Destiny – Hell .. thrown into the Lake of Fire

Destiny – Hell ..thrown into the Lake of Fire

A Biblical Insight of Hell.

“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” Genesis 1:1

This verse tells us that God was acting before time when He created the universe. Many other verses from the New Testament tell us that God was acting before time began, and so, He created time, along with the other dimensions of our universe:

We speak of God’s secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. (1 Corinthians 2:7)

To the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen. (Jude 1:25)

“For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” John 3:17-18.

The Bible explains that each and every person is guilty of sin. Sin is electing our own way over God’s; it is revolting against God; and in a real sense it is a confrontation on the holiness of God. God is just and righteous, as well as loving, He cannot just ‘close the eyes’ to our sin. Would God really be righteous if He did not do anything about onslaughts on His holiness?

The Bible communicates to us that our sin justifies the death penalty. Since all have sinned, this means that all are earning God’s judgement in hell. For the reason of His love, God sent His Son Jesus to save us from this judgment. He died on the cross in our place to pay the penalty for our sins. By being judged in our place, Jesus satisfied the righteousness of God and made it possible for us to receive forgiveness.

God has done everything necessary to rescue us from the penalty of our sins. We have the accountability to respond to God’s free offer of forgiveness by turning from our sin and trusting Jesus to pardon us and give us eternal life. The consequences for our sins must be paid. Those who do not accept Jesus and His work at the cross must pay this penalty themselves in hell for all eternity.

The subject of hell is indeed terrifically grim and terrifying.  The unmistakably clear teaching of the Bible regarding hell needs to be understood; we cannot ignore the facts about something that God has revealed just because it is so very distressing and enormously horrendous. This has been written to assist comprehension and to clear up much misperception and misunderstanding on this important issue.

7 points about Hell which will be thrown into the Lake of Fire, we need to be aware of:

1. Hell that will be thrown into the Lake of Fire Exists and is Tangible. 

2. Hell that will be thrown into the Lake of Fire is a Place.

3.Hell that will be thrown into the Lake of Fire is a Place of Punishment.

4. Hell that will be thrown into the Lake of Fire is a Place of Separation.

5. Hell that will be thrown into the Lake of Fire is a Place of Indescribable Regret.

6. Hell that will be thrown into the Lake of Fire has Degrees of Punishment.

7. Hell that will be thrown into into the Lake of Fire, is Eternal.

1. Hell that will be thrown into the Lake of FIre Exists and is Tangible.

Jesus constantly warns of hell.

Matthew 23:33 Serpents, brood of vipers! How can you escape the condemnation of hell?

Matthew 5:21-22 “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’ But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’ shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of hell fire.

It would be strangely irreconcilable to accept Jesus as Lord but reject this perspective of His teaching.

Moreover, this would place an enormous ethical flaw on the integrity of Christ, if He taught of hell’s reality when it certainly wasn’t an extreme peril to anyone.

It must be comprehended, nevertheless, that Jesus does not want people to go to hell. He came so that we could be saved from it through faith in Him.

Hell is the necessitous corollary of not accepting Christ’s bidding for salvation, if one refuses to be with Him in heaven, the only other alternative is to be separated from Him – and to be in hell.

To refute the existence of hell is therefore to reject the authority of Jesus

2.Hell that will be thrown into the Lake of Fire is a Place.

.

“He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”
Revelation 21:7-8

Hell is always referred to as a place.

One of the Greek words applied for hell in the Gospels is gehenna, a rendering of the Hebrew representation, “Valley of Hinnom.”

In this valley, that was located outside Jerusalem, human sacrifices were offered to false gods at various points in Israel’s history.

It later became a “garbage dump” of Jerusalem, with a fire that continually burned consuming its rubbish.

When Jesus used gehenna to refer to hell, this asked attention in his listeners mind to this valley, and they comprehended the terrible torment that the wicked would suffer.

3.Hell that will be thrown into the Lake of Fire is a Place of Punishment.

   

In Matthew 13:42 Jesus says “and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.”
Some hold that the metaphors of fire signifies obliteration of the wicked.
But Jesus does not associate fire with annihilation, but with agony and pain – “gnashing of teeth.”
There are a number of times in Matthew where Jesus describes those in hell as crying and grinding their teeth in pain; the people are “gnashing their teeth” because of the terrible pain. Jesus speaks of the fire causing pain, not consumption.

Punishment involves terrible, horrendous and frightful severe pain:

At the conclusion of a parable, Jesus spoke of the faithful servant as being rewarded, but said that the unfaithful one would be “and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”  Matthew 24:51.

Additional passages on the horrendous penalty of pain and suffering in hell

“in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.”  2 Thessalonians 1:8,

..those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone.”

Revelation 19:20

Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: Matthew 25:41

“It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”  Hebrew 10:31

..He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. 11 And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.” Revelation 14:9-11

So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come forth, separate the wicked from among the just, and cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.”  Matthew 13:49,50

In Matthew 13:42 Jesus says “and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.” Some hold that the metaphors of fire signify obliteration of the wicked. But Jesus does not associate fire with annihilation, but with agony and pain – “gnashing of teeth.”

There are a number of times in Matthew where Jesus describes those in hell as crying and grinding their teeth in pain; the people are “gnashing their teeth” because of the terrible pain.  Jesus speaks of the fire causing pain, not consumption.

4.Hell that will be thrown into the Lake of Fire is a Place of Separation. 

Exclusion from God’s presence – it will be truly a God ‘forsaken place’.

From the revelation of the inspired word of God:

Matthew 7:23  ..And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’

2 Thessalonians 1:9  ..These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power,

Jude 1:13 ..raging waves of the sea, foaming up their own shame; wandering stars for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.

In Matthew 7:23 Jesus utters some of the most dreadful words in the Bible. Having just warned of false prophets who look good on the outside but whose sin will eventually give them away, Jesus speaks on the topic of fake disciples: “Not everyone who says to me, `Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father.

For on that day many will say to me, `Lord, did we not prophecy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many great works in your name?` And I will tell them plainly, `I never knew you. Away from Me, you evildoers!'” How terrible that these people expected to gain entrance into heaven on judgement day, only to find that they had never really entered into a relationship with Jesus.

“Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified.”  2 Corinthians 13:5

2 Thessalonians 1:7-9 ..These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power,

Those who do not know God will be barred from His presence forever when Christ returns.

5. Hell that will be thrown into the Lake of Fire is a Place of Indescribable Regret.

“It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” Hebrew 10:31
..He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.” Revelation 14:9-11

Seven times in Matthew alone  it is said that “there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth”

Matthew 8:12 ..But the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

Matthew 13:42 and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

Matthew 13:50 ..and cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

Matthew 22:13 ..Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and[a] cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

Matthew 24:51 .. and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Matthew 25:30 .. And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

Matthew 25:30 ..And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

And see also in Luke 13:28 – There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and yourselves thrust out.

Being thrown out into the darkness signifies being left out from the glorious light of God’s presence, the non-existence of all good. The gnashing of teeth indicates the enormous suffering and colossal regret.

The weeping indicates abysmal crying in dreadful & awful sorrow, which results from the overwhelming regret.

6. Hell has Degrees of Punishment.

All who are in hell do not get the same punishment. The degrees of punishment are based upon the amount of light received and on the acts or deeds of the person.

According to light received.

Matthew 11:21-24 – And you, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, will be brought down to Hades; for if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I say to you that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for you.”

Those in Capernaum will have a stricter judgement because they had more light.

Jesus is also clear that there are degrees of punishment in hell. In Luke 12:42-48 – And the Lord said, “Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his master will make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of food in due season? Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. Truly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all that he has.  But if that servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming,’ and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and be drunk, the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the unbelievers. And that servant who knew his master’s will, and did not prepare himself or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. But he who did not know, yet committed things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few. For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more.

According to works

Romans 2:5 – But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God,

Some people have extra wrath “stored up” for themselves because of their utter disobedience and rejection of God. Judgement corresponding to works ensures that the punishment will “fit the crime” and that the lost will be punished in relative amount to their sins committed.

7. Hell is Eternal.

At the judgement, Jesus will say to the unbelievers “Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels” We can see this in [Matthew 25:41- “Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: ]

This verse illustrates that hell was not originally created for humans, however, those who refuse to come to Christ will share in the fate of the devil.

Revelation 20:10 – The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

“The devil…was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur and will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.” Since unbelievers are to share the fate of the devil, and the devil will suffer torment in hell forever, unbelievers will also suffer eternal torment. Also note that Jesus says that the fire is eternal, which would not be the description if hell were only temporary.

Matthew 25:46 is one of the well-defined statements that people who are in hell will suffer eternally, everlastingly and without an end – endlessly: “And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

Jesus is drawing an equivalent between the destinies of the wicked and the righteous. Since both destinies are said to be eternal, it follows inescapably that either both are to be taken as long-lasting but finite, or both as endless and unending. The phrases `eternal punishment’ and `eternal life’ are parallel and it would be baseless, ridiculous and preposterous to use them in one and the same sentence to mean: `Eternal life will be infinite, while eternal punishment will have an end.’ Therefore – because the eternal life of the saint’s will be endless, the eternal punishment likewise.

Jesus asserts that in hell “the fire is not quenched” (Mark 9:48 – where ‘Their worm does not die And the fire is not quenched.’) When a fire consumes its fuel, it goes out. The fire of hell never goes out. Thus, the fire never goes out because the wicked suffer eternal torment in hell, not eventual annihilation or extinction.

Revelation 14:9-11 – ..He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.”

Note: That the lost will be tormented “with burning sulphur” refutes the annihilationist’s claims that the purpose of fire in judgement is to end one’s existence. (Annihilationist teaches that the lost one day is annihilated in hell and ceases to exist.) It is clear here that the purpose of the sulphur is to torment, not annihilate.

That the “smoke of their torment rises forever and ever” (Rev. 14:11) also signifies that hell’s suffering are without end. Annihilationist teaches that there is intended a distinction between the fire and smoke when he wrote this, and thus he is not saying that the punishment will be eternal. It is said that while the smoke will last forever, the fire does not last forever (but only until the wicked are extinguished and cease to exist). This is serious distortion of the text. The smoke could not rise eternally if they were no fire to cause it.

Revelation 20:10 is clear that the Devil, the Beast, and the False Prophet will endure eternal torment: “They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.” Since Jesus taught that unbelievers will share the fate of the devil and his angels (Matthew 25:41 – Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: ) unbelievers will also be tormented forever.  Also, Revelation 20:15 – And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.

It is clear that unbelievers will be thrown into the Lake of Fire just as the Devil was.

Jesus expels evildoers to “the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matt. 25:41). This involves being tormented day and night for ever and ever (Rev. 20:10). The Bible is clear–hell is eternal.

Hell furnishes a destiny involving absolute ruin and loss – eternal death and destruction; the eternal wrath of God – eternal sentence and punishment, indescribable grief, sorrow and pain – crying and grinding of teeth; awful and horrific suffering – fire and repulsion and rejection by God and exclusion from his blessed presence – greatest and eternal darkness and separation.

These depictions and descriptions of hell ought to scare the “hell out of you” – literally and – escape from it while you may while still on earth and make the right decision to accept God’s gift of eternal life.

Jesus died to save us from hell and bring us into the everlasting enjoyment of His glory. All we need to do is turned to Him in repentance and faith and He will give us eternal life. There is no question of more importance in this life than where we will spend eternity!!!