We have already discussed the structure of the universe in some detail:

We know that the earth is a circle, it has the heavens stretched out like a tent. Above the heavens are the waters. We have several levels of heaven, spiritual armies, many creatures that we see and those that we have no idea about. Everything is incredibly, beautifully constructed. Now let’s move on to the Biblical descriptions of the spiritual and physical places that are under the earth.

Lake of Fire

The beast and the false prophet are thrown into the lake of fire burning with brimstone:

“And the beast was captured, and also the false prophet who performed the signs before it, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image—both of them were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur.” – Revelation 19:20.

The devil, who deceived the nations, is thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone:

“And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are; and they will be tormented day and night for eons of eons.” – Revelation 20:10.

Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire:

“Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire, which is the second death – the lake of fire” – Revelation 20:14.

The lake of fire awaits those not written in the book of life:

“And if anyone’s name was not found written in the Book of Life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.” – Revelation 20:15.

The lake of fire is a place of punishment for spiritual and human characters (Revelation 21:27). After the punishment is fulfilled, the second death occurs, which is the complete erasure of the character from life.

The following go to the lake of fire:
• spiritual characters: the devil (satan), the beast, the false prophet, death, and Hades.
• human characters: all whose names are not written in the Lamb’s Book of Life are thrown into the lake of fire. The following are listed: unbelievers, the ungodly, murderers, adulterers, sorcerers/poisoners, idolaters, and liars – their „portion will be the lake that burns with fire and brimstone”:

“He who overcomes will inherit all things, and I will be his God, and he will be My son. But the cowardly and the unbelieving and the disbelievers and the abominable and the murderers and the sexually immoral and the sorcerers and the drug users and the poisoners and the idolaters and all liars—their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.” – Revelation 21:7-8

Gehenna / Hellfire

Why people go to Gehenna:

„But I say to you, whoever is angry (without cause/in vain) with his brother will be liable to judgment. And whoever says to his brother, 'You fool,’ will be liable to the sanhedrin; and whoever says, 'You fool,’ will be liable to the fire of Gehenna.” – Matthew 5:22.

„If thine eye offend thee, pluck it out and throw it from thee. It is better to enter into life with one eye, than having two eyes, to be thrown into Gehenna of fire.” – Matthew 18:9

In Gehenna an unquenchable fire burns:

„If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better to enter into life maimed than with your two hands to go into Gehenna, into the unquenchable fire.” – Mark 9:43-44

Human figures go to Gehenna:

“And if your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one of your members than for your whole body to be thrown into Gehenna.” – Matthew 5:29.
“And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one of your members than for your whole body to be thrown into Gehenna.” – Matthew 5:30.

Gehenna is a place where both the soul and the body perish:

„Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, fear Him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” Matthew 10:28

Sons of Gehenna:

„Woe to you, scribes and pharisees, hypocrites! You travel across sea and land to make one believer, and when he becomes one, you make him a son of Gehenna, twice as bad as yourselves.” – Matthew 23:15

Gehenna is directly related to judgment:

“Serpents! You brood of vipers! How will you escape the judgment of Gehenna?” – Matthew 23:33.

“But I will show you whom to fear: fear Him who after death has power to throw into Gehenna. Yes, I say to you, fear Him.” – Luke 12:5.
“And the tongue is a fire; the tongue is a world of iniquity set among our members, and it defiles the whole body, and inflames the wheel of the natural tendencies, (itself) kindled by Gehenna.” – James 3:6.

Gehenna (Greek: γέεννα / Hebrew: גֵּי־הִנֹּם Gê Hinnóm) meant the Valley of Hinnom – a place south of Jerusalem, where in the Old Testament times child sacrifices were made to Moloch (Jer 7:31). Later, animal carcasses, waste from the city, and the bodies of dead criminals were burned there. Christ uses the word Gehenna 11 times (e.g. Mt 5:22, Mk 9:43). Speaking to the Israelites, He used a familiar trtm: Gehenna, to show what awaited people who consciously rejected God.

Abyss/bottomless pit

The Abyss is the prison where satan is to be imprisoned for a thousand years:

“And I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit, and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent – that is, the devil and satan – and bound him for a thousand years, and threw him into the Abyss/bottomless pit, and shut him up, and sealed him, that he might deceive the nations no more…” – Revelation 20:1–3.

The ruler of the abyss is an angel named Abaddon – Apollyon:

“They have over them a king, the angel of the bottomless pit; in Hebrew his name was Abaddon, and in Greek he had the name Apollon.” – Revelation 9:11.

The beast comes out of the abyss:

“The beast which you saw was, and is not, and is about to come up out of the bottomless pit to go into destruction. And the inhabitants of the earth, whose names are not written in the scroll of life from the foundation of the world, will wonder when they see the beast that was, and is not, and is to come.” – Revelation 17:8.

Demons fear this place:

“And they begged Him not to command them to depart into the abyss” – Luke 8:31.

The Abyss in the Old Testament:

“Now the earth was empty and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep/abyss (tehom)” – Genesis 1:2.

The abyss (abyssos) is a spiritual abyss, a bottomless pit, a prison for evil spiritual beings.

Hades

Christ has the keys to Hades:

„…and the living. I was dead, and behold, I am alive forever and ever; and I have the keys of Death and Hades (ᾅδης, Strong’s G86)” – Revelation 1:18.

Death and Hades thrown into the lake of fire:
„And Death and Hades (ᾅδης, Strong’s G86) were thrown into the lake of fire: this is the second death” – Revelation 20:14.

Hades will deliver the dead to judgment:

„And the sea gave up the dead that were in it; and Death and Hades (ᾅδης, Strong’s G86) gave up the dead that were in them, and they were judged…” – Revelation 20:13.

Hades – the place of torment for the rich man:

„And when the rich man also was dead, he was buried. And he lifted up his eyes in torments in Hades (ᾅδης, Strong’s G86)…” – Luke 16:22–23.

The gates of Hades will not prevail against the Church:

“You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades (ᾅδης, Strong’s G86) shall not prevail against it.” – Matthew 16:18.

Christ did not stay in Hades (prophecy):

„For you will not leave My soul in Hades (ᾅδης, Strong’s G86), nor will you cause your Holy One to see corruption” – Acts 2:27.

Christ did not remain in Hades (fulfillment):

„For he was not left in Hades (ᾅδης, Strong’s G86), nor did His body see corruption” – Acts 2:31.

Hades is the Greek name, and Sheol is the Hebrew name for the place where souls abide after the death of the human body. It is a transitional place between the death of the body and the Judgment of God.

Sheol

As alive he will descend to Sheol:

“Let not my life descend to Sheol (שְׁאוֹל, Strong’s H7585), let not my soul go down to the pit” – Psalm 30:4 (NKJV).

God saves from Sheol:

“But God will redeem my soul from the power of Sheol (שְׁאוֹל, Strong’s H7585), for He will receive me” – Psalm 49:16.

Heaven above – Sheol below:

“Though you soar high like the eagle… from there I will bring you down to Sheol (שְׁאוֹל, Strong’s H7585)” – Amos 9:2.

Sheol is portrayed as a place where there is no life, joy, or praise of God:

“For Sheol (שְׁאוֹל, Strong’s H7585) does not thank You, death does not praise You; those who go down to the pit do not trust in Your faithfulness.” – Isaiah 38:18.

The Lord sends to Sheol and brings out of it:

“The Lord kills and makes alive; He brings down to Sheol (שְׁאוֹל, Strong’s H7585) and brings up.” – 1 Samuel 2:6.

The soul descends to Sheol in sorrow:

“In pain will I go to my son, to Sheol (שְׁאוֹל, Strong’s H7585)” – Genesis 37:35.

Great and influential men will not escape death – “the noise and bustle” – all human glory and entertainment disappear:

„Sheol (שְׁאוֹל, Strong’s H7585) enlarges its throat, it opens its mouth wide; its majesty goes down to it, its noise, its commotion, and those who rejoice in it” – Isaiah 5:14.

Tartar

Prison for evil spiritual beings:

„For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to Tartarus (ταρταρόω, Strong’s G5020), and delivered them into chains of darkness to be reserved for judgment…” – 2 Peter 2:4.
„And behold, you are cast down to hell, to the very depths of the pit” – Isaiah 14:15.

The Bride’s Dictionary states: Tartarus – the lowest part of Hades, the place of greatest punishment.

Summary

• Lake of fire and Gehenna are two different terms for the same place of final punishment. Christ used the term Gehenna to reach the Israelites with a clear message, and John uses the lake of fire to speak to pagans and Christians in the language of apocalyptic symbolism. Both terms indicate a place of punishment and complete annihilation of characters. Those who have been condemned in God’s court go there.
• Abyss (abyssos) is a spiritual abyss, a bottomless pit, a prison for evil spiritual characters.
• Hades is the Greek name, and Sheol is the Hebrew name for the place where souls reside after the death of the human body. It is a transitional place between the death of the body and the Judgment of God.
• Tartarus – a place where fallen angels are held. It is possible that it is the same as the Abyss.
Biblical places „under the earth”

Biblijne miejsca „pod ziemią”