Heaven, Sheol, and the Afterlife
The Hebrew words for the underworld, hell and heaven—Sheol, Gehenna and Gan Eden—can deepen our insight into “after-life” destinations and the roads leading to them. Far from being abstract ideas, these terms originate from real, physical locations that shaped Jesus’ teachings. By drawing from the world around Him, Jesus revealed eternal truths. He offered profound insights into God’s justice, His mercy, and the unshakable hope found in Him.
We know that life on earth is transitory; that it doesn’t end when we die. Our final destination lies on the other side of death’s door. Understanding what awaits can be challenging, however. Scripture describes the places we go when we die with vivid imagery. Yet these descriptions can often feel abstract. What do these places signify? How do they connect with the lives we’re living now?
What is Sheol: The Hebrew Word for the Realm of the Dead
Our journey into the afterlife begins with Sheol, a concept found throughout the Hebrew Bible. Often described as the underworld or the grave, it is a shadowy place where all the dead reside.
In Jewish thought, Sheol represents a realm of silence and separation from God. It serves as a waiting place for souls anticipating a future resurrection.
Sheol in the Bible: A Spiritual Realm with Earthly Roots
Where does the idea of Sheol come from? Is it purely metaphorical, or does it have roots in physical reality? Sheol is mentioned frequently in the Old Testament, such as when Jacob laments, “I will go down to Sheol” (Genesis 37:35), or in the Psalms, where it is described as a place of silence (Psalm 6:5).
These descriptions connect directly to ancient burial practices. People placed the dead in caves or tombs carved into the earth, symbolizing a descent into the underworld.
This connection echoes God’s words to Adam after the Fall: “For dust you are, and to dust you shall return” (Genesis 3:19). Sheol reminds us of humanity’s return to the earth, even as it points toward the spiritual realm beyond.
The story of Korah’s rebellion vividly demonstrates the connection between Sheol and the physical realm. When Korah and his followers defied God’s authority by challenging Moses and Aaron, the ground split apart beneath them. It swallowed them alive into Sheol (Numbers 16:31-33).
Where is Sheol?
This dramatic event portrays Sheol as more than just a spiritual reality. It is intertwined with the earth itself, a place where the boundary between the physical and spiritual becomes strikingly real.
Sheol in the Old Testament and Messianic Foreshadowing
Sheol is neither heaven nor hell but a place of waiting where both the righteous and unrighteous reside after death. In the Psalms, David cries out to God and pleads for Him not to abandon him to Sheol (Psalm 16:10). His words express a profound hope that the faithful will not remain in the realm of the dead forever.
This hope finds its ultimate fulfillment in the Messiah, Yeshua, whose resurrection conquered death. On Pentecost, Peter quoted Psalm 16:10, proclaiming that God did not abandon His “Holy One,” Jesus, to Sheol or allow His body to see decay (Acts 2:27). Through His resurrection, Jesus fulfilled David’s prophetic hope. He transformed Sheol from a place of waiting into a doorway to eternal life.
A Glimpse into the Compartments of Sheol
The parable of Lazarus and the rich man (Luke 16:19-31) offers a glimpse into Sheol as a place with distinct areas for the righteous and the unrighteous. In the parable, Jesus describes Lazarus resting in “Abraham’s Bosom,” a place of comfort. Meanwhile, the rich man suffers in torment, separated by a great chasm.
This imagery suggests the possibility of compartments within Sheol. It reflects God’s justice in providing peace for the faithful while reserving anguish for those who reject Him.
Jesus’ Journey to Sheol: Conquering Death
After His crucifixion, Jesus’ followers buried Him, placing His body in a tomb carved into the rock.
Jesus descended into Sheol—not to remain, but to proclaim His victory over death. As 1 Peter 3:18-20 reveals, He “went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison,” declaring triumph to those who had died in faith before Him.
Ephesians 4:9-10 echoes this, stating, “He also descended to the lower, earthly regions… He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens.” Through His descent, Jesus transformed Sheol from a place of waiting into a doorway to eternal life. Through Him, death is no longer the final word.
Sheol and the Final Judgment in Revelation
The New Testament reveals Sheol’s ultimate fate in the book of Revelation. John writes that God will cast Sheol (often translated as Hades in Greek) into the lake of fire, describing it as the “second death” (Revelation 20:14). This event ends Sheol’s role as a temporary holding place for the dead, ultimately destroying death itself.
The Valley of Hinnom: A Place of Judgment and Warning
Related to Sheol, one of Scripture’s most terrifying depictions of judgment is the Valley of Hinnom. It is known in Hebrew as Gei Ben Hinnom, or Gehenna. The Hinnom Valley is a real place in Jerusalem. Located just southwest of the Old City walls, this valley was infamous to Jesus’ audience for its dark history and troubling associations.
A History of Idolatry and Sacrifice
In ancient times, the Valley of Hinnom became associated with pagan worship, including the horrific practice of child sacrifice to the Canaanite god Molech. People believed that by burning their children as offerings, they could secure Molech’s favor for prosperity and protection (Jeremiah 7:31).
Tragically, even some of Judah’s kings in Jesus’ human lineage, like Manasseh, sacrificed their own children in this valley. This led Judah into idolatry and moral decline (2 Kings 21:6).
These abominable sacrifices were more than mere rituals. Rather, they embodied a deep idolatry. People sought control over their destinies through horrific means instead of trusting in the goodness of God. In Israel’s darkest times, this valley symbolized how far individuals and societies could stray from God. Idolatry consumed everything—even the most sacred relationships.
From Sacrifice to Smoldering Dump: Gehenna’s Fiery Legacy
After King Josiah banned these idolatrous practices, the people transformed the Valley of Hinnom into a refuse dump. They burned garbage, animal carcasses, and waste to prevent disease. Fires smoldered continually, consuming the waste and reinforcing the valley’s image as a place of unending fire and decay.
This transformation shaped Gehenna’s powerful symbolism and its later association with hell as a place of eternal flames.
Jesus’ Warnings About Gehenna
When Jesus described Gehenna as the place where “their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched” (Mark 9:44, quoting Isaiah 66:24), His purpose wasn’t merely to instill fear. Instead, He used this familiar imagery to illustrate both physical and spiritual realities. It revealed the devastating consequences of rebellion against God—a hell of our own making.
Jesus often warned that those who reject Him would face “weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 8:12, 22:13)—a vivid expression of deep anguish and regret. These warnings echoed the sounds that may have filled the valley itself, when it smoldered with the fires of human tragedy.
The Hinnom Valley After Jesus’ Ascension
Tragically, after Jesus’ resurrection and ascension, conquering death and Sheol, the Valley of Hinnom became associated once again with death and destruction. This fulfilled the prophet Jeremiah’s words that it would become the “Valley of Slaughter” (Jeremiah 19:6-7).
During the Roman siege of Jerusalem in 70 AD, corpses overwhelmed the city. The valley likely served as a burial site for many of the dead. The historian Josephus described the horrors of this time, writing that “the ground everywhere was covered with corpses, and the soldiers trampled over heaps of dead bodies” (The Wars of the Jews 5.12.3).
This tragic fulfillment reveals how physical locations often embody spiritual realities. As Jesus wept over Jerusalem, He lamented, “If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes” (Luke 19:42). In these words, He foresaw the devastation that would follow the city’s rejection of Him as the Messiah and their turning away from God’s plan for salvation.
The Hinnom Valley Today
Today, the Hinnom Valley is a peaceful park. Yet we can still walk through it and reflect on its violent past, a reminder of the natural outcome of rebellion. In life, our choices pave the path to Gehenna when they lead us away from God. Like the valley itself, we can walk straight into it of our own accord. As Proverbs 14:12 says, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.”
The Hinnom Valley invites us to pause and reflect on our own lives. Are we making sacrifices in the pursuit of provision, success, or control that God has not called us to make? These questions challenge us to examine our choices. Are we paving a path toward unnecessary pain, or are we drawing closer to the peace and hope found in walking with God?
Gehenna: From Outside the Old Jerusalem to Outside the New Jerusalem
Just as the Valley of Hinnom lies outside the walls of ancient Jerusalem, Revelation 22:15 echoes this imagery. It reads, “Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.” Just as Gehenna lay outside the city of Jerusalem, the final separation from God will be “outside” the new Jerusalem.
The Thief on the Cross and Paradise
Jesus, too, died after being hung on a cross outside the city walls. All four gospel emphasize this. Jesus’ death outside the city walls shows that He took our place, bore our shame, and made atonement for our sins.
Then, when Jesus spoke to the repentant thief on the cross, He made a remarkable promise: “Today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43). In Hebrew, the word “paradise” translates to Gan Eden—the Garden of Eden. It represents a place of divine peace, fulfillment, and unbroken fellowship with God. By using this term, Jesus revealed that Eden’s peace and intimacy were not just a distant memory. Through Him, they became a living reality, restored for those who believe.
Gan Eden: The Promise of Eternal Life
The Garden of Eden holds profound significance in both Jewish and Christian theology. It represents paradise, peace, and God’s original purpose for humanity—a place where heaven and earth met in perfect harmony. Yet Scripture also portrays Gan Eden as a real, tangible location on earth. It is a “garden of delight” rooted in history, pointing to the intimacy humanity once shared with God.
It’s important to note the distinction between Gan Eden and b’Shamayim, another Hebrew term often translated as “in heaven.” While Gan Eden refers to paradise—the place of peace and restoration—b’Shamayim describes the dwelling place of God, where His glory and sovereignty reside. Shamayim can also be translated as “sky”.
When Jesus taught His disciples to pray, “Our Father in heaven” (Matthew 6:9), He used b’Shamayim, reminding us that God reigns above all yet desires to bring His presence into the world.
Eden as a Physical Place
In Genesis, God plants the Garden of Eden “in the east” (Genesis 2:8). The rivers associated with Eden—the Pishon, Gihon, Tigris, and Euphrates—suggest a location near ancient Mesopotamia, possibly in modern-day Iraq. Some Jewish traditions also connect Eden to Mount Moriah, the site of the Temple in Jerusalem. This connection highlights Eden’s role as a sacred meeting place of heaven and earth.
While the exact location of Eden remains unknown, these interpretations remind us of its unique place in the biblical narrative as humanity’s first home.
Understanding Eden as a real place helps us grasp God’s original purpose for humanity—a life lived in unbroken fellowship with Him. Eden served as the meeting point of the divine and the earthly, reflecting the closeness between Creator and creation.
The Spiritual Loss of Eden and the Promise of a New Beginning
The accessibility of Eden before the Fall underscores the tragedy of Adam and Eve’s disobedience, which brought separation and exile. After being banished from the garden, they could no longer approach the Tree of Life, as cherubim and a flaming sword guarded its entrance (Genesis 3:24). This act of separation illustrates how sin created a barrier between humanity and God—one that no one could cross alone.
This separation, both physical and spiritual, pointed to humanity’s desperate need for redemption. The cherubim guarding Eden’s entrance became a lasting reminder that, while we can freely walk into Gehenna through our own rebellion, only God’s intervention can lead us back to the peace and unity of Eden.
The New Adam: Restoring What Was Lost in Eden
Adam’s failure in Eden brought death and separation from God, but Jesus, the “New Adam,” came to restore what was lost. As Paul writes, “For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive” (1 Corinthians 15:22). While Adam’s disobedience barred humanity from the Tree of Life, Jesus’ obedience opened the way back, offering the promise of eternal life.
Through His sacrifice, Jesus begins to restore the unity with God that was shattered in the garden. For those who follow Him, Eden’s promise is not just a future hope but a present reality, offering glimpses of peace, intimacy, and fellowship with God even as we await its ultimate fulfillment.
The Hope of a New Eden
In both Jewish and Christian thought, Eden represents the ultimate promise of God’s restored kingdom. The prophet Isaiah gives us a glimpse of this future, describing a time when “The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, The leopard shall lie down with the young goat… They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain” (Isaiah 11:6,9). This vision reflects the peace and harmony of Eden—a time when creation will once again live in perfect unity with God.
In Revelation, John shares a vision of the New Jerusalem, where the Tree of Life—once found only in Eden—stands at the center, accessible to all who dwell with God (Revelation 22:2). This restored Eden marks the culmination of God’s redemptive plan. It is a place where His people experience unbroken fellowship with Him, just as He intended from the beginning.
What These Places Teach Us Today
Sheol, Gehenna and Gan Eden each serve as markers on the journey of our faith. Through His teachings, Jesus revealed the significance of these places. He used them as tangible examples to call His listeners to a life of repentance, faith, and compassion. Gehenna warns us about the spiritual consequences of idolatry and rebellion, while Gan Eden offers a glimpse of the peace and fulfillment awaiting those who put their trust in Him. Sheol, once a realm of separation, becomes, through Jesus, a doorway to eternal life.
Every choice we make moves us either toward or away from the life God calls us to live, shaping the path of our faith. Let us walk in the light of eternity, turning away from the idols of this world and embracing the hope of resurrection. In Jesus, we find more than just a guide—we find the very path to our true destination: a life lived in the presence of God, both now and forever.
7 Hebrew Words Every Christian Should Know: Free PDF Download
With the use of the Hebrew language God revealed Himself to mankind. This ancient tongue held the greatest spiritual truths that guided our lives through the ages. And in each generation, they are discovered anew.
We know the Bible can be hard to understand and you want to get more out of it. Which is why we want to teach you seven Hebrew words that will transform the way you read the Bible.
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