The Abodes of the Dead of the Spiritual
Realm (Post 20. CVIC4S3)
Before beginning the discussion of the abodes of the dead from the point of view of Christian and Judaic eschatology, these abodes will first be discussed from the point of view of the spiritual realm as that realm is understood in The Creation. In this regard, the abodes of the dead of the spiritual realm, it is believed, occupy two separate, small areas within the vastness of the positive spherical enclosures and the negative spherical enclosures that comprise the spiritual realm. One of these areas is the location of the Christian hell (Greek Hades) or the Jewish Sheol (Greek Hades). These abodes of the dead are the same, having different names in Christianity and Judaism. Hell, or Sheol, has two parts: one part is inhabited by the soul-spirits of the righteous dead, and is part of the positive spherical enclosures of the spiritual realm; the other part is inhabited by the soul-spirits of the unrighteous dead, and is part of the negative spherical enclosures of the spiritual realm. The abode of the righteous dead is also inhabited by the godly spirits, and accompanying dominion spirits, of the righteous dead soul-spirits that dwell here. In addition, it is associated with the part of the spiritual realm, where the principality angels that serve the Creator dwell. The abode of the unrighteous dead is also inhabited by the satanic spirits, and accompanying dominion spirits, of the unrighteous dead soul-spirits that dwell here. In addition, it is associated with the part of the spiritual realm, where the principality angels that serve Satan dwell.
The other small area within the vastness of the positive spherical enclosures and the negative spherical enclosures that comprise the spiritual realm that is an abode of the dead is the abode referred to in Christian eschatology as heaven, or paradise (the Christian paradise in contrast to the Jewish paradise). This abode of the dead exists in the positive spherical enclosures of the spiritual realm and is inhabited by the soul-spirits of the righteous dead of the church of Jesus Christ, and others. This abode of the dead is also inhabited by the godly spirits, and accompanying dominion spirits, of the righteous dead soul-spirits that dwell here. In addition, it is associated with the part of the spiritual realm, where the principality angels that serve the Creator dwell. Finally, it may be noted that the abode of the dead, referred to above as heaven, exists at a higher intrinsic energy level within the spiritual realm than the abode of the dead, referred to above as hell, or Sheol. The subject of the abodes of the dead of the spiritual realm will be discussed in greater detail in Volume IV of The Creation.
Prior to the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, apparently, only one of the two abodes of the dead of the spiritual realm was in use, and this was known in Judaism as Sheol (Greek hades) (Ps. 16:10-11). Later, this place became known in Christianity as hell (Greek hades) (Lk. 16:23). Also, prior to the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the soul-spirits of all the dead were taken to Sheol. As noted above, it appears that Sheol consisted of two parts. One of these was the abode of the righteous dead, and the other was the abode of the unrighteous dead. In Judaism, the former was called paradise (Lk. 23:43) and the latter was called Gehenna (Jer. 19:1). During his first advent on earth, Jesus Christ, it is believed, referred to the two parts of Sheol using new terms for these abodes. In the parable, or story, of the “the rich man and Lazarus” (Lk. 16: 19-31) Jesus Christ refers to the abode of the righteous dead as Abraham’s bosom (Lk. 16:22) and the abode of the unrighteous dead as torments (Lk. 16:23). In The Creation, these two terms are considered to be the Christian equivalent of the Jewish paradise and Gehenna of Sheol.
After the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, no longer did the soul-spirits of all the dead go to Sheol, or hell, of the spiritual realm. A new abode of the dead of the spiritual realm came into use, which is known in Christianity as paradise (2 Cor. 12:14) or heaven (2 Cor. 12:2). Jesus Christ, it is believed, was the first to enter this new paradise (of Christianity), leading a group of soul-spirits of the righteous dead that formerly dwelt in the old paradise (of Judaism) (Ps. 68:18; Eph. 4:7-10). It is for this reason that Jesus Christ descended into hell following his death and before his resurrection (Mt. 12:40). After the entry of this group of soul-spirits into the new paradise, the latter would become the abode of the dead for the soul-spirits of the righteous dead of the church of Jesus Christ. These righteous dead, when alive, would have referred to this abode of the dead as heaven, and they would have referred to the abode of the unrighteous dead as hell. However, it must be remembered that hell actually has two parts, one where the righteous dead dwell, and another where the unrighteous dead dwell. Therefore, the Christian view that the soul-spirits of the unrighteous dead are taken to hell must be modified to mean the part of hell where the soul-spirits of the unrighteous dead dwell-the abode that Jesus Christ referred to as torments.
Therefore, in Christian eschatology two abodes of the dead presently exist in the spiritual realm of the creation, and in Christianity it is believed that the soul-spirits of all the dead go to these two abodes. These are referred to in Christian eschatology as heaven, or paradise (the Christian paradise) and hell, with the latter having two parts. These are called Abraham’s bosom and torments. In Judaic eschatology Sheol is equivalent to hell, and in Judaism it is believed that the soul-spirits of all the dead are taken to Sheol. In Judaism, Sheol has two parts. These are called paradise (the Jewish paradise) and Gehenna. All the soul-spirits dwelling in the abodes of the dead of the spiritual realm will be resurrected by Jesus Christ in the day of the Lord. Christian eschatology reveals that this will occur at the beginning of that day, following the second advent of Jesus Christ on earth in that day, and probably at the conclusion of the kingdom age/millennium in that day. The resurrection of the dead will also be accompanied by judgments with Jesus Christ serving as judge (Dan. 12:1-3; Mt. 25:14-46; 2 Cor. 5:9-10; Rev. 20:11-15). These judgments, apparently, are part of the Creator’s plan and purpose for the creation and the life that dwells therein for determining who will dwell in the kingdom of God of the new heaven and new earth in the future age, and who will dwell in the lake of fire in that age. Therefore, the resurrections associated with these judgments are appropriately referred to in the Bible as the “resurrection of life” (Jn. 5:29) and the “resurrection of damnation” (Jn. 5:29).
Commentary
This subhead concludes Chapter 4 of The Creation: Its Infinite Features and Finite Realms, Volume I: The Mystery of Inspired Sources and Their Significance to Man.
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