What is the purpose and history of Hades?

Question:

What is the purpose and history of Hades?

ANSWER:

The Bible has a lot to say about the destination of men’s souls at death and the dwelling place for demons.

  1. The Bible teaches in 1 Cor. 15 that our existence is one part flesh and one part spirit.  The flesh or our bodies is destined to end at our physical death, but our spirit is eternal. Therefore when our bodies die, our spirits have to go to a new place.  Luke 16 talks about how God has prepared a place of confinement for the souls of those who die without faith in God’s promises (unbelievers). These persons will remain in soul form in Hades until the day of their judgment. That day is what is referred to in scripture as the “great white throne judgment.”  Read - Rev 20:12-15

  2. As soon as the Great White Throne judgment is over, the souls of all unbelievers will be condemned for their sin and cast into the “Lake of Fire”. This is the final and eternal home. Jude talks about this place: Read Jude 7

  3. Finally, there is a place synonymous with what we call Hades or Hell. This place is called also “the bottomless pit” or “the abyss”. This is also the place where God keeps demons captive until they receive their judgment and punishment almost in the lake of fire. Read Luke 8:30-31

  4. This “bottomless pit” in Greek is the word “Abussos” which is translated “Abyss”. This word is used only a few times in the NT. The abyss is a holding place for disobedient angels that follow after Satan (demons). However, this place exists side-by-side with another place referred to as “Sheol” the Old Testament name for the holding place of souls. Sheol and the Abyss are in the same location with two “canisters” (if you will).

  5. Scripture tells us the location of this place. It is not a mystic fantasy place in our imagination. The exact location is the center of the Earth:
    Gen 37:35
    Job 7:9
    Psa. 28:1-3
    Psa. 63:6-10
    Rom. 10:7
    Phil 2:10
    These verses all point to the same location for Sheol or “the pit”. At the center of the Earth. Since the Bible consistently refers to Hell/the pit/the abyss/Sheol as being at the center of our physical earth, we have to accept that testimony, since we have no reason to reject it. There is no basis in the text of scripture for dismissing the literal interpretation. There is also no scientific basis on which to reject this conclusion. What little we do know about the center of the earth is that it is very hot. This is consistent with Luke 16:23-24

  6. After Christ finished His work on the cross, We learn from scripture that He visited Hell (hades) and preached to the spirits now in prison (1 Pet 3:19). Upon his resurrection, Jesus led free captives after his crucifixion (Eph. 4:8-10).  Luke 16 describes this place he visited as “Sheol”. As I mentioned above, there were two parts or Halves to this place. One side of Sheol was a place of comfort, while the other side was a place of torment. One side was for this saved by faith in the OT period, while the other side was for all unbelievers in torment.  The side of comfort is referred to as “Abrahams’s bosom” (Rom 4:1). While the other side of Sheol was called “Hades” or Ghenna in Hebrew (where we get the word “Hell” in English) Prior to Christ’s death, all souls either went to Abraham’s Bosom or Hades. This arrangement was made necessary.

Bible QuestionsBenjamin ShaferHades, Hell, Crucifixion, EasterComment