The question of what a "fiery hyena" is is practically meaningless, since the word hyena is a predatory beast that lives in Eurasia and Africa.
This animal is not fiery either in color or in lifestyle. So, apparently, we are talking about Gehenna - a place located near Jerusalem, which some people mistakenly call "the fiery hyena".
Jewish Valley
The word "gehenna" is a tracing paper from the Greek geenna. This word, in turn, is borrowed from the Hebrew language, which denoted a valley near the Jewish capital. It's called Ginn. The place, which many people call the "fiery hyena" (but in fact - Gehenna), is connected with the history of the Jewish people.
History
A biblical source tells us that his son, Ahaz, who reigned after his father David, was an idolater and made sacrifices in the “valley of Hinnom” - as the Bible calls the valley of Ginn. Here the Jews threw their children into the fire to please the idol Moloch. These horrific details are described in 2 Chronicles (28:3) and inprophecy of Jeremiah (7:31-32). Here is the promise of the Lord to curse this place, that it be called the valley of murder. Here, according to the prophecy, corpses will be thrown without burial. It is noteworthy that many centuries later this happened. In this steep and deep ditch that skirts the wall of old Jerusalem, garbage and the dead were dumped, who were not worthy of a place in the cemetery, because they were criminals. Gehenna (the mispronunciation is much more common - hyena) fiery blazed with flame day and night, so that infection and stench would not spread from the rotting ditch. The fire was supported by using sulfur for this.
Symbolic sounding
Already in the time of Jesus Christ, the name of this ravine became a symbol of hellfire, the place of judgment for sins. The Evangelist Matthew, while conveying the words of the Lord, mentions Gehenna more than once. Jesus says that if a person feels that he is tempted by the sin of theft, adultery, etc., then it is better for him to part with some parts of the body - those that personify lust (hands, feet, eyes) than to destroy the soul in hell fiery. The Evangelists Luke and Mark testify to the same. In Mark, the “fiery hyena” (remember, Gehenna is correct) is characterized as a place where “the worm does not die and the fire does not go out”, that is, the area of eternal torment.
This concept has the same meaning in the beliefs of the Jews, for whom only the Old Testament is an authoritative source. And even in Islam, fiery hell also personifies hell (Quran 4:168-169).
Synonymous series of thisThe sinister concept includes the ideas of almost all peoples about a terrible place where the souls of unrighteous people are writhing in fire. This is tartar, the underworld, pitch darkness, an area of unbearable suffering. In Christian sources, we find mention that the dwelling place of the devil and the suffering of souls is filled with sulfur.
Why is the trial scary?
The narratives of Gehenna are closely connected in the Holy Scriptures with the theme of the Day of Judgment. According to the source, the final judgment on all people will take place at the end of time and will decide the fate of every living person. It is customary to call this judgment “terrible,” although it is not called that anywhere in the Bible itself. Scripture tells how it will take place: the angels will gather the living and the dead, believers and unbelievers, put everyone before Christ. Not only deeds will be judged, but every word and thought. For righteous people, Christ prepared the kingdom, and for sinners, along with the devil and his retinue, "eternal fire." Another interpretation, based on the writings of the apostle John (John 5:24, 3:18) and the apostle Paul (1 Corinth. 3:11-15), states that those who believe in the Savior will be subjected to a different judgment, different from what they will be judged pagans. Their Christian life will be considered. Deeds will be tested by fire - whose deed stands, he will be rewarded, and whoever burns will be saved, but “as if from fire.”
Today
This gorge has survived to this day, only today it is not hell (and even more so not “hyena”) fiery. Jerusalem has preserved the moat as a historical monument, visited by the curiousmountain climbers. And above the slopes of the gorge are modern hotels and entertainment centers.
In culture
It is not surprising that the theme of Gehenna, full of great mystery, has become a source of inspiration for writers, artists, and musicians. Hellfire as a punishment is mentioned in the work of Melnikov-Pechersky "In the Woods", in Shakespeare's tragedy "Hamlet" and in many other artistic creations. Introduced into the title of a work by the French novelist Joris-Karl Huysmans, it takes on a metaphorical sound, emphasizing that hell exists within us, and the only way out of it is faith.
Gehenna was often depicted by artists of the Middle Ages, it is also present in Russian icon painting. "Fiery Gehenna" was originally called the album of the musical group "DK", released in 1986.
So we figured out that the phrase "fiery hyena" is an erroneous use of the phraseologism "fiery hell", and at the same time found out what is the meaning of this mysterious expression.
