< PreviousIt is also important to note that animal life (mammal, fish, bird, insect, etc.) differs from mankind in that the sacred ruach(neshemah; vital breath) of Yahweh was not placed in them. Therefore, there is a difference between human flesh and animal flesh. 89 As a result, when animals die, they mere- ly dissipate, for there is no resurrection of animal life. Since both the ‘aphar forming the flesh and the nephesh grow simultaneously as the human population grows, it expands the condi- tion of sheol. Accordingly, sheol is understood as grow- ing exponentially with the human population and can- not be filled. 90 When the material ‘aphar of man is altered into liquid or gas or is separated into a state of total decomposition, the divine aspect of the nephesh, merely attaches itself or clings to the surrounding ‘apharthat was not from the flesh. It lies in the state of sheol. Herein is the reason why Scriptures merely report that we return to the ‘aphar(material substance)—dust, water, or other types—using a more general understanding of the term. It is from this condition of lying in the ‘apharof the ground, in the state of sheol, that humans are resurrected. The Second Death As Scriptures point out, all humans must die at least once;91therefore, all humans must experi- ence afirst death. In the future, as the result of the two great resurrections, Yahweh will bring back to life from sheolthe nepheshof every deceased human along with their previous personality (leb and lebab). The state of sheol, nevertheless, will not con- tinue for infinity. It will cease to exist when father Yahweh comes to the earth at the end of the Millennial Judgment Day. This detail is confirmed by the fact that at the end of the Millennial Judgment Day when all the wicked are delivered up to the second death in the great baptism of the gehennafire (lake of fire) and suffer permanent death, and sheolwill no longer exist. To begin with, since there is a resurrection of the dead,92 the first experience with death for humans results in a death sleep in the transitory darkness of sheol. 93 This sleep state for most will continue for many years. Solomon, for instance, tells us that a man is to rejoice as long as he lives. Nevertheless, he reminds us that we will spend a great deal of time in death. Solomon also tells us, “remember the days of darkness; for they will be many; all that comes is transitory.”94Yet at some point after the two great resurrections, 95 there will be a sec- ond and permanent death awaiting the wicked (i.e., those who turn toward the darkness). At the end of the Millennial Judgment Day, the state of sheoland death will both be cast into the gehennafire (the lake of fire) and will no longer exist as a state for the nepheshof any deceased human. At that moment, the wicked—who had pre- viously died during the Judgment period or are destroyed at its end when father Yahweh arrives—experience the second death. 96 10D OES H ELL E XIST ? 89 1 Cor., 15:39. 90 Prov., 27:20. 91 Heb., 9:27. 92 Deut., 32:39; 1 Sam., 2:6; Ps., 16:10, 30:3, 86:12f, 49:12–15; Isa., 26:19; Hosea, 13:14; Dan., 12:2, 13; Matt., 26:18; Mark, 12:26–27 (cf., Matt., 22:31–33; Luke, 20:37f); John, 11:23f; Acts, 17:18, 17:29–32, 23:6, 24:21; 1 Cor., 15:12–19; Heb., 6:1f, 11:17– 1; Rev, 11:1–13., 20:1–6, 11–13. 93 1 Cor., 15:12–50. 94 Eccles., 11:8. 95 A discussion of the two great resurrection will be contained in other Topics.. 96 Rev., 20:14.Because the state of sheol is gone, they will per- ish for eternity.97As Revelation reports: And death and hades(sheol) were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And if anyone was not found written in the book of life, he was cast into the lake of fire.98 Those who suffer the sec- ond death will have no need to be retained in sheol, for Yahweh has no intention of ever bringing them back into existence. They simply perish for eternity. The reward of the wicked is to “sit in dark- ness”99and to be cast “into the outer darkness.” 100 Therefore, up until the end of our present world-age when father Yahweh comes to the earth, all the dead will go to sheol. Yet when the wicked are destroyed in the second death, they will cease to exist for all eternity. This state of non-exis- tence is referred to in Scriptures as lpa (aphel; extreme darkness).101 While speaking in prayer concerning the resurrection and final judgment, Hannah, the mother of the prophet Samuel, reminds us of the final end of the wicked. She states: He (Yahweh) keeps the feet of his pious ones, and the wicked are silenced in darkness, because a male will not attain victory with force. Yahweh will smash those who are striving against him. He will thunder in the heavens. Yahweh judges the ends of the earth and gives strength to his king, and exalts the horn of his messiah.102 The darkness given to the wicked is not just the location of a dark place. The prophet Amos tells us: Is not the day of Yahweh darkness and not light, and lpa (aphel; extreme dark- ness) and no hgn (nagah; glitter of light) 103 is in it. 104 In short, the coming destruction of the wicked in lpa (aphel; extreme dark- ness) is equated with a state of the total absence of light, even a tiny glitter, i.e., noth- ingness. Those saved, on the other hand, receive light (= eternal life)105and are revealed the secret things regarding dark- ness. For example, we are told that Yahweh is “reveal- ing deep things out of darkness, and he brings to light the shadow of death.”106In Isaiah, we read: And I (Yahweh) will give you the treasures of darkness, and riches from secret places, so that you will know that I am Yahweh who calls (you) by your name, the eloahiof Israel.107 Conclusion The human body is classified as mere ‘aphar. When a person’s body loses its animating ruach,it experiences death and returns to the D OES H ELL E XIST ? 97 For the second death, see Rev., 20:14, 21:7f. For the death of the wicked in fire, see Matt., 10:28; Luke, 12:4f; Matt., 5:21f; Ps., 11:5–7 (cf., Rev., 22:4), 21:8–11; 46:4ff, 75:2, 83:13–15, 37:10f, 20, 104:35; Isa., 1:28–31, 5:21–24, 30:27–30, 66:15f, 66:22– 24 (cf., Rev., 21:1–8); Zeph., 1:15–18; Mal., 4:1–3; Matt., 3:7–10, 7:17–20, 13:24–30 (cf., 36–43), 13:47–50, 25:32–46; Heb., 10:19– 31; 2 Pet., 3:3–13; Rev., 20:11–21:8. 98 Rev., 20:14f; cf., 1 Cor., 15:52–57. 99 Ps., 107:10. 100 Matt., 8:12, 22:13, 25:30. 101 HEL, p. 22, “obscure . . . thick darkness; more intense than : ˚v,j.” 102 1 Sam., 2:9f. 103 Nagah means, “to glitter; causat. to illuminate” SEC, Heb. #5050, 5051; “shined . . . made light” HEL, p. 158. 104 Amos, 5:20. 105 The fact that the inheritance of light equals eternal life will be discussed in another Topic. 106 Job, 12:22. 107 Isa., 45:3.‘apharof the ground from which it came. At this point, the nephesh, with its personality (leb and lebab), falls into the state of sheol, a bound- less dimension that stores and retains the divine part of the human nephesh. Sheolis a hidden place of darkness connected with the ‘apharof the ground, a “state of being” for the person who has died. Here the divine aspect of the human nepheshexists, but it is not alive. Sheolis also a dimension without sight, sound, thought, speech, or activity. This state of being was created with the abil- ity to retain the human nephesh, more especially its divine ruach aspect (the personality or self) so that the person can later be resurrected to life with a new body and once again possess animating ruach(energy). In addition, Sheolwas created to retain the fallen ruachbeings (angels) who, after having come out of the dark state of tartaros, will be destroyed. In the future, during one of the two great resurrections, the nepheshof every human, with its personality, will be brought out of the state of sheolby Yahweh. When the nepheshof a per- son returns, it will be combined with a new incorruptible body and will be given ruach, allowing the person to return to life. Yet the dimension of sheol does not continue for eternity. At the end of the Millennial Judgment Day, sheoland death are destroyed in a great end- time holocaust, called “the sec- ond death,” where the wicked meet their final end.108They will perish for eternity. Since both sheoland those who experience the second death disappear at the same moment, it indicates that they will no longer need the dimen- sion of sheol. At the same time, once the justified of mankind obtain the inheritance promised in the eternal covenant with Yahweh, and since they will no longer be capable of sinning, they will inherit eternal life and will never again be subject to death. Accordingly, they also will never need the state of sheol. The state of sheol, along with all those experiencing the second death, will fall into eternal nonexistence. 108 Rev., 20:14, 21:8; 1 Cor., 15:24–26. 12D OES H ELL E XIST ?Next >