THE BLESSINGS/PROPHECIES BY MOSES ON THE TRIBES OF ISRAEL – DEUTERONOMY 33

The words of Moses to the tribes before he died contain a host of Biblical information and prophetic meaning to both Hebrew Foundation Christian and Jewish believers. The Chumash has interesting commentary and is used in this study.

As you read these “words” to the Tribes of Israel keep in mind the words of Paul the Apostle in Romans 11 on our grafting into Israel. First we seek to understand these blessing in their historical context. Then we should seek to understand how these blessing are eternal and apply to ALL those who are grafted into Israel.

Ezekiel 47.21-23 applies to all who have been grafted into the Commonwealth of Israel, it is an amazing promise:

“So shall ye divide this land among you according to the tribes of Israel and it shall come to pass, that ye shall divide it by lot for an inheritance unto you, and to the strangers that sojourn among you, who have begotten sons among you; and they shall be unto you as native born among the sons of Israel; they shall have cast lots with you to inherit among the tribes of Israel.

 And it shall come to pass, that in the tribe in which the stranger sojourns, there shall ye give him his inheritance, said the Lord GOD.”

Rueben ⁶ ¶ Let Reuben live and not die, and let not his men be few (let him be counted in the census).

Reuben required this blessing of live (in this world) and not die (in the world to come) because of his violation of Bilhah’s bed (Gen 35.22). Moses blessed him first because he was the firstborn of Leah--or because Reuben would be the first to receive a portion of the land. These blessing on the tribes follow this order according to some Jewish sages. He was to be included in the count and Moses prayed his population would not be diminished for his sin. He was stripped of his leadership role by Jacob (Gen 49.3-4).

Judah⁷ And this blessing is for Judah, and he said, Hear, LORD, the voice of Judah, and bring him unto his people; let his hands be sufficient for him, and be thou a help to him from his enemies.

Judah, from the Davidic royal line will play a central role in Jewish history, past and present. They would lead the nation in the wars for Eretz Israel in Biblical history--and present world history. Moses blessing/prophecy/prayer here is similar to Jacob’s in Genesis 49.8—Judah’s armies would be victorious over their enemies relying upon God in battle. We see the tiny nation of Israel in our day holding their enemies at bay.

Levi ⁸ ¶ And to Levi he said, Let thy Thummim and thy Urim be with thy holy one, whom thou didst prove at Massah and with whom thou didst strive at the waters of Meribah⁹ who said unto his father and to his mother, I have not seen them; neither did he acknowledge his brethren nor know his own children; therefore, they shall keep thy word and guard thy covenant.

¹⁰ They shall teach Jacob thy judgments and Israel thy law; they shall put incense before thy nostrils and a perfect sacrifice upon thine altar.¹¹ Bless, O LORD, his ministry, {Heb. men of valour} and take pleasure in the work of his hands; smite through the loins of those that rise up against him and of those that hate him that they may never rise again.

Moses blessing/prophecy begins with the Priests and then the tribe as a whole. He praised the steadfast loyalty and bravery of the Levites in the Wilderness. First at Massah (Exodus 17) where the people were rebellious, questioning Elohim’s ability to provide water at the waters of Meribah when Moses hit the rock. Levi had not joined those who had complained according to Jewish commentary.

…who said unto his father and to his mother, I have not seen them; neither did he acknowledge his brethren nor know his own children; this occurred at the Golden Calf incident when Levi performed their duty without regard to their own families and slew those who worshipped the IDOL. Three thousand were slain (Ex 32.27). They were loyal only to God’s word.

As the Levites were “divided from Israel” because of their cruelty to the men of Shechem (Gen 49.7) this negative trait illustrates how we can overcome and turn a negative trait into a positive. It became a strength in the Wilderness as they obeyed God without hesitation! Divided from Israel also was fulfilled as they had no land inheritance but lived in the cities as they performed their priestly duties to the nation. They would go on to “teach Jacob thy judgments.”

NOTE: Simeon is omitted from these prophecies most likely because of his cruelties with Levi and because in the incident in Baal Peor the rebels were Simeonites (Numbers 25) It was Zimri, a Simeonite prince and Cozbi, a Middianite woman. Both were slain. Simeon would eventually be given an inheritance within the tribal boundaries of Judah (Joshua 19.9). They would often fight side by side in the many wars Judah fought. Their cruelty also became a positive in faithfully assisting Judah in battle.

Benjamin¹² ¶ And to Benjamin he said, The beloved of the LORD shall dwell in safety by him; and the LORD shall cover him all the day long, and he shall rest between his shoulders.

Benjamin’s inheritance borded and was located within Jerusalem. The sages say the Temple was built in Benjamin’s portion of Jerusalem. Benjamin received this blessing for three reasons: A. He was the only one born in the Holy Land (the others were born in Aram, while Jacob worked for Laban. B. He had no part in the sale of Joseph. C. He comforted Jacob in his old age. Therefore he was honored to have the Temple built in his portion of the City.

…shall rest between his shoulders…the Temple was built in the Judean hills, as if “on Benjamin’s shoulders”.

Joseph¹³ And to Joseph he said, Blessed of the LORD is his land, for the gifts of the heavens, for the dew, and for the deep that is stretched out beneath ¹⁴ and for the gifts of the fruits of the sun and for the gifts of the influence of the moon¹⁵ and for the summit of the ancient mountains and for the gifts of the everlasting hills,

¹⁶ and for the gifts of the earth and fullness thereof, and may the grace of him that dwelt in the bush come upon the head of Joseph and upon the top of the head of him that was separated from his brethren.

¹⁷ His beauty is like the firstborn of his bullock, and his horns are like the horns of unicorns (wild oxen); with them he shall push the people together to the ends of the earth; these are the ten thousands of Ephraim, and these are the thousands of Manasseh.

Joseph’s blessing includes those of Ephraim and Manasseh and parallels Jacob’s blessing in Genesis 49.25. Joseph’s blessing contains specific information that is prophetic in our time. His glorious roots and accomplishments came with danger. He married Pharaoh’s daughter and sired Ephraim and Manasseh who would later lead the Northern Kingdom into idolatry and dispersion after taken captive by Assyria.

Joseph’s territory was very fertile and had great sources of water in the deep beneath, fountains of “living waters” as Yeshua would say.

…and for the gifts of the fruits of the sun and for the gifts of the influence of the moon¹⁵   The sun we know ripens, but influence of the moon would be produce that matures at night, such as cucumber and melon.

…and for the gifts of the earth and fullness thereof, and may the grace of him that dwelt in the bush come upon the head of Joseph, gifts of the earth mean abundance and the mountain crops in Samaria ripened earlier than the low lands.

…beauty (sovereignty) is like the firstborn of his bullock, Joseph’s sovereignty is related to the fact that he is looked upon as the true first born of Jacob, as Jacob loved Rachel but was tricked into marrying Leah and had to work seven years to gain her (Gen 29 also see 1 Chronicles 5.1-2). The birthright goes through Joseph (those grafted into Israel included).

…his horns are like the horns of unicorns (wild oxen); with them he shall push the people together to the ends of the earth; these are the ten thousands of Ephraim, and these are the thousands of Manasseh. The horns of the “wild oxen” represent power, the two horns being Ephraim and Manasseh. These two tribes would become world powers in the modern age (Great Britain and USA) pushing the nations in the natural world and in the spiritual world. What other powers spread the Gospel to the ends of the earth like Ephraim and Manasseh?

Zebulun and Issachar ¹⁸ ¶ And to Zebulun he said, Rejoice, Zebulun, in thy going out; and thou, Issachar, in thy tents.¹⁹ They shall call the people unto the mountain; there they shall offer sacrifices of righteousness; therefore they shall suck the abundance of the seas and hidden treasures of the sand.

Zebulun and Issachar had a unique partnership. Zebulun engaged in maritime commerce and supported Issachar who devoted his time to Torah study and calendar calculations. Issachar “had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do” (1 Chronicles 12.32). They kept the calendar and studied Torah. Both tribes were nourished by the sea.

Zebulun’s maritime success provided for and supported Issachar’s work. Just as many scholars are supported by the wealthy in their pursuits of truth, so Zebulun supported Issachar. The sages say this is what allowed Issachar to stay in “thy tents” and supervise the nation’s calendar and study Torah. Read their blessings in Genesis 49.13-15

Gad ²⁰ And to Gad he said, Blessed is he that caused Gad to be enlarged; he shall dwell as a lion and shall tear the arm with the crown of the head. ²¹ And he saw the best for himself because there the portion of the lawgiver was enclosed; and he came at the head of the people; he shall execute the righteousness of the LORD and his judgments with Israel.

Gad’s territory was located on the eastern side of the Jordan—the land of Sichon and Og. It was larger than the territory of any of the western tribes. Moses said, “Blessed is he that caused Gad to be enlarged” which of course was God. As a tribe which lived on the border Gad was like a lion defending the border against enemies; he shall dwell as a lion and shall tear the arm with the crown of the head. Because the Gadites also defended the neighboring tribes borders Moses blessed them with great strength; he shall execute the righteousness of the LORD and his judgments with Israel.

During the conquest of the land Gad marched among the first to fight (Joshua 1.12-14).

Gad had requested this portion of Sichon and Og and it was the first territory conquered in Eretz Israel. Finally the Sages interpret he saw the best for himself because there the portion of the lawgiver was enclosed; as Gad desiring this territory because they understood Moses would be buried there (Deut 34.6).

Dan ²² ¶ And to Dan he said, Dan is a lion’s whelp; he shall leap from Bashan.

The inheritance of Dan was along the Mediterranean coast so Dan was attacked by seafaring marauders. Like Gad, Dan is described as a lion’s whelp, defending against enemies. Like a lion Dan was adventurous and traveled extensively. In modern times we see many places throughout Europe named after Dan. Dan River, Danube, Dardanelles, Danmark, etc. The tribe of Dan was a settler in many areas during the diaspora! He literally leaped from Bashan!

Naphtali ²³ And to Naphtali he said, Naphtali, filled with grace and full of the blessing of the LORD, shall inherit the sea and the south shore.

Naphtali’s blessing refers to the riches of his territory. The south shore refers to territory in the northwest which included the lake of Galilee. They were fishermen. Most likely Peter and his brother were from the tribe of Naphtali.

Asher ²⁴ And to Asher he said, Asher, more blessed than the sons, shall be acceptable unto his brethren and shall dip his foot in oil.²⁵ Thy locks shall be iron and brass; and as thy days, so shall thy strength be.

Moses followed Jacob’s word of blessing (Gen 49.20) in focusing on the fertility of Asher’s inheritance. They were a large and prosperous tribe as more blessed than the sons, shall be acceptable unto his brethren and shall dip his foot in oil. When Asher was born Leah said she was the most fortunate of women (Gen 30.13). Asher provided the nation with abundant and delicious produce and olive oil.

Thy locks shall be iron and brass; and as thy days, so shall thy strength be. Moses was assuring the rest of the tribes they would be secure in their borders as protected by iron and brass. It also refers to Asher who was situated at the strategic and vulnerable northern border. Moses was assuring the nation that Asher would defend the area as if sealed by iron and brass.

Jeshurun ²⁶ ¶ There is no other like unto the God of Jeshurun, who rides upon the heavens for thy help, in the clouds with his excellency.

Jeshurun – The Hebrew meaning of Jeshurun means upright and righteous. It is God’s adoring name to ALL Israel (we are grafted into Israel).  Moses is telling the tribes that when they conduct themselves in an upright and righteous manner Elohim will ride across the heavens to come to their aid!

One ancient Sage, R’ Hirsch, puts it this way: “Nothing can compare to the manner in which God will manifest Himself if the Jewish people remain true to their calling of Jeshurun: If they remain straight and upright pursuing life in undeviating loyalty to their duty”.

I would say the same goes for all those who follow our Messiah Yeshua in His Kingdom of God!

Israel ²⁷ The habitation of God is eternal, and underneath the everlasting arms; he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee and shall say, Destroy them. ²⁸ Then Israel, the fountain of Jacob, shall dwell in safety alone in a land of grain and wine; also his heavens shall drop down dew.²⁹ Blessed art thou, O Israel, who is like unto thee, O people saved by the LORD, the shield of thy help and the sword of thy excellency? Thine enemies shall be found liars unto thee, and thou shalt tread upon their high places.

Moses last words are a mixture of love and praise. In previous chapters of Deuteronomy he has threatened Israel with a frightening array of punishments if they should fall short of God’s calling. History testifies to the suffering the tribes have experience throughout human history.

But now, in his final good-bye, Moses displays his and God’s feelings toward the nation: ²⁷ The habitation of God is eternal, and underneath the everlasting arms; he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee and shall say, Destroy them. ²⁸ Then Israel, the fountain of Jacob, shall dwell in safety alone in a land of grain and wine; also his heavens shall drop down dew. This promise brings to mind Zechariah’s end time prophecy To the House of Judah and Ephraim: “…for I have bent Judah for me as a bow, and I made Ephraim his arrow, and I will raise up thy sons, O Zion, against thy sons, O Greece, and make thee as the sword of a mighty man.”

Because of our lofty status as Israel we are not permitted to indulge in excesses that are regarded as “acceptable” by other nations! Moses last words are of blessing and reassurance—for ultimately ALL ISRAEL will fulfill its promise and be showed with Divine rewards that will eclipse the punishment it has endured. Blessed art thou, O Israel, who is like unto thee, O people saved by the LORD, the shield of thy help and the sword of thy excellency?

We are more than overcomers in Yeshua and we are grafted into reunited Israel (Ezek 37.15-28). We have much to learn from the Torah.

 

Heaven and Hell in Jewish and Christian Tradition

 

Though there is no official Jewish conception of the afterlife, Jewish sources do provide images of a torturous hell and heavenly paradise.

 

Like other spiritual traditions, Judaism offers a range of views on the afterlife including some parallels to the concepts of heaven and hell familiar to us from popular Western (i.e., Christian) teachings.

Sheol: An Underground Abyss?

The subject of death is treated consistently in the Bible, indicating that physical death is the end of life. This is the case with such central figures as Abraham, Moses, and Miriam.

There are, however, several biblical references to a place called Sheol (cf. Numbers 30, 33). It is described as a region "dark and deep," "the Pit," and "the Land of Forgetfulness," where human beings descend after death. The suggestion is that in the netherworld of Sheol, the deceased, although cut off from God and humankind, live on in some shadowy state of existence—When in fact it is the grave. HELL = O.T. Strong’s 7585 = “ol” = grave, by extension, realm of death, deepest depths; transliterate “Sheol”. Ref: Attached Word Chart

Our “traditional” view of hell or hades comes from Greek Mythology. When Zeus became the ruler of the sky he made Hades king of the Underworld. Although an Olympian (god), Hades preferred the Underworld and rarely left his kingdom. His weapon was a pitchfork, which he used to create earthquakes, similar to the way Poseidon used his trident. He also had a helmet of invisibility, which he had received as a gift from the Cyclopes in order to use it during the clash of the Titans. You can see where our caricatures of the devil with a pitchfork come from!

While this vision of Sheol is rather bleak (setting precedents for later Jewish and Christian ideas of an underground hell) there is generally no concept of judgment or reward and punishment attached to it. In fact, the more pessimistic books of the Bible, such as Ecclesiastes and Job, insist that all of the dead go down to Sheol (the grave), whether good or evil, rich or poor, slave or free man (Job 3:11-19).

You will note that the Latin Vulgate mentions hell 111 times, which is the highest number of times the word hell occurs when compared to all of the other Bible versions.

All of the popular Protestant Bible versions like the King James Version (KJV), the American Standard Version (ASV), the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV), the New International Version (NIV) and the New King James Version (NKJV) do not agree with the Latin Vulgate, nor even between themselves, as to the number of times the word hell appears in the Bible.

Only in the Latin Vulgate, the KJV and the NKJV does the word hell appear in the Old Testament of the Bible, but even these versions have wide disagreements on the number of times hell occurs in the Old Testament. The Latin Vulgate mentions hell 87 times, whereas the KJV mentions hell 31 times and the NKJV mentions hell only 19 times. Proper translation of these words are the key to understanding: Ref: Attached Chart.

All versions of the Bible except for these three, the Latin Vulgate, the KJV and the NKJV, reject any notion of hell occurring in the original Hebrew Manuscripts of the Old Testament. Also, note from the translators of the Jewish Publication Society Bible and the Tanakh: The Complete Jewish Bible--they disagree with the Latin Vulgate, the KJV and the NKJV by making no mention of hell whatsoever in their Bibles. If the Jews, who are experts in their own Hebrew language, do not include hell in their Bibles, then this further confirms that there is not a single word that means hell in the Hebrew Manuscripts of the Old Testament.

There are also several Bible versions that reject any notion of hell occurring in the Greek Manuscripts of the New Testament. Among others, these versions include Young’s Literal Translation, Rotherham’s Emphasized Bible and the Emphatic Diaglott Greek/English Interlinear Bible.

These are amazing and shocking facts that should make any Christian stop in his tracks, and start to seriously question the validity of the doctrine of hell. The truth of the matter is that there is not one single word in the Hebrew and Greek Manuscripts of the Bible that means hell as we have traditionally been taught. Hell, as traditionally taught is a man-invented, pagan, unchristian, belief that was first embraced and Christianized by Roman Catholicism, and incorporated into the Bible by Jerome through his Latin Vulgate in the early history of Christianity. Note: We will see that the Lake of Fire in Revelation 20 is “hell.”

Jerome mistranslated as many as four different words to mean hell. These words are: one Hebrew word sheol, and three Greek words hades, tartarus and gehenna. These words do not mean hell. Let us now clearly explain the true biblical meanings of these words. Ref: Attached Chart

Sheol occurs 65 times in the Hebrew Manuscripts of the Old Testament, and it means the grave (the place of the dead) or the pit, as correctly translated in almost all modern versions of the Bible since the KJV.

Hades occurs 11 times in the Greek Manuscripts of the New Testament and it is the direct equivalent of the Hebrew word sheol; thus it also means the grave or the pit. This is how most modern versions of the Bible translate hades. Strong’s Concordance: Hebrew 7585 – grave, by extension, realm of death, deepest depths-Sheol: hell, grave.

Some Bible dictionaries give an added meaning to hades of ‘the underworld’ or ‘the place or state of departed spirits’. But this meaning has been influenced by pagan Greek mythology and has no biblical basis.

Tartarus occurs only once in the Greek Manuscripts of the New Testament in 2 Peter 2:4…For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell (tartarus) and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment… Please note that God cast the angels who sinned down to tartarus and chained them in darkness, to be reserved for judgement.

The truth of the Bible is that Satan and his angels sinned by rebelling against God during the Pre-Adamic Age, when they rose up from the earth to usurp God’s throne. God cast them back down to earth and completely destroyed all Pre-Adamic life on earth. The earth was thrown into complete darkness, and God confined Satan and his fallen angels to this dark, chaotic (Tohu and bohu) ruined earth (Genesis 1:2). It was the earth, in this state, which was tartarus, the physical and spiritual prison of darkness for Satan and his fallen angels.

When God renewed the face of the earth and its heaven (earth’s atmosphere) at the beginning of the Adamic Age (Genesis 1:3-31), Satan and his fallen angels received a relative degree of physical freedom when they became the spirits of the air, able to roam the earth’s surface to tempt and deceive mankind. However, their movement is still confined to earth and its heaven (earth’s atmosphere) and they remain chained in this prison of spiritual darkness. This earth is still their tartarus prison, where they are reserved for final judgement in the Lake of Fire.

Gehenna occurs 12 times in the Greek Manuscripts of the New Testament, and each and every time that gehenna occurs, it has been mistranslated to mean hell in versions of the Bible that support the doctrine of hell. It is Jesus Christ Himself who uses the Greek word gehenna 11 out of the 12 times that gehenna occurs in the Bible, for example in Matthew 18:9.

Matthew 18:9… And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell (gehenna) fire.

When Jesus Christ uses the term gehenna fire, He does not mean everlasting tormenting hell fire. By the term gehenna fire, Jesus means God’s age ending judgmental fire on the Day of Judgement.

Gehenna takes its name from a valley located in Jerusalem called the valley of Hinnom. During Jesus’s time on earth, this valley was used as the city dump. A fire was constantly kept alight there to burn up and consume all of the city’s unwanted rubbish an bodies of criminals.

Let us understand the spiritual meaning and significance of this original Greek word gehenna, which Jesus uses to refer to the fire of judgement on the Great White Throne Judgement Day. This is the future age-to-come White Throne judgement for all resurrected unbelievers and for Satan and his fallen angels. This is Hell.

2 Peter 3:7-12 says that on the Day of God’s Judgement, the elements will melt with fervent heat and the whole earth will be dissolved. So, the earth will become a literal ball of fiery molten lava (a lake of fire).

Hebrews 12:29 says that God Himself is a consuming fire.

Malachi 3:2 says that God is like a refiner’s fire and like the launderer’s soap.

Therefore, putting all of these scriptures together, we can clearly see that God’s Lake of Fire on the Day of Judgement will be for the purpose of final judgment of those not written in the Book of Life. Rev 20.

Jesus Christ says that it is far better to believe the Gospel now, in this life at any cost no matter how extreme or painful that cost might be, than to be cast as an unbeliever into gehenna fire on the Day of Judgement.

Clearly understand that Jesus Christ did not speak about hell as we have traditionally been taught. Jesus Christ spoke about gehenna, which is an age-to-come, final judgement for all resurrected unbelievers and all fallen angels. Read Revelation 20.10: Satan and his angels thrown into the Lake of Fire and tormented FOREVER. Then read Revelation 20.13-14: Those judged as wicked are also thrown into the Lake of Fire…BUT what does it say about them? They are consumed, not tortured. It says: This is the second death!

Why? Satan and his minions are immortal and cannot die. For humans the wages of sin is DEATH. The only humans who gain immortality are those who are resurrected from the dead in the twinkling of an eye! 1 Corinthians 15.

Our Great God of the Bible is neither a great torturer of people in hell, nor a great annihilator of them either, but He is the Great Savior of the whole world and will judge humanity righteously at the end of this age.

THE PAGAN DOCTRINE OF HELL- Embraced and Christianized by Roman Catholicism 

The doctrine of hell, and the truth of the Bible that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world, cannot both be true at the same time. The Bible is the Word of God and it does not contradict itself. It is the doctrine of hell which is false and unbiblical.

The Bible, in the Hebrew and Greek Manuscripts, does not mention hell as everlasting punishment upon our deaths. Hell is a mistranslation. Jesus Christ did not believe in such a hell and He did not preach such a hell.

The concept of eternal torment in hell is nowhere to be found in the Hebrew and Greek Manuscripts of the Bible, but it is found in the writings of the ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans. For example, Plato (427-347 BC) discusses the concept of hell in his dialogue ‘Gorgias’ where he speaks of eternal punishment.

There can be no doubt that belief in eternal punishment in hell was a pagan belief embraced and Christianised by the church in Rome in the early years of the history of Christianity.

It was indeed the Church at Rome which first taught the pagan doctrine of endless punishment of the wicked, under the umbrella of Christianity. The Roman Catholic Latin Church Fathers, Tertullian (160-220 AD), Jerome (347-420 AD) and Augustine (354-430 AD), all strongly believed in the doctrine of hell.

These early Latin Church Fathers are highly venerated Roman Catholic saints who believed that God’s punishment of unbelievers (all those who reject Roman Catholicism) would be in a hell of everlasting torment.

In 382 AD, Pope Damasus commissioned Jerome to make a revised translation of the Bible in Latin. Jerome, a Roman Catholic by birth, believed in the doctrine of hell and he produced the revised translation of the complete Bible in Latin known as the Latin Vulgate (circa 405 AD). Jerome mistranslated and misinterpreted several key Hebrew and Greek words into the Latin Vulgate in support of the already established doctrine of hell in the Roman Catholic Church. This fits their doctrine of control of the people much better than “sleep” or the grave.

The Latin Vulgate became the official Bible of the Roman Catholic Church, and to this very day, it is regarded to be free from any doctrinal errors by the Roman Catholic Church. The Latin Vulgate reigned supreme for over a thousand years and the doctrine of hell became deeply entrenched into the psyche of the Christian world as if it were a true biblical doctrine. It became our “traditional” belief.

This was due to the complete dominance of the Roman Catholic Church throughout the Middle Ages, from the 5^th to the 16^th century.

From circa 590-1517 AD, the Roman Church reigned supreme and dominated the western world where it controlled religion, philosophy, morals, politics, the arts and education, and became a very wealthy institution. This was the dark ages for true Christianity. The vital doctrines of Biblical Christianity had, from all appearances, disappeared from the scene.

During these Dark Middle Ages, the Roman Catholic Church refused to allow Scripture to be available in any language other than Latin. Those in possession of non-Latin Scriptures were persecuted and sometimes even killed. Only priests were educated to understand Latin, and this gave the church ultimate power. Power to control and rule the masses without question. The Roman Catholic Church capitalized on this enforced ignorance of the peoples for over a thousand years. It is Nicolaitan in nature—control of the people.

The first hand-written English language Bible translation was produced circa 1380 AD by John Wycliffe, an Oxford professor, scholar and theologian. Wycliffe translated it from the Latin Vulgate, which was the only source text available to him. Pope Martin V was so infuriated by the activities of Wycliffe and his translation of the Bible into English such that 44 years after Wycliffe’s death, he ordered the bones of Wycliffe to be dug-up, crushed and scattered in a river!

Some of the most influential figures in Christendom; Tertullian, Constantine, Jerome, John Chrysostom, Augustine, Martin Luther and John Calvin, all believed in the doctrine of hell and were anti-Semitic, Luther left this life with an intense hatred and un-forgiveness in his heart towards Jews.

It is not surprising that the translators of the King James Version (1611 AD) were greatly influenced, both directly and indirectly, by the Latin Vulgate, and they simply copied many of the translation errors made in the Latin Vulgate, in support of the doctrine of hell.

The KJV was the standard version of the Bible for Protestant Christianity for nearly 350 years and it has been translated into many languages. The KJV has had a major influence on formulating the traditional Protestant Christian doctrine of hell, which is of course similar to the Roman Catholic doctrine of hell.

Many subsequent versions of the Bible have corrected the translation errors found in the KJV to varying degrees. However, the most popular versions of the Bible like the NIV, NKJV, NAS, RSV and others have still retained the basic translation errors, which support the doctrine of hell.

However, there are some versions of the Bible like Young’s Literal Translation, Rotherham Emphasised Bible, and the Emphatic Diaglott Greek/English Interlinear Bible, which make no mention of hell in their translations. This group of Bible versions are literal translations of the Hebrew and Greek Manuscripts of the Bible.

Merely understanding the correct translation of these words in the original Hebrew and Greek begins to open our understanding to the truth—and the truth will set you free! The Lake of Fire is the true hell of the Bible.

Additional reading: https://burningbush647.blogspot.com/2023/03/blog-post.htm 

Strong’s Concordance Study 

HELL = O.T. Strong’s 7585 = “ol” = grave, by extension, realm of death, deepest depths; transliterate “Sheol”

          = N.T. Strong’s     86 = Hades, the grave, the place of the dead (10 times)

          = N.T. Strong’s 1067 = Gehenna, hell, Valley of Hinnom

     = N.T. Strong’s 5020= Tartaroo =send to hell, hold captive = a place of torment lower than hades (the grave) in Greek and Jewish literature but not found in the N.T. (1 time; 2 Peter 2.4) Final judgement in Lake of Fire

Grave = O.T. Strong’s 7585 = “ol” = grave, by extension, realm of death, deepest depths; transliterate “Sheol”

            = 6919 = burial site, tomb, grave

            = 6605 = “patah” = open, to be opened, to loosen, release, take off

            = 6900 = Tomb, grave, burial, sepulcher (2 times)

            = 3419 Strong’s N.T. = tomb, grave, sepulcher (4 times)

Pit = hell - Gehenna - the grave, realm of the dead.

Hell= gehenna=hell=Valley of Hinnom Strong’s 1067= Matthew 5.22; 29-30; 10.28; 18.9; 23.15; 23.23. Mark 9.43-47. Luke 12.5. James 3.6.

Hell=Hades= the grave, the place of the dead (Strong’s 86). = Matthew 11.23; 16.18. Luke 10.15; 16.23. Acts 2.27; 31, Rev 1.18; 6.8; 20.13; 20.14

Pit = hell - Gehenna - the grave, realm of the dead.