Hell Ought To Scare You
The
He had sinned a year or so before our discussion and had repented.
Then about four months prior to our talk he had again yielded to the
temptation that Joseph would not (Gen. 39). This time there was no
repentance and seemingly no concern. Perhaps, no cessation of the sin either.
One question kept coming to my mind before we had any discussion,
"Does he ever think about hell?" I wondered if he understood that if he
died in this condition that he would spend eternity in hell. So, I ask if he
was afraid of hell.
His answer: "I guess not
as much as I ought to be." I suggested that he wasn't afraid at all!
Why? I'm not certain.
But one thing is sure: when one can lay his head down at night knowing that
he is in sin and will go to hell if he dies and not be afraid, there is little hope.
The above story could be duplicated time and again. Perhaps because we have neglected the
old hell fire and brimstone preaching. Let's revisit this old subject that
may be somewhat "new" to some. It oughta scare ya!
Hell Is Real
Hell is not a fictitious story or myth. It is not a condition or state of mind.
It is a real place. Luke 16, which speaks of the realm of departed spirits
(Hades and not the eternal abode), is a foretaste of greater things to come.
The rich man spoke of this "place" of torment (w. 23, 28). He was in a real place.
It is merely a foretaste of worse to come.
Hell is just as real as heaven. They are often put on an equality
as far as their nature
goes (cf. Matt. 25:46). If Heaven is real, so is hell. If hell is a state
of mind, so is heaven.
Jesus said we ought to fear him who is able to destroy both soul and
body in hell (Matt. 10:28). In this we leam that
(1) Hell should be feared.
(2) It is beyond the grave.
(3) It should motivate us to live so as to go to heaven.
All of these point to the reality
Hell is terrible
It may be that some of those who believe in hell think that the
biblical descriptions of it are overstated.
Surely it could not be as bad as the old fashion preachers used to say
it would be. The following points tell us how terrible hell really is.
1. Gehenna. The word hell (when referring to the eternal abode of the
wicked) is from the Greek word Gehenna.
When we understand how that word came to be used to
describe the eternal damnation, we will appreciate how tragic hell is.
a. Gehenna points back to the vaIIcy of Hinnom.
"Originally theValley of Hin-nom, near Jerus, Gehenna became among the Jews the
synonym for the place of torment in the future life" {ISBE 1371).
"Gehenna is a transliteration from the Aram. form of the
Heb ge-hinnom, "valley of Hinnom" {ISBE 1183).This valley was to
the southwest of Jerusalem.
b. This valley was the seat of worship
"That 'the valley of Hinnom' became the technical designation for the
place of final punishment was due totwo causes.
In the first place the valley had been the seat of the idolatrous worship to
Molech, to whom children were immolated by fire (2 Ch. 28:3; 33:6).
Secondly, on account of these practices the place was defiled by King
Josiah (2 K 23:10), and became in consequence associated in prophecy
with the judgment to be visited upon the people (Jer 7:32)" {ISBE 1183).
The sacrifice that was made to Molech was awful. Many texts tell of
parents burning the sons and daughters to honor this idol (cf.er J. 7:30-31;
19:5-6; 2 Kings 23:10). "The image of Molech was a human figure with
a bulls head and outstretched arms, ready toreceive the children destined
for sacrifice. The image of metal was heated red hot by a
fire kindled within, and the children laid on its arms rolled off into the
fiery pit below" {ISBE 207
5).
c.
The valley came be used to burn the city's trash and rubbish.It was the city incinerator. Jeremiah spoke of the valley of dead
bodies and of ashes (Jer. 31:40). "Into this valley dead bodies were probably
cast to be consumed by the dogs...and fires were kept burning to consume
the rubbish of the city. Such associations led to the Ge-Hinnom
(NT 'Gehenna') becoming the 'type ofHell'"( ISBE W3).
2. Lake
of fire. Hell is described as alake
that bums with fire and brimstone (Rev. 20:10, 14, 15; 21:8).Imagine a literal lake 20:10, 14, 15; 21:8).
Imagine a literal lake that you know. Picture that every drop of water
were a flammable substance (i.e. gasoline). If that were set aflame, what
would it be like to be thrown into the middle of it?
Brimstone is perhaps sulfur that melts and runs in streams. It spreads
and is sticky.Picture that some sticky substance is poured all over you
(i.e. honey or molasses). What if that were a flammable substance set aflame?
Can you image the intense pain, the agony and the suffering?
Other passages portray hell as a furnace of fire (Matt. 13:42, 50),
a flaming fire (2 Thess. 1:7-9), a baptism of fire
(Matt. 3:11-12), and an unquenchable fire (Mark 9:43).
3. Weeping,
howling, crying aloud and grinding their teeth (cf. Matt. 8:12; 13:50; 25:30). What a
picture of punishment' Hell Is Eternal' The above descriptions of hell would be bad
enough if it only lasted for a day or a even an hour. However, the pain and suffering of hell
is eternal. Jesus equated "hell fire" (Matt. 18:9) with "everlasting fire" (v. 8). Jesus
contrasted the "everlasting punishment" with "eternal life" (Matt. 25:46). Hell is as long as
heaven is. The smoke of torment ascends "forever and ever" (Rev. 14:10-11).
It scares me to think about hell. It oughta scare you too!
Donnie V. Radier