WHAT IS HELL LIKE

                                            What is Hell Like?
 INDEX:
- HELL IN THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS 
-  HELL AND THE LAKE OF FIRE
- WHAT ABOUT THE DESCRIPITON THAT JESUS MADE OF HELL/SHEOL IN LUKE 16?
- WHERE DID THE RIGHTEOUS GO BEFORE JESUS' SACRIFICE? 
- HELL IS A PLACE OF... 
- IN CONCLUSION, THIS WE KNOW FOR SURE

HELL IN THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS 

 The topic of Hell is predominately a revelation of the New Testament. In the Old Testament it is referred to as Sheol, or the abode of the dead; however, in the New Testament Jesus made regular references to hell and actually spoke more of it than any another person. In the Old Testament, the focus was mainly on the nation of Israel and God’s dealing with His people the Israelites, their life in this world, but very little reference was directly made regarding our eternal destiny.

 In the New Testament, God’s eternal plan (which was concealed in the Old Testament) to reconcile all people to Himself through the Blood Covenant of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, also reveals all the related aspects, including the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment. So along with the promise of the eternal reward for those who are obedient to Him and persistent in well doing, the revelation of the punishment of those who are rebellious, defiant, and who persist in doing evil is also made clear so that men are without excuse Romans 1 & 2.
  Another factor that is brought to greater clarification in the New Testament is the ‘triune’ (so to speak) nature of man, where it is stated that we have a spirit, with a soul, in a body 1 Thessalonians 5:23. So the question is what happens to our spirit and soul when our body dies? We have already looked into the promise of Heaven if we abide in the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, but if we live a life of sin and rebellion, what is reserved for our souls? "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." Matthew 10:28, "But I forewarn you whom you shall fear; fear Him, which after He has killed has power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, fear Him." Luke 12:5

 

                                   
                        HELL, and the LAKE OF FIRE
The Bible makes a distinction between Hell and the Lake of Fire "And death and hell were cast into the Lake of Fire. This is the second death." Revelation 20:14  What is the difference?

Hell is the abode of the dead until the final judgment, from which all its prisoners, whose names are not written in the book of life, are cast into the Lake of Fire on that day. "and whosoever was not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the Lake of Fire." Revelation 20:15

- The Lake of Fire was prepared for the devil and his angels Matthew 25:41

- Hell is described as outer darkness where there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, Matthew 25:30

- Hell is also described as a place of unquenchable/everlasting fire, and where their worms do not die Mark 9:43-44 

- The Old Testament indicates that Hell/Sheol is located within the earth Numbers 16:30-33, 1 Samuel 28:11-13

- The Lake of Fire is described as, "...The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of His indignation; and he(who takes the mark of the beast) 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 up for ever and ever; and they have no rest day nor night..." Revelation 14:10-11, "But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable (perverse), and murders, and whoremongers(sexually immoral), and sorcerers (also refers to drugs users), and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part  in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone; which is the second death." Revelation 21:8 At the Great White Throne Judgment, even Hell/Sheol is cast into the lake of fire - the place of unending torment and punishment. That is the final fate of the devil and the other angels who followed him, as well as all those who did not repent of their sinful/wicked deeds, and those who have rejected Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Dear friends, keep encouraging everyone and praying for everyone that their (and our) faith and love will prevail.

What about the description that Jesus made of Sheol/Hell?

In Luke 16:20-31, Jesus relates a situation, "And there was a certain rich man...And there was a certain beggar..." vs. 19-20, thus clearly indicating that He was referring directly to an actual situation on earth. Now both had died and gone to the abode of the dead, but Jesus described it as having two separate parts. The one side was a place of comfort and peace, the other side was a place of torment and flame and He said, "...that there is a great gulf fixed so that they which would pass from hence to you (rich man) cannot; neither can they pass to us (Abraham and those with him), that would come, from thence." vs. 26.
WHERE DID THE RIGHTEOUS GO BEFORE JESUS' SACRIFICE?
 Now we know that the way to Heaven, until Jesus' death and resurrection, had not been yet opened to the saints/believers, Matthew 27:52-53, Ephesians 4:8-9, so it appears that this was the place of refuge for the righteous who had died before Jesus' passion. This concept does, though controversial, helps clarify where the departed dead did go until Jesus' atoning sacrifice for our sins and His glorious resurrection. We are not here referring to what some call 'Purgatory' a concept where people pay for their sins to be forgiven, otherwise Jesus death (which paid for all sins for all time for those who wish to receive His sacrifice) would have been in vain. 
 Back to what we were addressing, as Abraham said to the Lord before He destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, "...That be far from Thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked; and that the righteous be as the wicked, that be far from Thee. Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?" Genesis 18:25, Matthew 9:13 

  Although God Himself calls people righteous, even though, "There is none righteous, no not one." ..."For all have sinned,, and come short of the glory of God." Romans 3:10, 23,
God is accepting the fact that though we are tainted by our sinful nature, He acknowledges our earnest efforts and intentions to do right. Nonetheless, since sin cannot dwell with Him we must first be purged/cleansed of our sins before we can be welcomed into His presence - hence, the abode of the dead/Sheol. At His resurrection Jesus released those who were awaiting His eternal redemption, and led the way for them to Heaven. The verses in Matthew 27:52-53, and Ephesians 4:8-9, seem to bring this out. It appears that  some of their physical bodies were also resurrected at that time as well. Hell still holds the unjudged wicked until the day of the Great White Throne Judgment.


NOTE - On some of these subjects, and at least on certain aspects of these subjects, God has left limited information, so at best we have a vague idea.  As one old missionary told us, "There are two things that God has not left up to man, justification, and condemnation." How He works out each person's destiny, with so many variables, is still a mystery and up to God's perfect wisdom and justice.

 HELL IS A PLACE OF - Darkness, torment, unquenchable fire, with worms that do not die, from which there is no escape, and eternally cut off from the presence of God, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.  It is a place of eternal punishment.  Matthew 25:30, 41,46, 2 Thessalonians 2:9, Revelation 14:10-11, 21:8 THE GOOD NEWS IS - that God sent His only begotten Son, our LORD JESUS CHRIST to pay for our sins so that we do not have to go there. John 3:16   




In Conclusion this we know for sure :

- Hell and the Lake of Fire are real places and will be the eternal destiny for any and all who refuse to repent of their sins, and/or reject the sacrifice for sins which the Lord Jesus Christ paid for. There will be a resurrection of the dead, a reuniting of body and soul of both of the righteous and of the wicked - Next topic -THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD and ETERNAL JUDGMENT.