Hades
0086 HADES (10): a = not + eido = to see or experience; literally, "that which cannot be seen and has not been experienced;" the grave or resting place of those who have died. In Act.2.27 and 31, both of which quote Psa.16.10, the Greek word hades corresponds to the Hebrew word sheol (7592), which consistently means the grave or the resting place of the departed spirits; that place which includes both the spirits of those who find rest and of those who find pain. The KJV generally translates sheol as "grave" in God's Ancient Revelation (AR) when the context refers to good people and "hell" when the context refers to evil ones. So sheol in the AR means about the same thing as does hades in God's First Century Revelation (FCR). Comp. "burning dump" (1067 ge'enna), "tomb" (3419 mnemeion), "death" (2288 thanatos) and "sensory-being" (5590 psuche).
In the ten passages in which hades occurs, it is described as:
| 1,2) | in condemnation, a place into which (the inhabitants of) the city of Capernaum would descend in Mt.11.23 and Lk.10.15; |
| 3) | a place whose gates would not stand up against Yesu's group of called ones in Mt.16.18; |
| 4) | a place to which a certain rich man went after his death into intense pain, and into which a certain poor man (Lazarus) went after his death into comfort (apparently different locations within hades) in Lk.16.23; |
| 5,6) | the place into which Yesu the Anointed One went from the time of his death until he was "raised-up" (0386 anastasis) in Act.2.27,31; |
| 7,8) | a place (to which Yesu has the keys) which includes the location of both "death" (that is, the process of dying) and "hades" in Rev.1.18 and 6.l8; |
| 9) | one of three places containing the dead ones (the other two places being the sea and "death") in Rev.20.13; and, |
| 10) | its ultimate end is to be thrown into the "lake of fire" (along with "death") in Rev.20.14. |
The key passage to understanding the meaning of hades is Lk.16.19-31. Some one will suggest that the account about the "rich man and Lazarus is a comparison (parable). But note that Yesu began in v.19 by stating that there was a "certain" (5100 tis) rich man...and a "certain" (tis) poor man, and even told the name of the poor man, "Lazarus." So this account by Yesu CANNOT be a parable because it refers to specific individuals and events. Also, Yesu used only "true to life" examples or "real events" as a basis for his comparisons (parables). If the account about the rich man and Lazarus is neither "true to life" nor a "real event," then it is a lie and Yesu is a deceiver (May it not be so). Another reason why it must be a "real event" is because "hades" is a place that humans cannot see or experience until after death. The Pure Spirit evidently narrated this "real event" to give humans a basis for understanding what "hades" is and what happens in both of the places humans go after death.
Note that "hades" contains the spirits of two kinds of people:
| 1) | the spirits of upright ones: Yesu the Anointed One in Act.2.27,31, Yesu's group of called-ones in Mt.16.18 and the "Lazarus" of Lk.16. |
| 2) | the spirits of condemned ones: by metonymy the people of Capernaum in Mt.11.23 and Lk.10.15, the spirits in prison in 1Pe.3.18-19, and the "rich man" in Lk.16. |
Conclusions:
| 1) | When upright ones die, their body returns to dust and their spirit (which has "returned to God") rests in a place within "hades" called "Abraham's bosom;" a place where "Abraham" (figuratively?) is a caretaker (Lk.16.22,24). Note that "Abraham's bosom" is not the same place as "Paradise," as is commonly taught (See 3857 paradeisos for discussion). There is no evidence that Lazarus was conscious, nor that anyone else in "Abraham's bosom" is or was awake there, except perhaps for Yesu while his body was in a grave for three days. The First Death (see 2288 thanatos for discussion) is often described as "sleep" in the FCR. |
| 2) | When condemned ones die they are discarded into the "burning dump" (see 1067 ge'enna for discussion). Their body returns to dust and their spirit (which has "returned to God") is in anguish in that part of "hades" called the "burning dump" |
(Ge'enna). These spirits are not in bodies, so they cannot feel the pain of fire as can living humans. But apparently they can emotionally feel a flame of anguish in seeing "upright ones" resting in peace and comfort over in Abraham's bosom, and are in agony from knowing that they themselves are hopelessly lost, that no one can help them (e.g., Lazarus) and that there is nothing they can do for others (e.g., the "rich man's" brothers). Their anguish could perhaps be compared to human sufferings upon being betrayed or losing a loved one, and certainly to the agony Yesu endured from Gethsemane to the cross. They apparently continue in this circumstance until the Day of Judgement. There is no indication that the ones in "ge'enna" can communicate with each other.
The "upright" ones evidently remain in "Abraham's bosom" until the "raising-up" (resurrection, 0386 anastasis) in the last day; and the condemned ones remain in "ge'enna" until they are sentenced to the Second Death (with no promise of a "raising-up").
At this time, "hades" is empty. Humans no longer exist in the physical body they once had, so there is no First Death; thus death and "hades" no longer serve any purpose and are discarded. The anguish of the condemned ones in "hades" is over, and they too are discarded into the "Lake of Fire."
Summary: Hades is an unseen place in which the spirits of deceased humans reside until the day of Judgment. It is made up of two areas: "Abraham's bosom", where the "upright" ones sleep; and the "burning dump," where the condemned ones dwell, conscious and in pain.
UNSEEN PLACE Mt.11.23; 16.18. Lk.10.15; 16.23. Act.2.27,31. Rev.1.18; 6.8; 20.13,14.