The Afterlife
June 12, 2011
Is Hell Real?
Is Hell Real?
Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, New
International Version. Copyright ©1973,
1978, 1984 by International Bible
Society. Used by permission of
Zondervan Publishing House. All rights
reserved.
Is Hell Real?
Sermon Series: The Afterlife
Today’s Topic: Is Hell Real?
Is Hell Real?
Key Words:
- Hell/Lake of Fire: a place of eternal
separation
- Sheol: the grave, a temporary place
where all OT people went
- Hades: temporary place for
unrighteous people after the cross
Is Hell Real?
HELL: the place of future punishment for
the wicked. Greek is Geenna. Gehenna,
just outside Jerusalem, was a dump
where human sacrifices had been
offered and where burning of garbage
took place. This made it an apt
illustration of the lake of fire.
Is Hell Real?
Do not be afraid of those who kill the
body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be
afraid of the One who can destroy both
soul and body in hell (gehenna).
Matthew 10:28
Is Hell Real?
SHEOL: “the place of the dead”, the
grave (Numbers 16:30,33), and the
unseen place of those who have
departed from this life, the place of
departed spirits of both the righteous
(Genesis 37:35) and the wicked
(Proverbs 9:18).
Is Hell Real?
Holman Bible Dictionary - Sheol was
thought to be deep within the earth
(Psalms 88:6); and was entered by
crossing a river (Job 33:18). It is pictured
as a city with gates (Isaiah 38:10), a
place of ruins (Ezekiel 26:20), or a trap
(2 Samuel 22:6).
Is Hell Real?
God is in Sheol (Psalms 139:8), and it is
impossible to hide from God in Sheol
(Job 26:6). God has power over Sheol
and is capable of ransoming souls from
its depths (Psalms 16:10).
Restoration to an Afterlife is clearly
intended.
Is Hell Real?
But God will redeem my life from the
grave; he will surely take me to himself.
Psalms 49:15
Summary: Sheol is not hell, it is the
temporary place Old Testament people
go to before the judgment.
Is Hell Real?
HADES: is the New Testament counterpart of the Sheol. It refers to the unseen
world in general, but specifically to the
abode of the un-believing dead between
death and the final judgment.
Is Hell Real?
In Hades, where he was in torment, he
looked up and saw Abraham far away,
with Lazarus by his side. Luke 16:23
Sheol is not used by New Testament
writers, rather Hades or eternity. Those
in Hades have a temporary separation
before their final judgment.
Is Hell Real?
LAKE OF FIRE: the eternal state of
those who are forever separated from
God and consigned to a place of
suffering because of their rejection of
Christ or their lack of the righteous-ness
of Christ. This is another expression of
hell.
Is Hell Real?
Then death and Hades were thrown into
the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the
second death. Revelation 20:14
- Everyone from Hades (those who
rejected Jesus and have died) are
placed in hell after the judgment.
Is Hell Real?
Is Hell forever? Jesus said “Yes”
Then he will say to those on his left,
‘Depart from me, you who are cursed,
into the eternal fire prepared for the devil
and his angels… Then they will go away
to eternal punishment, but the righteous
to eternal life. Matt 25:41,46
Is Hell Real?
What does “eternal” mean?
Aionios (everlasting or eternal)
New Testament Greek Lexicon, “without
beginning and end, that which always
has been and always will be; without
beginning; without end, never to cease,
everlasting.”
Is Hell Real?
Is there a second chance?
Jesus said “no”. It is impossible to go
from one side to another once we die!
Luke 16:24 ‘Father Abraham, have pity
on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of
his finger in water and cool my
Is Hell Real?
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
Is Hell Real?
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.’
Is Hell Real?
Is there a second chance?
Just as people are destined to die once,
and after that to face judgment.
Hebrews 9:27
The writer of Hebrews says “no”. We get
our chance before we die.
Is Hell Real?
What did Jesus do in the grave?
Ephesians 4:8-10 “When he ascended
on high, he took many captives and
gave gifts to his people.” 9 (What does
“he ascended” mean except that he also
descended to the lower, earthly regions?
10 He who descended is the
Is Hell Real?
very one who ascended higher than all
the heavens, in order to fill the whole
universe.)
This passage says that Jesus rescued
“his people” from Sheol (ex. Abraham)
Those who were waiting in Sheol for the
judgment and eternity to begin.
Is Hell Real?
After being made alive, he went and
made proclamation to the imprisoned
spirits to those who were disobedient
long ago when God waited patiently in
the days of Noah while the ark was
being built. 1 Peter 3:19-20
Is Hell Real?
- These are spirits or demonic angels,
not people.
- They lived before Noah (is this the
Nephilim Gen 6:4?)
- Jesus was proclaiming his victory over
sin to those who had opposed God and
tried to bring corruption
Is Hell Real?
Conclusions:
- The Bible teaches that Hell is a real
place where some live forever.
- It is consistently described as a place
of fire where some live eternally.
- There are no second chances!
Is Hell Real?
Conclusions:
- We choose which part of the after life
we will live in – heaven or hell.
- Knowing the reality of hell is one of the
primary reasons why we invite people to
know Jesus!
Is Hell Real?
Who avoids hell?
For God so loved the world, that He
gave His only begotten Son, that
whoever believes in Him (Jesus), should
not perish (hell), but have eternal life
(heaven). John 3:16