For Deep Thought, As It Is Written For Our Learning. A Study Of Two Words.

And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. John 8:32.

For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. Romans 15:4.   

Understanding the truth to the meaning of words gives us more clarity. Clarity, in truth, shall make you free. To paraphrase John 8:32, we see that knowing the truth Shall make one free. The truth in the word of God is so important to every believer. Yet in today’s world there is so much misunderstanding that it is hard to know the truth. However, we are not left without hope because we have the scriptures that were written for our learning.

This is why Open The Light Studies always directs all readers to God first in their studies of the Holy Scriptures. Prayer, in the name of Jesus, following God’s call to, “Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.” Jeremiah 33:3, in which the Holy Spirit is given to guide us in our studies. Keeping in the guidelines of, “For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:” Isaiah 28:10.

We are going to study two words to get a deeper meaning on the truth of the precept of the deeper subject around these two words. These are words that must be studied together to get their full meaning as they go hand in hand. Regarding these two words, everyone at some point of life has thought about, yet no one likes, and sadly many have the incorrect understanding of their meaning in the biblical sense. These words are “hell” and “death”. What do these words truly mean? The Strong’s Concordance for the King James Version tells us that,

Hell. G86. ᾅδης. hadēs. hah’-dace. From G1 (as a negative particle) and G1492; properly unseen, that is, “Hades” or the place (state) of departed souls: – grave, hell.   

As you can see here, hell or hades, is the same word, and is a place for departed souls, which is called the grave. As we all know, departed souls, simply means those that have died, passed away, they are dead, the death of someone. So, hell is known as the grave, a place we all go to when we die.

Death. G2288. θάνατος. thanatos. than’-at-os. From G2348; (properly an adjective used as a noun) death (literally or figuratively): – X deadly, (be . . .) death. G2348. θνήσκω. thnēskō. thnay’-sko. A strengthened form of a simpler primary word θάνω thanō (which is used for it only in certain tenses); to die (literally or figuratively): – be dead, die.

Now we know the true meaning of these words, we are going to read some verses that use them, so we can see and understand what the verses are saying, going deeper in the truth of God’s Word.

When the waves of death compassed me, the floods of ungodly men made me afraid; The sorrows of hell compassed me about; the snares of death prevented me; In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried to my God: and he did hear my voice … 2 Samuel 22:5-7.   

The sorrows of hell compassed me about: the snares of death prevented me.  Psalms 18:5.

Her feet go down to death; her steps take hold on hell. Proverbs 5:5       

Jesus said, “I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.” Revelation 1:18.

And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.  And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. Revelation 20:12-14.

We must always remember that Jesus came and died for us, he took the punishment for our sins. Jesus died to save us. Those who truly believe are saved from the second death. Believe, as in, believe from the heart, mind and soul, in acting faith, which what belief is. To believe is to follow through with the belief, as the following verses help us to understand this truth.

“O that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, …” Deuteronomy 5:29.

And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul,  To keep the commandments of the LORD, and his statutes, which I command thee this day for thy good? Deuteronomy 10:12, 13.

Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.  Matthew 22:37-39.   

Blessed are they that keep judgment, and he that doeth righteousness at all times. Psalms 106:3.

Jesus said, “Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.” Luke 11:28.

Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.  Revelation 22:14.

Now, those whose hearts are not for God, and rejected the gift of life through Jesus our saviour, will take part in the second death. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. John 3:17,18.

And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. Revelation 19:20.

And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell 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. Revelation 20:15-13.

But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. Revelation 21:8.

The unbelieving will go to the same place of death and hell, which is into the lake of fire, which is the second death. Note Revelation 20:14. Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: Matthew 25:41. The word everlasting in this verse, is referring to the result will be “eternal, for ever, perpetual (also used of past time, or past and future as well): – eternal, for ever, everlasting, world (began). Strong’s Concordance. People will not be burning forever as some people teach and believe.

How do we know that the unbelieving soul will not burn forever? By building upon the precepts of God’s word regarding this subject. There are a few Bible verses that explains the truth. Yet one verse that is well known by all Christians around the world tells us the truth. This verse is John 3:16. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”  Did you catch that? The words, “should not perish”. The word perish in the Strong’s Concordance means, “to destroy fully (reflexively to perish, or lose), literally or figuratively: – destroy, die, lose, mar, perish.” Therefore, we know that to perish is to be destroyed, to die. John 3:16 does not say, should not burn, but should not perish.

There are only two results for mankind. One is to have everlasting life with The Godhead Bodily, God the Father, Jesus our Saviour and the Holy Spirit, and with all the heavenly angels. The other is to perish, never to be any more, because death is the result of those who take part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. Again, second death is another precept of this truth. To be a second death, they cannot be alive burning forever and ever. Death, does not mean you are alive. Death is death, no more to be, and the results are everlasting, they are eternal. Those who take part of the second death, perish, no more to be, and the results of this second death, is everlasting.

When we die the first death, we go to the grave till Jesus comes again to take us home to heaven. Other wise there is no point for the second coming of Jesus if we die and go to heaven, when we die. This teaching if one of great deceit Satan loves to convince people with.

Although I do not watch movies any more under God’s guidance, I can remember a line in a famous movie from Australia called “The Man from Snowy River”. The character of young Jim says something on the lines that it’s comforting to know he is in Heaven, while standing at his father’s grave side. His friend, old Spur said, “It is a comfort for old widows and fools”. The story writer understood the truth. It is not Biblical nor true in any way that when you die you go to heaven. We write on the grave headstone R.I.P, which means “rest in peace”; which is in line with the Holy Scriptures. We rest in peace in the silence of the grave, till Jesus comes to call us to take us home to heaven to be forever with Him: Just as the scripture says. It reads. 

But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18. The word sleep here means, dead. When Lazarus was dead Jesus called it sleep, this is where we get the precept of death being like a sleep. When we die, we know nothing till we are awakened by the call of the Shepherd, Jesus our Saviour, of those that know His voice. Note this language in John 10:27.

Jesus said to his disciples, “… Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep. Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well. Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep. Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead.  John 11:11-14.

For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten. Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun. Ecclesiastes 9:5, 6. Under the sun simply means on this earth, which is under the sun.

For in death there is no remembrance of thee: in the grave who shall give thee thanks? Psalms 6:5.

If we know our Holy Bibles, we will know that there are four men in Heaven today. In short: There were two that died and went to Heaven. The first was Moses, who was a type of Christ, yet he only died the first death. Moses is an example for those who die in Faith, will be awakened by the called to meet the Lord in the air to be taken home with Him when He come the second time. The second was Jesus, who died for our sins, therefore, He took part of the experience of the separation from God. Those who go to the second death will be permanently separated from God. However, Because Jesus Himself did not sin, He was able to be risen to return to His Heavenly Father. The other two men are Enoch and Elijah, who represent those who remain alive when Jesus comes to take us Home. Have you ever thought why Enoch, Moses and Elijah came to comfort Jesus on the Mount of transfiguration? Think; if Jesus was unable to Pay the Penalty for sin, then they would not be able to be in heaven anymore, for they were there only under the promise of the Saviour. If Jesus could not fulfill the promise, they themselves would have to die for their own sin while living on earth. Praise be to our Saviour, Jesus our Lord, who did go through the experience and the result, for our sins; yet did not sin Himself.  This is a deep study within itself; I should write about some day with the scriptures on these precepts.

Hell is a place called the grave, and those who die, go to the grave. Hell is not a burning forever, but the result of the second death will be forever. No one will be alive burning when they have perished and in the second death. The earth will be cleansed from sin by the burning of the fire. And after the thousand years in heaven, we will return to a new earth. As it is written.

And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.  Revelation 21:1-5.

For further study, regarding the dead, study and read, Ecclesiastes 9:5-10; 1 Corinthians 15:51-57; Genesis 2:16,17; 3:19; Job 14:21; 19:25-27; Romans 6:23. John 3:16-18; Revelation chapters 20 & 21.

One can only hope that this study has been a blessing of truth. And that it will inspire each reader to, not just read the Holy Scriptures, but to truly study them. For there is somewhat for us to unlearn and much for us to learn. do not rely on any one But God. Pray, study, seek, and know the truth for oneself. So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Romans 10:17.

For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. Romans 15:4.

Always remember the following.

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak. Ephesians 6:10-20.

Believe, walk in truth of the Holy Scriptures by Faith.