ABYSS, or Deep. Hell is called by this name in Scripture; as are likewise the deepest parts of the Sea, and the Chaos, which in the beginning of the World was covered with Darkness, and upon which the Spirit of God moved, Gen. i. 2.
The ancient Hebrews, as well as the generality of the Eastern People at this day, were of opinion that the Abyss, the Sea and Waters encompassed the whole Earth; that the Earth was as it were immersed, and floating upon the Abyss, almost, say they, like a Water-melon swimming upon and in the Water, which covers a small moiety of it. Farther, they believed that the Earth was founded upon the Waters, Ps. xxxiii. 2. xxxv. 6.or at least that it had its Foundation on the Abyss. Under these Waters, and at the bottom of this Abyss, the Scripture represents the Giants to be groaning and suffering the punishment of their Sin: Job xxv. 5.There the Rephaims are confined, those old Giants, who when they were living made the People round about them tremble. Prov. xi. 18. ix. 18. xxi. 16. Ps. lxxxvii. 11. lxx. 20. Isai. xxvi. 14.Lastly, in these dark Dungeons it is, that the Prophets describe to us the Kings of Tyre, Babylon, and Egypt to be lying down and buried, yet alive and expiating the guilt of their pride and cruelty.
Isai. xiv. Ezek. xxviii. 10. xxxi. 18. xxxii. 19. Rev. ix. 1, 2, 11.These depths are the abode of Devils and wicked Men: I saw, says St. John in the Revelations, a Star fall from Heaven, and to him was given the key of the bottomless Pit. And he opened the bottomless Pit, and there arose a smoke out of it, as the smoke of a great furnace which obscured the Sun and Air; and there came out of the smoke locusts which scattered themselves over the whole Earth… And they had a King over them which is the Angel of the bottomless Pit, whose name is the Destroyer.Rev. xi. 7. And in another place, the Beast is represented to us as ascending out of the bottomless pit, and making War against the two Witnesses of God. Lastly, the Angel of the Rev. xx. 1, 3.Lord descends from Heaven with the key of the bottomless Pit, and a great chain in his hand. He laid hold on the Dragon that old Serpent, which is the Devil and Satan, and cast him into the bottomless Pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years should be fulfilled; and after that he should be loosed a little season.
Fountains and Rivers, in the opinion of the Hebrews, are derived from the Abyss Eccl. i. 7.or Sea. They issue from thence thro’ invisible channels, and return thither thro’ others of their own forming upon the Earth. At the time of the Deluge the depths below, or the waters of the Sea, broke down their Banks, the fountains forced their Gen. viii. 11.Springs, and spread over the Earth, while at the same time the Cataracts of Heaven were opened, and overflowed the whole World.
The Abyss which covered the Earth in the beginning of the World, and was put in agitation by the Spirit of God, or by an Gen. i. 2.impetuous Wind, this Abyss was so called by way of anticipation, because it afterwards composed the Sea, and the Waters of the Abyss issued from it, and were formed by the flowing of it: or if you please, the Earth sprung up out of the midst of this Abyss, like an Island rising out of the Sea, and appearing suddenly to our Eyes, after having been for a long time conceal’d under water.