Hell - Is It A Real Place

Hell - Is It A Real Place?

"There are a million roads to Hell and no exits!" - Leonard Ravenhill

1. Who will go to Hell, for how long, and is there a way out?

2. We would far rather believe it doesn't exist than deal with its truth!
3. Hell is only a temporary place according to Revelation 20:14 and 15.

There are at least two subjects that most people avoid discussing and they are death and Hell.

For some life after death is an unknown because they are not sure if there is, or is

not, something beyond the grave. Others believe in eternal Heaven but deny an eternal lake of fire.

For some death means losing all the valuable possessions they must leave behind. For others

the biggest concern is for family members that they may never see again or, if they

are younger, losing someone they want to hold on to for as long as possible.

For some death means nothing because they reject the concept

of God and believe life ceases to exist after death. For Christians who are exercising faith in God death is only a doorway to eternal peace and joy in the presence of a loving God who has redeemed them through the death of his son Jesus Christ. So death is something we would rather not talk about without a sure knowledge of what lies beyond the grave.

Hell is never a popular subject to either Christian or non-Christian because of the horrors it

holds for those who might go there. As I stated above I used to be telling a lot of people to go to Hell before I became a Christian. During those years I never wanted to speak about hell from a biblical sense because I didn't know whether or not I would end up going there. I can easily relate to anyone on either side of the issue, and find no pleasure in considering or speaking on the subject of Hell. A great preacher once said that any man who can preach on hell without tears in his eyes knows nothing about the love of Christ. I believe with all my heart that what he said is true. How could anyone who believes the holy scriptures find anything but grief in thinking of someone going there?

It is with this thought in mind that I want to present a study from the Bible concerning this vitally important and misunderstood subject. I will draw from both the Old Testament and the New Testament scriptures for this study.

WHAT CAN BE KNOWN ABOUT

HELL AND THE LAKE OF FIRE

The first mention of Hell is found in Deuteronomy 32:22 - "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." - The word used here is sheol, and means the world of the dead with its inmates and all its accessories.

The final mention of hell in scripture is found in Revelation 20:13-14 - "And the sea gave

up the dead which were in it, and death and hell gave 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. Hell is mentioned twice in these verses. The word here is hades, which means the place of departed souls.

In between these two verses there are 30 additional Old Testament verses and 22

New Testament references to hell given, and most of the New Testament verses are

clearly spoken by Jesus Christ. It is

my strong belief that when God chooses to

repeat

teaching on

a particular subject it is because it is important to him and should be important to anyone who believes the Bible to be God's word. A perfect being such as

the God of the Bible is not given to wasting words.

One additional thought: Jesus did not come to act as an eternal fire insurance for the

wicked. He came to seek and to save the lost which is everyone on earth past, present and future. Hell is reserved for the devil

and demons. People who go to hell go there because they choose to rebel against God and reject the free gift of salvation.

2 Peter 3:9 in the KJV says; “For God is not willing that any should perish but that all

men should come to repentance.” This is clear evidence that God leaves the choice up to us to repent. Just like a child that is

told something but still refuses to believe his parents mean what they say is punished for it, so it shall be with those who reject God's laws and his commandments. There will be no argument on the day of

judgment. God will have the last word and punish the law breakers who have rejected his gift of salvation!

HELL IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

The word for hell in all the Old Testament is sheol (sheh-ole') - It means hades or the

world of the dead (as if a subterranean retreat) including all it's accessories and inmates, grave, pit. While man

would vastly prefer it to mean the grave, the full definition shown here will not allow it. The idea of accessories and inmates would invalidate grave as a stand alone definition.

HELL IN THE NEW TESTAMENT

The word hell in the New Testament is three different words; gehenna, hades and tartaroo.

Gehenna (gheh'-en-nah) - It means the Valley of Hinam (figuratively), a place or state

of everlasting torment, and it is found in the following verses: Matthew 5:22:29 and 30, Matthew 10:28,Matthew 18:9,

Matthew 23:15 and 33,Mark 9:43-47. Luke 12:5, and James 3:6.

Hades (hah'-dace) - It means the place or state of departed souls, grave. See Matthew 11:23, 16:18 Luke 10:15 and 16:23, Acts 2:27-31 and Revelation 1:18, Revelation 6:8, and Revelation 20:13-14.

Tartaroo (tar-tar-o-o) - It means the deepest abyss of hades, to incarcerate in

eternal

torment (see 2 Peter 2:4) speaking of angels that are demons now.

HELL IS NOT ETERNAL!

Hell is not eternal as some would teach. Revelation 20:14 says; "And death and hell were

cast into the lake of fire; this is the second death." So death is vanquished along with hell forever. The sad thing is what is

found in Revelation 20:15 - All whose names were not found in the Book of Life were cast into the lake of fire. (See also Revelation 21:8) Jesus came to earth, lived among men and died to pay the full price for our sins

with his own blood. Afterward, he resurrected from the dead to make it possible for all men to have eternal life in peace and joy forever. People who choose to reject the gift of salvation he died to give go to Hell

and the lake of fire by their own choice. It is my most earnest prayer that all who read this would not be among them. Turn to the Lord today for salvation. Seek his forgiveness for your sins and he will grant it.

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The poem below is written for those who refuse to deal with reality and do whatever they can to avoid the hard truths of God's Word. It is inspired and dedicated to my friend on Facebook Bill Brown.

"We look at all the tragedies in life such as sickness, death abortion,political corruption and murder among many other atrocities and we are sometimes overwhelmed. BUT another thought struck my mind as I was thinking on these things; a thought that held much more force than all these others issues combined;

"ONE MORE SOUL ENTERED HELL TODAY!"

DON'T TALK ABOUT HELL

Don't talk about Hell
I'm quite content
With all the good things
God has sent.

Don't talk about Hell.
But rather peace
And eternal life
That will not cease.

Don't talk about Hell
Just talk about love
And our new mansions
Up above.

Don't talk about Hell
It's not for me
I'm livin' for Jesus
Don't you see?

Don't talk about Hell
If you don't mind
It's rather crude
And very unkind.

Don't talk about Hell
That's scary stuff
Just talk about Jesus
That's enough.

Let's talk about God
And His great love
Poured out upon us
From up above.

If you do that
Then you'll do well
But whatever you do
Don't talk about Hell.

Hell - Is It A Real Place?

In The Cross Of Christ I Glory

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