All About Hell
What is hot, fiery and is something people don’t want to experience? If you think hellfire, you’d be correct. What is hell and how can we avoid experiencing it? Keep on reading to find out!
WHO IS BURNING IN IT RIGHT NOW?
2Peter 2:9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:
Answer: Great news! No one is burning in hell right now! The Bible teaches that the unjust are reserved for the day of judgment to be punished.
WHEN WILL PEOPLE BURN?
Matthew 13:40-42 As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. 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.
John 12:48 He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.
Answer: People burn up in hellfire at the end of the world and not when they die. God’s Word or the Bible is the standard of judgment, but more specifically the 10 Commandments found in Exodus 20 are our direct standard.
IF DEAD SINNERS ARE NOT BURNING IN A PLACE CALLED HELL RIGHT NOW, WHERE ARE THEY?
John 5:28-29 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.
Job 21:30 That the wicked is reserved to the day of destruction? they shall be brought forth to the day of wrath.
Job 21:32 Yet shall he be brought to the grave, and shall remain in the tomb.
Answer: Dead sinners are in their graves. They do not know, hear, do or say anything right now. There is a resurrection for sinners called the resurrection of damnation when sinners will be resurrected in mortal flesh and be punished according to their sins as they deserve. In the future, Satan, sin and sinners will be completely destroyed forever.
WHAT IS THE END RESULT OF SIN?
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
James 1:15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Answer: The end result of sin is death. Those who love it, practice it and cherish it will suffer punishment and total destruction. But God, through His Son, offers forgiveness and pardon to everyone who will forsake all their sins and give their lives in service and obedience to Him.
WHAT HAPPENS TO SINNERS IN HELLFIRE?
Revelation 21:8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
Matthew 5:29-30 And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.
Matthew 10:28 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.
Answer: Sinners die the second death in hellfire. Wicked people are not tormented for eternity. If they were, that would mean that man is immortal. We know that this is impossible because God only has immortality (1 Timothy 6:16). Back in the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve had to eat from the tree of life in order to live forever. As a result of their mistakes, they were driven from Eden and could no longer eat of the tree of life. Adam and Eve eventually died. (See Genesis 3:22-24). The teaching of the natural immortality of the soul is a lie and originated with Satan (See Genesis 3:4,5).
HOW LONG WILL THE WICKED SUFFER FOR?
Revelation 22:12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.
Matthew 16:27 For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.
Luke 12:48 But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.
Answer: There is no specific time frame given. The wicked will suffer according to what they have done.
WHEN & WHERE IS HELLFIRE KINDLED?
Matthew 13:40-42 As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. 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.
Revelation 20:9 And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.
2Peter 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
Answer: At the end of the world, God kindles hellfire. The holy city will come down from God out of heaven (Revelation 21:2) and the wicked will attempt to capture it. God will have no choice but rain down fire from heaven and destroy Satan, his fallen angels, sinners and sin forever. All this burning occurs on earth. This fire that comes down is hellfire.
THE FIRE DOES NOT BURN FOREVER
Isaiah 47:14 Behold, they shall be as stubble; the fire shall burn them; they shall not deliver themselves from the power of the flame: there shall not be a coal to warm at, nor fire to sit before it.
Revelation 21:1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
Revelation 21:4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
Malachi 4:1-3 For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall. And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the LORD of hosts.
Answer: Hellfire does not burn forever. The fire will eventually go out and all that will be left is ashes. God will make a new earth and atmosphere where pain and suffering will never occur again.
WHAT HAPPENS TO SATAN?
Revelation 20:10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
Ezekiel 28:18-19 Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffick; therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee. All they that know thee among the people shall be astonished at thee: thou shalt be a terror, and never shalt thou be any more.
Answer: At the end of the world, Satan will be destroyed completely. He will be tormented for a very long time and eventually he will cease to exist. No more Satan!
WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF HELLFIRE?
Matthew 25:41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
Revelation 20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
Psalm 37:10 For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be.
Psalm 37:20 But the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the LORD shall be as the fat of lambs: they shall consume; into smoke shall they consume away.
Answer: Hellfire was never meant to destroy human beings. It was meant for Satan and his angels. Sadly, people are choosing the pleasures of sin for a season and binding themselves together with Satan for ultimate ruin. Hellfire’s purpose is to destroy sin, but if we cling to sin we will be destroyed along with it.
DOES GOD ENJOY DESTROYING SINNERS?
Ezekiel 33:11 Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?
Luke 9:56 For the Son of man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them. And they went to another village.
Answer: God does not enjoy destroying the wicked. God wants all the wicked to turn from their evil ways. God sent His only Son to earth to redeem fallen humanity, and His Son’s mission was to save people from their sins.
HAPPILY EVER AFTER
Nahum 1:9 What do ye imagine against the LORD? he will make an utter end: affliction shall not rise up the second time.
Isaiah 65:17 For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.
Revelation 21:3-5 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.
After Satan, his fallen angels, sinners and sin are obliterated, God will make a new heavens and a new earth. None of the old pains and sorrows will ever come into mind. God himself will dwell with the redeemed, and sin will never rise up again. We have so much to look forward to! Will you be ready to live in the earth made new?
To learn more about hell, visit https://chainoftruth.org/sermons/ and select The Meaning of Hell
