What Do You Know About Hell?

WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT HELL?

Just like heaven, hell is found in bits and pieces, and under different names and addresses of it's qualities.  The fearful and foolish deny its existence, and many who do believe are blind to their danger of going there, while many others are able to see the terror of going there, and have taken the step to avoiding going there (believing in Jesus, finding salvation)!

The first instance of speaking of hell can be found in the song of Moses where he sings of God's vengeance; "For a fire is kindled in mine anger, and shall burn unto the lowest hell, and shall consume the earth with her increase, and set on fire the foundations of the mountains." (Deut. 32:22)

Hell is also referred to as the pit, or Jews know it as Sheol, also called the grave.  The first reference to the pit can be found in Num. 16:30 - 32; "But if the LORD make a new thing, and the earth open her mouth, and swallow them up, with all that appertain unto them, and they go down quick into the pit; then ye shall understand that these men have provoked the LORD.  And it came to pass, as he had made an end of speaking all these words, that the ground clave asunder that was under them: And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods."  I don't want to ponder over how deep hell is, that in this case, it swallowed their whole houses!

Job also referred to Sheol as "the pit"; "If I wait, the grave is mine house: I have made my bed in the darkness.  I have said to corruption, Thou art my father: to the worm, Thou art my mother, and my sister. And where is now my hope?  As for my hope, who shall see it?  They shall go down to the bars of the pit, when our rest together is in the dust." (Job 17:13 -16)

Satan has been referenced as having fallen like lightning to the grave, but the grave, remember, for him, is hell.  The worms are again referenced in this passage of Scripture, and we will see these worms referenced again; "Thy pomp is brought down to the grave, and the noise of thy viols: the worm is spread under thee, and the worms cover thee.  How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning!  How art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!" (Isa. 14:11-12)

I promised that the worms would be referenced again, and I will not fail you!  Here is the first reference to these worms not dying; "'And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before Me', saith the LORD.  'And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against Me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh.'" (Isa. 66:23 - 24)

This time, you can find the worms in the Gospel, only this time, Christ Himself says that they NEVER DIE! "And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.  And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.  And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched." (Mark 9:43 - 48) Matt. 18:8 - 9 is worded similarly.

Christ also asserted in the Gospel that hell is meant for the destruction of the soul; "And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear Him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell." (Matt. 10:28) (Luke 12:5 is similarly worded)  He also asserted that hell has gates; "And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." (Matt. 16:18)  Jesus further asserted in His story of the rich man and Lazarus that hell is totally devoid of fun, enjoyment, or pleasure of any kind!  "And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.  And he cried and said, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.'" (Luke 16:23 - 24)  The rich man was so on fire, that even his tongue greatly desired a drop of water!

Jesus also made 6 notes that hell is a place of wailing and gnashing of teeth: "The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; and shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth." (Matt. 13:41 - 42)  "So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, and shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth." (Matt. 13:49 - 50)  "Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." (Matt. 22:13)  "The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of, and shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." (Matt. 24:50 - 51)  "And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." (Matt. 25:30)  "There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out." (Luke 13:28)  While all were in parables, it is quite clear every unbeliever will also be permanently unhappy with their environment.

Hell is also a reference to the grave, rather than the place of worms and fire and torment.  "He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption." (Acts 2:31)

James, too, spoke of the fire in hell in reference to the tongue, that the tongue's destructive power is as from hell itself!  "And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell." (James 3:6).

Peter gave reference that hell is not only a place of fire and torment and worms, but also darkness; "For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;" (2 Pet. 2:4)

In the bible's final book, Jesus speaks of the keys of hell, denoting His authority over it.  "And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead.  And He laid His right hand upon me, saying unto me, 'Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am He that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.'" (Rev. 1:17 - 18)  Revelation also covers the disposition of hell!  "And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.  And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire.  This is the second death." (Rev. 20:13 - 14)  Can hell be cast into hell?  It appears that hell and the lake of fire are separate environments.

So here we have as much of an ugly picture of what hell is like that we could ever not ask for.  One would think a person mad to want to go to a place where unquenchable fire exists, burning the soul continuously, a place of darkness and worms that fail to die, a place where torments never cease, where there is unfailing wailing, and gnashing of teeth, until the appointed time at the end of the millenium, when Jesus orders the destruction of hell and death and all the unbelieving souls in the lake of fire!  Perhaps this study would be a good reading to anyone unbelieving, that they would turn from it, and seek the salvation available to eternal life and Joy in our Savior Jesus Christ!