BOOK REVIEW

Reviewer: CARL STUART.

REVELATIONS ABOUT HEAVEN AND HELL: A COMPILATION OF VISIONS AS DESCRIBED BY THE HEBREW PROPHETS AND THE ANCIENT HOLY SAGES.

Compiled and Edited By Antony Kagiri.

The concepts and/or the descriptions of both Heaven and Hell have puzzled humanity since antiquity. Many non-Hebrew saintly mystics and ordinary individuals have tried to give explicit descriptions of Heaven and Hell, but they all have been unable to accurately describe these eternal abodes in their entirety. Therefore many people have at one time or another asked themselves the following 5 questions concerning these heavenly and netherworld abodes:

1.     What is heaven? What is hell? 

2.     Where is heaven? Where is hell?

3.     What happens is heaven? What happens in hell?

4.     Why do people go to hell? Why do people go to heaven?

5.     Who goes to hell? Who goes to heaven?

Let’s start with hell. Hell is translated as Gehennom in Hebrew. It is considered as a place of damnation for the souls that committed sins during their earthly lifetimes. In Judaism, the concept of reincarnation (Gilgulim in Hebrew) alludes to the fact that each one of us has several lifetimes on earth; and not one as the other two major monotheistic religions (Christianity and Islam) explicitly state. Failure of a soul to rectify its sins in this earth leads to it being punished by being cast into Gehennom.

In this book, both heaven and hell are described as they were perceived by the saintly Hebrew prophets, mystics, Tzaddikim and sages. As such, the author has compiled the descriptions of Gehennom from Orthodox and authentic Hebrew writings, traditions, texts and legends.

Unlike popular belief that Hell is an abyss of fire, in this book, the reader will be startled to find out that there are several compartments in Hell, each different from the  other and unique in its dimensions and operations. Several examples from the book will illustrate this point quite clearly:

“Moses went then to another place. There the sinners were lying on their faces; and he saw two thousand scorpions swarming over them and stinging them and torturing them, and the sinners cried bitterly. Each scorpion has 70,000 mouths, and each mouth 70,000 stings, and each sting has 70,000 vesicles filled with poison and venom, and with these are the sinners imbued and thus are they tortured; and their eyes are sunk in their sockets for fear and dread, and their cry: "Woe unto us, for our sins, and for the day of judgment."”

“Nine different kinds of fires are in Hell, one devours and absorbs, another absorbs and does not devour, while another again neither devours nor absorbs. There is further fire devouring fire. There are coals big as mountains and coals big as hills, and coals huge like unto the Dead Sea and coals like huge stones.

There are rivers of pitch and sulphur flowing and fuming and seething.

The punishment of the sinner is thus: The angels of destruction throw him to the flame of hell; this opens its mouth wide and swallows him [as it is said: "Therefore Sheol hath enlarged her desire and opened her mouth without measure and their glory and their multitude and their pomp and he that rejoices among them descends into it" (Isaiah v. 14.)] This all happens to him who has not done one single pious act which would make the balance incline towards mercy; whilst that man who possesses many virtues and good actions and learning and who has suffered much he is saved from hell [as it is said: "Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff shall comfort me" (Ps. xxiii. 4). "Thy rod" means the suffering and "thy staff" means the law.”

From the above examples, it can be seen that the descriptions of Hell have been linked to specific biblical passages thereby confirming the authenticity of the descriptions and also unraveling the cryptic message contained in that particular biblical passage. Just as Hell has several different compartments; so do we have different kinds of heaven, each unique in its dimensions, descriptions, governing angels and the extent of supernal pleasure. The following snippets from the book will illustrate this point:

"Paradise has two gates of carbuncle, and sixty myriads of ministering angels keep watch over them. Each of these angels shine with the lustre of the heavens. When the just man approaches them they divest him of the clothes in which he had been buried and clothe him with eight clothes, woven out of clouds of glory, and place upon his head two crowns, one of precious stones and pearls and the other of gold, and they place eight myrtles in his hand and praise him and say to him: "Go and eat thy bread with joy." And they lead him to a place full of rivers (waters) surrounded by roses and myrtles. Each one has a canopy according to his merits, as it is said: "For over all the glory shall be spread a canopy" (Is. iv. 5).”

“And they (the just and righteous individuals) undergo three transformations passing through three wards (Heavenly Compartments). In the first ward the just is changed into a child, and he enters the compartment of children and tastes the joys of childhood. In the second ward he is changed into a youth, there he enjoys the delights of youth. In the third ward he is changed into an old man, he enters the compartment of the old and enjoys the pleasures of mature age.”

As from the examples provided above, it can be seen that the book is esoteric in context but exoteric in its descriptive language.

This book is well crafted, adequately referenced to biblical passages and clearly lucid in its descriptions; and as such it can be comprehended by both religious scholars and ordinary people. This book is a must read for all individuals inclined to spirituality (regardless of religion), esotericism and discernment of cryptic passages in the bible.
PS:  The book can be purchased here http://payhip.com/b/Rtuw