The following little article brings up some interesting points about the Hebrew word that has been translated as hell in many of our English Versions of the Bible. Whether you agree with the writers conclusions or not, it does provide some food for thought.
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If you've ever read the King James Version of the Bible, you've undoubtedly noticed the frequent use of the word hell. In fact, the KJV uses the word hell more than any of the other English translations. At the same time there are in fact some literal translations of the Bible where the word hell doesn't occur at all. Why the difference? It has to do with the original Greek and Hebrew words.
In the Old Testament Scriptures the Hebrew word Sheol is found a total of sixty-six times. The translators of the King James Version chose to render it as hell thirty-one times. In other words about half the time this Greek word was translated a something which in our modern minds means a fiery torture chamber where unbelievers will be agonizingly tortured forever and ever without end.
Another thirty-one times the KJV translators rendered Sheol as grave. Let that sink in for a moment. About half the time they chose to translate this important word simply as a grave and the other half of the time they translated it as hell. How could the same word mean such very different things? But it doesn't end there.
Another three times this same word is translated as a pit. So we have one word that has been translated as three very different things. A pit is different than a grave. A grave is very different from a fiery eternal place of misery where people are eternally consciously tormented.
A pit is deep hole in the ground. A grave is a hole in the ground where a dead body is placed and then covered up with dirt. Hell in the eyes of orthodoxy is a place where people are kept alive to experience unending agony. Again I have to ask, how can one five letter word be taken to mean three very different things?
If you were to take time to look up every usage of the word Sheol you would immediately you would run into problems if you try to make it fit in with the traditional view of hell.
Let's take a look at one example from the book of Psalms. David is writing and he says: "For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell;" (Psalm 16:10a)
Read the above verse carefully. Think about it as you consider the traditional view of hell. Does this fit in at all? If hell is a place of eternal conscious torment for the ungodly, why would David who Scripture describes as "a man after God's own heart" be sent to hell? On top of that, why would he be sent there temporarily if it really is a place of eternal, unending, forever and ever torment?
Think about it. Why would God inspire David to speak of hell as temporary if this word Sheol has anything at all to do with the orthodox hell? It just doesn't add up.
On the other hand, as you consider that the normal usage of this Hebrew word outside of Scripture simply meant the unseen, you realize that rendering it as the grave or even literally as the unseen would make a lot more sense. After all, when a person is placed in a grave no one can see that person anymore. They are covered up.
By the way, the root of the word hell is the same as helmet. What does a helmet do? It covers up the head. It causes the top of the head to be unseen.
David like every other human being on this planet knew that he would eventually die. He knew that his body would be placed in a grave. But he also knew that death would not be the end for him. He knew that God would not leave him in the grave. He knew that one day there would be a resurrection. That is what he was looking forward to.
As we look at this verse, it should be obvious to us that this is yet another instance where the word Sheol should have simply been translated as the grave.
Audio Blogger and musician James Flanders is a life long student of Scripture who most of his life had never thought to examine the topic of hell. But when he did, he found himself stunned at how the word Sheol was handled by the translators of the King James Version. Hear dozens of his audios on Youtube and his website.
Thursday, October 31, 2013
Sunday, October 27, 2013
Is This Is? There's Got To Be Something Better To Come?
Just this weekend I was talking to someone who sincerely believed that all Bible prophecy has been fulfilled, God's kingdom has arrived, and this is as good as it's going to get. Can that possibly be the case? Is this all God has planned? Is the endless cycle of birth, life, sickness, disease, and death all that God has planned? What purpose would that serve? If this is it, what do we have to look forward to? Was my friend who sincerely believes this is all God has planned missing out on something important? What about those passages about the resurrection? What about the radical idea of the rapture? The short little article below might help shed some light on things.
Is This All There Is Or Is There Something Else To Come?
Take a look at the world around you. Do you believe that God's plan is to simply let things continue on and on as they are?
Watch the news and look at history. We see the same cycle continuing on and on. Each and every day for thousands of years people are being born into a world filled with evil, sin, corruption, and death.
There are some who believe that God's kingdom has already come and been established. If that is the case, can we really say that the world is much different after it's arrival? What has changed? The cycle continues. Children are born to face a world of hardship, grief, sorrow, hunger, heartache, sickness, disease, and ultimately death. Since the time of Adam and Eve death has continued to march on.
Some say that the reason the world has not changed is because people are not doing their part. Some say that if we all simply followed the teachings of Christ everything would be different.
Although I believe that the world would be a better place if each man, woman, and child sought to follow Christ and to love one another to the best of our ability... And I believe that we would see beautiful fruit as a result, such as hunger being diminished, and an end to war, we would still have a major problem. That problem is death. As obvious as it seems, I believe many people are missing that fact.
Think about it. Even if we all decided to be as Jesusy as possible in our interaction with one another... Even if we all decided to eat right, exercise, and take our vitamins... Even if we all believed that Christ died for our sins... Guess what? Time would continue to move forward, we would each grow old, our bodies would begin to wear out, we would grow sick, and eventually die.
Something has to change! Something else has to happen.
Just as death entered into creation, it needs to be removed! These mortal bodies that we wear must go through a transformation and that is exactly what the Apostle Paul tells us will one day happen.
"Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed- in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality." (1 Corinthians 15:51-53)
Praise God that we can live with the hope that one day there will be no more death, no more sorrow, no more sickness, and no more pain! Praise God that at some point we will all be changed.
Watch the news and look at history. We see the same cycle continuing on and on. Each and every day for thousands of years people are being born into a world filled with evil, sin, corruption, and death.
There are some who believe that God's kingdom has already come and been established. If that is the case, can we really say that the world is much different after it's arrival? What has changed? The cycle continues. Children are born to face a world of hardship, grief, sorrow, hunger, heartache, sickness, disease, and ultimately death. Since the time of Adam and Eve death has continued to march on.
Some say that the reason the world has not changed is because people are not doing their part. Some say that if we all simply followed the teachings of Christ everything would be different.
Although I believe that the world would be a better place if each man, woman, and child sought to follow Christ and to love one another to the best of our ability... And I believe that we would see beautiful fruit as a result, such as hunger being diminished, and an end to war, we would still have a major problem. That problem is death. As obvious as it seems, I believe many people are missing that fact.
Think about it. Even if we all decided to be as Jesusy as possible in our interaction with one another... Even if we all decided to eat right, exercise, and take our vitamins... Even if we all believed that Christ died for our sins... Guess what? Time would continue to move forward, we would each grow old, our bodies would begin to wear out, we would grow sick, and eventually die.
Something has to change! Something else has to happen.
Just as death entered into creation, it needs to be removed! These mortal bodies that we wear must go through a transformation and that is exactly what the Apostle Paul tells us will one day happen.
"Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed- in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality." (1 Corinthians 15:51-53)
Praise God that we can live with the hope that one day there will be no more death, no more sorrow, no more sickness, and no more pain! Praise God that at some point we will all be changed.
James Flanders is a blogger (not a pastor) and musician with a
passion for the grace of God and sharing the greatness of what God has
accomplished on our behalf through Christ and that Father has great
plans for us in the future regardless of the frailty of our current
human condition.
http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCH8TgnMyX2WnC_lSEMYG7Sg
http://www.cdbaby.com/Artist/JamesFlanders
James and his wife Tanya reside in Arizona.
Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=James_T_Flanders
http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCH8TgnMyX2WnC_lSEMYG7Sg
http://www.cdbaby.com/Artist/JamesFlanders
James and his wife Tanya reside in Arizona.
Friday, October 25, 2013
Is the Book Of Jonah A Work Of Fiction? If So, Why Would Jesus Refer To Him As A Real Guy?
I remember as a child sitting in Sunday school looking at pictures on the wall of Daniel in the lions den, Noah's ark, and Jonah and the big fish. Those pictures and the stories that went along with them seemed absolutely real to me. I had no doubt and no questions at all about the reality of them.
Later in life, I encountered the voices of the critics who very loudly and boldly claimed that all such stories in the Bible are purely fiction. But are they?
It seems that for many, anything and everything miraculous is written off as fiction when it comes to the Bible, especially topics like Jonah and the whale. But what does the Bible itself say about Jonah? Does it treat him as a true historical figure? Or is the story simply an allegory to teach a lesson? Could it be that it is a true account that teaches many lessons? Did Jesus have anything to say about this rebellious prophet?
Today I has happy to find that on his web site James Flanders has begun placing some short audio lessons on the book of Jonah and in the very first one he takes a look at what Christ had to say about the man.
Below is a transcript of the short audio.
Jonah was a guy who had some issues. He had some problems. He was a bit
rebellious. He had a bad attitude. So much so, that when God would tell
him to go one direction Jonah would go the opposite direction.
Jonah's
attitude problems created some more problems along the way, but yet the
beautiful thing about it... the amazing thing about it... is that none
of it took God by surprise. In fact, God had prepared in advance for Jonah's rebelliousness because
God loved Jonah and wanted to do something in Jonah and through Jonah
for Jonah's benefit and also for the benefit of some other people.
Now
when it comes to the book of Jonah, the first thing people think about
is Jonah and the fish. Many even say it is a work of fiction. But let me
tell ya, I believe it's more than just a fish story. I believe it is
the truth. I believe that Jonah was a real person and the things we are
going to read about really happened. Why? Well, first of all, in other
places in the Bible, like Second Kings chapter fourteen verse
twenty-five, Jonah is referred to as a real life guy... an actual person
who lived. It calls him a prophet and even tells us where his hometown
was.
Even more important than what it says in Second Kings, Christ Jesus, Himself referred back to Jonah as a real person. In the Gospel of
Matthew, Jesus was being harassed by the religious leaders (which was a
very common thing) and in the midst of their harassing they said, "Come
on man show us some proof that you are who you claim to be. Give us some
proof that you have the right to be doing and saying the things you are
doing and saying. Give us a sign."
And Jesus in response
basically said this. "An evil and faithless generation seeks after a
sign, but you guys aren't going to get any sign at all except the sign
of the prophet Jonah."
Jonah by the way, had lived quiet a long time before Jesus.
Then
Jesus says this, "For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the
belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three
nights in the heart of the earth."
As Jesus was prophesying about His death and resurrection,
He says, "Just like Jonah was three days and three nights in a fish...
listen buddy... I'm going to be three days and three nights in a grave.
But just as Jonah came up out of that fish, I am going to come up out of
the grave."
We will talk more about Jonah in the coming days.
Wednesday, October 23, 2013
James Flanders Two Minute Audio Devotionals
Recently I found that "The Path Of Grace" site has now started creating short one and two minute audio devotionals from the longer audio programs James Flanders has been producing.
To me this is a welcome addition because it allows me the opportunity to share audios with friends and family who don't have the attention span for the longer audios.
Once great thing about the new devotional recordings is that each one focuses in on only one topic without all the rabbit trails that typically take place in the longer studies.
Along with the shorter audio recordings you can also read written transcripts for each of the audios which is great for the hearing impaired and for those who might want to copy and paste a passage of Scripture into our own notes or to send it to someone else.
I've also found that after listening to the longer audios it's helpful to stumble upon the shorter excepts in the devotionals at a later date because it helps re-enforce what I had heard before.
Here is a sample of one of the written transcripts:
"Now That We're On The Right Track... Stop Looking Back" (Philippians 3)
In Philippians chapter 3, Paul says something that is important for you and me to grasp as we consider our pasts and our future... and what we are planting right now.
He talks about not looking back... and that's a hard thing to do sometimes... it's hard to turn our eyes forward and stop looking back. But we need to stop looking back and instead look forward and press on... and keep moving toward the goal.
Here's what he said in Philippians chapter 3. This is paraphrased.
He said, "I’m not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. Friends, don’t get me wrong: By no means do I count myself as an expert in all of this, but I’ve got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I’m off and running, and I’m not turning back. I'm not looking back! So let’s keep focused on that goal… Now that we’re on the right track, let’s stay on it."
In other words he's saying, "We were off track but now were on track, so let's stay on it!"
"There are many out there taking other paths, choosing other goals, and trying to get you to go along with them. All they want is easy street. But easy street is a dead-end street. Those who live there make their bellies their gods; belches are their praise; all they can think of is their appetites. But there’s far more to life for us. We’re citizens of high heaven! We’re waiting the arrival of the Savior, the Master, Jesus Christ, who will transform our earthy bodies into glorious bodies like his own. He will make us beautiful and whole with the same powerful skill by which he is putting everything as it should be, under and around him."
To me this is a welcome addition because it allows me the opportunity to share audios with friends and family who don't have the attention span for the longer audios.
Once great thing about the new devotional recordings is that each one focuses in on only one topic without all the rabbit trails that typically take place in the longer studies.
Along with the shorter audio recordings you can also read written transcripts for each of the audios which is great for the hearing impaired and for those who might want to copy and paste a passage of Scripture into our own notes or to send it to someone else.
I've also found that after listening to the longer audios it's helpful to stumble upon the shorter excepts in the devotionals at a later date because it helps re-enforce what I had heard before.
Here is a sample of one of the written transcripts:
"Now That We're On The Right Track... Stop Looking Back" (Philippians 3)
In Philippians chapter 3, Paul says something that is important for you and me to grasp as we consider our pasts and our future... and what we are planting right now.
He talks about not looking back... and that's a hard thing to do sometimes... it's hard to turn our eyes forward and stop looking back. But we need to stop looking back and instead look forward and press on... and keep moving toward the goal.
Here's what he said in Philippians chapter 3. This is paraphrased.
He said, "I’m not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. Friends, don’t get me wrong: By no means do I count myself as an expert in all of this, but I’ve got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I’m off and running, and I’m not turning back. I'm not looking back! So let’s keep focused on that goal… Now that we’re on the right track, let’s stay on it."
In other words he's saying, "We were off track but now were on track, so let's stay on it!"
"There are many out there taking other paths, choosing other goals, and trying to get you to go along with them. All they want is easy street. But easy street is a dead-end street. Those who live there make their bellies their gods; belches are their praise; all they can think of is their appetites. But there’s far more to life for us. We’re citizens of high heaven! We’re waiting the arrival of the Savior, the Master, Jesus Christ, who will transform our earthy bodies into glorious bodies like his own. He will make us beautiful and whole with the same powerful skill by which he is putting everything as it should be, under and around him."
Monday, October 14, 2013
Grace, Faith, Works, And Our Weaknesses (are we saved by works or something else?)
Below is a recent article I stumbled upon.
"Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law... " (Galatians 3:3)
Have you ever felt like God would not or could not love you because of your weakness, flaws, or failures? Have you been trying to measure your worth in the eyes of God based upon how well you happen to perform each day? Is the roller coaster ride beginning to make you dizzy?
Good news my friend, we have been redeemed from measuring our value in God's eyes and His acceptance of us based upon personal performance, religious works and rules (the law). Paul now tells us we can come to Christ and rest, knowing that we have been justified and reconciled to God not based upon what we have done, but based upon what Christ has done.
The Apostle Paul tells us in his letter to the Colossians that we have been presented to the Father as holy, blameless, and above reproach and it is not based upon anything we have done, but based upon what Christ, the only begotton Son of God has done for us.
Our ultimate salvation is not based upon us. It is based upon Jesus. That is why we call Christ the Savior. That is why we worship Him. That is why we honor Him, revere Him, and serve Him.
Is this good news or what? Aren't you glad we can rest in His finished work?
"For by grace ye are having been saved, through faith, and this not of you -- of God the gift, not of works, that no one may boast; for of Him we are workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to good works, which God did before prepare, that in them we may walk." (Ephesians 2:8-10)
We have been rescued by God. It's of grace. We have been saved through faith and even that does not rest upon us. Faith is a gift from God. Other passages tell us that it is "the faith of Christ" that saves us.
When it comes to salvation it is all of God and we can rest in it. That's a wonderful thing. Yet, Paul goes on in verse ten letting us know that Father has special work for us to do. In fact, we are called His workmanship. You are his masterpiece. You are an instrument of grace. All of your personal weaknesses and even your failures are what qualify you as a messenger of grace. After all, if we had no weaknesses there would be no need of grace.
In 1st Corinthians chapter one Paul tells us that God calls those who are weak, foolish, and base. He works in and through those who are nothings and nobodies in the eyes of the world.
Guess what? You and I qualify!
Father has works for us to do which He prepared in advance for us to walk in.
Please remember to keep things in order. We are saved by grace, through faith (which is a gift from God), for works. The works do not save us. We are saved for the works which have been prepared beforehand,
If we reverse the order we are putting the cart before the horse and missing the point.
Praise God that we have been rescued from the curse of trying to attain salvation by our own effort. Praise God that we have been saved by His grace. Praise God that we are able to be instruments in His hands to bless others now.
Have you ever felt like God would not or could not love you because of your weakness, flaws, or failures? Have you been trying to measure your worth in the eyes of God based upon how well you happen to perform each day? Is the roller coaster ride beginning to make you dizzy?
Good news my friend, we have been redeemed from measuring our value in God's eyes and His acceptance of us based upon personal performance, religious works and rules (the law). Paul now tells us we can come to Christ and rest, knowing that we have been justified and reconciled to God not based upon what we have done, but based upon what Christ has done.
The Apostle Paul tells us in his letter to the Colossians that we have been presented to the Father as holy, blameless, and above reproach and it is not based upon anything we have done, but based upon what Christ, the only begotton Son of God has done for us.
Our ultimate salvation is not based upon us. It is based upon Jesus. That is why we call Christ the Savior. That is why we worship Him. That is why we honor Him, revere Him, and serve Him.
Is this good news or what? Aren't you glad we can rest in His finished work?
"For by grace ye are having been saved, through faith, and this not of you -- of God the gift, not of works, that no one may boast; for of Him we are workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to good works, which God did before prepare, that in them we may walk." (Ephesians 2:8-10)
We have been rescued by God. It's of grace. We have been saved through faith and even that does not rest upon us. Faith is a gift from God. Other passages tell us that it is "the faith of Christ" that saves us.
When it comes to salvation it is all of God and we can rest in it. That's a wonderful thing. Yet, Paul goes on in verse ten letting us know that Father has special work for us to do. In fact, we are called His workmanship. You are his masterpiece. You are an instrument of grace. All of your personal weaknesses and even your failures are what qualify you as a messenger of grace. After all, if we had no weaknesses there would be no need of grace.
In 1st Corinthians chapter one Paul tells us that God calls those who are weak, foolish, and base. He works in and through those who are nothings and nobodies in the eyes of the world.
Guess what? You and I qualify!
Father has works for us to do which He prepared in advance for us to walk in.
Please remember to keep things in order. We are saved by grace, through faith (which is a gift from God), for works. The works do not save us. We are saved for the works which have been prepared beforehand,
If we reverse the order we are putting the cart before the horse and missing the point.
Praise God that we have been rescued from the curse of trying to attain salvation by our own effort. Praise God that we have been saved by His grace. Praise God that we are able to be instruments in His hands to bless others now.
Arizona native James Flanders is a blogger (Not a pastor) whose
primary focus is encouraging the weak and downtrodden with the good news
of grace. The Gospel of grace has become a passion after years of being
steeped in religion yet missing the point. You can hear hundreds of his audio blogs at: http://www.jamesflanders.com/short-stuff.html
He and his wife Tanya have been playing music together for over twenty years. Here is a link to an early recording (James and Tanya Washed Clean) available on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/washed-clean/id16690587
Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=James_T_Flanders
He and his wife Tanya have been playing music together for over twenty years. Here is a link to an early recording (James and Tanya Washed Clean) available on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/washed-clean/id16690587
Friday, June 7, 2013
An Article Directory
Along with the written transcripts of the audio teachings on the Path of Grace site, it looks like many of the studies are being re-worked into article format to make them easier to read.
If you've been reading the transcripts, you've probably noticed that they don't make for very easy reading. After all, what sounds great in conversation (the flow of words, sentence structure) doesn't always translate well into print. Have you also noticed that often times what looks great on paper doesn't work well for reading aloud?
Here is link to one of the article directories that you might enjoy.
http://www.abcarticledirectory.com/myarticles/James-Flanders-I/291858
If you've been reading the transcripts, you've probably noticed that they don't make for very easy reading. After all, what sounds great in conversation (the flow of words, sentence structure) doesn't always translate well into print. Have you also noticed that often times what looks great on paper doesn't work well for reading aloud?
Here is link to one of the article directories that you might enjoy.
http://www.abcarticledirectory.com/myarticles/James-Flanders-I/291858
Thursday, May 30, 2013
Website Update
It looks like the reconstruction of the main page on James Flanders website is now through. Although it was a bit of a shock to see, since things have looked exactly the same for a year.
I must conclude that I like the changes!
It seems to be much more used friendly and will help first time visitors to find the topics they are looking for quickly and easily.
In the upper left is a link to the most current teaching. Below that are direct links to "Hot Topics" such as universal reconciliation, hell/eternal torment/the lake of fire, suffering, the problem of evil (a great and challenging series of teachings), and a study through the Paul's letter to the Romans.
The right hand column is filled with "Listener Favorites."
It looks like the favorites list was compiled based upon the number of clicks the "like" button received for the teachings.
The new main page has also reminded me that there are certain teachings that are worth listening to more than once because some of them cram way too much content into too short a time and I end up missing a lot the first go round.
Take some time to explore the new website. I believe you will enjoy it.
I must conclude that I like the changes!
It seems to be much more used friendly and will help first time visitors to find the topics they are looking for quickly and easily.
In the upper left is a link to the most current teaching. Below that are direct links to "Hot Topics" such as universal reconciliation, hell/eternal torment/the lake of fire, suffering, the problem of evil (a great and challenging series of teachings), and a study through the Paul's letter to the Romans.
The right hand column is filled with "Listener Favorites."
It looks like the favorites list was compiled based upon the number of clicks the "like" button received for the teachings.
The new main page has also reminded me that there are certain teachings that are worth listening to more than once because some of them cram way too much content into too short a time and I end up missing a lot the first go round.
Take some time to explore the new website. I believe you will enjoy it.
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