The second major picture of Hell is the one used most often by Jesus Himself: “Gehenna”. Although it is often rendered “Hell” in translations of the New Testament, the Greek word Jesus used specifically refers to “The Valley of Hinnom,” a place outside Jerusalem with a history that makes it a graphic picture of corruption and God’s judgment.
It was in Gehenna where perverse Israelites worshiped Molech by burning their children in sacrifice. It was in Gehenna where an invading Assyrian army was defeated and burned with God’s judgment. It was Gehenna that Jeremiah called “the Valley of Slaughter”, filled with the dead because of God’s judgment of sin. Jesus described it as a place “where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.”
In this picture we again we see the aspect of fire, with the added elements of moral filth and corruption that stand in contrast to Heaven, where there is nothing that defiles.
Continue to last picture of Hell: Outer Darkness
Return to summary of pictures of Heaven and Hell.
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References for the foregoing:
Gehenna, Valley of Hinnom, Valley of Slaughter, Tophet.
(Mt 5:21-22, 29-30, 10:28, 18:8-9, 23:15, 33, Mk 9:43-48, Lk 12:4-5)
Place where children were passed through the fire to Molech (2Chr 28:3, 33:6, Jer 32:35; 2Ki 23:10)
Topheth is "the place of burning" where the Assyrian king would be defeated, judged, burned with God’s judgment (Is 30:30-33)
Valley of Slaughter, filled with dead because of God’s judgment of sin (Jer 7:30-34, 19:1-15)
Place where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched (Mk 9:43-48)
Probably the place outside the Dung Gate for dumping refuse and burning the dung of the offerings—Lev 16:27, Mal 2:3)
Contrast with Heaven, where there is nothing that defiles (Rev 21:27, 22:14-15; compare Jer 7:31-34 to Is 65:17-25)
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