Peace to you!
I do have to respond to something that was said in reference to me, however:
[
Replying to post 108 by onewithhim]
She says that people who have died are CONSCIOUS in Sheol or "under the altar" in heaven.
"She" says no such thing.
"She" has said on numerous occasions that the dead are conscious of nothing. The spirit of a person (the man we are on the inside; our personality, our emotions; etc) sleeps in death, but does not cease to exist.
Hence, my Lord describes them as sleeping, as having fallen asleep.
The spirit of a person; the man we truly are on the 'inside' continues to exist, but is sleeping. Either in sheol (the world of the dead) ... OR ... "under the altar" (where Stephen's spirit went when he asked his Lord to receive his spirit). The spirit of a person is sleeping; conscious of nothing.
Except in the presence of the Life (Christ - who is the SOURCE of life). At which time the spirit might awaken somewhat, briefly, so as to hear Him speak; and then return to sleep.
**
Sheol is the world of the dead, not a physical grave/tomb in the literal ground. I even quoted earlier (post 92) the description of a lowest part of Sheol.
For a fire is kindled in My anger, And burns to the lowest part of Sheol, And consumes the earth with its yield, And sets on fire the foundations of the mountains. Deuteronomy 32:22
https://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/le ... 8482&t=KJV
**
The NWT renders Sheol at Deuteronomy 32:22 as Grave. I don't think you realize it, but your translators are doing the same thing that others have done with regard to the word, 'hell': translating Sheol according to what they
think Sheol IS.
The following is the explanation of the NWT for rendering Sheol as Grave:
Glossary Term
Grave.
When lowercased, referring to an individual grave; when capitalized, the common grave of mankind, equivalent to the Hebrew “Sheol� and the Greek “Hades.�
Just a quick note:
There is no upper case and lower case in the original text. The translators may just explaining how they do their own
personal translating, but it should be noted that they did not make their decision to capitalize "Grave" or not based upon the original text; they made their decision based upon their personal interpretation of what Sheol IS.
Because there is an entirely different word that is used to reference a physical grave/tomb.
qĕbuwrah
https://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/le ... 6900&t=KJV
So it is not Sheol that is being rendered as Grave (when capitalized) and grave (when not capitalized).
Continuing their explanation:
It is described in the Bible as a symbolic place or condition wherein all activity and consciousness cease.​—Ge 47:30; Ec 9:10; Ac 2:31.
Please list the verses in the Bible that describe Sheol as a symbolic place or condition.
Because the verses listed as support of their explanation do NO SUCH THING. But one would first have to LOOK UP those verses to see that none of them support that idea.
For example:
Genesis 47:30
This does not use the word Sheol at all, and so is making no reference at all to Sheol. Genesis 47:30 uses the word qĕbuwrah and is referencing a physical grave/tomb.
From the NWT:
When I die,* you must carry me out of Egypt and bury me in the grave (qĕbuwrah) of my forefathers.�
https://www.blueletterbible.org/kjv/gen ... conc_47030
QÄ•buwrah is the word used for a physical grave (and there can be more than one person in that grave - as many were entombed in caves, together, such as Abraham and Sarah; indeed, Jacob is asking to be buried in the grave of his forefathers).
Ec 9:10
Whatever your hand finds to do, do with all your might, for there is no work nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom in the Grave,*+ where you are going.
Grave has been rendered from the word Sheol, here.
https://www.blueletterbible.org/kjv/ecc ... onc_668010
BUT there is nothing in this verse to support the claim that this is a symbolic place or condition.
Indeed, in Sheol,
the world of the dead, there
is no work nor planning, etc... because those IN Sheol are conscious of nothing. Note also that Sheol is described in this verse as "
where 'you'
are going.
A place.
Ac 2:31
he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that neither was he forsaken in the Grave* nor did his flesh see corruption. - NWT
Grave is again rendered from Hades (the greek equivalent of Sheol).
https://www.blueletterbible.org/kjv/act ... nc_1020031
But once again NOTHING in the passage supports the idea that Hades is a symbolic place or condition.
Indeed, Christ was not forsaken in Sheol, the world of the dead.
Peace to you all, and to your loved ones,
your servant and a slave of Christ,
tammy
