Beliefs about the Afterlife (LXXXXV)

This chapter will be the conclusion of this long series on the afterlife and life in eternity. Like the apostle said "now of the things we have spoken this is the sum" (Heb. 8: 1) or as the wise king Solomon said "let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter" (Eccl. 12: 13), so we now say. Over the previous ninety four chapters we have given what the bible says about the afterlife and about life in the eternal ages to come. We first looked at what is called "the intermediate state," the place where those who have died go in spirit. We looked at the meaning of the Hebrew concept of "sheol" and of the three new testament words translated as "hell," which are Hades, Gehenna, and Tartarus. We looked at the state and condition of people who occupy those places. We also looked at what the bible says about the next age, the age that will last exactly one thousand years, and of the new heavens and earth and about what life will be like for those who inherit it. 

We also addressed some of the thousands of questions that people have about the afterlife and about life in the ages to come. We also spoke of how there are so many questions that are not so easily answered and how in these there is some "speculative theology." 

I have enjoyed doing this series. It helped me to fine tune my own beliefs. It involved a lot of research, time, and energy and I can only hope that it will be of some help to others who perchance will read some or all of these chapters. I am sorry that I got so few comments on these chapters, either publicly or privately, even though the statistics show that many people read the chapters, some more than others. All writers want feedback, especially what may be called "constructive criticism." 

I don't know how many such series I will be doing in the future, seeing my age and health problems are what they are. I have written many such series over the past sixteen years and each of them could be put into book form (whether e-book or otherwise). I think I will be doing more single postings or short series on topics and texts. 

Heaven, the new heavens and earth, the New Jerusalem, Paradise, will be all joy and pleasure. No more death, no more pain and suffering, no more worry and stress. Glorious things to contemplate!