This place is actually not known. Jesus describes it [hell] but it can easily be on planet earth. Seeing that they didn't know the universe existed.
Unless you were to use the seven pillars to try and understand other places or universes that exist outside of our realm or in another dimension
The bible is actually surprising advanced in such knowledge. For example, it contains the claim of the world expanding, describing it as being stretched out as pulling a curtain (Isaiah 40:22), long before modern day scientists reached the same conclusion.
He stretches out the north over the empty place, [and] hangs the earth upon nothing.
(Job 26:7)
The bible said the stars are too great in number to count, long before science believed it to be the case with the advent of powerful telescopes in 19th Century AD. Prior to this, most thought there were no more than 6,000 stars (what could be seen with the naked eye from all points on the earth).
Genesis 15:5, Jeremiah 33:22, Hebrews 11:12
What I would like to know is why did he choose to give to one group of people. Seeing that other races appear in the bible to. Sheba being Ethiopian and the woman King David sleeps with was of a darker race.
Did God favour one blood line?
God chose the ancient Israelites because He had promised Abraham that his descendants would become a great nation and occupy the land of Canaan. God keeps His promises!
The Israelites were to be a model nation to other nations and that through them “all the families of the earth” would be blessed (Genesis 12:3). He wanted Israel to be “a kingdom of priests and a holy nation” (Exodus 19:6). Other nations would see that when the Israelites obeyed God, they were blessed, and when they disobeyed God, they would be punished.
Deuteronomy 7:7-9 tells us, “The LORD did not set His affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples. But it was because the LORD loved you and kept the oath He swore to your forefathers that He brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the land of slavery, from the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt. Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; He is the faithful God, keeping His covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love Him and keep His commands.”
To me that is how racism can be stated. Hatred for other or the Gentiles
There is nowhere in the bible where God commands anyone to hate the gentiles. In fact, there are instructions to treat other nationalities living among them with respect and fairness. God instructed people “You shall neither mistreat a stranger nor oppress him, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt” (Exodus 22:21).
Plato knew of a higher being but was born before Jesus. What happens to him?
If Plato, or anyone else born before Jesus, believed in God they were saved though faith, just as we are today. The only difference is they looked to the Messiah and believed he would come, whereas we look back and believe he did come. That is all.
Romans 4: 3-8 says: For what does the Scripture say? "And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness." 4 Now to the one who works, his wage is not reckoned as a favour, but as what is due. 5 But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is reckoned as righteousness, 6 just as David also speaks of the blessing upon the man to whom God reckons righteousness apart from works: 7 "Blessed are those whose lawless deeds have been forgiven, and whose sins have been covered. 8"Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will not take into account."
By the way, if the world is already perfect and Jesus has done the saving then why would God want to destroy the world. Why build it in the first place if he already knew he was going to destroy it?
That’s a difficult question because the bible doesn’t tell us the reason why. However, from what the bible does disclose about God, we know that God created satan as good, just as Adam and Eve were. The major difference between satan and Adam and Eve was that satan was one of the heavenly beings, and therefore much more powerful that humanity. However God granted all beings freedom of choice, whether they were heavenly, powerful beings, or mere human mortals.
You could then, argue why did God bother to make anything at all, knowing it could turn against Him? Again, He doesn’t say why, but just says that He provided a way for us to still turn to him, regardless. So God remains sovereign, with or without evil having once been present. I speak of it as past-tense because the bible says one day it will be.
I think it's wonderful that parents love their children but hate the bad behaviour too! Punishment within reason.
Rape, war, drought is not within reason because it's out of individual hands. A woman who gets rape is not because she disobeyed. A child killed in war has no nothing todo with the war.
Lack of rain can be our fault now but I don't think it was in the Old Testament even though it was given as punishment.
Rape, war and drought are more to do with a fallen world, rather than specific punishment. If people turned to God and obeyed his word, the first two would be no longer a problem!
The bible says the sun shines on the righteous and the unrighteous alike. God is merciful both the those who haven’t turned to him yet, and those who already have. We are in a fallen world, so bad things will happen! Jesus warned “in this world you will have troubles.” Good thing this world doesn’t last forever, hey?!