Articles, Bible Questions and Discipleship Guides

Diane asks, "Do Christians and non-Christians go to Sheol after death?"

No, Christians and non-Christians do not go to Sheol. Only non-Christians go there. 

There are two words in the Bible that refer to the same place. "Hades" in the New Testament is the same place as "Sheol" in the Old Testament. Hades is the Greek word and Sheol is the Hebrew word.

Prior to the resurrection of Jesus, people went to Sheol, or the "place of the dead" when they died. When Jesus was resurrected, he brought with Him all of the Old Testament saints, leaving only the unbelievers in Sheol. 

Now, when we think of Sheol or Hades, these words refer to the place where the souls of unbelievers are staying as they await their summons to the Great White Throne. Everyone who dies as an unbeliever goes to Hades/Sheol. It is a temporary place of torment for those who have rejected God.

In Revelation 20:12-13, we learn that all of the occupants of Sheol/Hades are summoned to stand before God at the Great White Throne. John tells us that, just as the bodies of all believers will be resurrected and given a glorified, immortal body, the bodies of all the unbelievers will be resurrected. Their souls are released from Sheol/Hades and are reunited with their resurrected bodies. They will stand before God in judgment. The result of that judgment will be an eternal sentence in hell.

But to clarify once again, Christians do not go to Sheol/Hades.

Learn More:

Understanding Sheol

The Hebrew word Sheol appears 65 times in the Old Testament, and it refers to the abode of the dead or the place where the deceased go after death. Sheol is often translated as 'grave,' 'hell,' or 'pit' in the English Standard Version (ESV) of the Bible. However, these translations may not fully capture the meaning of Sheol as it was understood in ancient Hebrew culture.  

In the Old Testament, Sheol is depicted as a dark and gloomy place, where both the righteous and the wicked go after death. There is no distinction between the two, and all share the same fate (Ecclesiastes 9:10). Sheol is described as a place of silence, inactivity, and unconsciousness (Psalm 88:12, 115:17).  

Furthermore, Sheol is often envisioned as an underworld, a realm characterized by shadows and obscurity. It is also referred to by other names such as ABADDON or Destruction, emphasizing its nature as a desolate and forgotten place. In the cultural context of the Pentateuch, phrases like 'to be gathered to one's people' or 'to go to one's fathers' frequently occur, illustrating the communal aspect of entering Sheol, where tribes and families are perceived to reunite.  

This land of darkness, described as 'the land of darkness and the shadow of death,' is a true abode of death where the wonders of God are unknown and unremembered. It is a 'land of forgetfulness,' devoid of praise or remembrance of God. The overwhelming stillness and lack of activity render it not only a place of dread and horror for the living but paradoxically, it may appear as a realm of rest or sleep to the weary and troubled souls seeking solace from life's tribulations.  

Thus, Sheol in ancient Hebrew culture is not merely a physical location but a profound representation of death's finality and the existential separation from the living world."

Do Christians Go to Sheol?

In the New Testament, the concept of Sheol evolves, and different terms are used to describe the afterlife. The Greek word Hades is often used as a parallel term for Sheol in the Septuagint, which is the Greek translation of the Old Testament. 

Jesus himself spoke of the afterlife, using terms such as Gehenna (Matthew 5:22, 29-30) and Paradise (Luke 23:43). In the New Testament, the concept of the afterlife becomes more nuanced, with different destinations for the righteous and the wicked. Jesus' teachings about the afterlife emphasize that the righteous will experience eternal life in God's presence, while the wicked will face eternal punishment (Matthew 25:31-46).

The apostle Paul also speaks of the afterlife in his letters, describing the hope of resurrection for believers in Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:12-57). He further elaborates on the concept of the intermediate state, where the souls of believers are said to be with Christ after death (2 Corinthians 5:6-8, Philippians 1:23). This suggests that the idea of Sheol as a common place for both the righteous and wicked has changed since the resurrection of Jesus. When Jesus rose from the dead, he took with him all of the Old Testament saints. They are now with Him in paradise, as are all believers who have died since the resurrection. 

Based on the teachings of Jesus and the apostle Paul, Christians can find assurance that they will not go to Sheol as it is understood in the Old Testament. Rather, they will experience eternal life in God's presence through faith in Jesus Christ.

How is Sheol related to the concept of immortality in the Old Testament?

In the Old Testament, Sheol is intricately connected to notions of immortality primarily through its depiction as a contrast to eternal life or the hopeful restoration to life with God. The Old Testament presents death, and subsequently Sheol, as consequences of human sin and thus as unnatural and undesirable states. This realm of the dead, where spirits reside, is not the ultimate hope or end for the faithful. The scriptures instead offer glimpses of hope that believers will be rescued from Sheol. This deliverance is tantamount to being brought back to life in the blissful presence of God.

Key passages such as Job 14:13-15 and Psalms 49:15 hint at an expected redemption from Sheol, affirming the anticipation of a resurrection to a renewed life. The faithful are portrayed as awaiting not an eternal sojourn in the gloomy depths of Sheol but a joyful resurrection where they will dwell with God. This expectation reflects a nascent eschatology in the Old Testament, which sees death not as the final word but as a phase preceding eventual resurrection and immortality in God's presence. This emerging view of resurrection in the Old Testament is a cornerstone in the development of the concept of immortality, distinguishing between mere survival in Sheol and true eternal life with God.

In conclusion, Sheol is an ancient Hebrew concept representing the abode of the dead in the Old Testament. While it initially encompassed both the righteous and wicked, the New Testament provides a more nuanced understanding of the afterlife, with distinct destinations for believers and non-believers. Consequently, Christians who place their faith in Jesus Christ have the assurance of eternal life in God's presence, instead of the darkness and silence of Sheol as described in the Old Testament.