Gehenna or Golgotha

Text: Mark 9:43-48.

Intro: Johnathan Edwards, “Every man flatters himself that he shall escape hell.”

there is no neutrality

you will be in one or the other

to explain this concept......

Gehenna

SW of Jerusalem

The word

γέεννα (12x) Gehenna, hell, Valley of Hinnom

The History

A place of child sacrifice, Jer. 7:31-32

Jeremiah 7:31–32 ESV

And they have built the high places of Topheth, which is in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire, which I did not command, nor did it come into my mind. Therefore, behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when it will no more be called Topheth, or the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, but the Valley of Slaughter; for they will bury in Topheth, because there is no room elsewhere.

A place of fiery punishment, Is. 30:33

Isaiah 30:33 ESV

For a burning place has long been prepared; indeed, for the king it is made ready, its pyre made deep and wide, with fire and wood in abundance; the breath of the Lord, like a stream of sulfur, kindles it.

a Place where dead bodies are, Is. 66:24

Isaiah 66:24 ESV

“And they shall go out and look on the dead bodies of the men who have rebelled against me. For their worm shall not die, their fire shall not be quenched, and they shall be an abhorrence to all flesh.”

Intertestamental history

it turned into a place related to eternal torment

Pseudepigrapha of the Old Testament 27

Then said I: ‘For what object is this blessed land, which is entirely filled with trees, and this accursed valley «between»?’ 2 «Then Uriel, one of the holy angels who was with me, answered and said: ‘This» accursed valley is for those who are accursed for ever: here shall all ‹the accursed› be gathered together who utter with their lips against the Lord unseemly words and of His glory speak hard things

Pseudepigrapha of the Old Testament 85

There there is the sentence of corruption,

The way of fire,

And the path which bringeth to Gehenna

The Revised Standard Version Chapter 7

Then the pit of torment shall appear, and opposite it shall be the place of rest; and the furnace of hell shall be disclosed, and opposite it the paradise of delight.

NT

The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church Gehenna

Kimchi (c. AD 1200) that fires were continually kept burning in the Valley of Hinnom has commonly been accepted by modern commentators; but it seems to be without earlier authority.

The Symbolic meaning

It is hell

Golgotha

N of Jerusalem

The Word

The history

Gen. 22 (Mt. Moriah)

2 Chron. 3:1.

2 Sam. 24.

Jesus

Luke 23:34 ESV

And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And they cast lots to divide his garments.

Luke 23:43 ESV

And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

John 19:30 ESV

When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

The symbolic meaning

Bringing it Together

All human beings are followers of one or the other. there is no middle ground.

Gehenna

Its god - Satan/self

Its Characteristics - Human depravity

as goes God, so goes a people.

Its Sacrifice - Children, marriage

JMac quote

Its Righteousness - self

Romans 1:32.

Golgotha

Its God - Yahweh

Its Characteristics - Thanksgiving/ Obedience

It’s Sacrifice - God’s Son

It’s Righteousness - Imputed

Romans 4:5 ESV

And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness,

Comparing the two

Golgotha is a hill, Gehenna is a valley

Gehenna brings you low, Golgotha lifts you up

Gehenna is a place where garbage is burned, Golgotha is a place where crimes are punished

Gehenna takes you further from God, Golgotha brings you closer

Both are just on the other side of jerusalem, where you choose.