Last week we examined what the bible teaches about heaven. This week we’ll see what it says about hell. John Cortright explains there are three meanings of hell in scripture, including tartarus where fallen angels are temporarily imprisoned, hades/sheol where the dead remain until resurrection, and gehenna where the wicked are destroyed in the final judgment.
—— Links ——
- More Restitutio podcasts with John Cortright
- Also, get more of Cortright’s sermons, classes, and articles at Living Hope Community Church
- Listen to an excellent debate on hell (eternal conscious torment vs. annihilationism) Podcast 10: Is Hell Forever? Chris Date vs. Phil Fernandez
- Check out the kingdom of God class podcasts
- Intro music: Jazzy Frenchy by bensound.com. Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License.
I would like to get some clarification on your views of the so-called Millennial Kingdom. Rev. Cortright starts out by saying that the order of events are 1st resurrection (the just), the 1000 year reign of Christ (millennial kingdom), and then the 2nd resurrection (the unjust). I can certainly see that progression laid out in Rev. 20. However, in light of the many kingdom prophesies in the Old Testament saying rather emphatically that the Kingdom of God will last forever, and your own class on the Kindgom saying you didn’t believe it was just 1000 years, how do you fit that in with Rev. 20? I’m inclined to not take the 1000 years literally since that is so often used just to represent a very large number, such as “…cattle on a thousand hills” (Psa 50:10) and “For a thousand years in your sight are but as yesterday…” (Psa. 90:4).
I know that eschatology is a rather difficult subject and I’m still trying to solidify my own stance on it. I’d appreciate your insight. Thanks for the tireless work you do on this podcast. It has been a great benefit to me as I continue to seek truth. God bless you!
The one comment I would like to make is that the only beings specifically stated who are thrown alive into the lake of fire are the beast and the false prophet, in Rev. 19:20. Yes, the wicked are thrown in also, but it does not state whether they are alive or if just their dead bodies are thrown in. Either way, they are turned to ashes. I just suspect that God may allow the wicked to die off over a span of time like He did to the children of Israel in the desert. But I can’t prove this, it’s just my own hunch.
Anyway, it was a great message and well delivered. Excellent.
I know this is a short teaching, but I feel Mr Cortright ignores the context of the Mark 9 verse which specifically is one that caused me to question the traditional view of hell. Because it quotes Isaiah 66:24 I began to look more in-depth on this verse since is specifically speaks of bodies burning and being eaten by worms while people pass the city and smell the horrid smells. This actually fits preterist views perfectly since once I recognized(as Cortright also affirms) that the valley of Hinnom is directly south of Jerusalem’s city wall. If one studies what happened around 70AD it affirms exactly what Jesus told the Jews would happen to them in Luke 19.
Luke 19:
41 As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it 42 and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes. 43 The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. 44 They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you.”
This is clearly about the destruction of Jerusalem(v.41), but what’s helpful is understanding where the people were eventually encamped… which historically shows it was the southern wall just over the valley of Hinnom since that is the upper part of the city(higher ground) where they took the last stand. The city was full of bodies so thick you couldn’t walk around according to testimonies from Josephus and other writers of the time. So… simple logic says they would throw the bodies over the southern wall into “hell”… the valley of Hinnom, where they would be laid unburied, burning and being eaten by worms.
Isaiah 66:22-24
22 “For as the new heavens and the new earth
Which I will make shall remain before Me,” says the LORD,
“So shall your descendants and your name remain.
23 And it shall come to pass
That from one New Moon to another,
And from one Sabbath to another,
All flesh shall come to worship before Me,” says the LORD.
24 “And they shall go forth and look
Upon the corpses of the men
Who have transgressed against Me.
For their worm does not die,
And their fire is not quenched.
They shall be an abhorrence to all flesh.”
Absolutely agree with everything he teaches.. I use to believe in going to heaven and then the Lord showed me differently…. God bless keep preaching the truth according to the word… Also what about the scripture to absent from the body is to be present with the Lord….