Hell and Heaven

HEAVEN AND HELL: IN CHRIST SHALL ALL BE MADE ALIVE: PROF.M.M.NINAN
Here we go looking into the Old Testament to find out what they thought about hell.
Old Testament.
Death was the law of the cosmos outside of the Eden, since there was no possibility of getting the
fruit of the tree of life. The Hebrew word , "Sheol, " refers to the grave or the abode of the dead
( Psalms 88:3; Psalms 88:5 ).
Through much of the Old Testament period, it was believed that all went to one place,
whether human or animal ( Psalms 49:12 Psalms 49:14 Psalms 49:20 ),
whether righteous or wicked ( Eccl 9:2-3 ).
No one could avoid Sheol ( Psalm 49:9 ; 89:48 ),
which was thought to be down in the lowest parts of the earth
( Deut 32:22 ; 1 Sam 28:11-15 ; Job 26:5 ; Psalm 86:13 ; Isa 7:11 ; Ezekiel 31:14-16 Ezekiel
31:18 ).
Other Biblical names for Sheol were:
Abaddon (ruin), found in Psalm 88:11, Job 28:22 and Proverbs 15:11;
Bor (the pit), found in Isaiah 14:15, 24:22, Ezekiel 26:20; and
Shakhat (corruption), found in Isaiah 38:17, Ezekiel 28:8.
These words describes what after death really meant to the Jews. Evidently there is no concept
of redemption involved here.
Where is this Sheol?
The Hebrew Universe and placement of Sheol
Where else can man go after death than to the earth? Where on earth? To see that we need to
understand their concept of cosmos God created for his children of Adam family.
"The ancient Hebrews imagined the world as flat and round, covered by the great dome of the
firmament which was held up by mountain pillars (Job 26.11; 37.18).
Above the firmament and under the earth was water, divided by God at creation (Gen 1.6, 7; cf Ps.
24.2; 148.4).
The upper waters were joined with the waters of the primordial deep during the Flood; the rains
were believed to fall through windows in the firmament (Gen 7.11; 8.2).
The sun, moon, and stars moved across or were fixed in the firmament (Gen 1.14-19; Ps 19.4, 6).
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