Annihilationism

[Butch5]

But this assumes that there’s a literal fire. That’s unlikely. Most likely the fire is simply a picture of destruction (or punishment if that’s your approach). But I can imagine being thrown into the outer darkness to perish just as easily as being thrown into the fire to perish. The question is whether your hell is hot or cold.

I believe it is actual fire. It's Gehenna.

22 For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the LORD, so shall your seed and your name remain.
23 And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the LORD.
24 And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh. (Isa. 66:22-24 KJV)

Jesus quotes this passage and calls it Gehenna

 

[Butch5]

Have you considered you don't comprehend what you're arguing about....

Mark 9:42-441599 Geneva Bible (GNV)
42 And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones, that believe in me, it were better for him rather, that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were cast into the sea.

43 Wherefore if thine hand cause thee to offend, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life, maimed, than having two hands, to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched,

44 Where their worm dieth not, and the fire never goeth out.

You should do your research on forest fires that block out light totally then perhaps you'll comprehend where there's fire there's much blinding smoke.

Please do your homework and here's something to get you started......https://www.google.com/search?q=forest+fire+black+out+from+smoke&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8

I'm quite familiar with what I'm talking about. That fire gives off light is common knowledge.

 

[BornAgainChristian1]

I'm quite familiar with what I'm talking about. That fire gives off light is common knowledge.

But you refuse to admit it also gives off blinding smoke.....why is that?

 

[Butch5]

But you refuse to admit it also gives off blinding smoke.....why is that?

Of course fire gives off smoke. But, that doesn't have any bearing on fire giving off light. Even when there is smoke it reflects the light of the fire.

 

[ClothedInGrace]

But you refuse to admit it also gives off blinding smoke.....why is that?

Smoke only occurs when something is burned up. If there is smoke rising from the lake of fire to make it "outer darkness," then we must assume that something is being burned up. A resurrected body, perhaps? What happens when it is all converted into smoke? Does it keep remaking itself?

 

[ewq1938]

Your argument is blockish and without thought. Thank you for making my point that you don't comprehend what you're reading in the bible.

That's a sad retort to what I posted. It doesn't even begin to challenge anything. It is merely an empty ad hominem based attack.

 

[ewq1938]

Of course fire gives off smoke. But, that doesn't have any bearing on fire giving off light. Even when there is smoke it reflects the light of the fire.

We have to remember this isn't normal fire as we know it. There isn't going to be smoke etc. Those are just parts of the metaphor to help simple man understand the basic concept that something is being destroyed. The use of fire is the closest medium man knew of to make the comparison.

 

[JacksBratt]

I will give one of the reasons that I believe that the wages of sin is death and not eternal torture in hell.

The Bible specifically states in Romans 6:23 that the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

That settles the question right there. There is no possibility that the wages of sin is to be tortured by God for all eternity.

The problem here is that as humans we always associate death as it is related to human death. This human death is the end of human existence. For this reason we assume that the death spoke of in "the wages of sin is death" is an end to consciousness. However, this death is the second death, a spiritual death. Not an end to your consciousness but an end to any contact with God.

You know what they say "born once, die twice. Born twice, die once"

 

[Der Alte]

Smoke only occurs when something is burned up. If there is smoke rising from the lake of fire to make it "outer darkness," then we must assume that something is being burned up. A resurrected body, perhaps? What happens when it is all converted into smoke? Does it keep remaking itself?

Making assumptions is dangerous. The burning bush that Moses saw was not burned up. Shadrach, Meschach and Abednego were not burned up when they were thrown into a furnace heated many times higher than normal, so hot that the soldiers that threw them into the furnace were burned to death. When it suits God's purpose He can cause fire not to destroy.

 

[ewq1938]

The problem here is that as humans we always associate death as it is related to human death. This human death is the end of human existence. For this reason we assume that the death spoke of in "the wages of sin is death" is an end to consciousness. However, this death is the second death, a spiritual death. Not an end to your consciousness but an end to any contact with God.

They already had no contact with God. The second death is death of body soul and spirit rather than just the death of the body like the first death.

 

[BornAgainChristian1]

That's a sad retort to what I posted. It doesn't even begin to challenge anything. It is merely an empty ad hominem based attack.

Yes I believe I struck a nerve. And no it wasn't an ad hominem attack but I called you out on your misinformation and you can take however you see fit.

 

[ewq1938]

Yes I believe I struck a nerve. And no it wasn't an ad hominem attack but I called you out on your misinformation and you can take however you see fit.

No, you just attacked me personally because you couldn't refute what was posted. It's typical for someone full of opinions, not on facts.

 

[BornAgainChristian1]

No, you just attacked me personally because you couldn't refute what was posted. It's typical for someone full of opinions, not on facts.

The fact is I've refuted everything you've said and here you are still expressing your opinion when I already rebuked your misinformation. How many times must I give scripture to demonstrate your opinion doesn't change God's word regardless of your opinion on it?

 

[Job8]

Why is the lake of fire called the second death if the wicked do not die, but are eternally alive and suffering in the fire?

Death is NEVER extinction, therefore the Lake of Fire is called the Second Death. As already explained (and probably ignored) death is simply separation. Life ceases on earth when the soul and spirit are separated from the body. But souls and spirits continue to exist. In the Second Death (which is eternal separation from God) body, soul, and spirit are all cast into the Lake of Fire after the Resurrection unto Damnation. Why would there be a Resurrection unto Damnation if evaporation (annihilation) was to be the end result? Why have a Great White Throne Judgement? Why cast the Devil, the Beast, and the False Prophet into Hell if annihilation is the end result? Why even create an eternal Lake of Fire? Do you see how ludicrous Annihilationism is?

 

[Der Alte]

I understand where you are coming from because I once believed those same things. The problem with ECT is that it requires the belief in things that are not biblical: the immortality of the soul and that the wicked will live forever.
Why is the lake of fire called the second death if the wicked do not die, but are eternally alive and suffering in the fire? The Bible teaches that the wages of sin is death, and so it makes sense that those found guilty before God would be dealt that punishment, and that God's justice would be satisfied. However, justice can never really be satisfied in ECT, because the punishment will never be fully met.
Yes, the Bible speaks of eternal fire, eternal punishment, and smoke that ascends forever, but those things can be interpreted differently than ECT if you dig a little deeper. What cannot be interpreted differently, however, is the Biblical teaching that death is the final punishment for sin, and that the dead are not consciously living in some ethereal form.
Psalms 146:3-4
Do not trust in princes, In mortal man, in whom there is no salvation. His spirit departs, he returns to the earth; In that very day his thoughts perish.
Matthew 3:12
"His winnowing fork is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clear His threshing floor; and He will gather His wheat into the barn, but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire."
Romans 6:23
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Chaff is part of the wheat, not a separate plant. Chaff is separated from the wheat and thrown away or burned because it is not useful. Rom 6:23 is one out-of-context proof text. What this proof text does not say is "the wages of sin is death, resurrection, judgment, then a second death." Let us review these verses.

Romans 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
.
Hebrews 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: ​

.
All mankind has sinned and all mankind is appointed to death. That satisfies Rom 6:23.

Revelation 20:14

Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire.

Death is the point in time end of life it has no physical presence and cannot be literally thrown anywhere. Hades could refer to the grave or a place of punishment. Neither death nor hell has or could die a first death therefore they cannot die a second death. There is a death and hell in scripture both of which can be thrown into the lake of fire.

Revelation 6:8 And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth. ​

The angel of death and demon of hell, two living beings, can be thrown into the LOF and their power to kill ended. But neither of these has died a first death so they cannot die a second death.

The Bible uses strong and everlasting language for the fires of Hell for the very reason that it will be the final punishment and the end of evil. There is no end to evil, however, if the wicked will live forever in flames that never consume them.
Psalms 37:20

But the wicked will perish; And the enemies of the LORD will be like the glory of the pastures, They vanish-- like smoke they vanish away.

Can those thrown into the LOF continue to do/work evil? If not then there is an end to evil.
Psalm 37:20 is another out-of-context proof text which does not prove what you think it does. The context of the Psalm is what God does to Israel's enemies in this life not man's eternal fate.

Psalm 37:1-2 A Psalm of David. Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity.
2 For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb. ​

Cut down like grass and wither like green herbs is not annihilation.

Psalm 37:9 For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the earth. ​

Cut off like green grass, wither like green plants, see vs. 2

Psalm 37:10 For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be. ​

Israel cannot see into eternity. They can only see that their enemies are no longer around to attack them.

Psalm 37:14-15 The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy, and to slay such as be of upright conversation.
15 Their sword shall enter into their own heart, and their bows shall be broken.​

Israel's enemies attack them but their bows are broken and they are pieced with their own swords. That is not annihilation.

Psalm 37:17 For the arms of the wicked shall be broken: but the LORD upholdeth the righteous.​

The arms of Israel's enemies are broken, that is not annihilation.

Psalm 37:22 For such as be blessed of him shall inherit the earth; and they that be cursed of him shall be cut off. ​

Israel's enemies are cut down like grass and wither like green plants, see vs. 2. That is not annihilation.

Psalm 37:36 Yet he passed away, and, lo, he was not: yea, I sought him, but he could not be found.
Psalm 37:38 But the transgressors shall be destroyed together: the end of the wicked shall be cut off.​

Israel cannot see into eternity. They can only see that their enemies are no longer around to attack them. Their enemies are cut down like grass and wither like green plants, see vs. 2, that is not annihilation.

 

[Der Alte]

The lake of fire passages, in context.

Rev 2:11 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.

Rev 20:6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

Rev 19:20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.​

And 1000 years later, the beast and the false prophet, who is a person, are still in the lake of fire.

Rev 20:10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

Rev 20:14-15 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

Rev 21:8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.​

The lake of fire [LOF] is called “the second death” twice in Rev. vss. 20:14 and 21:8. While this is true, Rev. never says that anyone is thrown into the LOF then they die. The terms the “lake of fire” and “ the second death” are interchangeable, “the lake of fire” is “the second death” and the “second death” is “he lake of fire,” thus we can see that it is not synonymous with death or destruction.
.....We also know that being thrown into the LOF is not synonymous with death from Rev 19:20, where the beast and the false prophet, who is a person, are thrown into the LOF and 1000 years later in 20:10 the devil, is thrown into the LOF. Three living beings, are thrown into the LOF but they do not die, they are tormented day and night for ever and ever. There is not one verse in Revelation which says anyone or anything is thrown into the LOF then they/it dies.
.....Rev 20:14 says death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. Death is the point in time end of life, it has no physical presence and cannot be literally thrown anywhere but there is a scriptural answer which does not involve jumping through hoops mixing literal and figurative in one sentence, there is a death and hell which can be thrown into the LOF.

Rev 6:8 And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.​

The angel of death and the demon of hell are thrown into the LOF and their power to kill ended.

 

[ClothedInGrace]

Death is NEVER extinction, therefore the Lake of Fire is called the Second Death. As already explained (and probably ignored) death is simply separation. Life ceases on earth when the soul and spirit are separated from the body. But souls and spirits continue to exist. In the Second Death (which is eternal separation from God) body, soul, and spirit are all cast into the Lake of Fire after the Resurrection unto Damnation. Why would there be a Resurrection unto Damnation if evaporation (annihilation) was to be the end result? Why have a Great White Throne Judgement? Why cast the Devil, the Beast, and the False Prophet into Hell if annihilation is the end result? Why even create an eternal Lake of Fire? Do you see how ludicrous Annihilationism is?

So the opposite of life is separation? You don't believe things actually stop living; to you, nothing can truly die--it can only live someplace else. Isn't that similar to what the serpent was teaching? Why is there a resurrection only to be damned and destroyed? Because unbelievers must be judged by God for their own personal sin: we only die in this life because we were supposed to have died in Adam. Why a Great White Throne Judgement? Uhh, for judgement? Why cast the devil, beast, and false prophet into Hell if they die? Uhh, so they and their evil can stop existing? Why create an eternal lake of fire? Eternal in what sense? Do I see how ludicrous my beliefs are? No, but ECT is quite ludicrous if you ask me.

 

[Der Alte]

I see these passages about the worm not dying posted to try to prove ECT. The worm refers to maggots. What does that have to do with people? I'm actually in another discussion about "outer darkness." Where do you see an indication that "outer darkenss" is "Hell" and that it is eternal conscious torment?

The Jews, in Israel before and during the time of Jesus believed in a place of eternal, unending, fiery torment and they called it both Gehinnom/Gehenna and Sheol. When Jesus taught about,

• "Eternal punishment, Mt 25:46"
• "the fire of hell where the fire is not quenched and the worm does not die, Mk 9:43-48" and
• "cast into a fiery furnace where there will be wailing and gnashing of teeth,” Mt 13:42, 50
• “better for him [a person who offends a little one] that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea. Mt 18:6
• “it had been good for him [the one who betrays Jesus] if he had not been born.” Mat 26:24​

These teachings reaffirmed and sanctioned the existing Jewish view of eternal hell. In Matt. 18:6, 26:24, see above, Jesus teaches that there is a fate worse than death or nonexistence. A fate worse than death is also mentioned in Heb 10:28-31.

Heb 10:28 He that despised Moses' law died without mercy
under two or three witnesses:
29 Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?
30 For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people.
31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.​

Jesus used the word death 17 times in the gospels and if He wanted to say eternal death in Matt 25:46, that is what He would have said but He said “eternal punishment.” The Sadducees did not believe in the resurrection, they knew that everybody died, young, old, good, bad, and knew that it was permanent. When Jesus taught “eternal punishment” they would not have understood it as death, it would have meant something worse to them.
…..Jesus knew what the Jews, believed about hell. If the Jews were wrong, when Jesus taught about man’s eternal fate, such as eternal punishment, He would have corrected them. Jesus did not correct them, thus their teaching on hell was correct. Here is historical evidence to support this.

Jewish Encyclopedia, Gehenna
The place where children were sacrificed to the god Moloch was originally in the "valley of the son of Hinnom," to the south of Jerusalem (Josh. xv. 8, passim; II Kings xxiii. 10; Jer. ii. 23; vii. 31-32; xix. 6, 13-14). For this reason the valley was deemed to be accursed, and "Gehenna" therefore soon became a figurative equivalent for "hell." Hell, like paradise, was created by God (Sotah 22a); [Note, this is according to the ancient Jews, long before the Christian era, NOT the bias of Christian translators.]
It is assumed in general that sinners go to hell immediately after their death. The famous teacher Johanan b. Zakkai wept before his death because he did not know whether he would go to paradise or to hell (Ber. 28b). The pious go to paradise, and sinners to hell (B.M. 83b).
But as regards the heretics, etc., and Jeroboam, Nebat's son, hell shall pass away, but they shall not pass away" (R. H. 17a; comp. Shab. 33b). All that descend into Gehenna shall come up again, with the exception of three classes of men: those who have committed adultery, or shamed their neighbors, or vilified them (B. M. 58b).[/i]
As mentioned above, heretics and the Roman oppressors go to Gehenna, and the same fate awaits the Persians, the oppressors of the Babylonian Jews (Ber. 8b). When Nebuchadnezzar descended into hell, [Sheol] all its inhabitants were afraid that he was coming to rule over them (Shab. 149a; comp. Isa. xiv. 9-10). The Book of Enoch also says that it is chiefly the heathen who are to be cast into the fiery pool on the Day of Judgment (x. 6, xci. 9, et al). "The Lord, the Almighty, will punish them on the Day of Judgment by putting fire and worms into their flesh, so that they cry out with pain unto all eternity" (Judith xvi. 17). The sinners in Gehenna will be filled with pain when God puts back the souls into the dead bodies on the Day of Judgment, according to Isa. xxxiii. 11 (Sanh. 108b).
Link:Jewish Encyclopedia Online
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Talmud -Tractate Rosh Hashanah Chapter 1.
The school of Hillel says: . . . but as for Minim, [follower of Jesus] informers and disbelievers, who deny the Torah, or Resurrection, or separate themselves from the congregation, or who inspire their fellowmen with dread of them, or who sin and cause others to sin, as did Jeroboam the son of Nebat and his followers, they all descend to Gehenna, and are judged there from generation to generation, as it is said [Isa. lxvi. 24]: "And they shall go forth and look upon the carcases of the men who have transgressed against Me; for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched." Even when Gehenna will be destroyed, they will not be consumed, as it is written [Psalms, xlix. 15]: "And their forms wasteth away in the nether world," which the sages comment upon to mean that their forms shall endure even when the grave is no more. Concerning them Hannah says [I Sam. ii. 10]: "The adversaries of the Lord shall be broken to pieces."

Link:Tract Rosh Hashana: Chapter I.
The traditional explanation that a burning rubbish heap in the Valley of Hinnom south of Jerusalem gave rise to the idea of a fiery Gehenna of judgment is attributed to Rabbi David Kimhi's commentary on Psalm 27:13 (ca. A.D. 1200). He maintained that in this loathsome valley fires were kept burning perpetually to consume the filth and cadavers thrown into it. However, Strack and Billerbeck state that there is neither archaeological nor literary evidence in support of this claim, in either the earlier intertestamental or the later rabbinic sources (Hermann L. Strack and Paul Billerbeck, Kommentar zum Neuen Testament aus Talmud and Midrasch, 5 vols. [Munich: Beck, 1922-56], 4:2:1030). Also a more recent author holds a similar view (Lloyd R. Bailey, "Gehenna: The Topography of Hell," Biblical Archeologist 49 [1986]: 189.

Source, Bibliotheca Sacra / July–September 1992
http://faculty.gordon.edu/hu/bi/ted...Articles/BSac-NT/Scharen-GenenaSyn-Pt1-BS.htm​

Note there is no “archaeological nor literary evidence in support of this claim, [that Gehenna was ever used as a garbage dump] in either the earlier intertestamental or the later rabbinic sources” If Gehenna was ever used as a garbage dump there should be broken pottery, tools, utensils, bones, etc. but there is no such evidence.

“Gehenna is presented as diametrically opposed to ‘life’: it is better to enter life than to go to Gehenna. . .It is common practice, both in scholarly and less technical works, to associate the description of Gehenna with the supposedly contemporary garbage dump in the valley of Hinnom. This association often leads scholars to emphasize the destructive aspects of the judgment here depicted: fire burns until the object is completely consumed. Two particular problems may be noted in connection with this approach. First, there is no convincing evidence in the primary sources for the existence of a fiery rubbish dump in this location (in any case, a thorough investigation would be appreciated). Secondly, the significant background to this passage more probably lies in Jesus’ allusion to Isaiah 66:24.”

(“The Duration of Divine Judgment in the New Testament” in The Reader Must Understand edited by K. Brower and M. W. Ellion, p. 223, emphasis mine)
G. R. Beasley-Murray in Jesus and the Kingdom of God:

“Ge-Hinnom (Aramaic Ge-hinnam, hence the Greek Geenna), ‘The Valley of Hinnom,’ lay south of Jerusalem, immediately outside its walls. The notion, still referred to by some commentators, that the city’s rubbish was burned in this valley, has no further basis than a statement by the Jewish scholar Kimchi (sic) made about A.D. 1200; it is not attested in any ancient source.” (p. 376n.92)

http://www.btdf.org/forums/topic/20113-the-burning-garbage-dump-of-gehenna-is-a-myth/
​

 

[ClothedInGrace]

Making assumptions is dangerous. The burning bush that Moses saw was not burned up. Shadrach, Meschach and Abednego were not burned up when they were thrown into a furnace heated many times higher than normal, so hot that the soldiers that threw them into the furnace were burned to death. When it suits God's purpose He can cause fire not to destroy.

So you are basically saying that in the same way those who know God are not burned up those who don't know God will not be burned up either? Doesn't the Bible teach the wicked will be burned up like chaff?

Matthew 3:12
"His winnowing fork is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clear His threshing floor; and He will gather His wheat into the barn, but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire."

Also, I don't think there was any smoke in those cases. But in the lake of fire? Smoke. A lot.

Only things being burned up smoke.

 

[Butch5]

The Jews, in Israel before and during the time of Jesus believed in a place of eternal, unending, fiery torment and they called it both Gehinnom/Gehenna and Sheol. When Jesus taught about,

• "Eternal punishment, Mt 25:46"
• "the fire of hell where the fire is not quenched and the worm does not die, Mk 9:43-48" and
• "cast into a fiery furnace where there will be wailing and gnashing of teeth,” Mt 13:42, 50
• “better for him [a person who offends a little one] that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea. Mt 18:6
• “it had been good for him [the one who betrays Jesus] if he had not been born.” Mat 26:24​

These teachings reaffirmed and sanctioned the existing Jewish view of eternal hell. In Matt. 18:6, 26:24, see above, Jesus teaches that there is a fate worse than death or nonexistence. A fate worse than death is also mentioned in Heb 10:28-31.

Heb 10:28 He that despised Moses' law died without mercy
under two or three witnesses:
29 Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?
30 For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people.
31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.​

Jesus used the word death 17 times in the gospels and if He wanted to say eternal death in Matt 25:46, that is what He would have said but He said “eternal punishment.” The Sadducees did not believe in the resurrection, they knew that everybody died, young, old, good, bad, and knew that it was permanent. When Jesus taught “eternal punishment” they would not have understood it as death, it would have meant something worse to them.
…..Jesus knew what the Jews, believed about hell. If the Jews were wrong, when Jesus taught about man’s eternal fate, such as eternal punishment, He would have corrected them. Jesus did not correct them, thus their teaching on hell was correct. Here is historical evidence to support this.

Jewish Encyclopedia, Gehenna
The place where children were sacrificed to the god Moloch was originally in the "valley of the son of Hinnom," to the south of Jerusalem (Josh. xv. 8, passim; II Kings xxiii. 10; Jer. ii. 23; vii. 31-32; xix. 6, 13-14). For this reason the valley was deemed to be accursed, and "Gehenna" therefore soon became a figurative equivalent for "hell." Hell, like paradise, was created by God (Sotah 22a); [Note, this is according to the ancient Jews, long before the Christian era, NOT the bias of Christian translators.]
It is assumed in general that sinners go to hell immediately after their death. The famous teacher Johanan b. Zakkai wept before his death because he did not know whether he would go to paradise or to hell (Ber. 28b). The pious go to paradise, and sinners to hell (B.M. 83b).
But as regards the heretics, etc., and Jeroboam, Nebat's son, hell shall pass away, but they shall not pass away" (R. H. 17a; comp. Shab. 33b). All that descend into Gehenna shall come up again, with the exception of three classes of men: those who have committed adultery, or shamed their neighbors, or vilified them (B. M. 58b).[/i]
As mentioned above, heretics and the Roman oppressors go to Gehenna, and the same fate awaits the Persians, the oppressors of the Babylonian Jews (Ber. 8b). When Nebuchadnezzar descended into hell, [Sheol] all its inhabitants were afraid that he was coming to rule over them (Shab. 149a; comp. Isa. xiv. 9-10). The Book of Enoch also says that it is chiefly the heathen who are to be cast into the fiery pool on the Day of Judgment (x. 6, xci. 9, et al). "The Lord, the Almighty, will punish them on the Day of Judgment by putting fire and worms into their flesh, so that they cry out with pain unto all eternity" (Judith xvi. 17). The sinners in Gehenna will be filled with pain when God puts back the souls into the dead bodies on the Day of Judgment, according to Isa. xxxiii. 11 (Sanh. 108b).
Link:Jewish Encyclopedia Online
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Talmud -Tractate Rosh Hashanah Chapter 1.
The school of Hillel says: . . . but as for Minim, [follower of Jesus] informers and disbelievers, who deny the Torah, or Resurrection, or separate themselves from the congregation, or who inspire their fellowmen with dread of them, or who sin and cause others to sin, as did Jeroboam the son of Nebat and his followers, they all descend to Gehenna, and are judged there from generation to generation, as it is said [Isa. lxvi. 24]: "And they shall go forth and look upon the carcases of the men who have transgressed against Me; for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched." Even when Gehenna will be destroyed, they will not be consumed, as it is written [Psalms, xlix. 15]: "And their forms wasteth away in the nether world," which the sages comment upon to mean that their forms shall endure even when the grave is no more. Concerning them Hannah says [I Sam. ii. 10]: "The adversaries of the Lord shall be broken to pieces."

Link:Tract Rosh Hashana: Chapter I.
The traditional explanation that a burning rubbish heap in the Valley of Hinnom south of Jerusalem gave rise to the idea of a fiery Gehenna of judgment is attributed to Rabbi David Kimhi's commentary on Psalm 27:13 (ca. A.D. 1200). He maintained that in this loathsome valley fires were kept burning perpetually to consume the filth and cadavers thrown into it. However, Strack and Billerbeck state that there is neither archaeological nor literary evidence in support of this claim, in either the earlier intertestamental or the later rabbinic sources (Hermann L. Strack and Paul Billerbeck, Kommentar zum Neuen Testament aus Talmud and Midrasch, 5 vols. [Munich: Beck, 1922-56], 4:2:1030). Also a more recent author holds a similar view (Lloyd R. Bailey, "Gehenna: The Topography of Hell," Biblical Archeologist 49 [1986]: 189.

Source, Bibliotheca Sacra / July–September 1992
http://faculty.gordon.edu/hu/bi/ted...Articles/BSac-NT/Scharen-GenenaSyn-Pt1-BS.htm​

Note there is no “archaeological nor literary evidence in support of this claim, [that Gehenna was ever used as a garbage dump] in either the earlier intertestamental or the later rabbinic sources” If Gehenna was ever used as a garbage dump there should be broken pottery, tools, utensils, bones, etc. but there is no such evidence.

“Gehenna is presented as diametrically opposed to ‘life’: it is better to enter life than to go to Gehenna. . .It is common practice, both in scholarly and less technical works, to associate the description of Gehenna with the supposedly contemporary garbage dump in the valley of Hinnom. This association often leads scholars to emphasize the destructive aspects of the judgment here depicted: fire burns until the object is completely consumed. Two particular problems may be noted in connection with this approach. First, there is no convincing evidence in the primary sources for the existence of a fiery rubbish dump in this location (in any case, a thorough investigation would be appreciated). Secondly, the significant background to this passage more probably lies in Jesus’ allusion to Isaiah 66:24.”

(“The Duration of Divine Judgment in the New Testament” in The Reader Must Understand edited by K. Brower and M. W. Ellion, p. 223, emphasis mine)
G. R. Beasley-Murray in Jesus and the Kingdom of God:

“Ge-Hinnom (Aramaic Ge-hinnam, hence the Greek Geenna), ‘The Valley of Hinnom,’ lay south of Jerusalem, immediately outside its walls. The notion, still referred to by some commentators, that the city’s rubbish was burned in this valley, has no further basis than a statement by the Jewish scholar Kimchi (sic) made about A.D. 1200; it is not attested in any ancient source.” (p. 376n.92)

http://www.btdf.org/forums/topic/20113-the-burning-garbage-dump-of-gehenna-is-a-myth/
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8 For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit: but the Pharisees confess both. (Acts 23:8 KJV)

14 And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.
15 Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not.
16 For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised:
17 And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.
18 Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.
(1 Cor. 15:14-18 KJV)

It seems the Scriptures indicate that the Sadducees didn't believe in an afterlife. Also according to Paul if there is no resurrection then those who had died in Christ had perished. He doesn't indicate that they are alive somewhere.