Sabbath School Lesson for November 26-December 2, 2022
Overview of Lesson 10
To understand the doctrine of hell, both in the Bible and as most Christians teach it today, we will examine…
- the expression “the worm does not die and the fire is not quenched” (Sunday)
- what is meant by “eternal fire” (Monday)
- how the Bible refutes the doctrine of purgatory (Tuesday)
- why are there no disembodied souls in heaven now (Wednesday)
- why the wicked don’t live eternally in hell (Thursday)
Most of us are unaware that the belief in the experience of going to heaven or hell upon death became popular largely because of a fictional poem, called The Divine Comedy, by Dante Alighieri (1265-1321). His famous story about a journey of the soul after death was very influential in the development of this unbiblical doctrine during the Middle Ages.
In addition to the soul going to either paradise or an inferno called hell, a place was invented called purgatory, where so-called disembodied souls can be “purged” of their wickedness before entering heaven.
It was possible for those living to pray for, and even pay for, someone in purgatory to be released from its tortuous grip. These teachings, based on fear, were a convenient way for the church to increase its wealth and gain power over the people.
Memory Text: “Test all things; hold fast what is good.” 1 Thessalonians 5:21 NKJV
God expects us to weigh those things we are taught against the word of God and keep only those doctrines that are good–that support the love and justice we expect to see from God.
When one considers the alternate, biblical view of death being a state of unconscious sleep, it’s easy to reject the teaching that our soul leaves our body when we die. It just doesn’t make sense to view it this way, if you believe in the Second Coming, a key theme in the New Testament.
Why would Jesus come, if our souls were already in heaven? How is it fair for those who die first to suffer longer in the fires of hell than those who die later? When will the universe ever be rid of the effects of sin, if the lake of fire is always burning? These are valid and necessary questions to ask, as we try to make sense of the doctrine of the punishment of the wicked.
Sunday: Immortal Worms?
Isaiah 66:24–this last verse in Isaiah’s book describes those who are not saved as having immortal worms that devour their bodies and being burned with a fire that is unquenchable. It sounds like the ever-burning hell many have learned to envision as the place for the unsaved.
Jesus quotes this verse in Mark 9:42-48, as He tells His hearers that it would be far better for them to lose an arm or leg, or an eye, than to miss out on heaven. In other words, we won’t need perfect bodies when we die. But we do need to be vigilant about not sinning with our bodies in this life. We don’t want to experience the punishment that is coming for the wicked–and end up how Isaiah revealed one of our chosen destinies.
It’s reasonable to think that worms are not immortal; they do not live forever. And it might also be reasonable to think of a lake of fire that eventually stops burning, even though no one can put it out, or quench it. The effects of the worms eating our decomposing bodies and the final destruction of the wicked in the lake of fire that totally burns them up “without root or branch” (Malachi 4:1) are obviously what is meant by the words “immortal” and “unquenchable”. No one can stop them from happening.
Just as our bodies upon death eventually become “dust” again, so will the bodies of the wicked be totally consumed in the lake of fire after the millennium is over. The Bible calls this “second death” (Revelation 20:14).
Bible Verses:
Isaiah 66:22-24 and Malachi 4:1-3
- How do Isaiah and Malachi envision the destinies of those who have rebelled against God and those who have not?
Mark 9:42-48
- What kind of destiny does Jesus warn us about in this passage, and how do we avoid it?
Monday: The Fires of Hell
The many references in the Bible to fires of hell being “eternal” or “everlasting” is troubling to some. But we must understand the original languages and remember that the words “eternal”, “forever”, and “everlasting” carry different connotations, depending on what is being described.
When used to describe God, these descriptors are associated with His eternity–He has no beginning or end (Deuteronomy 33:27). We find, when used in the context of some human conditions, however, the word “forever” may be limited to one’s lifetime (Exodus 21:7 and 40:15).
So, what did Jesus mean when He referred to “everlasting fire” in Matthew 18:8 and 25:41? Jude 7 mentioned Sodom and Gomorrah as examples of cities that experienced the vengeance of eternal fire, but they are not still burning. They were totally consumed, just like Malachi spoke of the wicked being “ashes under the soles of your feet” (Malachi 4:3).
We must keep in mind that this final punishment is also called “everlasting destruction” in 2 Thessalonians 1:9. And Psalms 37:38 affirms that “transgressors shall be destroyed together; the future of the wicked shall be cut off”. Many other Bible verses refer to the total destruction of the wicked. The resulting destruction of that fire will be felt throughout eternity.
Bible Verses:
Deuteronomy 33:27 and Exodus 40:15
- What does the word “eternal” or “everlasting” mean in these examples? How long do they last?
- How do we know the meaning of words with more than one application?
Jude 7 and Malachi 4:3
- How would Sodom and Gomorrah serve as examples of the “vengeance of eternal fire”?
Tuesday: The Saints in Purgatory
The Catholic Catechism, a summary of Catholic beliefs used to instruct believers, talks about purgatory as a place where those who have died “in God’s grace and friendship” will “undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven.” Furthermore, it states that their suffering in purgatory can be relieved by the prayers and gifts to the church that their living loved ones make on their behalf.
Along with the pagan belief in a forever-burning hell, we find this pagan practice of praying for the dead encouraged by the Catholic worship system. The idea of purgatory is biblically wrong for these reasons:
- The dead are described as resting in the grave (Ecclesiastes 9:10).
- No one can assume responsibility for the salvation of another (Ezekiel 18:20).
- Only Christ can be our Mediator (1 Timothy 2:5).
- There is no second chance to receive God after we have died (Hebrews 9:27).
These unbiblical narratives, found in many Christian denominations today, portray God as severe and arbitrary. Satan no doubt delights in spreading these falsehoods about God and we must beware of their influence and lovingly share the true message of hope and forgiveness found in the word of God.
Bible Verses:
Ecclesiastes 9:10, Ezekiel 18:20, 1 Timothy 2:5, and Hebrews 9:27
- How do these verses reveal the truth about purgatory?
- Why do you think the church of the Middle Ages adopted these pagan beliefs?
Wednesday: A Paradise With Disembodied Souls
There’s a variety of differing beliefs among Christians about what happens after death. Although Protestants don’t accept the option of purgatory, most do believe that our “souls” leave our body after death and are at once experiencing the joys of heaven or the tortures of hell.
This medieval thinking leaves much of the Christian world open and often eager to communicate with supposed spirits of the dead, something that God has repeatedly warned against.
The Bible only mentions a small handful of individuals who are already in heaven. There’s Enoch (Hebrews 11:5) and Elijah (2 Kings 2:11), who never experienced death. Also, Moses, whose grave was never found (Jude 9). And lastly, those who came out of their graves with Jesus upon His death (Matthew 27:51-53).
The remainder of the dead are “resting” in the grave; they have fallen “asleep” in Jesus. These two expressions for the state of the dead are mentioned over and over throughout the Bible. What need would there be for the Second Coming of Christ, if we are already judged and have received our reward?
The prophets all point to a future judgment that will free the universe from the effects of sin forever (Daniel 12:13, Hebrews 9:27 and Revelation 20:14, 15). Without this hope, we would never be able to enjoy heaven to the fullest, no matter what kind of spiritual body we are given or when we get there.
Bible Verses:
Hebrews 11:5, 2 Kings 2:11, Jude 9, and Matthew 27:51-53
- Why would these notable examples be mentioned, if we all went to our reward when we die?
Daniel 12:13, Hebrews 9:27, and Revelation 20:14, 15
- Why is it important that there be a final resurrection and judgment for the universe?
Thursday: The Biblical View
To believe in the punishment of the wicked, where they suffer an eternal existence in the fires of hell, gives the dead an immortality that the Bible clearly states is not theirs. “He who does not have the Son of God does not have life” (1 John 5:11, 12).
Psalm 36:9 and John 11:25 confirm that Jesus is the Creator, or fountain of life. He not only gave us life in the beginning, but He will give life again to those who are saved, when we are resurrected from our graves. 1 Corinthians 15:51-54 says we will receive our immortal bodies at the last trumpet, which Jesus told us would be at His Second Coming (Matthew 24:30, 31).
Having a biblically-based understanding about what happens to the wicked (that they are totally destroyed in a lake of fire at the end of the millennium, Revelation 20:5) should be comforting news to those who have unsaved loved ones. Right now, all the dead are resting in their graves, a much happier thought than the fate some believers have about their loved ones.
No one should worship God out of fear. There is no fear for those who love God for the right reasons–His goodness and mercy. Paul says to “comfort one another with these words”.
Bible Verses:
1 John 5:11, 12
- How does the Bible tell us here that the dead do not suffer endlessly in the fires of hell?
Psalm 36:9 and John 11:25
- Why is Jesus called both the resurrection and the life?
1 John 4:16
- How does the love of God help us understand what really happens to the wicked?
Friday: Final Thoughts
We learned this week that the unbiblical doctrine of heaven, hell, and purgatory became popular largely in the 14th and 15th centuries, with the help of Dante’s imaginative poem of the afterlife. called “The Divine Comedy”. It shows how easily our theology can be influenced by outside sources, such as literature and art.
Today, we see much of the entertainment world supporting this incorrect view of the afterlife, with spirits of the dead commonly seen in many television programs and movies.
In a similar way, our generation has seen how a new doctrine can become popular through various media sources. The newly-formed doctrine of the secret rapture has become known and accepted by many Christians, mostly due the popular book and movie series called “Left Behind”.
In both these attempts to twist the truths found in God’s word, Satan has been able to tap into the fears of people and change how they view God and obscure, not only what happens after we die, but also the manner and timing of the Second Coming.
This is why it is so important to base our beliefs solidly on Scripture. Studying the Bible itself, and not relying on the writings of others or the countless viewing opportunities we have available today, is more important than ever, if we are to survive these chaotic last days of earth’s history.
Next Week: End-Time Deceptions
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