What is Hell:

Nothing has plagued the Christian religion more than the misinformation regarding hell. Many have equated hell with a place similar to Dante’s Inferno, consisting of multiple levels marked by punishment fit for sins the inhabitants have committed. Others view hell like the chamber of a volcano where Satan rules with a trident.

These concepts of hell are, not only non-Biblical, they make no theological sense. Why would God be concerned with torturing the inhabitants of hell? If all sins are considered equal, why would different sins result in different punishments? Why would Satan rule hell? While hell is a reality, these conceptions of hell are not.

To answer the question: “What is Hell?” we have to begin by explaining how and why one would go to hell:

Why do people go to hell:

Biblically, one goes to hell because they choose to go to hell. More accurately, they choose to not go to heaven. They express this choice by committing sins:

What is sin:

A sin is a violation of the laws that govern heaven. Meaning, sins are the things that cannot exist in heaven for heaven to remain a paradise. This includes: lying, stealing, cheating, and so on. Every person commits, and will continue to commit, sins as long as they exist. When one sins, they are making an outward declaration to God that they do not wish to follow the laws of heaven.

Upon death, God will not force you into changing your outlook on the laws of heaven. God will not prevent you from sinning. This would be a violation of your freewill. Therefore, because you have chosen to not follow the laws of heaven, you will not be forced to go to heaven.

To be in heaven is to be in the presence of God. Your existence outside heaven is an existence outside the presence of God. This existence outside the presence of God is what is called hell.

What is hell like:

No one really knows what hell will be like. Many imagine fire and brimstone. However, these people are confusing an analogy with reality. The use of fire in describing hell comes from a valley called Gehenna, or ga ben Hinnom, “the valley of the son of Hinnom.”

This valley exists outside Jerusalem and was used by the ancient Israelites to dispose of their garbage. The valley was always on fire and the fire consumed the trash. When Christ refers to hell as “Gehenna” he is referring to hell, not necessarily as a place of fire, but as a place of trash. Only, in hell, the “trash” is not annihilated by the fire, the fire is eternal. That is, the trash will exist forever.

Never is hell referred to as a place of torture. Hell is referred to as a place of torment:

Who among you fears the LORD
and obeys the word of his servant?
Let him who walks in the dark,
who has no light,
trust in the name of the LORD
and rely on his God.But now, all you who light fires
and provide yourselves with flaming torches,
go, walk in the light of your fires
and of the torches you have set ablaze.
This is what you shall receive from my hand:
You will lie down in torment.

Isaiah 50:10-11

And the smoke of their torment rises for ever and ever.

Revelation 14:11

And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

Revelation 20:10

Two things torment the inhabitants of hell:

1. Those in hell are tormented by their decision to go to hell, they will never experience heaven.
2. There is no pleasure in hell, nothing to make hell comfortable or acceptable. The joys found in life are perfected in heaven and absent in hell. Certain qualities we call vices, (such as: lust, greed, pride) will not be present in hell. These vices are only the corrupted version of something holy (love, desire, confidence). Even vices are present in their purified form in heaven and absent in hell. In other words, there is absolutely nothing good, pleasurable, or even entertaining in hell.

References to hell in the Bible:

A lot of confusion has arisen regarding references to hell in the Bible. Much of the confusion is due to the assumption one goes to either heaven or hell immediately upon death. In reality, no one is currently in heaven or hell. All dead are awaiting judgment. Only after the dead have been judged will anyone enter heaven or hell:

Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt.

Daniel 12:2

References to the afterlife include several places: Hell, Gehenna, Heaven, Hades, Sheol, and Paradise or Abraham’s Bosom. Translators of the Bible have had a difficult time accurately translating these words from their Hebrew or Greek origins into English. Some translations mistakenly translate certain words such as ” Hades” to “Hell,” despite there being a clear difference between Hades and Hell. To their credit, they do usually add a footnote clarifying the original word was “Hades.” Some more modern translations simply leave the word in its original language.

Sheol:

Sheol is a Hebrew word meaning “grave.” Very simply, Sheol is where the dead go and await judgment. Depending on whether one is ultimately destine for heaven or hell determines what their Sheol will be like.

For my soul is full of trouble
and my life draws near the grave [Hebrew translation is "draws near to Sheol"].

Psalm 88:3

Hades:

Hades is the Greek word for Sheol. While all dead go to Sheol, the Sheol of those who will be condemned to hell is specifically called Hades. Upon death, a person goes to Hades where they await judgment. They will then be judged at the end of time and sent to hell.

The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done.

Revelation 20:13

Hell:

Hell is one’s final existence apart from the presence of God. After the dead are judged (an event that has not occurred yet), those who have not chosen heaven will go to hell.

“You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell?

Matthew 23:33

Gehenna:

A valley outside the city of Jerusalem where the ancient Israelites burned their garbage. Gehenna is synonymous with Hell and was used by Jesus to serve as an analogy for hell.

If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell [Greek translation is "thrown into Gehenna"].

Matthew 5:29

Paradise:

Paradise is another word for Sheol. Specifically, paradise is the Sheol of those awaiting heaven.

Jesus answered him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.”

Luke 23:43

Abraham’s Bosom:

Being in someone’s “bosom” simply meant being in the close presence of someone. Being in Abraham’s Bosom literally mean being in the presence of Abraham. Abraham’s Bosom is synonymous with paradise.

“Now the poor man died and was carried away by the angels to Abraham’s bosom; and the rich man also died and was buried.

“In Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and saw Abraham far away and Lazarus in his bosom.

Luke 16:22-23 (NASB)

Heaven:

Heaven is one’s final existence within the presence of God. Those waiting in Paradise will be ushered into heaven at the end of time.

I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

Revelation 21:2-4

Conclusion:

Created for the devil and demons who chose to leave heaven, hell is the alternative to heaven. While we cannot know whether hell is tortuous or only tormenting, we can be sure hell is not something anyone would want to experience. While heaven is the purification of all pleasures, hell is the absence of all pleasures.

Notions of hell as being a “fun” place are greatly mistaken. Never in the Bible is hell regarded as anything other than absolute suffering and contempt. Even those who delight in vices, will not find any pleasure in hell.