Heaven and Hell, Are They Real? by Christopher D. Hudson
ISBN: 9781401680251
Paperback, 287 pages
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Retail: $12.99
About the book (from the back cover):
It can be said that the words "heaven" and "hell" are thrown around flippantly these days. It seems they have become part of our vernacular without much thought or concern about what they really mean.
The reality of heaven and hell is a much-debated topic, spurring countless conversations, books, and sermons. It's fashionable to have an opinion about the reality of heaven and hell, but what does the Bible really say? Heaven and Hell: Are They Real? discusses what Scripture really says about these mysterious places, giving you real, solid, reliable information. The book includes Scripture quotes that capture the current interest in the reality of heaven and hell, while offering readings on heaven and hell. Also included are quotes and insights from trusted authors including Billy Graham, Randy Alcorn, C. S. Lewis, and more. For the curious reader looking for more information on heaven and hell, Heaven & Hell: Are They Real? is the perfect choice.
Chris's mission is to help people read, understand, and apply the Bible. He has contributed to over fifty Bible projects, sixty study guides, and over a hundred books. Christopher grew up in Northern New Jersey, attended Eastern Christian High School, and Wheaton College where he met his wife.
In addition to writing and editing, Chris is passionate about softball and baseball and has coached athletic teams at the youth, high school, and college levels. He's a graduate from Wheaton College (IL) where he served as the Head Softball Coach between 2006-2012. Chris has been an active teacher in his church for nearly twenty years and lives outside Chicago with his wife and three children.
He is the owner of Hudson & Associates.
My thoughts:
There is much I do not know about both heaven and hell, and I do read the Bible. I'm very hesitant to read a man's works (or woman's) and "believe" their take on these two places. I am a skeptic. After living many years of just believing everything I was told (regardless of the topic), there came a point that I could hear or read but not fall into the thinking so easily. I don't think that is a bad trait to have. I am open-minded, but I'm not as naive as I once was.
As was mentioned in the "About this book," there are quotes from well-known people throughout the book. It borders on almost too much in my opinion. Some of the "well-known" individuals quoted in this book are:
There are a lot of Scriptures included in this book; each new question starts with a verse. A lot of the authors quoted also cite Scripture. The book goes through the areas of
Heaven:
Hell:
Bottom line? I really was not impressed with the amount of men's words included to describe and authenticate heaven and hell. No man has ever seen either of these places, and come back to tell it to others. What is in this book, besides what is quoted from Scripture, is purely speculation. Read the Bible and know that heaven and hell are both real but don't then put a human twist on it to make it what one wants it to be {or not to be}.
I would think that readers who are on the fence about whether or not heaven and hell are 'real' would find this book to be at least thought provoking. I do not see, however, how it makes it any more clear than God's Word itself.
***Disclaimer: I received this book free from BookLook Bloggers from Thomas Nelson for the sole purpose of an honest review. I am not obligated to write a positive review, but I am required to be honest and professional in my review. See Disclosure/Policies.***
- Billy Graham
- Randy Alcorn
- Joni Tada
- Dave Earley
- C. S. Lewis
- Tony Evans
- Hank Hanegraaff
- Mark Buchanan
- John McArthur
- and so many more
There are a lot of Scriptures included in this book; each new question starts with a verse. A lot of the authors quoted also cite Scripture. The book goes through the areas of
Heaven:
- The moments after death
- Life in heaven
- Descriptions of heaven
- Residents of heaven
- Looking forward to heaven
Hell:
- The reality of hell
- Hell as a choice
- Descriptions of hell
- Hell and the final judgment
- Challenges to the belief in hell
- How can the truth about hell affect our lives today?
Bottom line? I really was not impressed with the amount of men's words included to describe and authenticate heaven and hell. No man has ever seen either of these places, and come back to tell it to others. What is in this book, besides what is quoted from Scripture, is purely speculation. Read the Bible and know that heaven and hell are both real but don't then put a human twist on it to make it what one wants it to be {or not to be}.
I would think that readers who are on the fence about whether or not heaven and hell are 'real' would find this book to be at least thought provoking. I do not see, however, how it makes it any more clear than God's Word itself.
***Disclaimer: I received this book free from BookLook Bloggers from Thomas Nelson for the sole purpose of an honest review. I am not obligated to write a positive review, but I am required to be honest and professional in my review. See Disclosure/Policies.***
Hum... the answer is quite easy to know and understand. Read the bible in contest. Heaven of course is obviously real... Hell is not so obvious. If Jesus said once we die "Ecclesiastes 9:10 - Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do [it] with thy might; for [there is] no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest."and "Ecclesiastes 12:7 - Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it." Where does a literal hell fit into that?
ReplyDeleteHell is the common grave of mankind. A word used in the King James Version (as well as in the Catholic Douay Version and most older translations) to translate the Hebrew sheʼohl′ and the Greek hai′des. In the King James Version the word “hell” is rendered from sheʼohl′ 31 times and from hai′des 10 times. This version is not consistent, however, since sheʼohl′ is also translated 31 times “grave” and 3 times “pit.” In the Douay Version sheʼohl′ is rendered “hell” 64 times, “pit” once, and “death” once.