sec 5B 4 Sheol

 5.b.4 - Sheol

The Hebrew word, Sheol [#7585], is commonly derived from the idea of asking; from its asking for, demanding all, without distinction [Gesenius]. In a way, the idea of enlarging [expanding], in order to make room for all those who will one day enter into it, is like unto asking and then demanding all to enter. It is written:

Therefore hell [Sheol] hath enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure ...

Isaiah 5:14 KJV

However, Sheol [with an Aleph, #7585] obtains its root meaning from sh'owl [with an Ayin, #8168 & unused root], which means hollowness. From this idea follows hollow things, such as things burrowed out, like caverns, underground holes, and subterranean places.

Surely, the rich man was among other unjust, departed spirits, who were, and still are, bound in this subterranean prison. However, Lazarus was also in a hiding place for all the righteous departed spirits, and we have learned that Abraham's Bosom is also called Eden. What is not commonly taught is that Eden and Abraham's Bosom were simply called Sheol in ancient times. For, Sheol is a hiding place for all departed spirits, the just and the unjust. For, the common relationship between an underground cavern and a cavity [such as a chest cavity] is the idea of hollow places, which is the root of Sheol. For, it is the enlarged, hollow place, which, by making extra room, is calling all departed spirits into it. Thus, we have two distinct places called by the same name:

Abraham's Bosom: a hollow cavity, which is always refreshed and renewed by the inhaling and exhaling of the Living Waters of יהוה to comfort the just, departed spirits, also known as the good side of Sheol.

Hell: the bad side of Sheol; a hollow, subterranean holding place of torment, which is calling all unjust departed spirits into it.

Yah Yeshua revealed that a gulf was placed between the good and bad sides of Sheol. This gulf restricted and movement of all between both sides of Sheol.

The Patriarch, Jacob, knew about both sides of Sheol, because, when he thought his son, Joseph, had died, he knew that Joseph's spirit would be awaiting his arrival in the good side of Sheol. Therefore, Jacob meant to meet his son Joseph in the good side of Sheol. We can rest sure of this, because the patriarch was not bound for "Hell", that is the bad side of Sheol, and in the grave, there is no awareness of anything, not even of self

spirits of the righteous, who are awaiting the resurrection of their physical bodies. Yeshua explains that Lazarus is dwelling in the midst of these LIVING WATERS in the good side of Sheol / Eden / Paradise / Abraham's bosom, and is being comforted. Every righteous soul who enters into the LIVING WATERS of יהוה, and dwells there, is living in a place of happiness and delight, which is the definition of Eden and Paradise but is here referred to as simply "the waters".

Yeshua spoke, being by the thief on another cross, on the day of his crucifixion, as it is written:

And Yeshua said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.

Luke 23:43 [See note #33.]

It is revealed clearly in the Scriptures how Yeshua went to preach to the spirits in prison, then it reveals how this prison is Sheol:

For the Messiah also died one time, on behalf of your sins, the righteous on behalf of sinners, that he might bring you near to Elohym. And he died in the body, but lived in the spirit. And he preached to those souls who were bound in Sheol.

1 Peter 3:18-19, my translation

The body of Yeshua died while HIS SPIRIT, even Yah, remained alive in Sheol, while HE preached to the spirits imprisoned there. Then, after three days and three nights, Yah came up out of Sheol with the keys of death and hell. Yah then took back his physical body from the tomb, transforming it into a glorified body in the process. Then, Yah empowered others to also take back their physical bodies as it is written:

And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept, arose. And came out of the graves after his resurrection and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.

Matthew 27:52-53

For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle [temporary dwelling place] were dissolved, we have a building of Elohym, an house not made with hands eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our house which is from heaven: If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked. For we that are in this tabernacle [temporary dwelling place] do groan, being burdened: not that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon ; that mortality might be swallowed up of life. Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is Elohym, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit. Therefore we are always confident, knowing that whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord. (For we walk by faith, not by sight.) We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

2 Corinthians 5:1-8 [brackets mine, for clarification]

The Scriptures makes it plain that the body is the clothing of the created spirit of man. And on account of these witnesses, all believers can also be confident that while they remain in their earthly bodies, they are also absent from the Lord. However, their created spirit will stand before יהוה naked (without a body) in paradise, while they await the resurrection of their physical bodies, that is the unification of their resurrected bodies with their spirits.

Indeed the human spirit must return unto Elohym who created it [Ecclesiastes 12:7]. And this earthly tabernacle [hut, tent] must return unto the dust from which it came. But יהוה will reunite the dust with the spirit as he resurrects the dust from the grave, forming a glorified body, in which will dwell the created spirit.