Question about Heaven and Hell

[tellville]

It seems to me that a lot of us take the descriptions of Heaven to be symbolic (there won't actually be streets of gold) but the descriptions of Hell to be literal (there will be flames). I'm just curious as to why this is? Why couldn't the descriptions of Hell also be symbolic?

Just to clarify: I am not denying Hell, nor am I trying to downplay the horror which it is. Scripture is very clear that there is a Hell and that it is a place that will be horrible. I'm just curious if there is a double standard in how we interpret the texts that deal with each reality and if there isn't a double standard what makes there descriptions different?

* I guess you could put the question the other way and ask why we don't take the heaven texts literally but it seems to me that heaven talk is very symbolic. But maybe I am wrong about that.

 

[Wannabee]

As one with a tendency towards literalism,

 

[tellville]

<bump>

 

[Zenas]

I wasn't aware that the descriptions of Heaven were taken symbolicaly. I take them literally.

-One who firmly thinks there will be streets of gold.

 

[ColdSilverMoon]

It seems to me that a lot of us take the descriptions of Heaven to be symbolic (there won't actually be streets of gold) but the descriptions of Hell to be literal (there will be flames). I'm just curious as to why this is? Why couldn't the descriptions of Hell also be symbolic?

Just to clarify: I am not denying Hell, nor am I trying to downplay the horror which it is. Scripture is very clear that there is a Hell and that it is a place that will be horrible. I'm just curious if there is a double standard in how we interpret the texts that deal with each reality and if there isn't a double standard what makes there descriptions different?

* I guess you could put the question the other way and ask why we don't take the heaven texts literally but it seems to me that heaven talk is very symbolic. But maybe I am wrong about that.

Probably because we want to imagine heaven, our future home, as a place even more wonderful than can be described in human terms. Yet when it comes to hell, we don't dare imagine there could be anything worse than a literal lake of fire. So yes, I do believe there is a double standard to a certain extent...

 

[live4Him]

I think hell is going to be so horrible that there are not words to accurately describe it. The description we have of hell in the bible describes it to be eternal suffering where there is fire, worm doesn't die, torments, etc. This may not be literal. But either way hell will be horrible where God's pours His wrath on the sinner for all eternity. I think the same applies for heaven.

 

[Backwoods Presbyterian]

I wasn't aware that the descriptions of Heaven were taken symbolically. I take them literally.

-One who firmly thinks there will be streets of gold.

 

[Vytautas]

Ames takes the reference to gnawing worms to be symbolic of a terrified conscience.

 

[staythecourse]

My heart warms to the images in Revelation. There is going to be some massive oysters somewhere in some ocean....

And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; each one of the gates was a single pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass

I want to see transparent gold!

 

[Puritan Sailor]

With both heaven and hell, there are multiple images given in Scripture, especially the Gospels and Revelation. I don't think any one picture contains the fullness of heaven or hell, hence the multiple pictures. The pictures are intended to provoke meditation. So when considering all that, don't focus so much on the details of any one particular picture, but try to step back and take in the whole view that the multiple pictures give you. For heaven it is a beautiful thought. For Hell, it is dreadful. There is more than words can describe for both places.

 

[jwithnell]

I think there may be some symbolism involved because we are physical creatures and physical terms are used to help us gain understanding. Important for this discussion is the realization that heaven is not our final destination -- we look forward to a new earth which will very much be a physical place, one that we are much more likely to understand. In either case, our delight will be a perfect worship of Christ. No amount of gold could measure up to that!