The Hereafter - Sheol, Hades, and Hell, the World to Come, and the Scripture Doctrine of Retribution According to Law #231703

Many years ago, I preached a sermon on future punishment, which some intelligent friends, whose judgment I could trust, said was worthy of a wider public. This led to a more careful and critical examination of all the passages bearing upon the subject in the New Testament. Then the question arose: What does the Old Testament teach concerning the "last things"? Upon full inquiry, I was surprised and pleased to find that - contrary to the general opinion - it contained so many clear and strong references to the future life. This in turn led to the inquiry: What was the Jewish belief on this subject during the four hundred years between the Old Testament and the New? And the Apocrypha was studied as the witness of current thought and opinion - the human side of the subject. And, lastly, another question presented itself, viz.: What were the beliefs of the most ancient peoples of the world, so far as history and archæology can tell, as to eschatology? This opened a wide and fruitful field for research. With fuller knowledge from this extended inquiry, I retraced my steps, and re-read the Old Testament, the Apocrypha, and the New Testament; and revised all I had written in the clearer light I had obtained.