My answer:-
What you appear to be saying is:-
- The word ‘Hell’ does not belong in the Bible.
- Many churches don’t teach Hell.
- The Ancient Jews had no concept of Hell.
Psalm 55:15 (NIV2011)
15 Let death take my enemies by surprise; let them go down alive to the realm of the dead, for evil finds lodging among them.
Yes,Christmas is Pagan.....
Now.....
This passage in
Psalm 55:15 is King David speaking about Ahithophel.King David was familiar and acquainted with Ahithophel.
“But it was you, a mortal man who was as my equal, one familiar to me and my acquaintance, because we used to enjoy sweet intimacy together; into the house of God we use to walk with the throng. Desolations be upon them! Let them go down into Sheol alive; for during their alien residence bad things have been within them. As for me, to God I shall call out; and Jehovah himself will save me.”—Ps. 55:13-16.
In the latter part of this passage David is speaking to any future traitors.Beginning with verse 15.He turns his attention from Ahithophel, to others.
"13 But it is you, a man like me,
My own companion whom I know well.
14 We used to enjoy a warm friendship together;
Into the house of God we used to walk along with the multitude.
15 May destruction overtake them!
Let them go down alive into the Grave;
For evil resides among them and within them.
16 As for me, I will call out to God,
And Jehovah will save me."
This passage has nothing to do with hell, as a place of fire and torment.David speaks poetically about his friend's treachery and how he feels about future traitor’s.Just as it had happened during Moses time with the
household of Korah, Dathan and Abiram.
NIV
Numbers 16:31,32. 31 As he finished speaking all these words, the ground that was under them split open;32 and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, and their households, and all the men who belonged to Korah with their possessions.…
Interestingly notice what it says right before this passage I just showed you.
Numbers 16:29,30. …29"If these men die the death of all men or if they suffer the fate of all men, then the LORD has not sent me. 30"But if the LORD brings about an entirely new thing and the ground opens its mouth and swallows them up with all that is theirs, and they descend alive into Sheol, then you will understand that these men have spurned the LORD."
This might sound like hell but it is not.Notice what it goes on to say in
verse 35.
35 Fire also came forth from the LORD and consumed the two hundred and fifty men who were offering the incense.
So God used fire, which consumes, to destroy the 250 men as judgement,instead of being swallowed up by the earth
alive into Sheol.
Korah was amongst those who were consumed with fire.
- Numbers 26:10 Then the earth opened and swallowed them up. As for Kor′ah, he died with his supporters when the fire consumed 250 men.And they became a warning example.
This was judgement from God.The people that were killed for their treachery and swallowed up by the earth were spared, in a sense, and still have an opportunity for everlasting life.It is made clear that these people, who were swallowed up by the earth,for their sins,did not inherit everlasting destruction.They were judged by God and killed.
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.They still can be resurrected in the future.Unlike Judas Iscariot, who is referred to as the "son of destruction." He is destined for eternal destruction.Just like the Pharisees.
So we can see in
Psalm 55:15 that it cannot refer to a place of fire and torment,better known to some as hell.It merely speaks of beneath the earth as being the grave.The reference to being swallowed alive does not mean they went to live in hell, because God does not grant eternal life for the sake of torture.These people who were swallowed up by the earth died.They were sent to an early grave,nothing more.
