of God that through Yeshua I can become immortal. I refuse to believe the lie endorsed by the Catholic church that say that I already possess immortality naturally of myself. We are not self-existent beings. We exist only because God allows us to exist. Ultimately, we will all die. And unless we receive the gift of eternal life, we will die twice.

The Grave

People often wonder what happens when we die. Many of the questions asked about death are based on false assumptions about the nature of our soul. The question, “where do we go when we die?” is based on the presumption that our soul is naturally immortal and can exist outside of the body. Which leads to the assumption that the soul leaves the body at death and continues to live elsewhere. However, that idea comes from Greek philosophy and not the Bible. The Bible never says anything about our soul living apart from our bodies. However, it does have some interesting things to say about what happens to those who have died.

It is not a coincidental that the book of the Bible (Genesis) begins with the giving of life, and ends with the deaths of both Jacob and Joseph. The Greek word “Genesis” means “origin, birth, or beginning”. However, it was first written in Hebrew with the first word of the Bible is Bereshit, pronounced [Beh-ray-sheeth], which means "beginning, first, best, chief, choice part". Genesis is meant to be a foundational book referring to the origin of Creation. It provides the basic defnitions and concepts used throughout the rest of the Bible.

In Biblical interpretation, there is a rule known as “the Law of First Mention”. It states that the frst use of a word or concept in Scripture is the most complete and accurate meaning of the word. It serves as a key to help better understand how particular words and phrases are used elsewhere in the Bible. In a way, the Bible works as a sort of dictionary, defning certain Biblical terms, allowing the Bible to interpret itself. Because the Law of First Mention applies to the very frst time a word or phrase is used, then most of the definitions will be found in the book of Genesis. Our understanding of Genesis therefore shapes how we understand everything else that follows.

In the account below, there is a very interesting request which Jacob makes concerning his burial. His request might help us better understand what the ancient Hebrews thought about death.

“Then he charged them and said to them: ‘I am to be gathered to my people; bury me with my fathers in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite, in the cave that is in the field of Machpelah, which is before Mamre in the land of Canaan, which Abraham bought with the field of Ephron the Hittite as a possession for a burial place. There they buried Abraham and Sarah his wife, there they buried Isaac and Rebekah his wife, and there I buried Leah. The field and the cave that is there were purchased from the sons of Heth.’ And when Jacob had finished commanding his sons, he drew his feet up into the bed and breathed his last, and was gathered to his people.” - Genesis 49:29-33

Jacob said, “I am to be gathered to my people”, then requested be buried in the same place Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Rebekah, and Leah were buried. This same phrase was used when Abraham died (Genesis 25:8), when Ishmael died (Genesis 25:17), and when Isaac died (Genesis 35:29). At first glance, one might assume this phrase refers to them being buried near their relatives, especially since he also said, “bury me with my fathers”. The family tomb was a central concept in the ancient Hebrew mindset. We cannot overlook the literal understanding of being gathered to a family grave, and if this was the only way the phrase was ever used, we could conclude this is all it meant. However, the phrase “gathered to his people” is not always used in reference to a common family burial site. This phrase was first mentioned in connection with the death of Abraham.

"Then Abraham breathed his last and died in a good old age, an old man and full of years, and was gathered to his people." - Genesis 25:8

God told Abraham to leave his homeland of Ur and to venture into the land of Canaan. His ancestors were buried in Ur, but Abraham and Sarah were buried in a cave that he bought from the Hittites. He was not buried with his ancestors, yet the Bible says he was “gathered to his people”. Since his wife, Sarah, was the only other person buried there at that time, it is unlikely this was a reference to a family grave. It is also important to note that this same phrase was used in connection with the deaths of Aaron (Numbers 20:24) and Moses (Deuteronomy 32:50), yet neither of them were buried with their relatives. In fact, both Aaron and Moses died on the top of mountains and were buried in the wilderness. This means the idea of being gathered to one’s ancestors cannot be solely related to the geographic location of the grave.

Although the phrase “gathered to his people” is often connected to the traditional family grave, it actually has more to do with the idea that the dead are gathered together in Sheol. There are a number of Biblical commentators, both Jewish and Christian, who agree that the ancient Israelites believed in a common grave for all humans, and they understood that everyone dies and goes to Sheol. The Hebrew word “Sheol” ( שְׁאוֹל ) is often translated as "grave", "pit", or "abode of the dead", and refers to the common destination of the dead.

Sheol was the Old Testament designation for the abode of the dead. It was a place of no return and without praise of God. The wicked were sent there for punishment and the righteous not abandoned to it--the place of exile and extreme degradation. It is a place where the dead are cut off from the living, left in darkness and silence to rest.

The ancient Israelites were comforted with the idea they would rest in the grave with their ancestors. They were not going to be alone in the ground, because they would be in good company. If we are gathered to our ancestors, then death is not a lonely journey. This idea would bring comfort to those who are passing away. The first mention of Sheol is when Jacob was told that Joseph had been devoured by wild beasts. When he found out, he mourned the death of his beloved son.

“And all his sons and all his daughters arose to comfort him; but he refused to be comforted, and he said, ‘For I shall go down into the grave [Sheol] to my son in mourning.’ Thus his father wept for him.” - Genesis 37:35

Notice that Sheol is translated “grave” in this particular verse, which is the core defnition of the word. “Sheol” refers to a place under the earth and is spoken of as a place of “silence” (Psalm 115:17), and in many instances, Sheol appears to be used as a metaphor for oblivion, conveying the idea the dead have no thoughts or memories whatsoever.

“the dead know nothing, And they have no more reward, For the memory of them is forgotten.” - Ecclesiastes 9:5

Although some people teach that in Sheol the dead souls continue to live in an incorporeal state, the Bible never makes such claims. In fact, the Bible tells us that the dead do not even remember God or give Him praise.

"For in death there is no remembrance of You; In the grave who will give You thanks?" - Psalm 6:5

In the New Testament as well as the Septuaginti, the Greek word “Hades” is used in place of, and in the same manner as its Hebrew counterpart, “Sheol”. The two words are used in exactly the same way throughout the Scriptures, and without a hint of Greek mythology in its usage. Yet, many people lean toward the Greek concept of Hades when speaking about the place of the dead, rather than trying to understand the Biblical concepts of Sheol.

According to ancient Greek mythology, Hades was both the god of the underworld and the name for the underworld. Pagans believe Hades is a place of torment, and with varying levels of suffering the deeper you go--similar to Dante’s Inferno. Unfortunately, people have confused the Biblical descriptions of Hades with those from Pagan mythology. The Septuagint is a translation of the Hebrew Bible into Koine Greek and is also known as the Greek Old Testament.

Hell Confusion

Many people claim that Hell is the absence of God, but this cannot be true because the Bible tells us, “If I make my bed in hell [Sheol], behold, You are there.” (Psalm 139:8). King David wrote this psalm, so it should cause us to wonder why he would be speaking about making his bed in hell. It should also make us wonder why God would be there with him. This verse alone is reason enough to re-evaluate our thinking about the word Hell.

The word translated “hell” in this verse is the word “Sheol”. David had no problem with the idea that he would make his bed in Sheol because he understood everyone eventually dies, and they rest in Sheol until the resurrection. We know this because David also wrote, "For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption." (Psalm 16:10) He knew he would go to Sheol, but he also knew his soul would not be left there--he understood the resurrection.

If you looked up the word Sheol in many Bible translations, you find it often rendered as the English word “hell”. However, the modern concept of “hell” does not line up with the Biblical descriptions of Sheol. The word Sheol occurs 67 times in the Old Testament (Tanakh). The New American Standard version translates 31 of the occurrences as ‘hell’, 33 occurrences as ‘grave’, and 3 occurrences as ‘pit’”.

Why would Bible translators use two seemingly different concepts to translate the same word? By choosing to translate “Sheol” with two different words they have caused a lot of confusion about death. If every instance of the word Sheol were translated “Hell”, then we would conclude that both Joseph and Jacob went to hell.

“Then Jacob tore his clothes, put sackcloth on his waist, and mourned for his son many days. And all his sons and all his daughters arose to comfort him; but he refused to be comforted, and he said, ‘For I shall go down into Hell to my son in mourning.’ Thus his father wept for him.” - Genesis 37:34-35

Many people do not realize it, but the Bible explains that all people go to Sheol when they die. If Sheol is Hell, then everyone goes to hell when they die.

“What man can live and not see death? Can he deliver his life from the power of the grave [Sheol]? Selah” - Psalm 89:48

The word “hell” is used approximately 54 times in most Bibles, and is translated from several different words including "Sheol", "Hades", "Gehenna", and "Tartarus". All of these words have different meanings and usage in the Scriptures, and their collective translation as "hell" has caused major confusion about death.

The English word Hell was derived from the Old English "helle", and is related to the Old Norse goddess named "Hel" or “Hela”. In its original use and etymology, the word Hell means "to cover, or conceal", and may have simply referred to the ground covering over the dead person. However, in many pagan cultures, it was believed that Hell (or Hades) was the underworld, and was ruled by the god of the dead.

The popular modern version of this concept refers to a place of fiery torment and is understood by many to be the home of Satan and his demons. It is believed the unrighteous dead go immediately to hell to be tortured in flames for all eternity. Many people also believe Satan and his demons are in charge of actively torturing those damned souls. The Bible never says Satan is in charge of Hell or even that he is currently living there.

The Bible says Satan will be bound in the bottomless pit during the thousand-year reign of the Messiah

And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled... Revelation 20:1-3

Then Satan will be released for a short time to deceive the nations

And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog, and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. Revelation 20:7-8

And finally Satan will be thrown into the lake of fire forever and ever

“The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.” - Revelation 20:10

The idea that Satan oversees Hell is rooted in the Greek belief in Hades as the god of the underworld. When people say Satan is in charge of Hell, they are rehearsing pagan mythology, and confessing Satan to be the god of the underworld. In doing this, they are participating in a modern “Christianized” version of the pantheon.

The Bible also speaks about fallen angels who were imprisoned in Tartarus [hell] to be held for judgment.

"For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell [Tartarus] and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment" - 2 Peter 2:4

This is the only place in the entire Bible that this word Tartarus [ταρταρόω] is used, and it refers exclusively to the prison for fallen angels. In the Strongs Greek concordance, the word means "to incarcerate in eternal torment" or "the deepest abyss of Hades".

The word “Tartarus” is also found in Greek mythology, and it means an abyss or a bottomless pit. This deep abyss was used as a dungeon of torment and served as a prison for the Titans. Plato said Tartarus was the place where souls were judged and punished after death, which might be where we get the idea that humans could end up there. However, the Bible never says humans will go there, and it is presumptuous to jump to such a conclusion without any Scriptural warrant.

It is obvious that not all fallen angels were sent to Tartarus because during Yeshua’s ministry, He encountered many demons and unclean spirits who were not imprisoned, and who begged Him not to send them there.

And Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Legion”; for many demons had entered him. They were imploring Him not to command them to go away into the abyss. Luke 8:30-33

Also, the context of what Peter said in 2 Peter 2:4, indicates he was referring to the fallen angels who sinned at the time of Noah, where the Bible calls “the sons of God” who took human wives and produced half-human offspring (Genesis 6:2-4). The Genesis record here mentions both giants and mighty “men of renown”, which sounds similar to Greek mythology about giants known as Titans, and the demigods who were said to be the half-human offspring of gods mating with humans.

These fallen angels are imprisoned in Tartarus awaiting the judgment. This means demons are not being tortured in the lake of fire yet, but are simply being held captive until the time of judgment. Although it is not mentioned by name, it is most likely the same “bottomless pit” (Revelation 20:3) where Satan will be imprisoned for a thousand years while Messiah is reigning on earth. This also gives us a better understanding of why the legion of demons begged to be cast into the swine and not the abyss. They knew the abyss was a prison and Yeshua had the power to send them there, so they begged Him for mercy. This prison (Abyss), is most likely a reference to Tartarus, since it is a prison for Satan during the thousand-year reign of the Messiah.

Greeks believed the Titans were cast into Tartarus, and Paul explains that the “gods” of the pagans are demons (1 Corinthians 10:20-21), which are actually fallen angels. So, in this particular case, there seems to be some connection between the Greek and Biblical concepts of Tartarus as a prison for fallen angels.

However, this does not mean we should look to pagan mythology for understanding. We must always let the Scriptures guide our understanding, and not allow ourselves to be infuenced by pagan myth, even when it resembles the Biblical record. Therefore, when Peter speaks about the fallen angels imprisoned in Tartarus, we must not confuse the events in the Bible with pagan myths.

It is obvious the 'legion' was terrifed of the abyss, and yet the Bible simply describes it as a temporary prison, not a place of fiery torment or judgment. If demons are terrifed of this temporary prison, what does it say about the punishment to be received in the lake of fire? Satan will be bound for a thousand years in the abyss when Messiah returns, but where does he live currently?

The Bible describes Satan as “going to and fro on the earth, and from walking back and forth on it.” (Job 1:7) He is currently dwelling on the earth, tempting people to transgress the commandments of the Almighty. He is also described as “the god of this age” (2 Corinthians 4:4). The Bible never describes Satan as the ruler of Hell or the underworld. The idea that Satan is the god of the underworld comes from various pagan religions including Ancient Egyptian, Babylonian, Greek, Persian, Roman, Germanic, and Celtic mythology.

In Egyptian mythology, Osiris was the god of the underworld, and Anubis was the guardian of the dead. In Greek mythology, Hades was not only king of the underworld but also its namesake. In Norse mythology, it was Hel, the daughter of Loki, who presided over the dead. It is no coincidence that the underworld was also called Hel, a cognate for the English term “Hell”, which is derived from the Proto-Germanic haljō, which means "a concealed place. “The term hell is cognate to ‘hole’ (cavern) and ‘hollow’. In ancient Norse mythology Hel is the ill-favored goddess of the underworld. Only those who fall in battle can enter Valhalla; the rest go down to Hel in the underworld, not all, however, to the place of punishment of criminals.”

One of the biggest problems with using the word “Hell” is it has become associated with the lake of fire. This is quite problematic because the Bible tells us that Hell (hades) will be “cast into the lake of fire.” (Revelation 20:14) If Hell is the lake of fire, then how can it be cast into the lake of fire? It is illogical to say that Hell is cast into Hell. So, either Hell is not the lake of fire or the word “Hades” should not have been translated with the word “Hell”. Either Hell and Hades are synonymous, or Hell and the lake of fire are, but it is impossible for Hell, Hades, and the lake of fire to all be synonymous. Are you starting to see the confusion this is causing?

If the subject of Hell is not already confusing enough, we must also consider who goes there and why. If sinners go directly into hellfire punishment at death, this negates the whole purpose of the great white throne judgment that will take place at the end of the age (Revelation 20:11-15). If the unrighteous begin their punishment at death, then they are being punished unjustly, since they have not received a fair trial for their actions. This line of thought leads us to an unjust god who condemns and punishes people before they are found guilty. Therefore, it is not only a logical fallacy to claim that Hell is the lake of fire, but it is also an attack against the justice and righteousness of God, claiming He condemns people before they are judged.

Scripture teaches our God is a just God who makes righteous judgments (Psalm 19:9, Revelation 16:7). That is why it is so important for us to have an accurate understanding of death and Hell because we do not want to believe lies about the Almighty. He is a righteous and just Judge, but the confusion about Hell has inadvertently soiled His good name by turning Him into one who acts unjustly. This should cause us to carefully examine our beliefs, making certain we are not bringing further shame upon His glorious reputation by our ill-placed faith in unbiblical doctrines.

Because there is so much confusion about this subject, I tend to avoid using the word “Hell” when speaking about the places and events associated with death and judgment. When I refer to the place of the dead, I typically use the word “Sheol” instead of “Hell” or “Hades”, because those terms have become so entwined with fery punishment that it is difcult for people to separate them. For example, if I were to explain that everyone goes to “Hell” when they die, people would immediately reject what I was saying based on their preconceived ideas about what Hell is. Likewise, when I refer to the “lake of fire”, I tend to avoid using the word “Hell” because I do not want to feed into the popular bias that Hell is a place of fery torment, therefore I prefer to use the word “Gehenna” or I simply call it the “lake of fire”.

Gehenna is the name Yeshua used for the place of fire and punishment. However, like “Sheol” and “Hades”, it is usually translated “Hell” in most English Bibles, which is why there is so much confusion on this subject. The Greek word “Gehenna”, was a reference to the valley of Hinnom outside of Jerusalem. “Gehenna is the Greek form of two Hebrew words, ge-hinnom (גֵּא הִנֹּם) meaning ‘valley of Hinnom.’ The term originally referred to a ravine on the south side of Jerusalem where pagan deities were worshiped. It became a garbage dump and a place of abomination where fire burned continuously. Gehenna became synonymous with ‘a place of burning.’”

The Valley of Hinnon is mentioned several times in the Bible. There the people burned incense to pagan gods and even burned their own children in the fire as they worshipped Molech and Baal (2 Kings 23:10, 2 Chronicles 28:3, Jeremiah 7:31,32:35). However, Jeremiah prophesied that the valley of Hinnom will be turned into a burial place for those who do wickedness.

"And they have built the high places of Tophet, which is in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire, which I did not command, nor did it come into My heart. 'Therefore behold, the days are coming,' says the Lord, 'when it will no more be called Tophet, or the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, but the Valley of Slaughter; for they will bury in Tophet until there is no room. The corpses of this people will be food for the birds of the heaven and for the beasts of the earth. And no one will frighten them away.'" - Jeremiah 7:31-33

This is why Yeshua refers to the fire of Gehenna as a place of punishment for the wicked. He made reference to it a few times in phrases like, “whoever says, 'You fool!' shall be in danger of hell [Gehenna] fire” (Matthew 5:22), and “If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell [Gehenna].” (Matthew 5:29)

Notice that Yeshua said, “your whole body to be cast into Gehenna”, indicating that it is a bodily destruction, not simply a spiritual event as some have mistakenly concluded. Likewise, He indicates in another place both the body and the soul will be destroyed in the fire of Gehenna.

“And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell [Gehenna].” - Matthew 10:28

This is signifcant because it shows the soul is not kept alive in an eternal state of torture separate from the body. Rather, the soul is actually destroyed by the fire along with the body. This is why the lake of fire is referred to as the “second death” (Revelation 2:11, 20:6, 20:14, 21:8). Scripture also teaches us that “the soul who sins shall die” (Ezekiel 18:4, 20).

Only Sleeping

King David used the phrase, “make my bed in Sheol” (Psalm 139:8), which seems to indicate the intermediate state of the dead is similar to being asleep. The idea of the dead only sleeping is a theme we find throughout the entire Bible. David wrote, “enlighten my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death.” (Psalm 13:3) Likewise, Peter describes the death of David, saying, "after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell asleep, was buried with his fathers, and saw corruption." (Acts 13:36)

Daniel made a similar reference when he spoke about “those who sleep in the dust of the earth” (Daniel 12:2), and he also prophesied about their resurrection saying they “shall awake, some to everlasting life, some to shame and everlasting contempt” (Daniel 12:2). Even the book of Job, which is thought to be the oldest book in the Bible, compares death with sleep.

“But man dies and is laid away; Indeed he breathes his last And where is he? As water disappears from the sea, And a river becomes parched and dries up, So man lies down and does not rise. Till the heavens are no more, They will not awake Nor be roused from their sleep.” - Job 14:10-12

This same comparison is made in the New Testament when Yeshua went to heal a young girl and found out she was dead. When he arrived at the house, everyone was weeping because she was dead, but Yeshua said, "Do not weep; she is not dead, but sleeping." (Luke 8:52) Another notable example of this is when Yeshua described Lazarus as being asleep and said He was going to go wake him up. This puzzled the disciples, so He spoke more frankly with them, explaining that Lazarus was dead.

This He said, and after that He *said to them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I go, so that I may awaken him out of sleep.” The disciples then said to Him, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover.” Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that He was speaking of literal sleep. So Jesus then said to them plainly, “Lazarus is dead, and I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, so that you may believe; but let us go to him.” John 11:11-15

Yeshua intentionally referred to him as sleeping, even though He knew Lazarus had already been placed in a tomb. It is very clear Lazarus was not having a near death experience because he was dead for four days, and his body was starting to smell very badly when Yeshua raised him back to life.

Biblical writers use the sleep metaphor to convey the impermanence of death, showing the dead are not gone forever. This is often called the “intermediate state”, referring to the interim between death and resurrection. The Bible speaks of two deaths, the first temporary, and the second absolute. When we die the first death, we have an opportunity to live again, but not so with the second.

I have heard a phrase once that I think explains it pretty well. “Born twice--die once, born once--die twice.” Meaning if you are born again, you will not have to face the second death, but if you have not been born again, you will die a second time.

**** Yeshua alludes to these two deaths in Matthew 10:28. The first death is bodily only, but the second involves both body and soul. [The soul is not destroyed during the first death, it simply rests in the grave until the resurrection.] ???

Paul indicates our soul is preserved when he prays, "your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." (1 Thessalonians 5:23). Notice Paul’s prayer is not that we go to heaven, but that we be “preserved” until Yeshua returns. Paul also used the sleep metaphor when he spoke about those who witnessed the risen Messiah, saying many “remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep.” (1 Corinthians 15:6) He also argued that if there is no resurrection of the dead, then “those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.” (1 Corinthians 15:18).

In another place he spoke about comforting those who mourn, saying, “I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope.” (1 Thess. 4:13). Paul explained that “we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep.” (1 Thessalonians 4:15) This means when our Messiah returns, the living will not be given preference ahead of those who have died, we will all meet the Lord together.

“For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet (Shofar) of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.” - 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17

The dead have not gone to meet Yeshua without us--they are sleeping in their graves, awaiting His return. The same concept is echoed in the book of Hebrews when it speaks about the faithful believers who have gone before us, specifcally Abraham, Moses, and David:

“And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us.” - Hebrews 11:39-40

When Yeshua returns, those who are alive will be transformed together with those who have been resurrected. This belief that the dead are “sleeping” in their graves was "the prevalent opinion until as late as the 5th century." This means for the frst 400 years Christians believed the dead are waiting in their graves for the resurrection. This understanding changed when the Catholic church began teaching their doctrines of purgatory and the immortality of the soul.

However, the protestant reformation reintroduced the Biblical concepts of death and conditional immortality. In fact, the doctrine of Purgatory was the primary reason for Martin Luther’s emphasis on the resurrection and his use of the sleep metaphor:

“Luther, with a greater emphasis on the resurrection, preferred to concentrate on the scriptural metaphor of sleep. For just as one who falls asleep and reaches morning unexpectedly when he awakes, without knowing what has happened to him "we shall suddenly rise on the last day without knowing how we have come into death and through death. ''We shall sleep, until He comes and knocks on the little grave and says, "Doctor Martin, get up! Then I shall rise in a moment, and be with him forever.’” D.T.A. Kantonen, The Christian Hope (Philadelphia: Muhlenberg Press, 1954)

He also commented on Ecclesiastes indicating King Solomon argued the dead sleep until the resurrection:

“Salomon judgeth that the dead are a sleepe, and feele nothing at all. For the dead lye there accompting neyther dayes nor yeares, but when they are awoken, they shall seeme to have slept scarce one minute.”

John Wyclife and William Tyndale also taught the soul sleeps in the grave, opposing the Catholic doctrine of purgatory. Tyndale argued with Sir Thomas More on this very subject, claiming Catholic assumptions about heaven, hell, and purgatory confict with Biblical narrative of the resurrection:

“And ye, in putting them [the departed souls] in heaven, hell, and purgatory, destroy the arguments wherewith Christ and Paul prove the resurrection... And then what cause is there of the resurrection?… The true faith putteth [setteth forth] the resurrection, which we be warned to look for every hour. The heathen philosophers, denying that, did put [set forth] that the souls did ever live.”

He points out that it defeats the purpose of the resurrection to believe the dead are in heaven, hell, or purgatory. Notice also he indicates the immortal soul concept originated from “heathen philosophers.” Several reformation leaders tried to restore the Biblical concepts of death and resurrection, but unfortunately the majority today teach a modifed form of Catholic doctrine: removing the idea of purgatory, but maintaining that souls are immortal and they either go to heaven or hell at death.

There are a couple of passages which initially caused me to take a closer look at death, the 2nd death, and eternal suffering in hell. I thought those who's name was not in the Lamb's Book of Life were destined to spend eternity in the lake of fire. The first one is:

“If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life crippled, than, having your two hands, to go into hell, into the unquenchable fire, [where THEIR WORM DOES NOT DIE, AND THE FIRE IS NOT QUENCHED.] “If your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life lame, than, having your two feet, to be cast into hell, [where THEIR WORM DOES NOT DIE, AND THE FIRE IS NOT QUENCHED.] “If your eye causes you to stumble, throw it out; it is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, than, having two eyes, to be cast into hell,where THEIR WORM DOES NOT DIE, AND THE FIRE IS NOT QUENCHED. Mark 9:43-48

These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, when He comes to be glorified in His saints on that day, and to be marveled at among all who have believed--for our testimony to you was believed. 2 Thessalonians 1:8-9

The verses in the gospel of Mark does not say people will be tormented forever (for all eternity), it only says they will be thrown "into the unquenchable fire". Satan, anit-Christ, and the beast will be tormented forever and ever (Revelation 20.10), but the unrepented will be thrown in the lake of fire and DIE--both body and soul. This is the "eternal destruction" which is noted in Thessalonians. If God is everywhere, there where can one possibly go to be away from the presence and glory of God? The 2nd Death--permanent and complete destruction--gone, you are no more.

In Heaven

The belief that we go to heaven at death is quite popular among protestants and Catholics alike. According to a study done by the Barna Group in 2003, 81% of Americans said they believe in some sort of afterlife, 79% said they believe in an immortal soul that lives forever, 76% said they believe in heaven, and 71% said they believe in hell.

There are so many popular books and movies containing stories of people who supposedly died and went to heaven, then returned to tell of their experience. Please be careful: just because something is popular does not mean it is right or true. Yeshua warned us the road which leads to destruction is wide and popular and many follow it.

“enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.” - Matthew 7:13-14

Have you ever wondered why everybody wants to go to heaven? It is quite a popular topic even among those who do not claim to be Christians. Likewise, most Christian teachings about the afterlife promise we will spend eternity in heaven. But did you know, the Bible never makes such promises! Search the entire Bible and you won't find a single verse that ever promises we go to heaven. However, we are promised eternal life for those who believe.

Most Christians are familiar with this Bible passage:

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” - John 3:16

This verse is memorized in Sunday School, taught from the pulpit, flashed on scoreboards at professional sports, and preached on the street corners. It is quite possibly the most known verse in the entire Bible. However, do you recall what it says just 3 verses prior?

“No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven.” - John 3:13

Yeshua was speaking to Nicodemus about being born again, and He explained that no one has gone to heaven except the one who came down from heaven. Yeshua is the only one who has ever gone to heaven, because He is the only one who came down from heaven. This was prophesied about in the book of Proverbs:

“Who has ascended into heaven, or descended? Who has gathered the wind in His fists? Who has bound the waters in a garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is His name, and what is His Son's name, If you know?” - Proverbs 30:4

According to His own testimony, Yeshua is the only one who has ever ascended into heaven. So if He is the only one who died and is in heaven, then who is the Catholic church praying for in their tradition? The dead saints are not in heaven, they are sleeping in their graves waiting for the resurrection. Yeshua is the only one who is able to intercede for us because He is the only one who has entered the heavenly tabernacle. Hallelujah!

Many Catholics also believe in “the Assumption of Mary”, claiming she never died but went directly to heaven. “The belief in the corporeal assumption of Mary is founded on the apocryphal treatise De Obitu S. Dominae, bearing the name of St. John, which belongs however to the fourth or fifth century. It is also found in the book De Transitu Virginis, falsely ascribed to St. Melito of Sardis, and in a spurious letter attributed to St. Denis the Areopagite… Today, the belief in the corporeal assumption of Mary is universal in the East and in the West; according to Benedict XIV (De Festis B.V.M., I, viii, 18) it is a probable opinion, which to deny were impious and blasphemous.”

This non-Biblical belief that Mary ascended into heaven is the main reason why Catholics pray to her, and why they think she can intercede for them. However, the Bible tells us that Yeshua is the one who has ascended into heaven and He is the only one who can intercede for us:

“But He, because He continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood. Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.” - Hebrews 7:24-25

Therefore, it is blasphemy to say Mary, or the saints, can make intercession for us in heaven. They are humans, they are not God, therefore it is wrong to pray to them or worship them. In addition, Mary and the saints are dead. Praying to them is nothing short of necromancy.

We pray to Yeshua because He was raised from the dead and lives eternally--He is ALIVE! When we pray to Yeshua, we are not speaking to the dead, but to the living Savior who is seated at the right hand of the Father in Heaven. Yeshua is our Great High Priest and serves in the heavenly tabernacle making intercession for us. There is only one High Priest, and only He can enter the most holy place.

“Now this is the main point of the things we are saying: We have such a High Priest, who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, a Minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle which the Lord erected, and not man. For every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices. Therefore it is necessary that this One also have something to offer. For if He were on earth, He would not be a priest, since there are priests who offer the gifts according to the law; who serve the copy and shadow of the heavenly things, as Moses was divinely instructed when he was about to make the tabernacle. For He said, ‘See that you make all things according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.’” - Hebrews 8:1-5

At the time Hebrews was written, the earthly Temple was still standing, because it says, “if He were on earth, He would not be a priest, since there are priests who offer gifts according to the law” (Hebrews 8.4). Since the Temple was destroyed in 70AD, and has never been rebuilt, this means He is the only High Priest who is able to intercede for the past 2000 years. Therefore, without Yeshua, we have no other means of atonement. Some people erroneously teach the priesthood and sacrifces were put to an end, but the Bible says the priesthood simply changed hands. It is no longer an Earthly Levitical priesthood, now it is a Heavenly priesthood.

“Therefore, if perfection were through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need was there that another priest should rise according to the order of Melchizedek, and not be called according to the order of Aaron? For the priesthood being changed, of necessity there is also a change of the law. For He of whom these things are spoken belongs to another tribe, from which no man has officiated at the altar. For it is evident that our Lord arose from Judah, of which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning priesthood. And it is yet far more evident if, in the likeness of Melchizedek, there arises another priest who has come, not according to the law of a fleshly commandment, but according to the power of an endless life. For He testifies: ‘You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek.’” - Hebrews 7:11-17

The number "40", is mentioned 146 times in Scripture. It generally symbolizes a period of testing, trial or probation. During Moses' life, he lived forty years in Egypt and forty years in the desert before God selected him to lead his people out of slavery.

Moses was also on Mount Sinai for 40 days and nights, on two separate occasions (Exodus 24:18, 34:1-28), receiving God's laws. He also sent spies, for forty days, to investigate the land God promised the Israelites as an inheritance (Numbers 13:25, 14:34).

The prophet Jonah powerfully warned ancient Nineveh, for forty days, that its destruction would come because of its many sins. The prophet Ezekiel laid on His right side for 40 days to symbolize Judah's sins (Ezekiel 4:6).

Jesus, just days before his crucifixion, prophesied the total destruction of Jerusalem (Matthew 24:1-2, Mark 13:1-2). Forty years after his crucifixion in 30 A.D., the mighty Roman Empire destroyed the city and burned its beloved temple to the ground.

“Also there were many priests, because they were prevented by death from continuing. But He, because He continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood. Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them. For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens; who does not need daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the people's, for this He did once for all when He offered up Himself. For the law appoints as high priests men who have weakness, but the word of the oath, which came after the law, appoints the Son who has been perfected forever.” - Hebrews 7:23-28

Not only is Yeshua immortal, but He is “higher than the heavens” and does not need to offer sacrifces for Himself, as the earthly priests did on Yom Kippur. It would be a mistake to say the priesthood has been abolished because it is being upheld in the heavens by an immortal High Priest who is without sin. We have a “better priesthood” because our High Priest is immortal, and serves in the heavenly tabernacle.

“But into the second part the high priest went alone once a year, not without blood, which he offered for himself and for the people's sins committed in ignorance; the Holy Spirit indicating this, that the way into the Holiest of All was not yet made manifest while the first tabernacle was still standing… But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.” - Hebrews 9:7-12

Only the High Priest is allowed access to the Most Holy Place, which is why Yeshua is the only person who has ascended into heaven. He is our Great High Priest who serves in the heavenly Tabernacle, and no one else is allowed access to the Most Holy Place. When we claim that Mary, the Saints, or dead relatives have gone to heaven, we are exalting them to a level equal with Yeshua. We are wrongly claiming they have already attained eternal life, which the Bible says has not yet happened.

They have not yet been made perfect, and they will “not be made perfect apart from us”. They have not been raised back to life, nor have they gone to heaven, because they are still waiting in their graves for the promise to be fulflled. If people go directly to heaven or hell at death, then that means judgment takes place instantly at death. Not what Scripture says!

The Bible clearly tells us judgment will not take place until after Yeshua returns. In fact, He will reign on earth for a thousand years before the judgment takes place. Of all the people in the Bible, King David is one of the most likely candidates to ascend into heaven, because he was a man after God’s own heart” (Acts 13:22). Yet, the Bible says he did not ascend into heaven and is still in his grave.

"29)Men and brethren, let me speak fireely to you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day… 34)For David did not ascend into the heavens…” - Acts 2:29-34

If King David has not ascended into heaven, why would we think our dead relatives have? Yeshua is the only one who has “ascended into heaven” (John 3:13). Believing otherwise is contrary to sound doctrine.

Comfort in Mourning

No question: It is popular to believe we have continued life after death because it makes death seem less frightening. People comfort one another by saying the deceased is “in a better place”, claiming they are “looking down on us from above”, or "walking streets of gold". But those beliefs have no Scriptural foundation. There is not one verse in the entire Bible that says the dead go to heaven, or that they are watching over us. For many years I myself believed those things, for two reasons:

because I didn't know what Scripture actually said and
because that's what everyone else was saying during funerals.

It wasn't until I started reading Scripture for myself, that I began to see what man's traditions and stations have done to His Word. I quickly realized my beliefs about heaven were not based on the Scriptures, and I knew it was time for me to learn real Biblical truth.

Most people find it incredibly difficult to change anything in their life, especially the longer they do or believe in something. We should be committed to “worship the Father in spirit and truth” (John 4:23) because “the truth shall make you firee.” (John 8:32). The fact so many have found comfort in a lie and are easily misled, should make us all very uncomfortable. The Bible specifcally tells us to comfort those who mourn with the hope of the resurrection. Therefore, if we preach anything else, we are propagating a misplaced hope that is not founded in truth.

"But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord . Therefore comfort one another with these words." - 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

We are instructed to tell others about the resurrected Messiah, who is coming back to give His people eternal life. There is no need to lie about heaven when we have a true hope for eternal life through the resurrection.

Fear of Death

It is natural for humans to fear death, or at least have some anxiety when just thinking about it. Death is scary because it is unknown. None of us have never experienced death--we don't know what to expect. As such, we might have many different questions about death:

 -Will it hurt? 
 -What is beyond this life? 
 -Will we ever live again? 
 -Is there any conscious awareness in death?

Few people like to talk about death. The idea seems cold and lonely, because that is what we observe about a corpse. It is uncomfortable to think about anyone as dead or about to die, whether it be the death of a loved one, or our own mortality. So, we don't think or talk about it very often.

The fear of death drives people to do many things to preserve or extend their lives. Some pursue healthy eating and exercise, while others look into medical procedures and treatments. This is especially true when someone has a tramitic experience like a heart attack, or they learn they have cancer or some other life-threatening condition.

For this reason, the gospel message is so important. We don't need to fear death, because Yeshua has conquered death and has given us the way of eternal life. Therefore, we have no reason to fear death. The Bible actually describes the fear of death a type of bondage we need to be set free from:

"...He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage." - Hebrews 2:14-15

It is important for us to escape this bondage of fear. How can we serve Him if we fear man? Do we not trust that His Word is Truth? That when He says something, he does it? Do we live in fear of men? Because when we fear persecution and death, we turn away from Yeshua if our life is at stake. But if we fear God and not death, we will serve God with both our life and our death. This is why Yeshua said not to fear men, but God.

"And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell." - Matthew 10:28

The apostles had no fear of death, and nearly all of them died as martyrs for their faith. In fact, Christians have been martyred throughout history. They were beaten, stoned, crucifed, burned, drown, hung, beheaded, shot, and starved to death, yet they refused to deny their faith because they did not fear death. The Bible says this has been the case for godly people since the beginning.

"Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented - of whom the world was not worthy..." - Hebrews 11:36-38

Paul is a great example for us of how to serve God without fear of death. He was fully aware of the fact that he would be persecuted and possibly die for his faith, yet he had no fear in proclaiming the Gospel. In fact, before he went to prison, a prophet come to him and told him he was about to be captured and imprisoned, yet Paul declared he is ready to die for his faith.

"...a certain prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. When he had come to us, he took Paul's belt, bound his own hands and feet, and said, "Thus says the Holy Spirit, 'So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man who owns this belt, and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.' " Now when we heard these things, both we and those from that place pleaded with him not to go up to Jerusalem. Then Paul answered, "What do you mean by weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus." - Acts 21:10-13

Understanding the resurrection will help us conquer our fear of death, because we understand eternity is possible for those who put their faith in Yeshua. This is why the apostles and godly men throughout history were willing to face death for their faith. When Yeshua warned us not to fear those who can only kill the body, He also spoke about what would happen if we deny Him in the face of death.

"And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father's will. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. "Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven." - Matthew 10:28-33

If we deny Yeshua to save our life, He will deny us entrance into His kingdom. If we are unwilling to die for our faith, then we do not have the faith to enter the kingdom of God. Yeshua said if we want to be His disciples, we must be willing to follow Him even unto death.

"Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?" - Matthew 16:24-26

This is what we need to understand if we want to be prepared for tribulation. End-time preppers talk about storing up food and water, guns and ammo, and taking shelter from tribulation in the last days, but these things are typically motivated by a fear of death. While I agree there is wisdom in having certain supplies set aside for difficult times, we need to be careful our motives are not based in fear.

If you let the fear of death cause you to deny Yeshua, then you are trading your eternal life in an attempt to save your mortal life. When you think about it this way, it seems quite absurd doesn't it? Yet, there will be people who do exactly that, and they will suffer the fate of a traitor when they stand before the King of Kings. The book of Revelation speaks about how the saints will overcome the enemy in the face of death.

"And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death." - Revelation 12:11

The Bible forewarns us things will be very difficult in the last days. It speaks about famine, pestilence, financial crisis, natural disasters, wars, and religious persecution (2 Peter 3:1-7). Yeshua said these things will happen, and only those who endure to the end will be saved.

"And you will be hated by all for My name's sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved." - Matthew 10:22

Finish the race! (2 Timothy 4.7-8)