Hell (1067) (geenna from Hebrew gay = valley + Hinnom) is literally the valley of Hinnom, the ravine or valley south of Jerusalem where the refuse and filth, bodies of dead animals, and bodies of criminals were cast and burned. These fires were continually kept burning, all a fit symbol of the future home of all unrepentant, unregenerate wicked men and women. It was a foul, forbidding place where the fire, smoke, and stench never ceased. It is thus fitting that geenna is where sin and unrepentant sinners will one day find it's "resting place". Geenna is essentially synonymous with the lake of fire, a God's "cosmic garbage dump," mentioned in the Great White Throne Judgment in Revelation 20:14-15-see note. Into this place both death and Hades are cast. It is the place that was prepared for "the devil and his angels" (Mt 25:41), but which will also become the final abode of the unrighteous. Jesus Himself declared "And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal." (Mt 25:46, see context Mt 25:31-46). See Dictionary Articles on Gehenna and Hell - Gehenna - multiple articles Gehenna - Holman Bible Dictionary Gehenna - Hastings' Bible Dictionary Hell - Baker's Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology Hades (Sheol) - to be differentiated from Gehenna (See also Sheol) Hinnom (another article) (the OT term - used 11v = Josh 15:8; 6" class="scriptRef">18:16; 2Kgs 23:10; 2Chr 28:3; 33:6; Neh 11:30; Jer 7:31, 32; 19:2, 6; 32:35) is the corresponding OT term which was the name of the deep narrow ravine south of Jerusalem once associated with the pagan god Moloch and his disgusting rites of infant sacrifices (see also Jer 19:5; Ezek 16:20; 23:37). God clearly prohibited child sacrifice in Lev 18:21, 20:2-5. Note that Topheth is a synonym of the Valley of Hinnom (see 2Ki 23:10). In Jesus’ day, the Valley of Hinnom was the site of Jerusalem’s garbage dump. The fires kept constantly burning there gave off foul-smelling smoke, and the dump was infested with maggots! As one contemplates the unabated practice of abortions in America, it is difficult to escape the parallel with the ancient abomination of child sacrifice. It is also notable that the practice of offering sacrifices of one's offspring in the OT was almost always associated with pagan idol worship (especially Baal)! And then recall that both the Old and New Testaments associate idol worship with the demons! (Read 1Cor 10:20, Lev 17:7, Dt 32:16-17, Ps 106:37-39, see also Rev 9:20-note) It is notable that except for James the strong word "geenna" is uttered only from the lips of Jesus the very One Who alone could save men and women from geenna! Most often He uses geenna in a context of warning His hearers against persistent sin against God. Geenna is always used figuratively in the NT to refer to the fiery abode where the unregenerate, ungodly physically dead will be punished eternally. BDAG writes that in 2Kings 23:10 "the kethibh has the plural (sons of Hinnom) Valley of the Sons of Hinnom, a ravine south of Jerusalem. There, according to later Jewish popular belief, God’s final judgment was to take place (cp. Just., A I, 19, 8). John MacArthur - Geenna (hell) is derived from Hinnom (another article) the name of a valley just southwest of Jerusalem used as the city dump. It was a forbidding place where trash was continually burned and where the fire, smoke, and stench never ceased. The location was originally desecrated by King Ahaz when “he burned incense in the valley of Ben-hinnom, and burned his sons in fire, according to the abominations of the nations whom the Lord had driven out before the sons of Israel” (2Chr 28:3). That wicked king had used the valley to erect an altar to the pagan god Molech, an altar on which one’s own children sometimes were offered by being burned alive. It would later be called “the valley of Slaughter” (Jer 19:6). As part of his godly reforms, King Josiah tore down all the altars there and turned the valley into the garbage incinerator it continued to be until New Testament times. The name of the valley therefore came to be a metonym for the place of eternal torment, and was so used by Jesus eleven times. (Matthew 1-7: The MacArthur New Testament Commentary- John F MacArthur-) Geenna - 12x in 12v - all translated hell. Matthew 5:22-note "But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever says to his brother, 'You good-for-nothing,' shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever says, 'You fool,' shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell. Matthew 5:29-note "If your right eye makes you stumble, tear it out and throw it from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 30 "If your right hand makes you stumble, cut it off and throw it from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to go into hell. Matthew 10:28 "Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him Who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Comment: Be careful not to misinterpret Jesus' word "destroy" as a synonym for annihilation (to cause cessation of existence) of one's soul. That a soul would be completely obliterated in Gehenna, the Lake of Fire, would surely be the desire of any end up in that horrible place. However the Greek verb Jesus used for "destroy" was apollumi, which DOES NOT signify total annihilation! Instead it means not the loss of being (of one's soul), but the loss of well-being. Apollumi means that the soul originally created in the image of God is subjected in essence to eternal ruin so that he or she can no longer serve the use for which they were created (To worship God and enjoy Him forever)! The soul of those damned still exists, but tragically, it is rendered eternally useless! Dear believer, if this doesn't break your heart, I don't know what will! The Gospel promises everlasting life for the one who believes. The failure to possess this life in Christ will result in utter ruin and eternal uselessness, but not cessation of existence! Dear reader, does not this grave, sobering (pun intended) truth impel you to want to share the eternally soul saving Gospel of Jesus Christ with EVERYONE you know, with everyone with whom providence brings you into contact! May God's Spirit take this tragic truth of an unbelieving soul's life outside of Christ and use it to embolden us, setting our hearts ablaze to passionately share Jesus with all who will listen. Amen. Matthew 18:9 "If your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out and throw it from you. It is better for you to enter life with one eye, than to have two eyes and be cast into the fiery hell. Matthew 23:15 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you travel around on sea and land to make one proselyte; and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves. MacArthur: Of hell translates a Greek genitive that refers to belonging to or being characterized by Son of hell referred to a person who was especially characterized by hellishness. Twice…a son hell would be person who was doubly hellish and doubly damned. Hell is from geenna, derived from the name of a valley just outside Jerusalem called Hinnom where refuse was burned. It was considered an accursed place because it was the site where ancient worshipers of the pagan deity Moloch offered their children as live burnt sacrifices, a hideous practice taken up even by some Israelites (see 2Chron. 28:3; Jer. 7:31). When King Josiah declared the place unclean (2Kings 23:10), it became a garbage dump, and because flames and smoke arose from the valley continually, it also became a vivid picture of the eternal fires of hell. How grateful every believer should be that at some time in His life he was confronted by a spiritual door-opener rather than a spiritual door-closer, someone who shows the way to the kingdom rather than shuts people out of it. And how grateful every believer should be who has the opportunity to hear and study the Word of God in truth. Even a dull presentation of the true gospel is immeasurably superior to the most exciting presentation of a false gospel that damns to hell. As a citizen of God’s kingdom, every believer ought to be one who opens the door of the kingdom to others. Matthew 23:33 "You serpents, you brood of vipers, how will you escape the sentence of hell? Mark 9:43 "If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life crippled, than, having your two hands, to go into hell, into the unquenchable fire, 45 "If your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life lame, than, having your two feet, to be cast into hell, 47 "If your eye causes you to stumble, throw it out; it is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, than, having two eyes, to be cast into hell, Luke 12:5 "But I will warn you whom to fear: fear the One who, after He has killed, has authority to cast into hell; yes, I tell you, fear Him! James 3:6 And the tongue is a fire, the very world of iniquity; the tongue is set among our members as that which defiles the entire body, and sets on fire the course of our life, and is set on fire by hell. MacArthur - That (the tongue) is said to be set on fire by hell indicates that the tongue can be Satan’s tool, fulfilling hell’s purposes to pollute, corrupt, and destroy. It is unbelievably dangerous and destructive....Even mature believers know that in their remaining fleshly humanness, their tongues still have great power to devastate and therefore need constant guarding and control. Although some have taken Jesus' teaching literally (and have performed various acts of "self abasement and even mutilation), they have found that their actions were still "of no value against fleshly indulgence". We must remember Who we now are in Christ and that... If (since = a fulfilled condition) you have died with Christ to the elementary principles of the world, why, as if you were living in the world, do you submit yourself to decrees, such as, 21 "Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch!" 22 (which all refer to things destined to perish with the using)-- in accordance with the commandments and teachings of men? 23 These are matters which have, to be sure, the appearance of wisdom in self-made religion and self-abasement and severe treatment of the body, but are of no value against fleshly indulgence. (see notes on Colossians 2:20-23). Clearly Jesus is speaking to our hearts for they are the source out of which the lustful looks, flirtatious words, sensual touches proceed. Do whatever it takes to fight the good fight of faith. And remember it is a fight of faith based on grace. The danger is to put yourself under Law which will only arouse your flesh For while we were in the flesh, the sinful passions, which were aroused by the Law, were at work in the members of our body to bear fruit for death. (see notes Romans 7:5). Warren Wiersbe adds that... Obviously, our Lord is not talking about literal surgery; for this would not solve the problem in the heart. The eye and the hand are usually the two “culprits” when it comes to sexual sins, so they must be disciplined. Jesus said, “Deal immediately and decisively with sin! Don’t taper off—cut off!” Spiritual surgery is more important than physical surgery, for the sins of the body can lead to eternal judgment. We think of passages like Colossians 3:5 (see note) and Romans 6:13 (see note); Romans 12:1 (note); Romans 12:2 (note); Romans 13:14 (note). (Wiersbe, W: Bible Exposition Commentary. 1989. Victor or Logos) If the Internet is tempting and/or stumbling you, then consider subscribing for a small fee to a service known as Covenant Eyes. This system does not reside on your computer (or other portable device such as your iphone or ipad) but in an offsite computer, which distinguishes it from most other internet monitoring software. Covenant Eyes allows you to continue to have unrestricted access to the internet, but monitors every site visited and scores every site especially those that are "off limits". A monthly report of your "score" is sent to your accountability partner (this is what King David lacked in 2Sa 11:1-27!). Covenant Eyes is not failsafe (it can be uninstalled, but an email is automatically sent to the accountability partner) but it is by far the best internet monitoring system available in my opinion. Also, if you are a parent with young children or teenagers, Covenant Eyes would be an excellent tool to monitor where they are visiting (don't spy -- explain to them what you are doing which itself may be a godly deterrent!) and you could have the monthly report sent to your email. In the final analysis, no manmade "system" is perfect. Ultimately, sexual purity is a matter of the heart, Each day we must each make a conscious, Spirit enabled, choice under grace (not law) to arise and surrender our will to our Lord and Master. Then we must remain sensitive to His Spirit's inner voice (and His warnings) all during the day. As Proverbs 4:23 (see in depth notes) states we are to remain vigilant like a military guard (who doesn't fall asleep at the post) so that no destructive enemy intruders gain access to our heart, the "control center" of our soul! This begs the question to all (but especially to men): Are you guarding your heart? But remember that you are not alone in this task. You have the indwelling Spirit and you MUST learn to depend on His enabling power (see Gal 5:16-note, cp Php 2:12-note, Php 2:13-note). ><> ><> ><> Halfway Measures - It would have been unthinkable for Allied leaders to let Adolf Hitler surrender and then reinstate him as dictator of his country. But that's exactly what King Ahab did to Ben Hadad, an unspeakably cruel king who started two wars against God's people. Eventually, just as God's prophet predicted, Ahab was killed on orders from the very man he had spared (1Ki. 22:1ff). This is not a lesson in how to treat enemies. Rather, Ahab's fatal example illustrates the danger of taking halfway measures in dealing with sin. I know a man who has spent much of his life in prison because of violent crimes he did while drunk. When released, he starts out well because he avoids alcohol. But then he thinks he can drink in moderation. Soon he's in trouble again. Don't take halfway measures with dishonesty, lack of self-control, or sexual impurity. Instead, deal radically with your sinful tendencies. (Read what Jesus said in Matthew 5:29,30 about the eye or hand that causes you to sin.) And "put to death" your sinful inclinations (Col. 3:5). Don't put yourself in situations where you are likely to be tempted. Ask God to help you take a wholehearted approach to tackling sin. Halfway measures are doomed to fail. --H V Lugt