When we think of the afterlife we usually think of some kind of distinction between the good and the bad, between heaven and hell. But in the Hebrew bible no such distinction was made. Everyone went to Sheol when they died. Sheol was a bit like the Greek concept of Hades, the land of the dead. The dead still existed in some sense but only in a very intangible, shadowy way. The dead became mere rephaim or shades (we might think ghosts) and had no meaningful life. Sheol was a land of forgetfulness and sleep. Some texts assume that God had little or nothing to do with Sheol, which at times could come in handy as a bargaining tool with God - if God wanted worshippers he jolly well had to keep them away from Sheol for as long as possible! Sheol was inevitable but no one wanted to go there. Sheol was the universal destination of the dead.
One of the most surprising aspects of the Hebrew bible's view of the afterlife is that on the whole there is no concept of reward and punishment in the afterlife. This is largely because there isn't really a concept of an "afterlife" at all. According to the vast majority of texts in the Hebrew Bible (what christians call the Old Testament) when you die, you descend to an underworld realm called Sheol. This is a shadowy, dark realm where nothing of any meaning or worth happens. It is a place of horror to the living because in that place life in any meaningful sense ends. There is nothing substantial there, no meaningful activity and those who go there can never be found again - they are truly "lost". As Job puts it 7 ‘Remember that my life is a breath; Jacob's lament. He will join his son in SheolOne of the most striking aspects of the view of Sheol in the Hebrew bible is that everyone goes there, the good, the wicked and everyone in between. There is no hope of heaven for the righteous and hell for the Godless. All alike go down into Sheol. So, when Jacob hears of the death of his beloved son Joseph he despairs of finding any more joy in life and declares that this terrible news will lead him to a premature death, i.e. that he will "go down to Sheol" where his son (Joseph) already lies. All his sons and all his daughters sought to comfort him; but he refused to be comforted, and said, ‘No, I shall go down to Sheol to my son, mourning.’ Thus his father bewailed him. Genesis 37.35 (NRSV) later, fearing for the life of Benjamin he repeats his warning to the other sons. But he said, ‘My son shall not go down with you, for his brother is dead, and he alone is left. If harm should come to him on the journey that you are to make, you would bring down my grey hairs with sorrow to Sheol.’ 42.38 (NRSV) Bargaining with God. Who praises God in Sheol?In Psalm 88 the Psalmist begins by declaring that his life is approaching its end - he is faced with the clear prospect of death. He describes his state like this O Lord, God of my salvation, The Psalmist, presumably a righteous man rather than one of the "ungodly", thinks of the immanent (premature) ending of his life as "drawing near to Sheol". Sheol is the equivalent of "the Pit", "the grave" and being "among the dead". It was death that terrified the Psalmist. And the terror was focused not just in the cessation of life but in the horrible conviction that Sheol lay outside of the knowledge of God. Those in Sheol are those "whom you remember no more", those who are "cut off from your hand". It is for that reason that the Psalmist pleads with God to save him from Sheol (i.e. death). How can he praise God in Sheol? If those in Sheol are no longer known to God, then equally God is no longer known in Sheol. How can it fit God's purpose to allow his servant to descend to Sheol where God's praise is not sounded? Do you work wonders for the dead? So in effect the Psalmist is bargaining with God. He is urging God to remember that there will no praise or worship or service from servants in Sheol. It is therefore in God's interest to keep him from that terrible place! Enjoy you life . . . it's all there is!Another example comes from Ecclesiastes (admittedly not a cheery text!). The "Preacher" advises his readers to enjoy their lives to the full in the here and now because they are all going to Sheol! Go, eat your bread with enjoyment, and drink your wine with a merry heart; for God has long ago approved what you do. Let your garments always be white; do not let oil be lacking on your head. Enjoy life with the wife whom you love, all the days of your vain life that are given you under the sun, because that is your portion in life and in your toil at which you toil under the sun. Whatever your hand finds to do, do with your might; for there is no work or thought or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol, to which you are going. Ecclesiastes 9.7-10 (NRSV) So, from the mouth of the patriarch, in the lament of the Psalmist and from the 'pen' of one of the great teachers of Jewish wisdom came the same message: life ends with descent to a place called Sheol. This is the common fate of all, great and lowly, rich and poor, godly and ungodly. Moreover for the biblical writers there was a real fear of this "final destination". It was a state in which there "is no work or thought or knowledge or wisdom" and where God's wonders and saving help are unknown. Jacob will take his sorrow with him to that place. It is a godless, hopeless, lifeless place to be avoided at all costs.
2 Comments
Amelia
5/28/2021 06:07:32 am
It is very interesting matter to continue studying. Thank you for the information.
Reply
Endar Malkovich
10/15/2023 06:43:00 am
So many mistaken translations and interpretations.
Reply
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April 2016
GalleryThis blog is as much about images as it is about text. Below is a slideshow of the pictures and images used in this blog. Click on any of the pictures to go to the post where that image is featured.
PostsLocating Paradise #1 In a Garden, Far, Far Away
The Testament of Abraham and the Threefold Judgement of God #5 'Stuck in the Middle With You'
The Resurrection According to Rahner
Today You Will Be With Me in Paradise
The Testament of Abraham and the Threefold Judgement of God #4 'And Who by Fire'
The Testament of Abraham and the Threefold Judgement of God #3: Held in the Balance
The Testament of Abraham and the Threefold Judgement of God #2: Once, Twice, Three Times a Sinner
The Testament of Abraham and the Threefold Judgement of God #1: The Broad and Narrow Gates
Daily Dante 7: Many Rivers to Cross
Daily Dante 6: 'You Gotta Serve Somebody'
In Hell Everyone Can Hear You Scream. The Vision of Tundale #3
Teeth, Spikes and Cleavers: At the Sharp end of Hell. The Vision of Tundale #2
'No Pain No Gain': The Vision of Tundale #1
'Hellzapoppin':
Illustrations from Le Livre de la Vigne nostre Seigneur, #2 'It's The End of the World as We Know It (and we feel fine)'. Illustrations from Le Livre de la Vigne nostre Seigneur, #1
Visions of Heaven. Botticini's Assumption of the Virgin #2 Blinded by the Light
Visions of Heaven. Botticini's Assumption of the Virgin #1: Glorious and Immortal
Daily Dante 5: What the gates said.
Daily Dante 4: When I find myself in times of trouble
Daily Dante 3: I'll take you there
Daily Dante 2: Fierce creatures
Daily Dante 1: If you go down to the woods today
In Seventh Heaven or 'What Enoch Did Next'
A World of Fire and Ice: Heaven according to Enoch
The Power and the Glory: Visions of God as king in the Hebrew bible
The Beautiful Bestiary of Catherine Cleves: Monsters and Demons in detail.
Heaven is for Real: Heaven as a physical space up above the sky
Resurrecting the Dead or Reviving the Flowers? The loss of resurrection faith in Judaism.
The Defeat of Death #1: The promise of resurrection in the Isaiah Apocalypse.
The Defeat of Death #2: Death as a hostile power and promise of God's victory in Isaiah
Scary Monsters and Super Creeps: The 'Last Judgement' according to Stefan Lochner
Hell in the Hospital: The 'Last Judgement' of Rogier van der Weyden in the Beaune altarpiece.
'Hell' in the New Testament #2: The gates of Hades shall not prevail
The Hours of Catherine Cleves: Imagining hell and purgatory in Catherine's prayer book
'On Earth as in Heaven': The kingdom of God as a revelation of heaven
'Hell' in the New Testament #1: Gehenna
Lost in Translation #1: How the King James version got it so wrong about hell
Heaven is not our home
Domes, Depths and Demons: The cosmology of the Hebrew world
A Bigger God
"See you in Sheol" - Sheol, the common destination of all
Heaven, Hell and Christian Hope
BooksBelow are some of the books which have helped me the most in the research and writing for this blog. Click on any image to find out more about that book at its page on Amazon uk.
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