If we are to maintain that the soul dies upon death how do we understand the numerous texts used in an effort to prove the doctrine of hell?  What is Hades, which is also called Sheol?  What is Gehenna?  How do these relate to each other?  How should we understand the texts that make reference to torment? 

Looking to the Bible we observe that the words Hades and Sheol simply denote the grave.  This place is typically considered to be within the Earth.  It is a place where even the living are describing as going into alive. (Num. 16:30, 33; Psa. 55:15)  It is a place where both the righteous (Job. 14:13; Act. 2:27) and the wicked (Psa. 31:17) go when they die.  Even Jonah, though still alive, considered himself to be in Sheol for he thought that the belly of the fish would be his grave. (Jon. 2:2)   

If we take Sheol/Hades to simply denote the grave where do ones derive that it is a place of conscious existence?  Some have pointed to Isaiah 14:9-10 where it speaks in many translations of "the ghosts [or spirits] of the dead" being roused up and speaking.  Does this indicate that the wicked live on after death, and more so that they are existing in a place of torment?

Consciousness in Sheol?
Examining the context of Isaiah 14 to is our first step. In doing this we note verse four where this passage is termed a "proverb," with some translations simply rendering it as a “taunt.”  In the case of this text, BDB observes that it is properly understood as a “parable."[3]  It is not that these events were literally occurring, but that God, through Isaiah, was speaking figuratively. This is clearly evident when he speaks of trees themselves speaking. (Isa. 14:8)  Are the trees conscious and able to speak?  Obviously not, and so it could not be argued that the dead are literally conscious and speaking. Rather, as Gill notes, "[they] are here represented as if they did [speak]."[4]  

That Sheol is simply the grave and not a place of departed souls is seen by the context as well.  Having come down to Sheol, the Babylonian King is not in a place of departed souls, but he is simply in the grave, where "maggots are spread out" and "worms are [his] covering." (Isa. 14:10)

How do we understand the reference to "the spirits of the dead"?  The Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament explains: “The primary fact concerning the eight occurrences of the root in the O[ld] T[estament] is that it appears exclusively in poetic passages. Its use is prescribed as a "B" word or second synonym in parallel series. The most common parallelism is death (dead)/ghosts (Prov. 2:18; Isa 26:14, 19 a more complex poetic structure; Psa 88:10, 11 [H 11,12]). The parallelism ghosts/sheol occurs in two passages (Prov 9:18; Job 26:5). In one other passage the parallelism is reversed to form sheol/ghosts (Isa 14:9) and in another single instance (Prov 21:16) a complicated parallelism of what has been called the modified "staircase" type sets "foolish men"/ to ghosts. It is clear that this ancient quasi-mythological term was used merely to satisfy the requirements of Hebrew poetic structure and in no way indicates any specific connotation to the root r®p¹°îm other than as a synonym for 'the dead' and the 'place of the dead.'"[5] [emphasis added]  In other words, though this passage is sometimes translated as referring to "the spirits of the dead," it simply refers to "the dead," for people's spirits are something that God "gives," which returned to him in heaven. (Ecc. 12:7) Scripture never speaks of people's spirits as carrying on their life after death.

The 32nd chapter of Ezekiel well parallels what we have observed within the writings of Isaiah.  Here the dead are again seen as speaking, but instead of being directed towards the King of Babylon, it is to "Pharaoh the king of Egypt." (Eze. 32:2)  Gill terms this "a poetical figure,"[6] cross-referencing this passage with Isaiah 14:9, a parallel that Jamieson, Fausset and Brown also observe.[7]  As a parallel, this passage to would carry the same symbolism, showing the dead speaking though unable, just as the trees in Isaiah.

By way of the context we can ascertain that Sheol cannot be anything more than the physical grave.  Looking to verse 27 we see that they "have gone down to Sheol with their weapons of war.”  Just as the King of Babylon could not have been with maggots in a spirit realm, neither could these have taken their physical weapons to such a place.

These texts, when originally recorded, were directed to those who were pagan. (Isa. 14:4)  Even as we read them today they are recorded as being directed toward them.  They believed in a life after death and so to speak of the dead as conscious was natural to them. God's use of a situation that they were familiar with does not mean that we should believe he endorsed such a teaching.  Rather, in making use of language that they could relate to he taught them something.  In doing this he also demonstrated the falsehood of the view by not only showing Sheol to be the literal grave and not a place of departed souls, but by also using other absurdities such as that of trees speaking.  

The Rich Man and Lazarus
A final text that some consider to be speaking of a place of existence for the wicked dead is Luke 16:19-31(We suggest reading this passage of text, ideally considering all of Luke 15 and 16 before continuing in this discussion).  Here we read of the rich man and Lazarus.  That this is a parable is testified to by both Matthew and Mark, who explain that Jesus would only teach them by way of parables (Matt. 13:34; Mar. 4:34).  We also take note of the context dictating that this was a parable, with the entire context leading up to this passage being that of parables.  Luke 15:3 relates that "he told them [another] parable," showing that what preceded this were parables, there being three others in total.  Indeed, we might ask whether Jesus ever related a story that was not intended to be a parable.

Jesus' words are understood to be directed toward the Pharisees  In prefacing this parable Luke notes that they were listening to Jesus, and with him recognizing this it is not surprising that he would direct some type of teaching/rebuke toward them. (Luk. 16:14)  That he did this is effectively confirmed in Luke 16:18 where Jesus condemns divorce, something they allow for, thus leading into the parable. 

Being directed to the Pharisees, Jesus made use of language that they would understand, drawing upon what then existed in Pharisaic tradition.  He did this in a manner similar to Isaiah 14, where the concept of consciousness in death was drawn upon for the king of Babylon.  This does not mean that Jesus was endorsing the belief any more than God did in Isaiah 14.  Rather, recognizing that the Pharisees could not be reached with the truth because of their hardened condition, (Mat. 13:14-15) he drew upon language that they could understand.  In doing this he included within the text a number of absurdities to demonstrate the falsehood of any literal view of such a state (referenced throughout below), thus demonstrating the error of their doctrine. 

Of the objections to this being a parable, the foremost of them is Jesus' use of a proper name.  While this is the only recorded parable where he did make use of one, we cannot be dogmatic in asserting that he never did. (c.f. Joh. 21:25)  We must observe that other parables within scripture do use proper names, such as in Ezekiel 23 where we read of Oholah and Oholibah as women representing Samaria and Jerusalem.  This one example is sufficient in demonstrating that proper names can be used in parables.

The name Lazarus is extremely significant to the parable.  As we will come to see, Lazarus has gone from a miserable state to a state of well being.  Hence his name literally means, "He who God helps."  In this context, Lazarus could only represent "the sinners and tax collectors" with whom Jesus was eating. (Luk. 15:1-2)

The rich man clearly denotes the Pharisees.  We note that they had been listening to him and speaking against him. (Luk 15:2)  The context is set for Jesus' parable with Luke identifying them as lovers of money. (Luk. 16:14)  They are said to "set themselves in the sight of men" (Luk. 16:15) in that they make an outward show to esteem themselves in front of people.  This is seen in the parable by way of the rich man being dressed in purple and fine linen. 

Jesus' "eating" with the sinners and tax collectors, as represented by Lazarus, included providing them with spiritual food through teaching. (Luk:15:2)  It is then natural to take the crumbs that Lazarus desired to be spiritual food, teaching from God's word. (Mat. 4:4)  The people had desired these from the Pharisees but they did not provide them.

The dogs that would come and lick on his wounds show just how deplorable Lazarus' situation was.  The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia explains: "References to the dog, both in the Old Testament and in the New Testament, are usually of a contemptuous character."[8]  Dogs were considered unclean (Deut. 23:18) and yet Lazarus, in such an unfortunate position, would not even remove himself from their presence.  As unclean animals, they made Lazarus unclean, showing the standing of those represented by Lazarus before God.  This was largely due to the poor guidance of the Pharisees and the lack spiritual food that they received.

The death of Lazarus and the rich man denote a change in position.  They died with respects to their previous state, as is also the case with Christians when they come to Christ.  Albert Barnes explains: "To be dead to a thing is a strong expression denoting that it has no influence over us."[9] In this case, they are dead to their previous ways of life. 

When did this change take place and what caused it?  In setting the stage to this parable Jesus explained: "The Law and the Prophets were until John; from then the kingdom of God is being preached, and everyone is pressing into it."  The change that took place with the coming of John, when he introduced the preaching of the kingdom of God.  It was not that the Hebrew Scriptures did not present the Kingdom, but they did not fully reveal all that it would encompass.  With John and then Jesus the Kingdom was fully realized. By this the sinners went after the Kingdom.  On the other hand, the Pharisees, who had set themselves in a position of service to God, changed their position and were working against the kingdom.  Spiritually one group went from a rich state to a state of torment, while other group went from a poor state to one that was favored.

Each person's prior position is given as the basis for their current position, further showing this text to not being teaching any type of doctrine.  In the parable, Abraham relates: "Child, remember that you fully received your good things in your lifetime, and Lazarus likewise the bad things. But now he is comforted, and you are suffering."  No other ground is given for the torment of the rich man or for the blessings of Lazarus.  The rich man had merely received "fully" what was good, and so there was no more good for him to receive.  Similarly, Lazarus "fully" received what was bad and so he was now blessed.  The rich man is only said to have lived well, while the poor man is only said to have lived poorly.  In reality, one's standard of living has no basis in their salvation.  Their faith and obedience are the determining factors in salvation or condemnation, and neither of these are seen in view within the parable. 

We are next told that Lazarus was carried off to Abraham's bosom.  We must be careful to observe that the text reads nothing of "the soul of Lazarus," but it tells us only of his whole self.  The bosom position denotes a position of favor.  The ISBE comments: "In a fig[urative] sense it denotes intimacy and unrestrained intercourse (Gen 16:5; 2 S 12:8); tender care and watchfulness (Isa 40:11); closest intimacy and most perfect knowledge (Joh 1:18)."[10]  His favored position was found in that, through Jesus, Abraham's seed, "the Kingdom of God was in [his] midst." (Luk. 17:21)  They had the instruction and hope provided by Abraham through his seed.  They were now being comforted and blessed by Abraham.

The text goes on to say that the rich man was buried.  He is never carried off to a place, but simply buried.  Being buried he is in Hades, his grave.  As with Lazarus, nothing is mentioned of the rich man's soul.  While Lazarus was described as being carried off the rich man was simply buried.  When the sinners that are represented by Lazarus died they are not said to be buried.  This is because they have turned to God’s service.  In their change to life, they die to their former course and actually come to life. (Rom. 6:11)  Thus they are said to have been carried off by angels.  On the other hand, the Pharisees, whom the rich man represents, are in Hades, their grave, for they are dead before God. 

The rich man is in torment because he has lost favor with God.  The Pharisees see that Jesus is performing many miracles and that he truly is a great teacher, and yet they are blinded to the fact that he is the chosen one of God.  He is the Messiah, fulfilling the many prophecies of Scripture, and yet when they seem him doing these things they are unable to make the connection despite the fact that they were looking for him.  This fulfills what is said by John when he quotes Isaiah at John 12:40.  They feel hatred toward him and jealousy which is their torment.  Their inability to see the truth is what is represented by the great chasm that Jesus speaks of. (Luk. 16:26)

The rich man next looks and asks Abraham to send Lazarus only a drop of water to cool his tongue.  In a literal fire, a drop of water would do nothing to cool his tongue. Indeed, when one has a strong thirst a drop of water does nothing.  How much less would it do were one literally in a fire.  It must also be pointed out that if the rich man were only a soul he would not have a tongue, which is a physical body part.  Here though we are dealing with symbols, and that drop of water is a drop of faith.  With only a drop of faith his torments would be eliminated.  After relating this parable Jesus explained to his disciples that with faith the size of a mustard grain they could move mountains.  In other words, a little faith would go a long way.  However, even the rich man could not be given even a little faith. (c.f. Luk. 17:5-6)

The rich man is next found asking that somebody from the dead go to teach his brothers the truth so that they might have faith and not torment.  This request for somebody to go back from the dead parallel's the Pharisees' request for a sign from Jesus. (Mat. 12:38, 39)  The implication is that the rich man was not given sufficient knowledge and warning of the Messiah's coming and so it was really is not his fault that he was in torment.  Abraham responds by stating that the Law and the Prophets are sufficient.  These are the word of God and if he and his brothers do not believe these they will not believe anything at all.

Understanding the parable makes it much easier to see how it is not teaching an afterlife.  The figures used are perfectly applicable to those alive, including "dying" and being in Sheol/Hades. We can reasonably say that due to the Hellenistic influence that had crept into Judaism by the 1st century the doctrine of consciousness after death was fairly common knowledge.  As we have observed these teachings were even reaching into certain sects of Judaism. Nevertheless, if the parable were reality in the sense of a physical death, it would contradict the Biblical teaching of both the wicked and the righteous going to Sheol.  We would see that the righteous before Abraham's death had no place to go.  They preceded Abraham in death and so the place for the righteous dead could not yet exist!.  This would present difficulty for Abel and others at their death.  Further, we would see that the righteous go to Abraham's bosom position, while it is truly impossible for all righteous people to be in the bosom of one man. There are simply too many absurdities in the parable and inconsistencies with other Scripture to give any kind of thought to this parable presenting the reality of a life after death.  It is the absurdity of it that allowed Jesus to make use of the language in a parable without teaching it as reality.

As a parable this text cannot rightfully be appealed to for doctrine.  The purpose was not to teach of a reality, but to make use of language to teach a moral lesson.  It is entirely natural to use figurative language or the language of a known tradition (true or not) to teach such a lesson, but one would never look to that for doctrine. While believing that the parable is in line with what happens after death, Alfred Edersheim comments on this text: “It is, indeed, true, that we must not look in this Parabolic language for Christ’s teachings about the ‘after death.’”[11]

A further point we must be consider is that while Sheol/Hades is spoken of as the place of torment, the lake of fire is actually the place where the wicked end up and where the Devil is described as being tormented. (Rev. 20:10, 15)  In fact, Sheol/Hades is also said to be thrown into this lake of fire, (Rev. 20:14) demanding that the parable not speak of the place of eternal torment for the wicked.  What then does the Bible teach about the lake of fire?

Fire and Brimstone
What then of this lake of fire?  Will humans here be tormented forever?  Certainly the devil is described as being tormented, but he is said to be so along side symbols, the beast and the false prophet. (Rev. 19:20)  Further, death and Hades are said to be thrown there, neither of which are able to be physically tormented.  It is also indicated that the lake of fire is also a symbol, which "is" or "means" the second death. (Rev. 20:14)  If the two that are first thrown into the lake of fire are symbols and the lake of fire itself is a symbol, it is hard to rationalize how the torment would also not be symbolic.

What then happens in "the lake of fire?"  Looking to "death" being one of what is put in there, we can easily find the answer.  Revelation 21:4 tells us that "death will be no more."  It will be done away with completely.  Similarly, 1 Corinthians 15:27 explains that death will be "abolished."  It will no longer exist.  As this is an explicit statement of what will happen to one thing that is throne there outside of figurative language, we can conclusively see how the symbolism is to be interpreted. 

Some have pointed to Revelation 14 where we do read of the wicked being tormented with fire and brimstone.  These ones are not described as being in the lake of fire and we find that the torment spoken of actually takes place while they are alive on Earth.  Revelation 14:9 tells us that those who will receive the torment are those that worship the beast and have his mark.  Their punishment will be to drink the wine of the wrath of God.  It is in drinking this cup that they are tormented with fire and brimstone.  When would this take place?  Apparently it is well before the final judgment, as we find that the thousand year reign of Christ takes place between the time when the beast is thrown into the lake of fire (Rev. 19:20) and when the final judgment occurs. (Rev. 20:5, 12-15) 

The ones who experience torment are said to do so in that they "will drink the wine of the anger of God." (Rev. 14:10)  Chapter 15 introduces us to seven angels that will pour out seven bowls, which has completed in them "the anger of God" (Rev. 15:1), as the bowls that they pour out are "filled with the anger of God."  Therefore, it must be through these seven angels that they experience this anger and thus through them that these people are tormented.

Examining the plagues in chapter 16 of Revelation we find that they can be classified as nothing less than torment.  When these ones experience the plagues undoubtedly they "have no rest night and day" (Rev. 14:11), though we are never told that this is for eternity.  It is only the smoke of their torment, not the torment itself, which goes up forever.  This text takes us back to Isaiah 34:10, where Edom is symbolically said to have smoke go up forever and also forward to when Babylon the Great "will be found no more at all" (Rev. 18:21) and yet "her smoke rises up forever and ever." (Rev. 19:3)  How so?

Smoke can be seen from afar. When a person looks into the distance they can see smoke without actually seeing whatever is causing the smoke.  In the same way, we can look back in time at Edom and it serves as a warning example of God's judgment.  It is in this same way that the smoke of those who turn against God will go up forever.  They will be judged and then punished by plagues that lead up to their deaths.  We will forever remember the judgment that they were given and so the smoke is described as ascending for eternity.

It can further be confirmed that Revelation 14 is not reference to the final judgment by comparing it to other Scriptures that speak on the matter.  In Revelation chapter 14 and verse 9 we read that the torment experienced here is done "before [or, in the presence of] the holy angels and before the Lamb."  That this is done in the presence of Jesus himself is key, for the execution of the final judgment is done apart from his presence.  These ones, we are told, will experience "everlasting destruction from the face of the Lord." (2Thes. 1:9)  While those who experience the torment of Revelation 14 are before the Lord, the ones who experience everlasting destruction are "from the face" of him.  This "has simply the sense of separation,"[12] as Vincent explains.  In the final judgment those executed will find themselves apart from Jesus' presence, in contrast to these ones that are experiencing the torment of Revelation 14 while in it. 

A Place of Weeping and Gnashing of Teeth
Having examined these texts, we would now reference back to Jesus' words where he speaks of a "fiery furnace" where individuals experience "weeping and gnashing of teeth."  This expression of anguish is used seven times within scripture both in Jesus' discussions and his parables, where ones are also said to be thrown into the “outer darkness.” (Mat. 8:12)

Examining the meaning of the expression in relation to the fiery furnace, we will consider Matthew 13:24-42. We here learn of a sower who sewed good seed but had his enemy come and sew bad seed amongst what he had sewn.  The sower then waits until the harvest time to separate the good seed from the bad.  The harvest occurs at the end of the age.  The harvest is described in Revelation 14:14-20, where the vine of the earth is said to be ripe and the angels went out and harvested the wicked and executed them.  This harvest of the wicked takes place through the seven cups of God’s judgment and the final execution of the beast’s army. (Rev. 16:1-21; 19:21)  During the time of these plagues, is the weeping and gnashing of teeth.  This is seen in both their anger against God and in the pain they suffer.  Yet this is never described by Jesus as eternal state.

That this is not the final judgment can be seen in that this does take place at the harvest and not have the thousand years.  This is not "the second death", it is the first death, a physical execution that might be compared to God’s execution of Sodom or to the many other nations that he has destroyed.  It is during this time that they experience a weeping and gnashing of teeth.  The final judgment at the lake of fire does not take place until after the 1,000 year reign and the final judgment.  This is a judgment, but it is not the final judgment that comes out of what is written in the scroll of life. 

In Matthew 25 we find another case of weeping and gnashing of teeth in “the outer darkness”, which apparently occurs at the final judgment, where the righteous go to everlasting life, but the wicked to the lake of fire. (Mat. 25:41)  Looking to verses 30-45 we see that those condemned are not sent off to their punishment until after the righteous are given their reward.  Here they do not understand why they are not being given life, asking Jesus how they were expected to do the things he demanded, which was to feed and cloth him when they never saw him.  The weeping and gnashing of teeth is found in what they experience while watching the others go off to their reward while not understanding their condemnation.  This concludes in their destruction. 

Can it then be said that mankind really experiences the eternal punishment that Jesus spoke of in Matthew 25:46 if they are not tormented?  Indeed many do experience torment through the bowls of God’s anger and all of the wicked will experience punishment, but there is nothing to indicate that the punishment is eternal.  The Apostle Paul tells us that the wages sin pays is death (Rom. 6:23), not any type of torment.  Just as flesh is destroyed by fire, so will the soul be destroyed in Gehenna, the lake of fire. (Matt. 10:28)

What though of heavenly life?  Do the righteous go to heaven when they die?  As we have elsewhere discussed there is no scripture that indicates that the soul departs from the body to live on.  What then of the texts used as proofs for life in heaven at death?  Please see our discussion, Heavenly Life – On Death or the Resurrection?