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How big is heaven? Answer The word for “heaven” in the Old Testament is the Hebrew word shameh or shamayim, which refers to the sky, the lofty arch above the world where clouds move, and beyond that the place where the planets and stars exist. In the New Testament, the word heaven is a...

Why will the nations need healing in the New Jerusalem? Answer One of God’s promises concerning the eternal state is that the nations of the world will have healing. The question comes up, though, as to why exactly healing is needed. Isn’t the New Jerusalem a place of perfection already? The...

What does it mean that the dead know nothing (Ecclesiastes 9:5)? Answer Ecclesiastes 9:5 reads, “For the living know that they will die, / but the dead know nothing; / they have no further reward, / and even their name is forgotten.” This verse is sometimes used as a proof text for...

What sort of condolences should a Christian give someone who is hurting after the death of a loved one? Answer Losing someone we love is one of the most painful experiences of life. When someone we care about suffers such a loss, it can be frustrating to know how to help. Many times we do...

What is conditional immortality? Answer Please note, as a ministry, GotQuestions.org rejects conditional immortality / conditionalism / annihilationism. We truly and fully believe that hell will be eternal conscious punishment for all who die without faith in Jesus Christ. However, we believe...

What is hadephobia? Answer The word hadephobia is derived from two Greek words, Hades (“hell” or “the underworld”) and phobos (“fear”). Thus, hadephobia is “the fear of hell.” In one sense, hadephobia, also called stygiophobia, is normal and natural. Hell is a scary place. Jesus described it...

Will we experience time in heaven? Answer Benjamin Franklin reminded us that time is “the Stuff Life is made of” (Poor Richard’s Almanack, 1746). Our earthly existence is marked by time. We “waste” it and “spend” it and “save” it; we have “time on our hands,” or we “make up for lost time”; we...

What kind of bodies will people have in hell? Answer The Bible indicates that both believers and non-believers will have resurrected bodies on the last day (Daniel 12:1–2). Those going to hell will be eternally separated from God. That’s the “second death”—being cast into the lake of fire to be...

Will there be tears in heaven? Answer The Bible never specifically mentions tears in heaven. Jesus speaks of the rejoicing that takes place in heaven when one sinner repents (Luke 15:7, 10). The Bible says that, even now, those who believe in Jesus Christ “are filled with an inexpressible and...

What is the verse about casting our crowns before the feet of Jesus? Answer Revelation 4:10–11 is part of the vision Jesus gave John. In this scene of heaven, we see that “the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay...

What is Gehenna? Answer The word gehenna is the Greek transliteration of the Hebrew ge-hinnom, meaning “Valley of [the sons of] Hinnom.” This valley south of Jerusalem was where some of the ancient Israelites “passed children through the fire” (sacrificed their children) to the Canaanite god...

What does hell look like? Answer We cannot know exactly what hell looks like or how hot it will be. But Scripture does use some descriptive language of hell, and that gives us an idea of what hell will be like. It is sure to be a place of torment, which the Bible often pictures as fiery. For...

How can we store up treasures in heaven? Answer Jesus told us to “store up for yourselves treasures in heaven” (Matthew 6:20). He linked this command to the desire of our hearts: “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21; see also verses 10–20). The Bible...

What are the heavenly places/realms? Answer The phrase “heavenly places” or “heavenly realms” is used several times in the book of Ephesians (1:3, 20; 2:6; 3:10; 6:12). This phrase is translated from the Greek word epouranios, meaning “the sphere of spiritual activities.” “Heavenly realms” can...

Is the idea of seven heavens / the seventh heaven biblical? Answer People sometimes use the idiom seventh heaven to refer to an experience of great joy, ecstasy, or pleasurable contentment. The expression itself implies that there are seven heavens or seven levels of heaven, a teaching found...

What is the worm that will not die in Mark 9:48? Answer Jerusalem’s ancient garbage dump—a place called Gehenna—was illustrative of the ceaseless agonies of hell. This dump was on the south side of Jerusalem. In Old Testament times, children had been sacrificed to idols there (2 Kings 23:10)...

Did God create hell? Answer Hell is a place of suffering originally prepared by God for the devil and his angels (Matthew 18:9; 25:41). The words Hades (Greek) and Sheol (Hebrew) are sometimes associated with hell. However, Hades/Sheol is simply the place or realm where the spirits of people go...

Is Satan the master of hell? Answer There is a common misconception that Satan is in charge of hell and that he and his demons live there and use their pitchforks to torment souls for eternity. This concept has no basis in Scripture whatsoever. In fact, Satan will be one of the tormented in the...

What does it mean that hell is eternal separation from God? Answer The Bible is clear that there are two possible destinations for every human soul following physical death: heaven or hell (Matthew 25:34, 41, 46; Luke 16:22–23). Only the righteous inherit eternal life, and the only way to be...