Hey all! As usual, I pray that all is well and all will be well in your lives.
You know, I wish all posts were rosy and full of sunshine, but unfortunately this post will not be one of those.
When I write, I must go with the unction The Spirit leads me to do. I would be derelict of my duty and it would be a disservice to you if I did not tell you about the afterlife.
In last week’s post you read about me talking about hell. People do not want to hear or talk about hell. Intellectuals call it nonsense. They believe that once you die, that’s it, nothing happens; there are no consequences for the life you lived. Even many churches now remove it from discussion, because it makes people uncomfortable. And, as long as you weren’t evil everyone just somehow goes to heaven. But that’s simply not true. Jesus talked about the afterlife where he mentioned hell many times. So, to say it’s not real is to take issue with his words and ultimately call him a liar.
Hell is very much real and it is a holding place for people who have not accepted the Christ.
In this post, I’ll share what I’ve been taught and studied about hell. I will only share things that I can back up with scripture. Note, if anyone ever comes to you with “something” from God, if they cannot back it up with scripture, dismiss them. That includes me as well, as I am just a layman. Anything I say must have scripture backing it!
Sin must be judged and dealt with, and it will be on judgment day. Until then, there needs to be a holding place. Hell, was originally created as a holding place for the fallen angels. It was never meant for man, but because man sinned, they must also be held until judgment day. So, hell is only the beginning.
The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what they had done.
Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death.
Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire. — Revelation 20:13-15 (NIV)
Hell is not as Dante described, but it does have several sections and adjusts itself depending on the need. Hell may also be referred to as death, hades, the grave or the pit.
Therefore Death expands its jaws, opening wide its mouth; into it will descend their nobles and masses with all their brawlers and revelers. — Isaiah 5:14 (NIV)
We’ll talk about three sections mentioned in the bible.
The Abyss, is an area where fallen angels are chained up. When Jesus exorcised the demon-possessed man, the legion begged not to go there.
Jesus asked him, “What is your name?”
“Legion,” he replied, because many demons had gone into him. And they begged Jesus repeatedly not to order them to go into the Abyss. Luke 8:30-31 (NIV)
And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain. — Revelation 20:1 (NIV)
Paradise, was an area for holding the dead saints who looked forward to Jesus’ coming. It was not a place of torment, but a waiting area. After Jesus died, he went to Paradise and liberated all who were there after his resurrection. Now, saints who look back to Jesus can bypass Paradise and go to heaven.
Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom. ”
Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” — Luke 23:42-43 (NIV)
At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split and the tombs broke open.
The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life.
They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people. — Matthew 27:51-53 (NIV)
Then there is the other side of Paradise. This is what/where most people think of when they think of hell. It is hell, hell.
The clearest description of this side of hell is in the parable Jesus gave “The Rich Man and Lazarus” found at the end of Luke 16. Again, these are Jesus’ words, not something I made up!
19 “There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day.
20 At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores
21 and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.
22 “The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried.
23 In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side.
24 So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’
25 “But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony.
26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’
27 “He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my family,
28 for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’
29 “Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’
30 “ ‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’
31 “He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’ ” — Luke 16:19-31 (NIV)
In the context of it being a place, notice verses 23 and 26: the rich man was in torment and there was a wide chasm separating him from the saints. Most of all, pay attention to the end of the story. Misery does not want company in hell. He wanted to warn others that the place is real and to not go there. No, I’m not a prophet, but I’m warning you here today, do not go there. Refer back to the beginning of this blog, the “God is real” and “Why Jesus” posts.
Everyone has an appointment with death that they cannot miss. For many people death comes unexpectedly, no one is guaranteed a long life and old age. Even young, fit and healthy people can die in an instant from natural causes. And, anyone can die unexpectedly from an accident.
Just a couple of weeks ago there was a video of a 22-year-old man on spring break, who was twerking (dancing erotically) half naked on top of a jeep. The jeep was on the highway moving at high speeds and crashed, throwing him from the jeep. He later died from his injuries.
Do you think at any point while atop that jeep he thought about death? If he did, and he most likely did, do you think he was concerned about his soul and meeting Jesus?
When you die, where will you go? Are you concerned about your soul and meeting Jesus?
Make sure that you/your soul is ready to go be with Jesus in heaven!
To do that, open up both your heart and mind to Him, and be sincere and humble about it.
Ask him to be real to you and believe in Him. Believe that he is the son of God. Believe that he died and rose from the dead to save your soul.
Ask Him to forgive your sins and to come into your life and start a personal relationship with him.
Next week is Easter, we’ll go over what Jesus did to keep us out of this horrible place.
May God bless and keep all who read this.
May God bless and keep all brothers and sisters, new and old, in the faith in his name.
With his love and mine,
Chrom