A. Hades different from hell

1. King James Version mistranslates "Hades" as hell in every passage which confuses some
2. Hades will be thrown into the lake of fire (or hell) proving they are distinct: Rev 20:14
3. Temporary receptacle of dead awaiting resurrection and judgement: Rev 20:13-15
4. Temporary holding place of devil and demons: Rev 17:8
5. hell is not temporary

B. Hades and related words: GREEK EITHER "UNSEEN" OR "ALL RECEIVING"

1. Hades used 10X: Mt 11:23; 16:18; Lk 10:15; 16:23; Ax 2:27,31; Rev 1:18; 6:8; 20:13,14
2. Equivalent to Greek, "tartarus" used only in 2 Pe 2:4
3. Equivalent to Hebrew "sheol" Ps 16:10 + Ax 2:27
4. Equivalent to Abyss: Gr: "bottomless" Rom 10:7 + Deut 30:13 (abyss=sea); Lk 8:31; Rev 20:1-3
5. Equivalent to Paradise: Oriental origin denoting parks and gardens: Lk 23:43

C. Hades is not Catholic "Purgatory"

1. Purgatory: Latin, "purge, cleanse" Purpose: to purify and restore a person
2. Catholics believe that the lost, unbelievers and non-Catholics go straight to hell. Most Catholics, however will not go straight to heaven, but to purgatory first.
3. A place and state of temporary punishment in which the souls suffers for a time proportional to the amount of sin committed. After they have paid for their sins through suffering and their soul is cleansed, they may then enter heaven.

D> Descriptions of Hades

1. Described as a prison: 1 Pe 3:19
2. Eternal bonds under darkness: Jude 6
3. Bottomless pits of darkness 2 Pe 2:4 (Note: tartarus is used, not Hades or gehenna); Lk 8:31
4. A place of punishment until judgment day: 2 Pe 2:9
5. "brought down to" Lk 10:15
6. "torment" Lk 16:23
7. place of fire: Lk 16; smoke of a great furnace: Rev 9:1-2

E. Hades before and after the cross

1. Before cross righteous and unrighteous went to Hades at death: Lk 16:19-31
• David did not ascend into heaven when he died: Ax 2:34
• Christ did not ascend into heaven during his three days after death: Ax 2:27-31
2. After cross only the unrighteous go to Hades, righteous go directly to heaven
• Heaven is where Christ now is: Heb 9:11,24
• "prefer to be absent from body and to be at home with the Lord" 2 Cor 5:6-8
• "desire to depart and be with Christ is better" Phil 1:21-24
3. Christians while in body are "in heavenlies"
• "saved and raised us up and seated us with Christ in heavenlies Christ" Eph 2:5
• If in heaven while in body, so much more so after death
4. There is a solid theological basis for this change in the destiny of the righteous dead after cross
• Abraham did not literally and actually have forgiveness of sins until Christ's blood was shed
• Although Abraham would eventually be saved, he literally died with all his sins unforgiven
• Sin separates God and man: Isa 59:1-2
• All pre-cross righteous could not enter the presence of God until Christ paid the price.
• After cross, the price has been paid, we can enter the presence of God.