Did God create the realm known as hell?

Definition and Terminology

The realm commonly referred to as “hell” in English encompasses several biblical terms: “Sheol” (Hebrew), “Hades” (Greek), and “Gehenna” (Greek). While Sheol and Hades often signify the abode of the dead or the grave, Gehenna is more directly associated with the place of final judgment. Scripture indicates that “hell” or the “lake of fire” is ultimately the location of everlasting punishment (Revelation 20:14–15). Built on a foundation that all creation—visible and invisible—originates from God (Genesis 1:1; Colossians 1:16), hell is not an independent or co-eternal force but rather a created realm under God’s sovereign rule.

Created for a Specific Purpose

According to Matthew 25:41, Christ speaks of “the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.” This concise statement clarifies that the realm of final punishment had a deliberate origin: it was established for the judgment of those angelic beings who rebelled against God (cf. Jude 1:6). Because God alone is Creator of all that exists, He is also the One who set the boundaries of this place of punishment. Although humans were not its original occupants, Scripture teaches that unrepentant humanity shares in the destiny of that place when they deliberately reject God’s offer of salvation in Christ (John 3:36).

Sheol, Hades, and Gehenna

1. Sheol: In the Old Testament, Sheol is described as the realm of the dead (Psalm 16:10) where all, righteous and unrighteous alike, go upon physical death. Archaeological discoveries and ancient Near Eastern writings reveal that Israel’s neighboring cultures had concepts of an underworld. Yet the Hebrew Scriptures consistently depict God’s authority extending there as well (Psalm 139:8).

2. Hades: In the Greek New Testament, Hades parallels Sheol. Though referencing the grave or unseen realm, Hades is portrayed as a temporary holding place before final judgment (Revelation 20:13).

3. Gehenna: Jesus’ words concerning “Gehenna” (Matthew 5:22, 29–30) center on permanent judgment. The name derives from the Valley of Hinnom, a location south of Jerusalem where refuse and sometimes dead bodies were burned. Archaeological investigations of this valley confirm its historical use for burning trash. Jesus used it as a vivid illustration of ultimate, unending punishment for sin.

God’s Sovereignty and Justice

Hell’s existence is intertwined with God’s nature as both merciful and just. The Biblical narrative testifies that divine holiness necessitates the confrontation of sin. While many ancient religious texts present lesser deities vying with evil powers, Scripture affirms Yahweh alone is Creator over all realms (Nehemiah 9:6). There is no place or dimension outside His sovereignty. As 2 Peter 2:4 describes, even when angels sinned, “God did not spare them but cast them into hell [Greek: Tartarus].” This establishes that God’s justice operates unimpeded in any realm He has created.

Why Hell Was Necessary

1. Consequence of Evil: In the biblical worldview, moral and spiritual evil are not abstract concepts but real acts of rebellion against God. Romans 6:23 observes, “the wages of sin is death,” pointing to eternal separation from the Author of life. Hell represents the final outworking of this separation.

2. Preservation of Righteousness: Scripture underscores that unrepentant wickedness cannot endure in God’s holy presence (Habakkuk 1:13). By design, hell functions to quarantine evil, preventing it from defiling the new creation that believers look forward to (Revelation 21:27).

3. Demonstration of Divine Justice: Biblical accounts, such as the historical judgments on Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 19), offer archaeologically supported details of cosmic justice. Those ancient sites bear geological and historical evidence of destruction by intense heat and fire, corresponding to the biblical portrayal of punishment for flagrant sin. Hell is the ultimate expression of that same divine justice.

Hell and Human Free Will

Scripture teaches that God sets before every person life or death (Deuteronomy 30:19). The realm of hell, while created originally for fallen angels, becomes the destination for those who reject God’s grace in Christ (John 3:18). God's respect for human volition is demonstrated in allowing people to choose or refuse salvation (John 1:12). The repeated biblical calls to repentance (Luke 13:3) highlight God’s desire that none should perish but come to eternal life. Nevertheless, when humans persist in rejecting God, they freely choose the consequence that was not originally theirs (Ezekiel 33:11).

Eternality and Nature of Hell

1. Eternal Duration: Jesus emphasizes its everlasting nature: “These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life” (Matthew 25:46). The parallel structure equates the duration of punishment with that of life, placing both outcomes in the same timeframe.

2. Metaphors and Imagery: Hell is described variously as “fire” (Mark 9:43), “outer darkness” (Matthew 8:12), and a “lake of fire” (Revelation 20:14). The intense language conveys the seriousness and severity of eternal estrangement from God, even if the exact nature of that experience surpasses human depiction.

3. Moral Accountability: Philosophically, the consistent biblical explanation upholds that moral agents are answerable to their Creator. Modern behavioral and psychological analyses confirm that actions have consequences—shaped by free will and responsibility. The biblical teaching on hell aligns with the concept of ultimate moral accountability.

Confirmations from Biblical Manuscript Evidence

Textual scholars and historians note that references to hell—whether Sheol, Hades, Gehenna, or the lake of fire—run consistently through the earliest manuscripts. Papyrus fragments like P66 and P75 contain references to eternal judgment in the Gospels, and early lectionaries preserve passages such as Luke 16 (the rich man and Lazarus) across centuries. The manuscript tradition testifies that this teaching was neither a late insertion nor a distortion but core to the apostolic faith.

Archaeological and Historical Corroborations

1. The Valley of Hinnom (Gehenna): Excavations in and around the valley have unearthed evidence of extensive burning and refuse disposal, consistent with scriptural references and later Jewish rabbinic descriptions that connect Gehenna with divine judgment.

2. The Dead Sea Area: Studies of ancient sites near the Dead Sea, such as Bab edh-Dhra (thought by some to be among the remains of Sodom or Gomorrah), reveal cataclysmic destruction by fire, echoing the biblical narrative (Genesis 19). Such ancient events act as foreshadows of an ultimate judgment.

Resurrection and Salvation from Hell

Scripture grounds moral urgency in the resurrection of Jesus Christ, which underscores the reality of eternal life and judgment (1 Corinthians 15:12–20). This event, evidenced by eyewitness testimony recorded in sources like 1 Corinthians 15:3–8, indicates the power and authority of Christ to save believers from eternal punishment (Romans 5:9–10). The bodily resurrection of Jesus, investigated by scholars and defended by historical criteria, serves as the assurance that death—and by extension, hell—will not prevail over those who follow Christ (1 Corinthians 15:54–57).

Conclusion

From the earliest pages of Genesis to the final chapters of Revelation, Scripture consistently credits God with sovereign creation over every realm. While full comprehension of the nature of hell remains beyond human experience, the Bible affirms that it is the holy and just Creator alone who authoritatively established it for a specific purpose: addressing rebellion and upholding righteousness. Hell is depicted as originally prepared for the devil and his angels, yet it also awaits those who refuse redemption in Christ.

Neither unintentional nor arbitrary, this doctrine underscores God’s holiness, justice, and mercy. Though God created hell, He invites humanity to embrace salvation, turning from sin to receive the eternal life made possible through Jesus Christ’s resurrection. As the Berean Standard Bible states: “For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thessalonians 5:9).