The Roman poet Horace first wrote about the urgency for Carpe Diem, seize the day in Latin. While a realist will say, “we will all end up in the same place, six feet under the ground,” it’s what you make with your time in the living years that matters. As Judah privately speaks with the governor of Egypt, he pleads with Joseph not to hold Benjamin as a slave or else his father Jacob will die.
And if you take this son also from me, and harm or accident should befall him, you will bring down my gray hairs with sorrow and evil to Sheol (the place of the dead). 30 Now therefore, when I come to your servant my father and the lad is not with us, since his life is bound up in the lad’s life and his soul knit with the lad’s soul, Genesis 44:29-30.
Sheol is a Hebrew term which refers to a place of still darkness which lies after death. From a literal perspective, it’s a subterranean underworld where the souls of the dead go. The New Testament Greek equivalent to sheol is hades. Hades is also known as the place of the dead. Meanwhile, purgatory is often referred to the place where undetermined souls go for a period of time.
Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol (the place of the dead), where you are going, Ecclesiastes 9:10.
The concept of Sheol dates back to the days of Moses. Subsequently, as Moses reflects upon the life of Joseph, his brothers are very aware of this spiritual term. The subject of death tends to be a touchy topic today. While the eternal destination of heaven is often assumed at most funerals, this is not consistent with Matthew 7:13-14. If Jesus suggests more souls will end up in hell, perhaps Sheol should be considered more in the living years so that your reservation is confirmed, 1 John 5:13.
by Jay Mankus
ExpressYourself4Him 