Every day more than 100,000 people die. One of man’s greatest questions of life is: 

Where do you go when you die? 

While men can make guesses and philosophize, only God can answer through His inspired, inerrant Word; the Bible. The divine revelation of God gives all who know Jesus Christ as their personal savior, true hope and comfort in the matter of life after death.

We can answer that question of life by studying the Biblical terms, Sheol - Hades - Hell. Additionally, such a study will give us great insight into God’s working with men. These two reasons demonstrate that an understanding of these words is important to the Christian.

The Resurrection of Christ is the great dividing line between the Old Testament and the New Testament status of the Righteous Dead. This material will study how that Resurrection has changed much for the Righteous Dead, and little for the Wicked or Unrighteous Dead.

The Hebrew word, Sheol (lOxw;;), occurs 65 times in the Old Testament. It is defined as the unseen state. In the Authorized Version (AV), this Hebrew word is translated into the English word, grave (31 times), hell (31 times), and pit (3 times: Numbers 16:30, 33; Job 17:16). The New American Standard Bible (NAS) uniformly translates the Hebrew word as Sheol in all passages.

In the New Testament, the Greek word Hades (adhj) occurs 10 times. It is defined as the unseen world by some translators and as the all receiving by others. The AV translates it into the English word, hell, ten times and the grave once. The NAS always translates it as Hades.

Considering the Old Testament and New Testament usages, we see that Hades is the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew, Sheol.

They cannot mean physical death (qanatoz), although they are often associated with death [1 Samuel 2:6, Psalms 49:14; 89:48; Isaiah 28:15,18; Habakkuk 2:5]. They cannot mean the grave, for both the Hebrews [queburah hrAUbqi] and the Greeks [mnemeion mnhmeion] have definite words for the grave. These words for the grave are never used interchangeably with Sheol or Hades.

According to the Old Testament, when a person died their physical body went into the grave [cf. Job 21:13], but their spirit went to Sheol - Hades [Psalms 16:10]. For example, Abraham’s spirit was "gathered to his people" but not buried with his people [Genesis 25:8-9]. Other examples include Genesis 37:35 [the first use of Sheol in the Bible], Numbers 27:13, Job 11:8, and Psalms 9:17.

Sheol is not the final Hell of Scripture. Revelation 20:14,15 says

"and death and hell [Hades] were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life, was cast into the lake of fire [AV]."

The lake of fire, described in Revelation, is the eternal place of punishment for the wicked and is properly called hell. This transfer from Sheol - Hades occurs immediately after the Great White Throne judgment of Revelation 20:11-15. In these verses, "death" refers to the physical component (body) and hell [Hades] to the spiritual component of the unsaved. [It is not the purpose of this work to discuss or distinguish whether man is made up of two or three components.] In Sheol - Hades and then in the "lake of fire" the Wicked dead will be eternally punished (Numbers 16:30, Deuteronomy 32:22, Psalms 9:17) and put to shame and silence (Psalms 31:17).

Prior To The Resurrection of Jesus Christ

While Sheol-Hades contains the Wicked dead [Psalms 9:17; 31:17, Proverbs 9:13-18, Isaiah 14:9-11, 15-20, Matthew 11:21-24], it also contains the Righteous dead prior to the Resurrection of Jesus Christ [Genesis 37:35, Job 14:13, Psalms 16:10, Isaiah 38:10, Luke 23:43, Acts 2:27-31, Romans 10:7]. During that time the wicked are under punishment [Deuteronomy 32:22, Proverbs 9:18, Isaiah 14:15; 24:22, 2 Peter 2:9 cf. v. 4], but the righteous are in a state of rest and comfort [1 Samuel 28:15, Job 14:13, Psalms 139:7-12, Daniel 12:13, Luke 23:39-43 with Acts 2:27]. Sheol-Hades is a place of refuge for the Righteous, Job 14:13. There they will be rewarded (Hosea 13:14; cf. 1 Corinthians 15:55).

Therefore, there are two distinct sections of Sheol-Hades [Luke 16:19-31]. One area is called, lowest Sheol [Deuteronomy 32:22, see also 1 Peter 3:19, 2 Peter 2:4, Revelation 9:1]. The other area was called, Paradise, meaning a beautiful, cultivated park or orchard [Ecclesiastes 2:5, Song of Solomon 4:13, Nehemiah 2:8]. Jesus at the Cross, told the one thief on the cross that "Today shalt thou be with me in paradise" [Luke 23:43]. Notice, that at the time of the Cross, Jesus still referred to this section of Sheol as where He and the man would go upon death. That day at the Cross was two days prior to the Resurrection of Christ. This area also is called "Abraham’s bosom" in Luke 16:22, indicating a place of tender, intimate, fellowship [John 1:18, 13:23, 25].

Is Sheol-Hades Eternal?

For the Righteous dead there is certainty of deliverance [Psalms 16:10; 49:15, Proverbs 15:24, Hosea 13:14]. For the Wicked dead there is no hope of deliverance [Psalms 31:17; 49:14, Ezekiel 32:26-31, Luke 16:26]. In Luke 16 clearly there is no bridging the gap between lowest Sheol and Paradise.

"And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot: neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence" [v. 26].

This picture of Sheol suggests no possible escape or earning of Paradise. There is no hope offered for any of the Wicked dead in Sheol - Hades. This clearly refutes the Roman Catholic doctrine of purgatory. Further, John says that

"He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth [grammatically - ongoing from now and forever] on him" [John 3:36].

What happened at Christ’s resurrection? He delivered the Righteous dead out of Sheol-Hades - Paradise, Abraham’s Bosom [Ephesians 4:8]. Matthew 27:50-53 may be a demonstration of the release of Old Testament saints from Sheol [Revelation 1:18]. At this time the location of Paradise was apparently transferred to Heaven [2 Corinthians 12:1-4].

The gates of Hades can never again close on the Righteous saved [Matthew 16:18]. Every believer upon death goes immediately to be with Christ in heaven [Acts 7:59-60, 2 Corinthians 5;8, Philippians 1:21-23, 1 Thessalonians 5:10]. The Resurrection of Christ made no changed for the unsaved. Upon their death they immediately go to Sheol - Hades, the place of punishment. There, they await the day of judgment. To this day, the Wicked dead are still in Sheol-Hades. At the resurrection of the Wicked dead, death and Hades are cast into Hell, the lake of fire, prepared for the devil and his angels [2 Peter 2:9, Matthew 25:41, 2 Peter 2:9, Jude 7]. Notice in Revelation 6:8, Death and Hades are following the rider of the ashen horse, but the saved are at the altar with God.

For anyone alive today the choice is clear. If you have received the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Savior Heaven awaits you. You receive Him by

• realizing you are a sinner ["for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God," Romans 3:23]

• realizing you were destined to go to Sheol-Hades because of your sins ["for the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life," Romans 6:23],

• repenting of your sins

• by asking Him for His free gift of eternal life [". . . it is the gift of God, not of works lest any man should boast," Ephesians 2:8,9],

If you have done this, at your death you will go immediately to be with Christ in Heaven. There is no intermediate state, no soul-sleep. Heaven is yours [2 Corinthians 5:8]. If you have never trusted in Jesus Christ alone for your salvation, you will go to Sheol-Hades to await the Great White Throne judgment and then will be delivered up to Hell, the lake of fire, for eternity.

"And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire" [Revelation 20:15].

There is no second-chance, no earning your way out of the lake of fire, and no great reprieve from God.

The Lake of Fire Is Not Necessary

You do not have to spend eternity in the Lake of Fire. Our heart's desire is that you know the Savior and avoid Sheol-Hades. That you might know that Heaven is awaiting you. There you will be with your Lord and Savior forever. If you have any questions about this please contact this school and we will be glad to show you how you can receive the gift of eternal life. The Bible says,

"To as many as receive Him, to them He gave the power to become sons of God, even to those who believe in His name [John 1:12]."

Once you have received the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior you know that heaven awaits you, because God promised "He who believe in the Son has eternal life [heaven]; but he who does not obey the son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him. [John 3:36]." The "wrath of God" is the eternal punishment poured out justly by a righteous God in a place called Hell, the lake of fire. The Bible says you can know your destination before your death.

"He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, [1 John 5:13]."

The choice is for each individual to make. It is done individually! The Scriptures are clear, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved [Acts 16:31].