Why no mention of a fiery Hell in the Old Testament?

[David1967]

The English word "hellfire" is a terrible translation of a Hebrew word ( Geh Hin·nom) that was a place used as a garbage dump for Jerusalem, and where dead bodies of criminals were burned with fire and sulphur. I believe Jesus used this word to describe the fate of the wicked, everlasting destruction without hope of a resurrection. The true God does not torture people and to accuse him of this is a terrible slander of God, IMO.

I hope your right. I truly do. Thank you for your input.

 

[Hawkins]

As someone raised in a very Fundamentalist Christian denomination that preached more about Hell fire than Heaven, and more wrath of God than love and compassion of God, I was always curious why such a terrible place was not mentioned in the Old Testament.

Have you ever read the Book of Enoch?

There are basically 3 school of thoughts in Jesus time. If you read Josephus' works, the Jews in majority leaving in Palestine area are deeply influenced by the Pharisee school of thoughts. That's why Jesus has no difficulties in telling the Jews about the burning hell or Lake of Fire.

The concept was in Jewish writings such as the book of Enoch. However it's not obviously in the OT because in history the Sudducees made up part of the Temple Court. The Sudducees is a group of rich people closely related to the position of the high priests (originated from Levites). As a school of thought, they only embrace the 5 Law books, that is the written Law, from Moses. In their school of thought, they reject the concept of immortal soul, the existence of angles or demons, the existence of hell and etc. Thus books with an obvious mentioning of hell or immortal soul will not be allowed to be canonized.

This however by no means says that hell isn't a dominated concept back in Jesus time, leading to the contents of NT. If you don't trust the Bible, at least you should read Josephus' works to get the basic Jewish concept back then.

 

[Muffled]

As someone raised in a very Fundamentalist Christian denomination that preached more about Hell fire than Heaven, and more wrath of God than love and compassion of God, I was always curious why such a terrible place was not mentioned in the Old Testament.

I believe it is due to the fact that people don't go there after death as some people think but that it only becomes relevant in the end times. So the warning of it comes when the end times are near.

 

[Muffled]

Because it was a medieval creation?

I believe there is no evidence to support this concept.

 

[Muffled]

Hell didn't exist in the Old Testament. The Old Testament is the Torah, which does not have hell.

I believe a lack of mention does not mean that it didn't exist.

 

[Domenic]

As someone raised in a very Fundamentalist Christian denomination that preached more about Hell fire than Heaven, and more wrath of God than love and compassion of God, I was always curious why such a terrible place was not mentioned in the Old Testament.

You have asked a very good question, David. The English word hell comes from the Hebrew word hades. Hades means the common grave of man kind. Religions have taken , The lake of fire," from Rev 20:14-15. In this scripture it is clear the lake of fire is not a real lake of fire. Satan and those are cast into the lake of fire, but also death and hades are cast int the lake of fire...the scripture goes on to say, "This is the second death." All the lake of fire means is a final end.

 

[David1967]

You have asked a very good question, David. The English word hell comes from the Hebrew word hades. Hades means the common grave of man kind. Religions have taken , The lake of fire," from Rev 20:14-15. In this scripture it is clear the lake of fire is not a real lake of fire. Satan and those are cast into the lake of fire, but also death and hades are cast int the lake of fire...the scripture goes on to say, "This is the second death." All the lake of fire means is a final end.

Thank you for your thoughts. And I hope you are right. But isn't Hades Greek?

 

[rosends]

You have asked a very good question, David. The English word hell comes from the Hebrew word hades. Hades means the common grave of man kind. Religions have taken , The lake of fire," from Rev 20:14-15. In this scripture it is clear the lake of fire is not a real lake of fire. Satan and those are cast into the lake of fire, but also death and hades are cast int the lake of fire...the scripture goes on to say, "This is the second death." All the lake of fire means is a final end.

"Hades" is not a Hebrew word.

 

[RabbiO]

"Hades" is not a Hebrew word.

Do you get the urge sometimes, when you read something presented as being information, to just throw up your hands and shout, שקט בבקשה

 

[rosends]

Do you get the urge sometimes, when you read something presented as being information, to just throw up your hands and shout, שקט בבקשה

I'm a teacher. I have that urge constantly.

 

[First Baseman]

Why no mention of a fiery Hell in the Old Testament?

Easy. Because God didn't want to mention it. Next.

 

[Domenic]

Thank you for your thoughts. And I hope you are right. But isn't Hades Greek?

You are correct, it is a Greek word from the Greek scriptures...

 

[Brian Schuh]

There are three words translated as hell. Hades, a Greek word, and Sheol, a Hebrew word, both meaning the grave, where everyone goes. The third word, Gehenna, was an actual place which would spontaneously catch on fire and was like a trash heap.

The concept of an immortal soul was Greek, not Hebrew. To a Jew, he is alive solely because God sustains his life and if God was to no longer sustain his life, he would immediately cease to exist.

Nowhere does Jesus or the Apostles teach an eternal hell fire. Verses like, the fire shall not be quenched, and their worm shall not die, and eternal torment, are misinterpreted. For example, eternal punishment means the punishment is eternal, not that the punishing is eternal. Get the difference?

 

[David1967]

Do you get the urge sometimes, when you read something presented as being information, to just throw up your hands and shout, שקט בבקשה

What does that mean?

 

[Akivah]

Do you get the urge sometimes, when you read something presented as being information, to just throw up your hands and shout, שקט בבקשה

That was the very first Hebrew phrase I ever learned the meaning of. My Hebrew teacher used to shout it a lot.

 

[Brian Schuh]

The Old Testament doesn't mention hell fire for the same reason it doesn't mention fairies, because they both don't exist!

 

[RabbiO]

What does that mean?

With a modicum of niceness it means to please be quiet.

 

[RabbiO]

That was the very first Hebrew phrase I ever learned the meaning of. My Hebrew teacher used to shout it a lot.

It may be the first phrase I learned as well, although I learned from an old cartoon where it was used, believe it or not, by Daffy Duck.

 

[Akivah]

The Old Testament doesn't mention hell fire for the same reason it doesn't mention fairies, because they both don't exist!

Can you prove that fairies don't exist? I have read several books that mentioned fairies.

 

[Brian Schuh]

Can you prove that fairies don't exist? I have read several books that mentioned fairies.

It is not possible to prove that something doesn't exist, only possible to prove that something does exist. So the burden of proof is on you.

I remember reading about this guy who lowered recording equipment deep down into the Earth, I don't remember exactly but like into a volcano. And he recorded what sounded like people screaming in torment, and he said this proved that there is a hell inside the Earth. Just something interesting. I think it's a load of s**t.