three kinds of hell

what do we mean when we talk about hell? i used to think that there is one kind of hell which we must avoid at all cost. then i concluded that there are two kinds of hell. but in my study of Scripture, it seems that there are three kinds of hell.

the abode of the dead

the first kind of hell is the abode of the dead (hebrew: Sheol, greek: Hades), where we all go to rest when we die.

"Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the grave [Sheol], where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom." - Ecclesiastes 9:10 (NIV)

"Seeing what was ahead, he spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to the grave [Hades], nor did his body see decay." - Acts 2:31 (NIV)

Jesus Himself rested in the abode of the dead for three days and three nights, between His crucifixion and His resurrection.

"From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the LORD his God. He said: "In my distress I called to the LORD, and he answered me. From the depths of the grave [Sheol] I called for help, and you listened to my cry." - Jonah 2:1-2 (NIV)

"For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth." - Matthew 12:40 (NIV)

believers or not, we all go to hell (the abode of the dead) to rest when we die. believers or not, we all await resurrection from hell (the abode of the dead).

"Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt." - Daniel 12:2 (NIV)

"Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out - those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned." - John 5:28-29 (NIV)

the difference between believers and unbelievers is that believers are resurrected at the start of the millenial kingdom (the first resurrection), while unbelievers are resurrected at the end of the millenial kingdom (the second resurrection).

"I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony for Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshipped the beast or his image and had not received his mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years. (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first resurrection." - Revelation 20:4-5 (NIV)

the Valley of Ben Hinnom

the second kind of hell is the Valley of Ben Hinnom (hebrew: Ga Ben Hinnom, greek: Gehenna), a literal place in the Middle East where the lake of fire is, where unbelievers are thrown into following the second resurrection at the end of the millenial kingdom.

"They have built the high places of Topheth in the Valley of Ben Hinnom [Ga Ben Hinnom] to burn their sons and daughters in the fire - something I did not command, nor did it enter my mind." - Jeremiah 7:31 (NIV)

"Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell [Gehenna]." - Matthew 10:28 (NIV)

the deep place

the third kind of hell is the deep place (greek: Tartarus), where fallen angels are 'held for judgment' (2 Peter 2:4, NIV). it is probably similar, but not to be confused with the abyss (greek: abussos).

"And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss [abussos] and holding in his hand a great chain. He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. He threw him into the Abyss [abussos], and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time." - Revelation 20:1-3 (NIV)

excursus: the rich man and lazarus

surprisingly, the setting for Jesus' parable of the rich man and lazarus is the abode of the dead, not the Valley of Ben Hinnom (the greek word in Luke 16:23 which is translated as 'hell' is 'Hades', not 'Gehenna').

the point of the parable is not that there is any activity in the abode of the dead (there isn't), but that there is 'a great chasm' (Luke 16:26, NIV) between believers and unbelievers in the abode of the dead. in other words, there are no second chances in the abode of the dead.

just as 'heaven' refers to three different things in hebrew/greek, so does 'hell' refer to three different things in hebrew/greek. it is crucial to grasp this!