Building on the Foundation

  When you hear someone speak of “hell,” what springs to mind? An image of an underworld cavern blazing with flames? The souls of the damned screaming in agony from the midst of those flames while cackling demons run to and fro, stabbing those tortured souls with pitchforks? Do you picture this scene enduring for all eternity, without a moment of relief for the condemned? That’s the popular concept of hell. A place of endless torture, presided over by Satan and his demons, for whoever rejected Jesus Christ in this life. But that isn’t what the Bible teaches, not even close! It’s all baloney. Fiction. Human imagination. According to etymonline.com , the Old English word hel or helle literally meant “concealed place.” It’s related to the Old Norse word hellir , which means “cave” or “cavern.” This original meaning of the word is closer to the truth of what the Bible teaches, but not quite there. Let’s investigate further! What Happens to the Dead? As we’ve noted before , the Bible ...

  In this physical realm, death is part of life. As we go through life, we will all lose loved ones. Every flesh-and-blood human being we have ever known or met will one day perish. “It is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment” (Heb. 9:27). God didn’t design these physical bodies to endure forever, and this world around us is only temporary. And that includes death. Death , too, is only temporary. One day, death itself will pass away and be no more. Of course, it’s natural and healthy to mourn the loss of a loved one. Abraham mourned for Sarah and wept over her (Gen. 23:2). Joseph, his brothers, and even the Egyptians mourned and wept for Jacob (Gen. 50:1-14). Joshua and the children of Israel mourned and wept for Moses (Deut. 34:8). And so on. Throughout Scripture, there are many examples of mourning and weeping at the loss of a loved one. Yet it’s also important to remember that, for the righteous, death is simply a prelude to something far better. Near the ...