Larry Perkins

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Printable Activity: 8 page mini coloring book and full-sized pictures to tell the story of Peter preaching the gospel for the first time to Gentiles - Cornelius and his family.

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Eric Walberer

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The Music of Glorybound

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Bryon Meyers

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 Shawn St. Clair

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When Moses in Deutonomy 6:4 says, “Hear, 0 Israel, The LORD our God is one LORD,” are we to understand that therefore Jesus Christ is the only Person in the Godhead?

No, it would be a very serious and fundamental error to do so, upsetting and dislocating the whole revealed truth concerning the Godhead, as it has pleased God to reveal Himself in His Word.

This is the teaching of a certain fearful system of error, which we need not name, but which has, alas, adherents to-day; but I question whether there is one point of God’s revealed truth on which they are sound. It is a false system built on lies.

Moses’ words are perfectly true: “The LORD our God is One LORD,” but in that Unity there are three distinct Divine Persons or Subsistences —Father, Son and Spirit—co-equal, co-eternal, co-substantial (see e.g. Matthew 3:16-17;" TARGET="_blank">Matthew 3:16-17; Matthew 28:19;" TARGET="_blank">Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14;" TARGET="_blank">2 Corinthians 13:14; Revelation 1:4-6," TARGET="_blank">Revelation 1:4-6, etc., etc.). The last expression means that each glorious Person of the Triune God possesses the entire Divine Substance or Essence. God is Spirit and as such is invisible. “No man hath seen God at any time, the only-begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He hath declared Him.” “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God.” . . . “and the Word became flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld His glory, the glory of the Only-begotten of the Father full of grace and truth” (John 1:1-14)." TARGET="_blank">John 1:1-14). He was “the express image of God’s Person”; “the image of the Invisible God” (John 10:14, 18;" TARGET="_blank">John 10:14, 18; Hebrews 1: 3;" TARGET="_blank">Hebrews 1: 3; Colossians 1:15)." TARGET="_blank">Colossians 1:15). Only in the Lord Jesus Christ is the Father revealed by the Spirit. Let us not reason about it, but bow and worship. If we do not understand our own tripartite nature, how can we claim to comprehend the Infinite, the “One God in Three Persons”?

W.H.

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Did Christ go to hell after dying on the cross?  Did Christ suffer for sins in hell?  Was he there to open the gates of hell to liberate those lost in their sins?  Is hell the same as the Lake of Fire?

The short answer:

No. Jesus did not go to suffer in the flames of Hell.  After dying on the cross, Christ went to the place of departed spirits.  That is, he went to SHEOL (the Hebrew word) or HADES (the Greek word).  He did not go to suffer in the flames of hell or go to Lake of Fire as some mistakenly believe. 

The full answer:

To give a full answer to these questions one must study several scriptures and the meaning of the word SHEOL translated HELL in some versions of the Bible.

What scirptures say that Christ was in sheol/hades?

Starting with Psalm 16:10," TARGET="_blank">Psalm 16:10, which is quoted in the New Testament in Acts 2" TARGET="_blank">Acts 2 in reference to Christ and his resurrection, we see the two words used in reference to Christ and his resurrection.

Psalms 16:10-11" TARGET="_blank">Psalms 16:10-11  For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption.  (11)  You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore. (ESV)

Here is the same verse from Psalm 16" TARGET="_blank">Psalm 16 in the King James Version.  Notice that hell is used in place of sheol.
   

Psalms 16:10-11" TARGET="_blank">Psalms 16:10-11  For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.  (11)  Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. (KJV)

Peter is giving his great Day of Pentecost speech in Acts 2" TARGET="_blank">Acts 2 when he quotes from Psalm 16." TARGET="_blank">Psalm 16.  The prophecy of Christ’s resurrection was written many years before by King David.

Acts 2:22-33" TARGET="_blank">Acts 2:22-33  "Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know--  (23)  this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men.  (24)  God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it.  (25)  For David says concerning him, "'I saw the Lord always before me, for he is at my right hand that I may not be shaken;  (26)  therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced; my flesh also will dwell in hope.  (27)  For you will not abandon my soul to Hades, or let your Holy One see corruption.  (28)  You have made known to me the paths of life; you will make me full of gladness with your presence.'  (29)  "Brothers, I may say to you with confidence about the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day.  (30)  Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants on his throne,  (31)  he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption.  (32)  This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses.  (33)  Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing. (ESV)

In the KJV the verse is written with the word hell in place of hades. 

Acts 2:27" TARGET="_blank">Acts 2:27  Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. (KJV)
Act 2:31" TARGET="_blank">Act 2:31  He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption. (KJV)

The meaning of SHEOL and HADES

In the King James Version, the Hebrew word SHEOL is usually translated as hell.  The corresponding Greek word HADES is also translated as hell.  Sheol means “the place of departed spirits” and hades means the “place of the dead”.  The word “hell” conjures images of darkness, flames, torment and agony.  However, the departed spirits of the Old Testament believers also went to sheol/hades, but not to suffer torments. 

According to Vines Dictionary…

Hades is the region of departed spirits of the lost".  This includes the blessed dead in periods preceding the ascension of Christ. It corresponds to "Sheol" in the Old Testament. In the Authorized King James Version it has been unhappily rendered "hell" (Psalms 16:10)" TARGET="_blank">Psalms 16:10) or "the grave," (Genesis 37:35)" TARGET="_blank">Genesis 37:35) or "the pit" (Numbers 16:30-33)." TARGET="_blank">Numbers 16:30-33).  In the New Testament the Revised Version always used the rendering "hades". In the Old Testament, they have not been uniform in the translation.  For example in Isaiah 14:15" TARGET="_blank">Isaiah 14:15 it is translated "hell" with a note in the margin that says "Sheol".  Usually they have "Sheol" in the text and "the grave" in the margin. Sheol never denotes the grave, nor is the permanent region of the lost. 

Translation Challenge

Most Bible translators avoid using “hell” to translate the words sheol and hades. Instead they simply transcribe the words from the original Hebrew (sheol) or Greek (hades) as seen above in the examples from the English Standard Version (ESV). Other translations that use “sheol” instead of hell include the New American Standard Bible (NASB), The New King James Version (NKJV), Darby, and Young’s Literal Translation.  The NIV and other loose translations and paraphrases use a phrase such as “the realm of the dead”.  So to say that Christ went to hell means that he went to a place where spirits have no bodies. 

Hades – one place with two conditions

There is a wider meaning to sheol and hades than what the word hell – eternal torments - brings to mind. Sheol/hades is a place, or perhaps better stated a condition, with two very distinct environments.  The lost suffer in Hades while the saved enjoy rest there.  For example, in Luke 16:19-31," TARGET="_blank">Luke 16:19-31, the rich man opened his eyes in Hades being in flames of torments.  Lazarus died as well and was in Hades as well, but in a completely different condition.  Lazarus was “far off” at Abraham’s side.  There was “a great chasm”  separating Lazarus from the Rich Man which was impossible to cross which indicates that there are two separate places to which people went.  However both are in “the place of departed spirits” – that is SHEOL or HADES.  When the Lord was on the cross, he promised the repentant thief that “today you will be with me in paradise”.  This refers to the place of departed spirits of the saved.  The thief went to the same place as Lazarus – “to Abraham’s side.”  It is presumed that the other non-repentant thief went to hades the same day, but to the place of torments.

Where did Jesus suffer for sins – while on the cross or did he suffer in hell?

The fact that the KJV bible states that Jesus went to “hell” leads some to the conclusion that Christ he went to hell to suffer for our sins.  As seen in the preceding paragraphs, the word hell (sheol/hades) does not necessarily indicate a place of suffering, only the place of departed spirits. 

The idea of Christ suffering while his body lay in the tomb is contrary to other scriptures that teach he suffered for our sins on the cross. “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree” (1 Peter 2:24)" TARGET="_blank">1 Peter 2:24) “once for all” (Hebrews 10:10)." TARGET="_blank">Hebrews 10:10).  He canceled “the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.”  (Colossians 2:14)." TARGET="_blank">Colossians 2:14).  The cross is “the power of God” (1 Corinthians 1:18)" TARGET="_blank">1 Corinthians 1:18) to those of us who are saved.

The cross is the lowest point that Christ’s sufferings took him.

Philippians 2:8-9" TARGET="_blank">Philippians 2:8-9  And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.  (9)  Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name,

Hebrews 12:2" TARGET="_blank">Hebrews 12:2  looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

The work of salvation was completely finished when Christ died.  “When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, "It is finished," and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.”  (John 19:30)." TARGET="_blank">John 19:30). His suffering in our place was completed. His soul/spirit went to the paradise side of hades. Jesus did not go to the torments of hell. Jesus’ suffering ended the moment He died. The payment for sin was paid. He then awaited the resurrection of His body and His return to glory in His ascension.

Did Jesus go to hell? No. He did not suffer in the flames of torments.
Did Jesus go to sheol/hades? Yes.  He went to the place of departed spirits.   

Other questions that are related to this are:

“Did Christ take people from Hades to Heaven when he rose from the dead?”  Ephesians 4:8-10" TARGET="_blank">Ephesians 4:8-10 talks about Christ “leading a host of captives” when he ascended.

“Did Christ go talk to spirits in Hades to declare his victory over Satan and death?”  1 Peter 3:18-20" TARGET="_blank">1 Peter 3:18-20 has many interesting interpretations to consider on this question.

Some of the questions below will help you see the meaning in these statements.

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The following is a listof ways that God has used to communicate with us in the past.  The Holy Scriptures are now completed and provide us with the entire revealed word of God.  You should not expect to receive visions, dreams or prophets speaking to God today.

How God communicated His message in the past:

His secret things.
Amos 3:7" TARGET="_blank">Amos 3:7 Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.

At various times and in different ways.
Hebrews 1:1." TARGET="_blank">Hebrews 1:1.God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,

By an audible voice.
1 Samuel 3:4-14." TARGET="_blank">1 Samuel 3:4-14. And the LORD came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speak; for thy servant heareth.

By angels

Dan 8:15-26;" TARGET="_blank">Dan 8:15-26; …when I, even I Daniel, had seen the vision, and sought for the meaning, then, behold, there stood before me as the appearance of a man.

By dreams and visions.
Numbers 12:6;" TARGET="_blank">Numbers 12:6; If there be a prophet among you, I the LORD will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream.


Men who were under the influence of the Holy Spirit while prophesying.
Luke 1:67;" TARGET="_blank">Luke 1:67; And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied…

Spoke in the name of the Lord.
James 5:10." TARGET="_blank">James 5:10.Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord,

Frequently spoke in parables and riddles.
2 Samuel 12:1-6;" TARGET="_blank">2 Samuel 12:1-6; And the LORD sent Nathan unto David. And he came unto him, and said unto him, There were two men in one city; the one rich, and the other poor

Shad Sluiter

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Is Satan responsible for natural disasters such as earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes, mudslides or tornadoes?

Every time there is a major disaster such as the massive earthquake in Haiti in 2010, the earthquake in Japan in 2011, Hurricane Katrina in Louisiana in 2005, the earthquake and following tsunami in Indonesia and Thailand in 2004, we invariably ask the question – where is God? Is Satan responsible for causing natural disasters?  Does God permit natural disasters?  

Satan is not in control of the world.  Anything he does has limits placed upon him by God.  Being a powerful angel, although fallen from his original position, he has been given great power.  But Satan is not infinite.

The clearest example of natural disaster being caused by the Devil is found in the book of Job.  The first chapter of Job is quoted in the paragraphs below.  God permitted Satan to attack Job but only to the extent that God allowed.  Satan was not allowed to take Job’s life.  However, Satan stripped Job of every posession and loved one.  You will see in the following verses that the events were attributed to a group of raiding warrior (15 and 17), the “fire of God” (17) and wind from the wilderness (19).  Job is never told from where his troubles were coming from.  He is unaware the Satan is involved, but he recognizes that God is in control of it all.  The rest of the book deals with his mental anguish at being tried by God.

Job 1:9-22" TARGET="_blank">Job 1:9-22  Then Satan answered the LORD and said, "Does Job fear God for no reason?  (10)  Have you not put a hedge around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land.  (11)  But stretch out your hand and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face."  (12)  And the LORD said to Satan, "Behold, all that he has is in your hand. Only against him do not stretch out your hand." So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD.  (13)  Now there was a day when his sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother's house,  (14)  and there came a messenger to Job and said, "The oxen were plowing and the donkeys feeding beside them,  (15)  and the Sabeans fell upon them and took them and struck down the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you."  (16)  While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, "The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants and consumed them, and I alone have escaped to tell you."  (17)  While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, "The Chaldeans formed three groups and made a raid on the camels and took them and struck down the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you."  (18)  While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, "Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother's house,  (19)  and behold, a great wind came across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young people, and they are dead, and I alone have escaped to tell you."  (20)  Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped.  (21)  And he said, "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD."  (22)  In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong.

Natural Explanations

It is clear from scientific study of the earth that there are natural explanations for every kind of natural disaster.  Warm water in the oceans creates conditions suitable for massive windstorms.  The shifting of the earth’s plates causes earthquakes where tectonic plates come together.  Underwater earthquakes cause tsunamis.  While we may know the immediate natural cause for disasters, we still credit the ultimate hand of providence to God.  Insurance companies won’t cover property damage in times of war or because of “Acts of God”.  Did God design the world to be full of suffering?

God is in control

Colossians 1:16-17" TARGET="_blank">Colossians 1:16-17 says that Jesus Christ is in control of the universe:

Colossians 1:15-17" TARGET="_blank">Colossians 1:15-17  He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.  (16)  For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities--all things were created through him and for him.  (17)  And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

It was Very Good

The way in which God created the universe has been affected by sin.  At the close of the week of creation we read that the creation was “very good”.  Like a work of fine art, God was satisfied that what he created was beautiful and perfect.
    

Genesis 1:31" TARGET="_blank">Genesis 1:31  And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.

Shortly after finishing the creation, Adam and Eve sinned, bringing a curse onto the earth.  Romans 5:12" TARGET="_blank">Romans 5:12 tells us that death came into the world through sin.

Romans 5:12" TARGET="_blank">Romans 5:12  Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned--

The curse extended to the earth.  God caused the earth not to yield its full potential in growing food.  

Genesis 3:17-19" TARGET="_blank">Genesis 3:17-19  And to Adam he said, "Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, 'You shall not eat of it,' cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life;  (18)  thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field.  (19)  By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return."

Later in the Bible, the “whole creation groans” under the curse of sin.  The world still suffers under the influence of the curse from the first sin.  It can be concluded that the “groaning” of creation can be seen in the suffering that randomly visits us as well as the beings of the world.

Romans 8:18-22" TARGET="_blank">Romans 8:18-22  For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.  (19)  For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God.  (20)  For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope  (21)  that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.  (22)  For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.

Does God judge us through natural disasters?

There are some occasions in the Bible when God utilized nature to bring judgment directly against a group of people.  However, like all miracles in the Bible, these events are exceptional occasions when God was lifting up a prophet (Moses, Elijah) or bringing an end to an era of wickedness.  There is nothing in the Bible to indicate that we should try to interpret weather, earthquake, plague or any other naturally occurring disaster as a sign from heaven.  The following examples are all accompanied by the message of a prophet sent by God.  The prophet carried with him special authority to control these events, not merely explain them.

Elijah, a prophet of God, caused a terrible famine to strike the land of Israel for the sin of the king and the people.

1 Kings 17:1" TARGET="_blank">1 Kings 17:1  Now Elijah the Tishbite, of Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, "As the LORD, the God of Israel, lives, before whom I stand, there shall be neither dew nor rain these years, except by my word."

Through Moses, God caused terrible plagues to fall against Egypt.  Most of the plagues have similar events that occur in nature, but God caused these plagues to fall at the command of Moses and at a much greater severity than anything in the history of Egypt.

Moses and all the people of Israel watched as Korah and his rebellious followers were swallowed in a disaster like an earthquake or a giant sink hole.

Numbers 16:29-33" TARGET="_blank">Numbers 16:29-33  If these men die as all men die, or if they are visited by the fate of all mankind, then the LORD has not sent me.  (30)  But if the LORD creates something new, and the ground opens its mouth and swallows them up with all that belongs to them, and they go down alive into Sheol, then you shall know that these men have despised the LORD."  (31)  And as soon as he had finished speaking all these words, the ground under them split apart.  (32)  And the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, with their households and all the people who belonged to Korah and all their goods.  (33)  So they and all that belonged to them went down alive into Sheol, and the earth closed over them, and they perished from the midst of the assembly.

In the judgments against the earth in Revelation 6" TARGET="_blank">Revelation 6 to 18 tell us about massive hailstones, earthquakes, comets falling from the heavens and water turning to blood.

Revelation 16:21" TARGET="_blank">Revelation 16:21  And great hailstones, about one hundred pounds each, fell from heaven on people; and they cursed God for the plague of the hail, because the plague was so severe.

Revelation 8:8-11" TARGET="_blank">Revelation 8:8-11  The second angel blew his trumpet, and something like a great mountain, burning with fire, was thrown into the sea, and a third of the sea became blood.  (9)  A third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed.  (10)  The third angel blew his trumpet, and a great star fell from heaven, blazing like a torch, and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water.  (11)  The name of the star is Wormwood. A third of the waters became wormwood, and many people died from the water, because it had been made bitter.

But why does God allow suffering to continue?

The explanation from the verses above answers the questions as to “where” does the suffering come from – from sin.  However, the questions still remains “Why doesn’t God stop it?”

Two other questions that are closely related to this are

Why does God allow me to experience trials?

Why does God allow suffering to continue?

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