Bible Study Heaven and Hell

[J6o7h8n3]

Is there anybody actually in Heaven or Hell right now according to the word of the Lord or will this all happen on our Lord's second coming when everybody is either going to heaven or hell? Can anybody provide scripture along with this?

Thanks, John

 

[Bob10]

everybody is either going to heaven.........

The Bible no where says the saved are going to Heaven.

If you think it does, please supply the chapter and verse.

Thank you.

 

[MrVersatile48]

You have in mind the New Heavens & New Earth of Revelation 21-22

Meanwhile - & the fulfilment of Bible prophecies show it to be very soon - we look forward to the instant airlift Rapture rescue of Matt 24:30-31, 1 Corinthians 15:51-58 & 1 Thessalonians 4:13-5:11

We will be caught up, as fast as you can blink, to meet the Lord in the air & be with Him forever

He does not set foot on the Mount of Olives - descending 'just as you saw Him go' (in Acts 1) - till Armageddon @ Zechariah 14 etc

To reply to the OP, Jesus said that when rich Dives died, he went straight to the fires of Hell, & when poor Lazarus died, he went straight to Abraham's bosom

He told the repentant thief, on the cross, 'Today, you will be with Me in Paradise'

He described Hell in several ways in Matthew 13 & Revelation 20, showing it as eternal, conscious torment

In God's timing, I came on here praying where to post this timely link to a mission-mobilising article, "Whatever happened to the idea of rescuing people from Hell?"

http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2006/007/35.40.html

It analyses the shortcomings of censoring Hell out of preaching & pleads for many more to commit to long-term cross-cultural mission, as nearly a third of Earth's people have not heard the gospel & are outside the community reach of churches

God bless!

Ian

 

[J6o7h8n3]

So nobody is in hell right now? Or does hell actually have souls in there?

The Bible no where says the saved are going to Heaven.

If you think it does, please supply the chapter and verse.

Thank you.

Sure, here are some verses. I hope this changes your thoughts. All christians are trying to make it to Heaven where we will live with our Father eternally.



Matthew 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

Matthew 5:19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.


Matthew 6:19-21: Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Matthew 5:12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

This is the dictionary meaning: Heaven- often Heaven The abode of God, the angels, and the souls of those who are granted salvation.
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/heaven

 

[Bob10]

.....he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven....

Rev.
11:15 (NIV)
The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, which said: "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever."




Daniel
7:27 (NIV)
Then the sovereignty, power and greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven will be handed over to the saints, the people of the Most High. His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all rulers will worship and obey him.



Zechariah
14:9
The Lord will be king over the whole earth. On that day there will be one Lord, and his name the only name.




------------------------------

for great is your reward in heaven....

Isa.
40:10
See, the Sovereign Lord comes with power, and his arm rules for him. See, his reward is with him, and his recompense accompanies him.



Rev.
22:12
"Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done.

 

[Vic C.]

John 14:1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.
John 14:2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
John 14:3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

Sure sounds to me like Heaven.

The question isn't if they will be in Heaven, it's are any in Heaven now?

This may help:

John 5:29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.

Rev 20:4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
Rev 20:5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.

There is also the resurrection of the unGodly. This would be the second resurrection. It occurs to me that in order to be resurrected, one must be dead.

 

[KaerbEmEvig]

In Judaism there is no physical concept of either Hell nor Heaven, there also is no concept of Hell at all - only Purgatory called Gehenna ('Heaven' being Paradise in Judaism, unity with God).

 

[mutzrein]

In Judaism there is no physical concept of either Hell nor Heaven, there also is no concept of Hell at all - only Purgatory called Gehenna ('Heaven' being Paradise in Judaism, unity with God).

How do you see this fitting in with Jesus statement, " . . . the Kingdom of heaven is at hand."?

 

[KaerbEmEvig]

That's what historians call mistranslation. Jesus spoke of 'World to Come' - not Heaven.

 

[jgredline]

everybody is either going to heaven.........

The Bible no where says the saved are going to Heaven.

If you think it does, please supply the chapter and verse.

Thank you.

HEAVEN.
God’s Dwelling Place: Deut. 26:15 Zech. 2:13; Isa. 63:15. 1 Kin. 8:30 vs. 39,43,49;; 2 Chr. 6:18, 21, 27, 30, 33, 35, 39; Jer. 23:24. 1 Chr. 16:31; 1 Chr. 21:26 2 Chr. 7:14; Neh. 9:27. 2 Chr. 2:6; 2 Chr. 30:27; Job 22:12, 14; Psa. 2:4; Psa. 11:4; Psa. 20:6; Psa. 33:13; Psa. 102:19; Psa. 103:19 Psa. 135:6; Dan. 4:35. Psa. 113:5; Psa. 123:1; Eccl. 5:2; Isa. 57:15; Isa. 63:15; Isa. 66:1; Lam. 3:41, 50; Dan. 5:23; Matt. 5:34, 45; Matt. 6:9 Matt. 18:10, 14; Mark 11:25, 26. Matt. 10:32, 33; Matt. 11:25; Matt. 12:50; Matt. 16:17; Mark 16:19; Acts 7:49; Rom. 1:18; Heb. 8:1; Rev. 8:1; Rev. 12:7–9; Rev. 21:22–27; Rev. 22:1–5

The Future Dwelling Place of the Righteous. Called A Garner, Matt. 3:12; The Kingdom of Christ and of God, Eph. 5:5; The Father’s House, John 14:2; A Heavenly Country, Heb. 11:16; A Rest, Heb. 4:9; Rev. 14:13; Paradise, 2 Cor. 12:2, 4. The wicked excluded from, Gal. 5:21; Eph. 5:5; Rev. 22:15. Unclassified Scriptures Relating to: 2 Kin. 2:11; Job 3:17; Psa. 16:11; Psa. 17:15; Psa. 23:6; Psa. 24:3, 7; Psa. 73:24; Isa. 33:17; Dan. 12:3; Mal. 3:17; Matt. 5:3, 8, 12, 20; Matt. 6:20 Luke 12:33. Matt. 8:11; Matt. 13:30, 43, 49 Matt. 3:12. Matt. 18:10; Matt. 19:21; Matt. 25:34, 46; Luke 10:20; Luke 12:32; Luke 15:6, 7 [v. 10.] Luke 15:32; Luke 16:22; Luke 20:34, 35 [Matt. 22:30.] Luke 20:36; Luke 22:29, 30; Luke 23:43; John 5:28, 29; John 10:28; John 12:26; John 13:36; John 14:2, 3; John 17:22, 24; Acts 7:55 v. 56.; Rom. 5:17; 2 Cor. 5:1; 2 Cor. 12:2–4; Eph. 1:18; Col. 1:5, 6, 12; Col. 3:4; 1 Thess. 2:12; 1 Thess. 4:17; 2 Thess. 1:7; 2 Thess. 2:14; Heb. 10:34; Heb. 11:10, 16; Heb. 12:22–24, 28; Heb. 13:14; 1 Pet. 1:4; 2 Pet. 1:11; 2 Pet. 3:13; Rev. 2:7; Rev. 3:21 Luke 12:8. Rev. 4:4; Rev. 5:9; Rev. 7:9, 13–17 Isa. 49:9, 10. Rev. 14:1–3; Rev. 15:2; Rev. 21:1–5, 9–11, 18, 19, 21–25, 27; Rev. 22:1–5 See Righteous, Promises to.

The Physical Heavens: Gen. 1:1 Job 37:18; Psa. 33:6; 136:5; Jer. 10:12. Psa. 19:1; Psa. 50:6; Psa. 68:33; Psa. 89:29; Psa. 97:6; Psa. 103:11; Psa. 113:4; Psa. 115:16; Jer. 31:37; Ezek. 1:1; Matt. 24:29, 30; Acts 2:19, 20 See Sub-topics, below. Physical Heavens, Creation of: Gen. 1:1; Gen. 2:1; 1 Chr. 16:26; 2 Chr. 2:12; Neh. 9:6; Job 9:8; Psa. 8:3; Psa. 19:1; Psa. 33:6, 9; Psa. 148:4–6; Prov. 8:27; Isa. 37:16; Isa. 40:22; Isa. 42:5 Isa. 45:18. Isa. 45:12; Jer. 10:12; Jer. 32:17; Jer. 51:15; Acts 4:24 Acts 14:15. Heb. 1:10; Rev. 10:6; Rev. 14:7 See Heavens, New. See Creation; God, Creator. Physical Heavens, Destruction of: Job 14:12; Psa. 102:25, 26; Isa. 34:4; Isa. 51:6; Matt. 5:18; Matt. 24:35; Heb. 1:10–12; 2 Pet. 3:10, 12; Rev. 6:12–14; Rev. 20:11; Rev. 21:1, 4

New Heavens: Isa. 65:17; Isa. 66:22; 2 Pet. 3:13; Rev. 21:1–4

Hope this helps

 

[Bob10]

John 14:2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
John 14:3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

Sure sounds to me like Heaven.

The Greek word mone (mo NAY) is translated "mansions" in John 14:2 -- "In My Father's house are many dwelling places....."
http://bible.crosswalk.com/Lexicons/Gre ... ersion=kjv




But what is the Father’s house? What does the Bible declare the Father’s house to be?

When in the Temple, Jesus said to the Jews who were selling doves and cattle: “Make not my Father’s house a house of merchandise†– John 2:16.


Here is a simple Bible definition of the Father’s house.

Did the Temple have many “mansions†or rooms and chambers in it?

Jeremiah 35:2: “…..speak with them and bring them to the house of the Lord, into one of the chambers ….†(English Standard Version).


Different chambers were for persons of different rank. Hanan, a man of God, had his chamber or room “near the officials' chamber, which was above the chamber of Maaseiah son of Shallum the {mere} doorkeeper.†-- Jeremiah 35:4.


The idea is not mansions in the sky, but spiritual positions in Christ -- "And he that overcomes, and keeps my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations, And he shall rule them with a rod of iron" (Rev. 2:26-27).




At the time of William Tyndale and the King James Version "mansion" also, like mone, meant a dwelling place or stopping place. It could also be used of the physical dwelling place or of the manor house of a lord, but these seem to be secondary to the earlier uses as in the Greek. Now, however, we understand a mansion as being limited to a physical dwelling and having specific socioeconomic implications.

The idea is "not mansions in the sky, but spiritual positions in Christ" (Gundry 1967:70; cf. Brown 1970:627).

 

[Bob10]

The meek will inherit the EARTH.


Then the kingdom and dominion, And the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven, Shall be given to the people, the saints of the Most High. His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, And all dominions shall serve and obey Him.'

Daniel 7:27

 

[Henry]

Heaven and hell occupy eternal space, not linier space. To think of them in terms of now and then, is a wrong veiw there is no time in those places

 

[guibox]

Is there anybody actually in Heaven or Hell right now according to the word of the Lord or will this all happen on our Lord's second coming when everybody is either going to heaven or hell? Can anybody provide scripture along with this?

Thanks, John

Nope. They are all in their grave awaiting their appropriate resurrection. vic is correct in this matter.

Both righteous and wicked go to Hades/Sheol at death. There is no consciousness or awareness there. At the second coming of Christ, the righteous are given the spark of life again and raised a new creature with immortality. "So when this mortal has put on immortality,a nd when this corruptible has put on incorruption, then shall be brought to pass the saying, 'death is swallowed up in victory'. Oh death where is they sting? Oh grave where is thy victory?" - 1 Corinthians 15:54,55

Death is not conquered until the resurrection. Souls are not waiting in heaven for their spiritual body to come back to. Some will say that this verse applies only to the body and not the soul.

Nonsense.

There is no exegetical or linguistic basis for such an interpretation. Rather, when we look at the whole of this chapter, we see that Paul emphasises eternal life...period is only realized at the resurrection and not at death.

The wicked are resurrected after the 1000 years and then cast into the lake of fire. Their reward occurs at the end of the age, not at death.

"Behold I come quickly and my reward is with me to give each man according as his works shall be" - Revelation 22:12

"And marvel not at this for the hour is coming when all that are in their graves shall hear His voice and come forth: some to everlasting life, some to everlasting damnation" - John 5:28,29

"As the tares are separated from the wheat and burned in the fire, so shall it be at the end of the ages" Matthew 13:40

 

[Rick W]

Heaven and hell occupy eternal space, not linier space. To think of them in terms of now and then, is a wrong veiw there is no time in those places

I'm thinking the same thing. We know only the physical. Jesus made many comparisons using the physical but even then without knowledge of the spiritual those comparisons seem vague and difficult to understand at best.

We want to equate paradise with the pleasures known in the physical world, peace, harmony, love as we know it to be etc. But I doubt somehow physical traits as we know them will be what we find when we are released from our bodies, trapped within, knowing only what is communicated by the 5 senses. We are quite alone in our body among many others in the same situation. I've heard some muslims expect virgins in heaven. I don't mock them, I only point out the desire to equate heaven with earthly pleasures and values.

I seriously believe Henry to be correct as to time. There is no such thing as half an eternity or any fraction of it therefore time as we know it cannot exist since eternity cannot be measured, cut up into segments or slots or lengths. Anything beyond our 5 senses and our perception of time is beyond our understanding. Yet, we have a penchant to equate Heaven and Hell to the things we know. It's like giving animals human attributes in cartoons... We have a desire to make human all things around us and especially those things we cannot understand.

Heaven and Hell cannot be based on physical traits. Comparison can be made only by the things we can experience and those comparisons are beyond the scope of anything we know. The relationship of father/son is used for the diety of Christ simply because it's the best comparison we have knowing no other. Even being "One with Christ" is beyond anything we have or will ever experience in this world, in the universe. We are locked in time and body with no means to scrutinize anything beyond those two barriers. But we can have faith, faith that Christ will keep His promises.

 

[John the Baptist]

Some were resurrected when Jesus was and are in heaven. A few were translated without dying. All the rest are dead of both righteous & unrightous humans. When Christ comes the righteous who died in the faith Hebrews 11:13 are raised first. The other lost ones die & stay dead until all the wicked dead have their 2 resurrection 1000 years later. They will die for eternity Obadiah 1:16, but will burn according to the judgement of their judicial sentencing during the 1000 years. See Luke 12:47-48 & 1 Corinthians 6:1-6. (there are many scriptures on this doctrine)

---John

 

[mutzrein]

That's what historians call mistranslation. Jesus spoke of 'World to Come' - not Heaven.

So you are saying that the Kingdom of heaven will be on earth?

 

[KaerbEmEvig]

There's the difference between World to Come and Heaven. Also, there's no such a thing as physical ressurection nor does we posses bodies when we finally exist in Heaven.