Oops, forgot the hell part.
Hell is from the greek "hades". Hades is literally the imperceptible, the unseen. Ecclessiastes says this: The living know that they must die, but the dead know not anything. Also this: ...in the grave there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom... God told Moses Lo! thou art about to sleep with thy fathers. I believe death is the cessation of life. Psalms tells us that in the day we die, our thoughts perish. Jesus told the disciples that Lazarus was asleep. Then He told them plainly Lazarus is dead. 1 Thessalonians says "the dead in Christ shall rise first". Acts 2 tells us that David is not ascended into the heavens. John says that no man hath ascended up to heaven, but He that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.
I believe hell/hades is simply death. The parable of Lazarus and the rich man is a parable. Lazarus represents the gentiles and the rich man represents the jews. The jews are in torments because the gentiles were brought into the forefront of God's plan. The great chasm they couldn't cross (placed there purposely by God, a stupor, eyes not to be seeing and ears not to be hearing) represented their lack of faith in Christ, THEIR Messiah.
The purpose of hell. Death (or cessation of life) itself serves God's purpose well enough. The ration of sin is death.(Slaves are not paid wages, but given rations). He created us. He is the perfect planner. He doesn't need a torture chamber to help with damage control.
alan w |
