Sheol In The Law

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Whichever is the case, some scholars take Sheol in these biblical texts as hyperbolic superlative, not meant literally. Sheol in the Law (A Destiny for the godly and ungodly) The first occurrence of the term “Sheol” is in Gen. 37:35. The Law of First Mentioned in biblical interpretation stresses that this message merits particular attention. This law states that in order to get the fundamental inherent meaning of a doctrine that develops over time, (example like Sheol), it is importance to study the passage it was first mentioned. The passage states “Then all his sons and all his daughters arose to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted. And he said, ‘Surely I will go down to Sheol in mourning for my son.’ So his father wept for him” (Gen. 37:35, NASB). Out of Jacob’s deep grief, the earliest conception of the word “Sheol” arose. What could Jacob really mean that “surely I will …show more content…

23:9; Isa. 14:19). But instead, Jacob chose to use Sheol. Sheol is mentioned as “somewhere”, “an unknown state”, a “place” where Jacob believes for “sure” that his son was in a “conscious state of awareness.” Bodies are unconscious in the grave, but those in Sheol are conscious. It is also clear that he still spoke of Joseph (although dead) as a personality, someone who is in the state of being and he will reunite with him. Besides, Jacob believes that even after Joseph’s death, he still retains his relationship as a father and his son’s identity when he reunites with his son. Knowing his son was torn into pieces by a wild beast he still believes that his son was in Sheol. This means that unlike the grave, Sheol is not localized, but it is accessible at death no matter where the death takes place. In other words, no grave is necessary to go to Sheol. A person could own, sell, or purchase a grave as in Gen. 23:4-20, but nowhere is Sheol ever owned, sold or

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