Metaphysical meaning of Hinnom (mbd)
Hinnom, hin'-nom (Heb.)--sorrow; groaning, i.e., of the afflicted; wailing; lamentation; purifying fires.
The same place as Gehenna, a valley south of Jerusalem where the refuse of the city was burned. The fires there were kept going continually. Formerly it was in this valley that some idolatrous kings of Israel celebrated the terrible religious rites of Moloch in which their children were burned in the fire, sacrificed. Later this valley was used to burn refuse and filth from Jerusalem (Josh. 15:8; II Kings 23:10: II Chron. 28:3; 33:6). (See HELL.)
Meta. The purifying fires of the soul. Our God is a consuming fire, and when judgments, or times of separation of the true from the false, take place in our consciousness, the error is utterly consumed, swallowed up, by the love and perfection and Truth of Spirit. There will be no cessation of these cleansing, purifying processes until there is no more refuse to be burned, then this fire of God will express in us as eternal life. "Behold, I send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant, whom ye desire, behold, he cometh, saith Jehovah of hosts. But who can abide the day of his coming ? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner's fire, and like fullers' soap: and he will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi" (Mal. 3:1-3). Again, "Who among us can dwell with the devouring fire ? who among us can dwell with everlasting burnings ?" Not the wicked, but "he that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly" (Isa. 33:14-16).
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Preceding Entry: Hillel
Following Entry: Hirah
