[Darris McNeely] You're looking at an artist rendition of what is being called on the internet reporting sites the Gate of Hell. This is an archeological site in southwest Turkey today that has uncovered a spot that has been mentioned in ancient Greek literature by Plato and Strabo and other ancient Greeks as the literal portal into the underworld, into hell. And they're calling it "Gates of Hell". And they've uncovered this spot. There are noxious fumes that still to this day come up out of this hole in the ground and if a bird flies through it, the birds fall to the ground and die. So this was what gave rise to the idea that this was the gateway into hell in the ancient world and it's receiving some interest on the internet the last few days. It's interesting. Once again it brings up peoples' idea of what hell is, whether it is an actual, literal place in the middle of the Earth where it's a place of restraint, whatever it might be, even sometimes as people humorously refer to the life itself as a kind of a hell. There's enough on this Earth already. One of the comments that was left on the internet site said that, "My girlfriend's closet is the gate of hell." So, a little humor, but it makes a point and yet what the Bible says is the most important point.

[Steve Myers] Well, it is. And it is a reminder how most of the ideas about hell and peoples' concept really comes from wrong beliefs. It comes from pagans. It comes from Dante's writings, things that are extra-biblical. They're not found in the Bible, and in fact when you look at what the Bible says about it, we know most oftentimes when it refers to hades or hell it's talking about the grave. There's also another word that's used for hell that's referred to here in Luke 12:5. Here Christ Himself is saying, "Fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell." He says, "Yes, I say to you fear Him." And of course that's talking about a gehenna fire. And there will be a hell fire that's going to burn up the wicked, but not in the concept that they're going to be cast and tortured forever.

[Darris McNeely] Not an ever burning…

[Steve Myers] Yeah, that's not a biblical concept. So I think this whole idea coming up, this archeological find, reminds us look into the truth. What does the Bible really say about it?

[Darris McNeely] Understand that. All of this is rather interesting. And we hope certainly that your life is a little bit more peaceful and not a "hell on earth" in that sense. But understanding the truth about life after death, what happens at death, and the life of the resurrection post death is what's really important in understanding this truth about hell is extremely valuable.

[Steve Myers] That's BT Daily. We'll see you next time.