GEHENNA, a place of fiery torture?

[onewithhim]

Jesus warned his disciples against suffering the judgment of Gehenna. Was he referring to a burning hell of everlasting torture? (Matthew 5:22)

The Greek word Ge'en na corresponds to the Hebrew geh veneh-Hin nom,---Valley of the sons of Hinnom. It became a garbage dump for Jerusalem, serving as an incinerator where fires were kept burning to dispose of rubbish, and anything thrown into this dump would be completely destroyed, turned into ashes.

Many Bible translators haven rendered Ge' en na as "hell." (Matthew 5:22, KJV) Why is this? (Since Gehenna and hell are two different things.) Because they associated the pagan-inspired notion of an afterlife of fiery judgment for the wicked with the physical fire in the valley outside Jerusalem. Jesus, though, did not associate Gehenna with torture. He knew that the thought of burning people alive is repugnant to Jehovah. He referred to the use made of Gehenna in the days of the prophet Jeremiah. God said: "They have built the high places of Topheth which is in the valley of the sons of Hinnom in order to burn their sons and daughters in the fire, a thing that I had not commanded and that had not come up into my heart." Burning people was not something that God can countenance, and He can't to this day. A good point is that the idea of torture for the dead conflicts with God's loving personality as well as with the Bible's clear teaching that "the dead are conscious of nothing." (Ecclesiastes 9:5,10)

Jesus used the term "Gehenna" to symbolize the utter destruction that would come from God's judgment on the wicked. So...."Gehenna" means, similarly, the lake of fire in Revelation. Both symbolize eternal destruction from which there is no resurrection. (Luke 12:4,5; Revelation 20:14,15.

Doesn't this sound more merciful than people being tortured in a never-ending fire? The fire symbolizes complete annihilation, just like what the fires in Gehenna did to trash and bodies of criminals.

[Capbook]

Yes, but I believe all fire that punished the ungodly is literal fire.

You may believe that but the bible makes no such statement. Fire in scripture can be either literal or figurative and there is no statement in scripture that ffire reserved for the wicked must be literal.


JW

The fire that will burn, devour, turn to ashes and causes death to the ungodly is literal fire.
Though we cannot find the word "literal" in the Bible, how much more about "symbolic fire."
And you have read what happened to Nadab and Abihu.
And so you can see that many in news headlines of fire causes things to burn, devour, turn to ashes and causes death.

[JehovahsWitness]

The fire that will burn, devour, turn to ashes and causes death to the ungodly is literal fire. Though we cannot find the word "literal" in the Bible...

The word symbolic is in the bible and it applies to the visions of Revelation. On the other hand there is no scripture that says "The Fire reserved for the wicked must be literal"



JW



RELATED POSTS


Is the word SYMBOLIC in the bible?
viewtopic.php?p=1153763#p1153763

Revelation: Literal or Symbolic?
http://debatingchristianity.com/forum/v ... 95#p890395

[Capbook]

The fire that will burn, devour, turn to ashes and causes death to the ungodly is literal fire. Though we cannot find the word "literal" in the Bible...

The word symbolic is in the bible and it applies to the visions of Revelation. On the other hand there is no scripture that says "The Fire reserved for the wicked must be literal"

I noticed that you are fond of cutting my replies. Why?
And where is the verse that says "symbolic fire"?

The fire that will burn, devour, turn to ashes and causes death to the ungodly is literal fire.
Though we cannot find the word "literal" in the Bible, how much more about "symbolic fire."
And you have read what happened to Nadab and Abihu.
And so you can see that many in news headlines of fire causes things to burn, devour, turn to ashes and causes death.

[JehovahsWitness]

And where is the verse that says "symbolic fire"?

This question of symbolic Fire has already been addressed. Please see the post
Post #3086 (Paradise on Earth)




RELATED POSTS

Is the word SYMBOLIC in the bible?
viewtopic.php?p=1153763#p1153763

Revelation: Literal or Symbolic?
http://debatingchristianity.com/forum/v ... 95#p890395

How does one determine what is or is not literal?
http://debatingchristianity.com/forum/v ... 95#p890395

Is there metonym in scripture?
viewtopic.php?p=998339#p998339

To learn more please go to other posts related to...

THE BIBLE , HERMENEUTICS* and ... BIBLICAL LITERALISM

* bible interpretation

[Capbook]

And where is the verse that says "symbolic fire"?

This question of symbolic Fire has already been addressed. Please see the post
Post #3086 (Paradise on Earth)




RELATED POSTS

Is the word SYMBOLIC in the bible?
viewtopic.php?p=1153763#p1153763

Revelation: Literal or Symbolic?
http://debatingchristianity.com/forum/v ... 95#p890395

How does one determine what is or is not literal?
http://debatingchristianity.com/forum/v ... 95#p890395

Is there metonym in scripture?
viewtopic.php?p=998339#p998339

To learn more please go to other posts related to...

THE BIBLE , HERMENEUTICS* and ... BIBLICAL LITERALISM

* bible interpretation

And so you can see that many in news headlines of fire causes things to burn, devour, turn to ashes and causes death. As also the Biblical fire that will burn, devour, turn to ashes and causes death to the ungodly is literal fire.

[JehovahsWitness]

And so you can see that many in news headlines of fire causes things to burn, devour, turn to ashes and causes death. As also the Biblical fire that will burn, devour, turn to ashes and causes death to the ungodly is literal fire.

So? So what? We're not discussing "news headlines" we are discussing the holy bible.


The question of BIBLICAL Fire has been addressed very well by onewithim HERE viewtopic.php?p=1154975#p1154975

[onewithhim]

Yes, but I believe all fire that punished the ungodly is literal fire.

You may believe that but the bible makes no such statement. Fire in scripture can be either literal or figurative and there is no statement in scripture that ffire reserved for the wicked must be literal.


JW

I agree with Capbook.

Revelation 22:19
And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

With Revelation 22:19 in mind, what word or words would you risk replacing the biblical "lake of fire" phrase with in the Holy Bible to make it a literally true statement?

There are no words taken away from the Scriptures. There are just explanations to glean the meaning of the "lake of fire." Just as Jesus explained his stories and illustrations to his disciples, as at Matthew 13:3-51) Jesus directs us even now to understand the illustrations in the Scriptures, and the Lake of fire is symbolic for complete annihilation.

[myth-one.com]

Yes, but I believe all fire that punished the ungodly is literal fire.

You may believe that but the bible makes no such statement. Fire in scripture can be either literal or figurative and there is no statement in scripture that ffire reserved for the wicked must be literal.


JW

I agree with Capbook.

Revelation 22:19
And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

With Revelation 22:19 in mind, what word or words would you risk replacing the biblical "lake of fire" phrase with in the Holy Bible to make it a literally true statement?

There are no words taken away from the Scriptures. There are just explanations to glean the meaning of the "lake of fire." Just as Jesus explained his stories and illustrations to his disciples, as at Matthew 13:3-51) Jesus directs us even now to understand the illustrations in the Scriptures, and the Lake of fire is symbolic for complete annihilation.

Definition of lake of fire: A lake of fire.

There is no symbolic lake of fire -- that is your creation.

Those cast into the real lake of fire quickly experience their second and everlasting death and yes it results in their annihilation. That will be the end of them forever.

Definition of annihilation: complete destruction or obliteration.

Putting "complete" in front of annihilation is redundant.

The above is from the scriptures and requires no additional "explanation."

[onewithhim]

Yes, but I believe all fire that punished the ungodly is literal fire.

You may believe that but the bible makes no such statement. Fire in scripture can be either literal or figurative and there is no statement in scripture that ffire reserved for the wicked must be literal.


JW

I agree with Capbook.

Revelation 22:19
And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

With Revelation 22:19 in mind, what word or words would you risk replacing the biblical "lake of fire" phrase with in the Holy Bible to make it a literally true statement?

There are no words taken away from the Scriptures. There are just explanations to glean the meaning of the "lake of fire." Just as Jesus explained his stories and illustrations to his disciples, as at Matthew 13:3-51) Jesus directs us even now to understand the illustrations in the Scriptures, and the Lake of fire is symbolic for complete annihilation.

Definition of lake of fire: A lake of fire.

There is no symbolic lake of fire -- that is your creation.

Those cast into the real lake of fire quickly experience their second and everlasting death and yes it results in their annihilation. That will be the end of them forever.

Definition of annihilation: complete destruction or obliteration.

Putting "complete" in front of annihilation is redundant.

The above is from the scriptures and requires no additional "explanation."

Good, you have defined the Lake of fire as symbolic for destruction. That's what I have been saying. It couldn't be literal because you can't throw death and Hades into anything. The throwing of them into the lake of fire is not literal. It just means that they exist no longer.

[myth-one.com]

Yes, but I believe all fire that punished the ungodly is literal fire.

You may believe that but the bible makes no such statement. Fire in scripture can be either literal or figurative and there is no statement in scripture that ffire reserved for the wicked must be literal.


JW

I agree with Capbook.

Revelation 22:19
And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

With Revelation 22:19 in mind, what word or words would you risk replacing the biblical "lake of fire" phrase with in the Holy Bible to make it a literally true statement?

There are no words taken away from the Scriptures. There are just explanations to glean the meaning of the "lake of fire." Just as Jesus explained his stories and illustrations to his disciples, as at Matthew 13:3-51) Jesus directs us even now to understand the illustrations in the Scriptures, and the Lake of fire is symbolic for complete annihilation.

Definition of lake of fire: A lake of fire.

There is no symbolic lake of fire -- that is your creation.

Those cast into the real lake of fire quickly experience their second and everlasting death and yes it results in their annihilation. That will be the end of them forever.

Definition of annihilation: complete destruction or obliteration.

Putting "complete" in front of annihilation is redundant.

The above is from the scriptures and requires no additional "explanation."

Good, you have defined the Lake of fire as symbolic for destruction.

No I haven't.

That's what I have been saying. It couldn't be literal because you can't throw death and Hades into anything. The throwing of them into the lake of fire is not literal.

The casting of them into the lake of fire is literal. It will actually occur.

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

The casting is not what kills them. They are still alive literally when cast. And they will be literally destroyed for all eternity by the lake of fire.

When the last human nonbeliever is cast into the lake of fire and destroyed, there are no more living humans.

Death and the grave as applied to humans is thus dead or destroyed.

It just means that they exist no longer.

Correct, there are no longer any humans, and there never will be again.

The age of man will be over.

We agree at last!