an actual place of punishment, but it is clear that it is only used (even in reference to the righteous) when they are faced with some unhappy situation, which they interpret as divine judgment. Furthermore, a slight change occurred in how Sheol is presented in the prophets. There, it is often associated with prophetic judgments, punishment and suffering for the wicked. As the OT closes and we move to the NT, the term Sheol disappears, and a new term “Hell” is introduced. What had happened to Sheol will be the focus of the next section. Part II: The Development of Hell: What happened to Sheol?
The Rise of Apocalyptic Literature during Second Temple period
Apocalyptic, from the Greek word apokalupsis meaning “revelation” or disclosure is an adjective that has been used to describe both a certain type of literature and a special feature of religions in late antiquity. Thus, apocalyptic literature is a broad theological perspective that deals with visions of the future as they relate to Israel and the sovereignty of God. How those visions translate into terms of plain history, real politics and human …show more content…
The Jews were suffering much affliction and could no longer bear it. In 167 BC, a rebellion started by a rural Jewish priest named Mattathias who led a guerrilla warfare that later continued under his son Judas, known as Maccabeus. The Maccabees forces destroyed pagan altars, outlawed all decrees against Jewish practices and gained notoriety among the Seleucid army. When they had finally gained victory, Judas dedicated the temple to the worship of God on 25 Chislev 165 BC. As Fudge would say “Such times reveal apostates and make martyrs. They spawned a special type of literature known today as ‘apocalyptic’. This literature located the believer in a minority community and gave his life meaning by relating it to the end, soon to come, that would reverse his present
The Rise of Apocalyptic Literature during Second Temple period
Apocalyptic, from the Greek word apokalupsis meaning “revelation” or disclosure is an adjective that has been used to describe both a certain type of literature and a special feature of religions in late antiquity. Thus, apocalyptic literature is a broad theological perspective that deals with visions of the future as they relate to Israel and the sovereignty of God. How those visions translate into terms of plain history, real politics and human …show more content…
The Jews were suffering much affliction and could no longer bear it. In 167 BC, a rebellion started by a rural Jewish priest named Mattathias who led a guerrilla warfare that later continued under his son Judas, known as Maccabeus. The Maccabees forces destroyed pagan altars, outlawed all decrees against Jewish practices and gained notoriety among the Seleucid army. When they had finally gained victory, Judas dedicated the temple to the worship of God on 25 Chislev 165 BC. As Fudge would say “Such times reveal apostates and make martyrs. They spawned a special type of literature known today as ‘apocalyptic’. This literature located the believer in a minority community and gave his life meaning by relating it to the end, soon to come, that would reverse his present