The Myths of Hell
by Mark Sanguinetti

Why would God give and create in mankind a method of purification physically yet not have a method of purifying mankind in the future “lake of fire”? Answer, only if God had no other ability and/or desire but to burn and torture people. Yes, God will have a means of disposing of the feces and urine like sin nature of mankind in the future “lake of fire”. God would not need to do this through fire burning torment and torture. This fire and torment method is instead a result of the deception from the devil who deceived people into worshipping the pagan god Molech with the burning and torturing of their children.

In Revelation 20:10, the deceiving devil will be thrown “into the lake of fire (puros)”. This will be the devil along with the demons under his rulership. There they will experience torment. However, God the creator will not need to do this. The thieving devil with demons will instead be able to torture each other. And since according to John 10:10, “the thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy”. In the future when they are thrown into the lake of fire they could instead steal from, kill and destroy each other. As long as they have this attitude this is what they will want to do. However, this Greek word “puros” is even used for their future location. Will God the creator be able to get even them to change????? I do not know. It would certainly take a long time. However, God did originally create all angels. With their original creation they were "full of wisdom and perfect in beauty". However, before God created the world some of the angels rebelled, sinned and became evil. For this information see Isaiah 14:12-15 and Ezekial 28:11-19. Later with the writings of the New Testament and a few Old Testament scriptures they are called devils and demons. For the New Testament usages of devils in the KJV and demons in the NIV this is the Greek word “daimonion” using Strong’s #1140

There are twelve usages in the New Testament of this Greek word “gehenna”. Each time it is translated in the KJV as "hell". The twelve usages of this Greek word “gehenna” with Strong’s # 1067 in the New Testament are as follows: Matthew 5:22, Matthew 5:29-30, Matthew 10:28, Matthew 18:9, Matthew 23:15, Matthew 23:33, Mark 9:43, 45, 47, Luke 12:5, and James 3:6. This word is not used in the book of Revelation which speaks of God’s judgement of people with the symbolic “lake of fire”. Instead this word is often used as a motivation for people to apply and follow what they preach during their earthly life. It is used as a symbolic and figurative motivation to do good and not evil and to replace the bad with the good in our personal lives.

As previously covered with historical information and Old Testament scriptures which can be read from the Old Testament, the Valley of Hinnom was named after the Greek word “gehenna” and used as a garbage dump for Jerusalem, the capital of the nation of Israel. And before this it was used in a sinful and evil way. This word was used symbolically in the New Testament for humanity to have the desire to throw away the faults, mistakes and wrong doings of our own personal lives. As one of the examples that these scriptures are often symbolic and not literal, Matthew 5: 29, Matthew 5:30, Matthew 18:9, Mark 9:43, Mark 9:45, and Mark 9:47 say that if one of your hands or feet causes you to sin then cut it off or if one of your eyes causes you to sin then gouge it out. Then after cutting it off or gouging it out throw it away. Does removing a body part help us to avoid more sin or bad actions? No! However, this figurative language as previously explained here was addressed to sometimes insane people that even considered the sacrifice of their own children in the Valley of Hinnom as a means of worship. The threat of the removal of a personal body part would let them know not to torture and sacrifice another person, especially a defenseless child. Right before one of the usages of “gehenna” in Matthew 18:9 is the following.

Matthew 18
1 At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" 2 Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, 3 and said, "Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5 Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me.
NKJV

Then in verses 6 through 10, Jesus warns of evil and hateful offenses that was seen in the Valley of Hinnom, with the pagan God sacrificial murder of children. And Jesus says in verse 10, “Beware! – ye may not despise one of these little ones…”

Matthew 18
6 and whoever may cause to stumble one of those little ones who are believing in me, it is better for him that a weighty millstone may be hanged upon his neck, and he may be sunk in the depth of the sea. 7 `Wo to the world from the stumbling-blocks! for there is a necessity for the stumbling-blocks to come, but wo to that man through whom the stumbling-block doth come! 8 `And if thy hand or thy foot doth cause thee to stumble, cut them off and cast from thee; it is good for thee to enter into the life lame or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet, to be cast to the fire (pur) the age-during. 9 `And if thine eye doth cause thee to stumble, pluck it out and cast from thee; it is good for thee one-eyed to enter into the life, rather than having two eyes to be cast to the gehenna of the fire. 10 `Beware! -- ye may not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you, that their messengers in the heavens do always behold the face of my Father who is in the heavens,
Young’s Literal Translation (YLT)

Then Jesus teaches his disciples that He is here to even save the lost. To save even those who have gone astray. To go astray is to be led away into error and sin while not being led by God through Jesus Christ. In the New Testament the church is often compared to a sheepfold or an enclosure for sheep.

Matthew 18
11 for the Son of Man did come to save the lost. 12 `What think ye? if a man may have an hundred sheep, and there may go astray one of them, doth he not -- having left the ninety-nine, having gone on the mountains -- seek that which is gone astray? 13 and if it may come to pass that he doth find it, verily I say to you, that he doth rejoice over it more than over the ninety-nine that have not gone astray;
YLT

In this parable or figurative language of everyday experiences we have one sheep among one hundred that has gone astray or left the correct path or direction. Jesus Christ, the Son of Man came to save even this one lost one. And if or when He does find the lost sheep, figurative for a person or people who have changed to a sin nature. When Jesus can get them to change and overcome their sin nature Jesus rejoices even more than with the other less sinful people. This parable shows the desire or goal of Jesus to overcome the sin nature of 100% of mankind.