In each blog, I often reference many different topics that I've already covered (or will soon cover), and maybe you've missed. Please review my blogs to read more...
CLICK HERE! for an index to previous blogs.
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Some of these excerpts are from my personal notes copied from 30+ years of studying... some of these notes are direct copies of various sources - I do not claim to have authored every word of this... it's just a mass collection I've tucked away over the years for my own personal studies... I didn't consider a bibliography at the time I directly copied small excerpts from various authors. Also, any emphasis (underlines, bold text, all CAPS, etc.) noted above was only meant to capture my personal attention as I studied...
CLICK HERE! for an index to previous blogs.
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Gehenna - Old Testament References
As we've discussed, the Greek word Gehenna is erroneously translated as "hell" in the New Testament, but correctly as "The Valley of Hinnom" in the Old Testament.
Does Gehenna fit the description of the Christian hell?
Absolutely not!
Any 3rd year seminary student knows that Gehenna, spelled GeHinnom, or GayHinnom according the Hebrew, is a literal historical and geographical location just southwest of Jerusalem's walls below the Essene Gate and the Dung Gate.
Absolutely not!
Any 3rd year seminary student knows that Gehenna, spelled GeHinnom, or GayHinnom according the Hebrew, is a literal historical and geographical location just southwest of Jerusalem's walls below the Essene Gate and the Dung Gate.
Hinnom is found eleven times in the Old Testament Hebrew Scriptures, and NOT ONCE is it translated as "hell".
The Old Testament writers had NO hell doctrine in their religion as the pagan nations had. It would have been completely absurd to call the Valley of Hinnom "hell" after some pagan doctrine!
Here are all the occurrences of "GayHinnom/GeHinnom" in the Old Testament:
(Btw... notice some of these names while reading... we'll get to them later when discussing Egyptian fables!)
Neh 11:30 ... And they dwelt from Beersheba unto the valley of Hinnom [H2011 - Hebrew: gay Hinnom; gay in Hebrew means valley].
Hence, gay Hinnom is clearly a Geographical location, not a "state or abode of the dead".
Jos 15:8 And the border went up by the valley of the son of Hinnom [Heb: gay ben Hinnom; valley of the son of Hinnom] unto the south side of the Jebusite; the same is Jerusalem.
Again, a geographical location.
Jos 18:16 And the border came down to the end of the mountain that lies before the valley of the son of Hinnom...
2 Ki 23:10 And he defiled Topheth which is in the valley of the children [son] of Hinnom, that no man might make his son or his daughter to pass through the fire of Molech.
2 Ch 28:3 Moreover he [wicked King Ahaz] burnt incense in the valley of the son of Hinnom, and burnt his children in the fire...
Are you starting to notice any peculiar?
2 Ch 33:6 And he [wicked King Manasseh] caused his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom...
Manasseh did not "cause his children to pass through the fire in HELL".
Jer 7:31 And they have built the high places of Tophet, which is in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire...
Jer 7:32 Therefore, behold, THE DAYS COME says the Lord, that it shall NO MORE be called Tophet, NOR the valley of the son of Hinnom, but the valley of slaughter...
Have the days come? It certainly did back then... and it definitely is not called "Gehenna" these days... at least not by Christendom.
Christendom has their own version of the "valley of slaughter" - they refer to it as "HELL".
Christendom has their own version of the "valley of slaughter" - they refer to it as "HELL".
Jer 19:2 And go forth unto the valley of the son of Hinnom...
Jer 19:6 Therefore, behold, the days come, says the Lord, that this place shall no more be called Tophet, nor the valley of the son of Hinnom, but the valley of slaughter.
Jer 32:35 And they built the high places of Baal, which are in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to cause their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire unto Molech...
They did not "...build the high places of Baal in HELL".
The "GeHinnom" of the Old Testament is not "hell", nor is it even translated into English as "hell", so WHY?! Why is Gehenna translated as "hell" in the New Testament?
To be sure, Jesus is teaching us an important lesson using Gehenna as a type, but that lesson has absolutely NOTHING to do with endless torment and demons, etc., as described by Christendom in their blasphemous doctrine of "hell".
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The Valley of Hinnom is a narrow ravine on the south end of Jerusalem.
Anciently, it was in this valley that idolatrous Israelites worshipped the pagan gods Molech and Baal (I'll get to them later) through the abominable sacrificial practices of burning their own children alive (known as "passing through the fire").
2 Ki 16:3 But he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, yea, and made his son to pass through the fire, according to the abominations of the heathen, whom the LORD cast out from before the children of Israel.
2 Ki 23:10 And he defiled Topheth, which is in the valley of the children of Hinnom, that no man might make his son or his daughter to pass through the fire to Molech.
2 Ch 28:3 Moreover he burnt incense in the valley of the son of Hinnom, and burnt his children in the fire, after the abominations of the heathen whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel.
Jer 7:31 And they have built the high places of Tophet, which is in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire; which I commanded them NOT, NEITHER CAME IT INTO MY HEART.
What do we find in ancient Gay-Hinnom?
And who is it that is being "burned" in these pagan ceremonies in the valley of the son of Hinnom?
The wicked kings of Judah? No...
The wicked citizens of Jerusalem and Judea? No...
The wicked idolaters of Canaan? No...
The souls of the dead? No...
Let's read it again:
Jer 32:35 And they built the high places of Baal, which are in the valley of the son of Hinnom [Gehenna], to cause their SONS AND THEIR DAUGHTERS to pass through the fire unto Molech...
Eleven out of all eleven times, the words gay Hinnom in the Hebrew Old Testament Scriptures are translated "valley of Hinnom" and NOT ONCE are they translated "hell".
Neither is this valley even once represented as "an abode where Satan and evil demons reside over the dead souls of the wicked to be tortured eternally".
It was rather a place where Israel burned some of their "sons and daughters" in idolatrous acts according to Egyptian fables.
To this day - the Jewish people know there's no such thing as a Christian "hell". One Rabbi refers to it as "the Supernal washing machine".
It is therefore a gross injustice of scholarship to translate the Hebrew words "gay Hinnom" or "GeHinnom" (as it is transcribed into the Greek as "Gehenna") into the English word "hell".
It is beyond absurd to do so.
I would like to say that "I find it curious...", but I don't.
Furthermore, there is no word for "hell" in the ancient Hebrew Scriptures! That is because "hell" originated in Egypt long before there ever was a nation of Israel.
Lev 18:3 After the doings [deeds, practices] of the land of Egypt, wherein ye dwelled, shall ye NOT DO...
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See "Egyptian Fables" blogs...
What do we find in ancient Gay-Hinnom?
And who is it that is being "burned" in these pagan ceremonies in the valley of the son of Hinnom?
The wicked kings of Judah? No...
The wicked citizens of Jerusalem and Judea? No...
The wicked idolaters of Canaan? No...
The souls of the dead? No...
Let's read it again:
Jer 32:35 And they built the high places of Baal, which are in the valley of the son of Hinnom [Gehenna], to cause their SONS AND THEIR DAUGHTERS to pass through the fire unto Molech...
Eleven out of all eleven times, the words gay Hinnom in the Hebrew Old Testament Scriptures are translated "valley of Hinnom" and NOT ONCE are they translated "hell".
Neither is this valley even once represented as "an abode where Satan and evil demons reside over the dead souls of the wicked to be tortured eternally".
It was rather a place where Israel burned some of their "sons and daughters" in idolatrous acts according to Egyptian fables.
To this day - the Jewish people know there's no such thing as a Christian "hell". One Rabbi refers to it as "the Supernal washing machine".
It is therefore a gross injustice of scholarship to translate the Hebrew words "gay Hinnom" or "GeHinnom" (as it is transcribed into the Greek as "Gehenna") into the English word "hell".
It is beyond absurd to do so.
I would like to say that "I find it curious...", but I don't.
Furthermore, there is no word for "hell" in the ancient Hebrew Scriptures! That is because "hell" originated in Egypt long before there ever was a nation of Israel.
Lev 18:3 After the doings [deeds, practices] of the land of Egypt, wherein ye dwelled, shall ye NOT DO...
___________________________
See "Egyptian Fables" blogs...
Some of these excerpts are from my personal notes copied from 30+ years of studying... some of these notes are direct copies of various sources - I do not claim to have authored every word of this... it's just a mass collection I've tucked away over the years for my own personal studies... I didn't consider a bibliography at the time I directly copied small excerpts from various authors. Also, any emphasis (underlines, bold text, all CAPS, etc.) noted above was only meant to capture my personal attention as I studied...
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