Blog Archives
The Spirit World: Chapter Nine (Lake of Fire)
The Lake of Fire
(This is a continuation of The Spirit World book series. This post assumes the prerequisite reading of earlier posts in the series.)
The phrases describing the “lake of fire” occur four times in scripture, each in the book of Revelation. Being a phrase of several very common terms, the “lake of fire” is a simple representation of this group categorically. The phrase is rendered as the “lake of fire and burning sulfur,” with slight variances, in three places, and simply “lake of fire” in the fourth. Variances are slight throughout numerous translations, with each yielding the same essence, “lake of fire.” Because there are only four references to this phrase, each one will be examined in this section. Continue reading
The Spirit World: Chapter Ten (Gehenna)
Gehenna
(This is a continuation of The Spirit World book series. This post assumes the prerequisite reading of earlier posts in the series.)
Gehenna is a Greek term, yet it comes to the Greek from the combination of two Hebrew terms, Gei and Hinnom. Gei Hinnom literally means “the Valley of Hinnom.”
The Valley of Hinnom was an area outside the walls of New Testament Jerusalem, at the southwestern corner of the city. The pertinence of Gehenna in Jesus’ day was that it was Jerusalem’s trash dump. All manners of refuse were thrown there, from typical household waste to industrial discards. Dead bodies also were thrown here, both of animals and humans. Criminals with no proper burial choices were discarded there, as were others who were unable to afford nicer burials. Continue reading
The Spirit World: Chapter Eleven (The Abyss)
The Abyss
(This is a continuation of The Spirit World book series. This post assumes the prerequisite reading of earlier posts in the series.)
While the preparation has been laid for the full procession of the unrighteous of humanity through the realms of the afterlife, there still remain several spiritual abodes which are noted in scripture. These abodes are of a somewhat different essence than those described thus far. The first of these additional abodes to be observed is that of the Abyss. Continue reading
The Spirit World: Ch. 12 (The Great River Euphrates)
The Great River Euphrates
(This is a continuation of The Spirit World book series. This post assumes the prerequisite reading of earlier posts in the series.)
The Euphrates River is noted several times in scripture in its common usage. It normally refers to the literal Euphrates River, of course, which begins in Russia and flows through Syria and Iraq, emptying into the Persian Gulf. The Euphrates is first mentioned in the book of Genesis, being one of the four rivers which flow out of Eden. Continue reading
The Spirit World: Chapter Thirteen (Tartarus)
Tartarus
(This is a continuation of The Spirit World book series. This post assumes the prerequisite reading of earlier posts in the series.)
Tarturus is another Greek term found only in a singular text: 2 Peter 2:4. The term “Tartarus” finds its roots in Greek mythology, being the name of the lowest place of confinement in the Greek mythological underworld. Thus, Peter uses an established term in this singular biblical reference. Although the term is established outside of scripture, it’s cultural use may certainly offer keen insight into its biblical use. Continue reading
The Spirit World: Ch. 14 (The Confinement of Jude 6)
The Confinement of Jude 6
(This is a continuation of The Spirit World book series. This post assumes the prerequisite reading of earlier posts in the series.)
No specific term is associated with this text other than a description: “kept in darkness, bound with everlasting chains for judgment on the great Day.” Once again, a singular reference is given concerning this spiritual realm. That text is found in the book of Jude. Continue reading
The Spirit World: Chapter Fifteen (Heaven)
Heaven
(This is a continuation of The Spirit World book series. This post assumes the prerequisite reading of earlier posts in the series.)
In Hebrew, the term translated “heaven” or “heavens” is shamayim, which is used about four hundred times in the Old Testament. “Heaven” is likewise translated into English from the Greek term ouranos and its derivatives in the New Testament. Ouranos and shamayim have three distinct meanings in scripture. In both Greek and Hebrew culture and language, heaven was distinguished contextually to refer to one of three places. Continue reading
The Spirit World: Ch. 16 (The New Jerusalem)
New Jerusalem
(This is a continuation of The Spirit World book series. This post assumes the prerequisite reading of earlier posts in the series.)
For purposes of this work, the name of this abode will be rendered “New Jerusalem,” but it is stated in that exact phraseology only one time in scripture. There are, overall, three unique renderings of “Jerusalem” in a spiritual and metaphorical usage, as it refers to a spiritual abode. As has been noted, that abode will be demonstrated to be one and the same as Heaven proper. Continue reading
The Spirit World: Ch. 17 (The Glorified Body)
The Glorified Body
(This is a continuation of The Spirit World book series. This post assumes the prerequisite reading of earlier posts in the series.)
Inextricably tied to a believer’s entry into Heaven and his resurrection, which is the subject of the next chapter, is the proper understanding of the nature of the eternal body. Upon man’s resurrection he is equipped with substantially altered and eternal body with which to enter the eternal abode of Heaven. This body, which the righteous will be later equipped with, is substantially different from his present earthly body. Paul offers a detailed examination of the distinctions between the two bodies along with the reasons for such changes in 1 Corinthians 15. In this text, Paul writes to the church, and focuses his description uniquely on the bodies which the righteous will receive upon their resurrection. The unrighteous also have a unique eternal body which will be examined in chapter twenty. Concerning the righteous body, Paul describes a reconstruction of radical extremes. The present “earthly” body is made for life on the earth. Prior to entering Heaven, however, man is to be regenerated and given a body suitable for eternal life in God’s presence. Continue reading
The Spirit World: Ch. 18 (Resurrection of Believers)
The Resurrection of Believers
(This is a continuation of The Spirit World book series. This post assumes the prerequisite reading of earlier posts in the series.)
The First Resurrection
The resurrection of the dead is to be a future universal reality, for believers and non-believers alike. All who ever lived will one day rise physically, each in their proper order. The resurrections are categorized generally in scripture as a “first” resurrection and a second resurrection. The first resurrection, categorically, includes the raising of all believers from the whole of history. It is not, however a resurrection which happens simultaneously for all of the righteous dead, but rather is a process extending over a significant period of history. Continue reading
