Pastor Larry Dela Cruz 1 HELL IS REAL INTRODUCTION Is Hell real? The World has different views about hell. If Hell is not real therefore all the things we have been doing on earth is in vain and useless. If there is no Hell then there is no Heaven. So we can go with the saying, “Eat and drink for tomorrow you die.” But what if Hell is real? What if people don’t care about the existence of Hell and where the wicked go after life? Hell and the Lake of Fire in the Bible are described as: “Where the wicked goes and cannot escape , Abode of the unbelieving dead, They are fully conscious, Worms and fire torments them, Weeping and gnashing of teeth, Place of sorrow, Deep, Insatiable, Never full, With gates, Outer darkness…” Have you thought of yourself burning alive in a fire? What if its eternal fire? Your flesh eaten by the fire and you want to die but you cannot? That is the reality of Hell. At the last day the wicked shall be resurrected with a body and they shall be turned to the Lake of Fire which is the Second Death and they shall be tormented day and night forever and ever. Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Matthew 10:28 And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. Revelation 20:10 Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for 2 them. 12 And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds.13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds. 14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. 15 And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. Revelation 20:11-15 “Many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake, these to everlasting life, but the others to disgrace and everlasting contempt. 3 "Those who have insight will shine brightly like the brightness of the expanse of heaven, and those who lead the many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever. Daniel 12:2-3 If we can only witness or see an actual vision of what HELL looks like and people being thrown to it maybe we shall be serious with our lives and with our relationship with God. It may change our views about the existence of Hell. The Richman in Luke 16:23 who died and in Hades was in torment. He thought of his brothers that they might come to the same place. He wanted someone to come back to life and warn them. Abraham said they won’t believe in Hell even one rose from the dead and testify. They have Moses and the prophets and to them they should hear from. Today the same are happening to our world. People live their own lives without God. They don’t think that the next life is more important than this life. We have the Preachers from God declaring salvation through the Son of God who paid for our sins and purchased for us salvation and eternal life and that whoever believes shall not perish but have eternal life. What does the Bible really teach about Hell? Is it just the grave? Is it a temporary place for the wicked dead? Is there an eternal punishment and an eternal fire? 3 WHAT REALLY IS HELL? WORLD VIEWS ABOUT HELL There are different views about Hell depending on the background and religious and non-religious persuasion one has. A man in the street would say hell is now here on earth where people suffer. Others say they don’t believe in the existence of Hell because no one has gone to it. Some religions do not believe in Hell and others believe in Hell. Muslims believe in Hell. Chinese Religion teaches after death is judgment and either one is reincarnated or goes to temporary punishment in Hell to a Buddhist type of Paradise. Buddhist believes in reincarnation. Taoism teaches one reverts back to a state of non-being. Catholics believe in Hell and Purgatory where one is cleansed. Hinduism believes in rebirth or reincarnation until one gains enlightenment. Jehovah’s Witnesses and the Seventh Day Adventists view that Hell is temporary and after some time the wicked are annihilated and they don’t suffer forever. They believe Hell is only the grave and the soul sleeps awaiting resurrection. BIBLICAL VIEW ABOUT HELL There are various Hebrew and Greek terms the bible used for the English word “Hell”. And knowing them we can differentiate their conditions and the teachings behind them. These words are Sheol, Hades, Gehenna and Tartaroo. In the Old Testament the dead go to Sheol which is the Grave. In the New Testament the equivalent word is Hades when Sheol is quoted from the Old Testament. But there were times “Hades” is referred into as a place also of suffering. Gehenna is the final place where the wicked are turned into for everlasting punishment. In Gehenna there is everlasting fire, everlasting punishment, the worms do not die and there shall be gnashing of teeth. Gehenna is the Lake of Fire where Hell/Hades shall be turned over at the Judgment Day together with the wicked dead, Satan and his demons, the Antichrist and the False Prophet. The point of the matter is it is not that we believe or not believe in the existence of Hell that will save us from its fire but the true knowledge of the truth- the true knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Religions teach to be free from Hell is through good deeds but the Bible has shut all under sin so that the righteousness of God may come through faith in the Son of God who came to deliver us from Hell. Hell was not made for man but for Satan and his demons. God loves us and desires all be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth. 4 BIBLICAL TERMS Sheol, Hades, Gehenna & Tartaroo SHEOL Strong's Concordance sheol: underworld (place to which people descend at death) Original Word: ֹולאְׁש Part of Speech: Noun Feminine Transliteration: sheol Phonetic Spelling: (sheh-ole') Short Definition: Sheol NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origin of uncertain derivation Definition underworld (place to which people descend at death) NASB Translation Sheol (66). Strong's Exhaustive Concordance grave, hell, pit Or shol {sheh-ole'}; from sha'al; Hades or the world of the dead (as if a subterranean retreat), including its accessories and inmates -- grave, hell, pit. 1 the underworld, י׳ ֹו ִּיתְ ַּלDeuteronomy 32:22, ְ ִּתי׳ ׳Isaiah 14:9; ִּ מת׳ה ִַּּתמProverbs 15:24; "" ְָ תוProverbs 5:5; Proverbs 7:27; Songs 8:6; Psalm 89:49; whither men descend at death, Genesis 37:35 (E), Genesis 42:38; Genesis 44:29,31 (J), 1 Samuel 2:6; 1 Kings 2:6,9; Job 7:9; Job 21:13; Isaiah 14:11,15; Psalm 88:4, and Korah and associates go down alive by ,tnemgduj sַּתNumbers 16:30,33 (J), compare Psalm 55:16; under mountains and sea Job 26:6 (compare Job 26:5), ַּ ָ ֶָ ֶּ לJonah 2:3 (compare Jonah 2:7); with bars Job 17:16 (si vera 1.: see ᵐ5 Du); ַּ ִּ ת לPsalm 141:7; ׁש ֵית לַּל׳Isaiah 38:10; personified Isaiah 28:15,18 ("" )ְות. as insatiable monster Isaiah 5:14; Habakkuk 2:5; Proverbs 1:12; Proverbs 27:20; Proverbs 30:16; as said (figurative) to have snares, ַּ ָ ֹוֵשֵת לPsalm 18:6 = 2 Samuel 22:6 compare ֹוַּתֵ ֵית לPsalm 116:3; opposed to (height of) לת׳ תִּ שAmos 9:2; Job 11:8; Psalm 139:8 + (opposed to )שֹו מתׁשֹו שהIsaiah 7:11 (see above); dark, gloomy, without return Job 17:13 (compare Job 17:16; Job 7:9; Job 10:21; Job 16:22; all being alike Job 3:17-19; Job 21:23-26 ); without work or knowledge or wisdom according to Ecclesiastes 9:5,6,10 (compare Job 14:21, and see ֹויִ ִּאתשbelow ;הִיyet compare Isaiah 14:9f.). 2 condition of righteous and wicked distinguished in ( ַּלlater than 1 Samuel 28, especially inWisdom Literature): a. wicked תלֵ֑֑ שִּ ֹול מאוּו שהPsalm 9:18, ַּתִּ ֹו ת֑ שִּ לPsalm 31:18; death is their shepherd, without power and honour they waste away Psalm 49:15 (twice in verse); ַּלconsumes them as drought water Job 24:19; righteous dread it because no praise or presence of God there (as in temple) Psalm 6:6 (compare Psalm 88:5), Isaiah 38:18; deliverance from it a blessing Psalm 30:4; Psalm 86:13; Proverbs 23:14. In Ezek. ַּלis land below, place of reproach, abode of uncircumcised Ezekiel 31:15,16,17; Ezekiel 32:21,27 b. righteous shall not be aban-doned, ַּשלEzekiel 16:10 ("" ְ ל׳ ׳q. v.; opposed to ִּא ׳י ׳ ִַּתשetc., Ezekiel 16:11, compare Ezekiel 17:15), is ransomed from ַּלEzek 49:16 (compare Ezek 73:23; Ezek 73:25; Isaiah 57:1,2); compare Job's expectation and desire Job 14:13; Job 17:13 (compare Job 10:21; Job 19:25f.). 3 later distinction of places in ַּל: 5 a. depths of ַּלfor sensualist Proverbs 9:18. b. ו׳אֵ׳ וּו ֶּ ַּלProverbs 25:11, see ְ ול׳ ׳.ֶּ אֵ׳ וּוand וּו י, q. v., when "" ַּל, are usually in bad sense(Psalm 88:4); probably = pit in ַּל, ַּלitself as pit; words at least prepare for local distinctions of post-Biblical Judaism and NT.] 4 ַּלfigurative of extreme degradation in sin Isaiah 57:9; as place of exile for Israel Hosea 13:14 (twice in verse) (compare Isaiah 26:19). Englishman's Concordance Strong's Hebrew 7585 66 Occurrences biš·’ō·wl — 3 Occ. ḵiš·’ō·wl — 1 Occ. kiš·’ō·wl — 2 Occ. liš·’ō·wl — 4 Occ. liš·’ō·w·lāh — 1 Occ. miš·šə·’ō·wl — 4 Occ. ’ō·wl — 2 Occ. šə·’ā·lāh — 1 Occ. šə·’ō·wl — 38 Occ. šə·’ō·lāh — 9 Occ. ḇiš·’ō·wl — 1 Occ. “Sheol”.BibleHub.3February 2014.< http://biblehub.com/hebrew/7585.htm>. HADES Hades is not the grave or cemetery where all the dead goes. Hades is spoken of a place where the wicked go and suffer. It has two Chambers where the OT saints went after death and the OT sinners also went. The Lower Chamber of Hell is where the wicked go at death. In the Old Testament before Jesus resurrected the dead saints were at the Upper Chamber were they were comforted awaiting the resurrection of Christ. Jesus holds the Keys of Death and Hell. At the Last Day at Judgment Day Death, Hades and the Dead shall be turned to Gehenna or the Lake of Fire. The Gates of Hell shall not prevail over the Church. Strong's Concordance hadés: Hades, the abode of departed spirits Original Word: ᾍδης, ου, ὁ Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine Transliteration: hadés Phonetic Spelling: (hah'-dace) Short Definition: Hades Definition: Hades, the unseen world. HELPS Word-studies 6 86 hádēs (from 1 /A "not" and idein/eidō, "see") – properly, the "unseen place," referring to the (invisible) realm in which all the dead reside, i.e. the present dwelling place of all the departed (deceased); Hades. Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 86: Ἅιδης Ἅιδης, ᾅδης, , ὁ (for the older Ἀΐδης, which Homer uses, and this from the alpha privative and ἰδεῖν, not to be seen (cf. Lob. Path. Element. 2:6f)); in the classics 1. a proper name, Hades, Pluto, the god of the lower regions; so in Homer always. 2. an appellative, Orcus, the nether world, the realm of the dead (cf: Theocritus, idyll. 2,159 schol. τήν τοῦ ᾅδου κρούει πύλην. τουτ' ἔστιν ἀποθανεῖται. In the Sept. the Hebrew ֹולאושis almost always rendered by this word (once by θάνατος, 2 Samuel 22:6); it denotes, therefore, in Biblical Greek Orcus, the infernal regions, a dark (Job 10:21) and dismal place (but cf. γέεννα and παράδεισος) in the very depths of the earth (Job 11:8; Isaiah 57:9; Amos 9:2, etc.; see ἄβυσσος), the common receptacle of disembodied spirits: Luke 16:23; εἰς ᾅδου namely, δόμον, Acts 2:27, 31, according to a very common ellipsis, cf. Winers Grammar, 592 (550) (Buttmann, 171 (149)); (but L T Tr WH in Acts 2:27 and T WH in both verses read εἰς ᾅδην; so the Sept. Psalm 15:10 ()); πύλαι ᾅδου, Matthew 16:18 (πυλωροί ᾅδου, Job 38:17; see πύλη); κλείς τοῦ ᾅδου, Revelation 1:18; Hades as a power is personified, 1 Corinthians 15:55 (where L T Tr WH read θάνατε for R G ᾅδῃ (cf. Acts 2:24 Tr marginal reading)); Revelation 6:8; Revelation 20:13f. Metaphorically, ἕως ᾅδου καταβαίνειν or) καταβιβάζεσθαι to (go or) be thrust down into the depth of misery and disgrace: Matthew 11:23 (here L Tr WH καταβαίνειν); Luke 10:15 (here Tr marginal reading WH text καταβαίνειν). (See especially Boettcher, De Inferis, under the word ἀϊδής in Greek index. On the existence and locality of Hades cf. Greswell on the Parables, Appendix, chapter x, vol. v, part ii, pp. 261406; on the doctrinal significance of the word see the BB. DD. [Hades] and E. R. Craven in Lange on Revelation, pp. 364-377.) Englishman's Concordance Strong's Greek 86 10 Occurrences ᾅδῃ — 1 Occ. ᾅδην — 2 Occ. ᾅδης — 3 Occ. ᾅδου — 4 Occ. “Hades”.BibleHub.3February 2014.< http://biblehub.com/greek/86.htm>. 7 HADES IN THE NEW TESTAMENT "In Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and saw Abraham far away and Lazarus in his bosom. Luke 16:23 BECAUSE YOU WILL NOT ABANDON MY SOUL TO HADES, NOR ALLOW YOUR HOLY ONE TO UNDERGO DECAY. Acts 2:27 He looked ahead and spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that HE WAS NEITHER ABANDONED TO HADES, NOR DID His flesh SUFFER DECAY. Acts 2:31 I looked, and behold, an ashen horse; and he who sat on it had the name Death; and Hades was following with him. Authority was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword and with famine and with pestilence and by the wild beasts of the earth. Revelation 6:8 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds. Revelation 20:13 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. Revelation 20:14 "And you, Capernaum, will not be exalted to heaven, will you? You will descend to Hades; for if the miracles had occurred in Sodom which occurred in you, it would have remained to this day. Matthew 11:23 "I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it. Matthew 16:18 "And you, Capernaum, will not be exalted to heaven, will you? You will be brought down to Hades! Luke 10:15 and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades. Revelation 1:18 8 GEHENNA Gehenna is also the Lake of Fire. It is the place for final judgment where the wicked dead shall be cast and thrown into. It’s fire is unquenchable. Hades is where the souls of the wicked go but in Gehenna they shall be turned with their bodies and soul at the Last Day. The wicked at the Last Day shall be resurrected but into Judgment into the Lake of Fire which is the Second Death. Strong's Concordance geenna: Gehenna, a valley W. and South of Jer., also a symbolic name for the final place of punishment of the ungodly Original Word: γέεννα, ης, ἡ Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: geenna Phonetic Spelling: (gheh'-en-nah) Short Definition: Gehenna Definition: Gehenna, and originally the name of a valley or cavity near Jerusalem, a place underneath the earth, a place of punishment for evil. HELPS Word-studies 1067 géenna (a transliteration of the Hebrew term, Gêhinnōm, "the valley of Hinnom") – Gehenna, i.e. hell (also referred to as the "lake of fire" in Revelation). Gehenna ("hell"), the place of post-resurrection torment (judgment), refers strictly to the everlasting abode of the unredeemed where they experience divine judgment in their individual resurrection-bodies. Each of the unredeemed receives one at the Great White Throne Judgment (Rev 20:11-15), i.e. a body that "matches" their capacity for torment relating to their (unique) judgment. Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 1067: γηννα γηννα (others would accent γηννα, deriving it through the Chaldee. In Mark 9:45 Rec.st γηνα), γηνης (Buttmann, 17 (15)), ἡ, (from יֵת הִּ נּו ש, Nehemiah 11:30; more fully יֵתא ָ ִֶּהִּ נּו ש, Joshua 15:8; Joshua 18:16; 2 Chronicles 28:3; Jeremiah 7:32; יֵת ֹו נֵתִהִּ נּו ש, 2 Kings 23:10 Kethibh; Chaldean יֹו הִּ נש, the valley of the son of lamentation, or of the sons of lamentation, the valley of lamentation, הִּ נּו שbeing used for נִּ הּו שlamentation; see Hiller, Onomasticum; cf. Hitzig (and Graf) on Jeremiah 7:31; (Böttcher, De Inferis, i., p. 82ff); accusative to the common opinion הִּ נּו שis the name of a man), Gehenna, the name of a valley on the south and east of Jerusalem (yet apparently beginning on the Winer's Grammar, cf. Joshua 15:8; Pressel in Herzog, under the word), which was so called from the cries of the little children who were thrown into the fiery arms of Moloch (which see), i. e. of an idol having the form of a bull. The Jews so abhorred the place after these horrible sacrifices had been abolished by king Josiah (2 Kings 23:10), that they cast into it not only all manner of refuse, but even the dead bodies of animals and of unburied criminals who had been executed. And since fires were always needed to consume the dead bodies, that the air might not become tainted by the putrefaction, it came to pass that the place was called γηννα τοῦ πυρός (this common explanation of the descriptive genitive τοῦ πυρός is found in Rabbi David Kimchi (fl. circa A.D. 1200) on Psalm 27:13. Some suppose the genitive to refer not to purifying fires but to the fires of Moloch; others regard it as the natural symbol of penalty (cf. Leviticus 10:2; Numbers 16:35; 2 Kings 1; Psalm 11:6; also Matthew 3:11; Matthew 13:42; 2 Thessalonians 1:8, etc.). See Böttcher, as above, p. 84; Meyer (Thol.) Wetstein (1752) on Matthew 5:22); and then this name was transferred to that place in Hades where the wicked after death will suffer punishment: Matthew 5:22, 29; Matthew 10:28; Luke 12:5; Mark 9:43, 45; James 3:6; γηννα τοῦ πυρός, Matthew 5:22; Matthew 18:9; Mark 9:47 (R G Tr marginal reading brackets); 9 κρίσις τῆς γηννης, Matthew 23:33; υἱός τῆς γηννης, worthy of punishment in Gehenna, Matthew 23:15. Further, cf. Dillmann, Buch Henoch, 27, 1f, p. 131f; (B. D. American edition; Böttcher, as above, p. 80ff; Hamburger, Real-Encycl., Abth. I. under the word Hölle; Bartlett, Life and Death eternal, Appendix H.). Englishman's Concordance Strong's Greek 1067 12 Occurrences γέενναν — 8 Occ. γεέννῃ — 1 Occ. γεέννης — 3 Occ. “Gehenna”.BibleHub.3February 2014.<http://biblehub.com/greek/1067.htm>. GEHENNA IN THE NEW TESTAMENT "But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever says to his brother, 'You good-fornothing,' shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever says, 'You fool,' shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell. Matthew 5:22 "If your right eye makes you stumble, tear it out and throw it from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. Matthew 5:29 "If your right hand makes you stumble, cut it off and throw it from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to go into hell. Matthew 5:30 "If your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out and throw it from you. It is better for you to enter life with one eye, than to have two eyes and be cast into the fiery hell. Matthew 18:9 "If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life crippled, than, having your two hands, to go into hell, into the unquenchable fire, Mark 9:43 And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It's better for you to enter life crippled than to have two feet and be thrown into hell. Mark 9:45 10 "If your eye causes you to stumble, throw it out; it is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, than, having two eyes, to be cast into hell, Mark 9:47 "But I will warn you whom to fear: fear the One who, after He has killed, has authority to cast into hell; yes, I tell you, fear Him! Luke 12:5 TARTAROO Tartaroo is only mentioned once in the Bible and it is where some of the wicked spirits were kept and reserved for eternal fire. Strong's Concordance tartaroó: to cast into hell Original Word: ταρταρόω Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: tartaroó Phonetic Spelling: (tar-tar-o'-o) Short Definition: I thrust down to Tartarus Definition: I thrust down to Tartarus or Gehenna. HELPS Word-studies 5020 tartaróō – properly, send to Tartarus ("Tartaros"). The NT uses 5020 (tartaróō) for the netherworld – the place of punishment fit only for demons. Later, Tartaros came to represent eternal punishment for wicked people. "5020 (tartaróō) is a Greek name for the under-world, especially the abode of the damned – hence to cast into hell" (A-S); to send into the subterranean abyss reserved for demons and the dead. Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 5020: ταρταρόω ταρταρόω, ταρτάρῳ: 1 aorist participle ταρταρώσας; (τάρταρος, the name of a subterranean region, doleful and dark, regarded by the ancient Greeks as the abode of the wicked dead, where they suffer punishment for their evil deeds; it answers to the Gehenna of the Jews, see γηννα); to thrust down to Tartarus (sometimes in the Scholiasts) (cf. Winers Grammar, 25 (24) n.); to hold captive in Tartarus: τινα σειραῖς (which see) σοφοῦ, 2 Peter 2:4 (A. V. cast down to hell (making the dative depend on παρέδωκεν)). Englishman's Concordance Strong's Greek 5020 1 Occurrence ταρταρώσας — 1 Occ. “Tartaroo”.BibleHub.3February2014.http://biblehub.com/greek/5020.htm 11 TARTAROO IN THE NEW TESTAMENT For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to pits of darkness, reserved for judgment; 2Peter 2:4 LAKE OF FIRE THE SECOND DEATH The Lake of Fire is mentioned only in the Book of Revelation. At the Great White Throne Judgment Death, Hell (Hades) and the wicked dead shall be thrown into the Lake of Fire. They shall rise again and have bodies but not to life but into damnation- the Second Death. The wicked dead shall be judged according to their works. Gehenna is the Lake of Fire where Jesus said the wicked shall be cast out. The Beast (Antichrist), the False Prophet and Satan into the Lake of Fire And the beast was seized, and with him the false prophet who performed the signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image; these two were thrown alive into the lake of fire which burns with brimstone. Revelation 19:20 And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. Revelation 20:10 The Judgment of the Dead Then I saw a great white throne and Him who was seated on it. The earth and the heavens fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. 13The 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. 14Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. 15 Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire. Revelation 20:10-15 12 THE QUESTION NOW IS HELL (HADES AND GEHENNA) ONLY THE GRAVE? These questions must be answered. If HELL is just the GRAVE: 1. Why then Jesus warned us of going to hell? 2. Why did Jesus say it is better to enter the Kingdom of God maimed than thrown to Hell with our soul and body? 3. Why then Jesus warned us to fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in Hell? 4. Why then Jesus need to suffer death so that we shall not perish in Hell? 5. Why then Jesus came to save the world? 6. Why then Hell is called fiery and the fire does not quench? 7. Why then Jesus say at Hell there shall be torment? 8. Why then Jesus say their worms die not? 9. Why then Jesus say to Capernaum people who did not believe Him inspite the miracles done that they will descend into hell? 10. If Hell is not a spiritual place why does Jesus hold the keys of Death and Hell? 11. If Hell is the grave or cemetery what is thrown to the Lake of Fire at Judgment Day? 12. If Hell is not spiritual place how were the wicked angels thrown into it and reserved for judgment? The fact that Jesus warned us of being turn into Hell speaks of its spiritual in nature. It is not just the grave. All of humanity shall go to the grave. If Hell is just the grave Jesus would not sternly warn us the danger of being judged and thrown into Hell. Luke 16:23 is not a parable. In Jesus’ parables He never mentioned names of people and prophets. It is an actual event that happened in the times of the prophets. The Richman died and in Hell he was in torment. It also shows that in Hell the dead is fully conscious spiritually. The Richman suffered but Abraham and the others were comforted. This refutes soul sleep. At the resurrection Jesus went into the prison of spirits. He descended into Hell and led a host of captives free. 13 Believers are in Heaven And he was saying, "Jesus, remember me when You come in Your kingdom!"43 And He said to him, "Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise." Luke 23:42-43 Boasting is necessary, though it is not profitable; but I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord. 2 I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago--whether in the body I do not know, or out of the body I do not know, God knows--such a man was caught up to the third heaven. 3 And I know how such a man--whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, God knows--4 was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which a man is not permitted to speak. 2Corinthians 12:1-4 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will grant to eat of the tree of life which is in the Paradise of God.' Revelation 2:7 After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven, and the first voice which I had heard, like the sound of a trumpet speaking with me, said, "Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after these things." 2 Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne was standing in heaven, and One sitting on the throne. 3 And He who was sitting was like a jasper stone and a sardius in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, like an emerald in appearance. 4 Around the throne were twenty-four thrones; and upon the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white garments, and golden crowns on their heads. 10 the twenty-four elders will fall down before Him who sits on the throne, and will worship Him who lives forever and ever, and will cast their crowns before the throne, saying, 11 "Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created." Revelation 4:1-4, 10-11 When the Lamb broke the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God, and because of the testimony which they had maintained; 10 and they cried out with a loud voice, saying, "How long, O Lord, holy and true, will You refrain from judging and avenging our blood on those who dwell on the earth?" 11 And there was given to each of them a white robe; and they were told that they should rest for a little while longer, until the number of their fellow 14 servants and their brethren who were to be killed even as they had been, would be completed also. Revelation 6:9-11 Then I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous, seven angels who had seven plagues, which are the last, because in them the wrath of God is finished. 2 And I saw something like a sea of glass mixed with fire, and those who had been victorious over the beast and his image and the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, holding harps of God. 3 And they sang the song of Moses, the bond-servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, "Great and marvelous are Your works, O Lord God, the Almighty; Righteous and true are Your ways, King of the nations! 4 "Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify Your name? For You alone are holy; For all the nations will come and worship before You, For Your righteous acts have been revealed." 5 After these things I looked, and the temple of the tabernacle of testimony in heaven was opened, Revelation 15:1-5 After these things I heard something like a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, "Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God; 2 because His judgments are true and righteous; for He has judged the great harlot who was corrupting the earth with her immorality, and He has avenged the blood of His bond-servants on her." 3 And a second time they said, "Hallelujah! Her smoke rises up forever and ever." 4 And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who sits on the throne saying, "Amen. Hallelujah!" 5 And a voice came from the throne, saying, "Give praise to our God, all you His bond-servants, you who fear Him, the small and the great." 6 Then I heard something like the voice of a great multitude and like the sound of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, saying, "Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns. Revelation 19:1-6 With the LORD at Death Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord-- 7 for we walk by faith, not by sight-- 8 we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord. 2Corinthians 5:6-8 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. 22 But if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which to choose. 23 But I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the desire 15 to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better; 24 yet to remain on in the flesh is more necessary for your sake. Philippians 1:21-24 The Wicked End in Hell Before Jesus resurrected from the dead the Old Testament believers at death were with Abraham. Hades or Hell has two chambers at that time. The Upper Chamber were the believers go at death and the Lower Chamber were the wicked go. When Jesus resurrected the Upper Chamber was emptied. The Old Testament Saints with Abraham awaited the resurrection of Christ and they were brought to Heaven with Him at the Day of Jesus’ Resurrection. Do I have any pleasure in the death of the wicked," declares the Lord GOD, "rather than that he should turn from his ways and live? Ezekiel 18:23 Say to them, 'As I live!' declares the Lord GOD, 'I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn back, turn back from your evil ways! Why then will you die, O house of Israel?' Ezekiel 33:11 "Now there was a rich man, and he habitually dressed in purple and fine linen, joyously living in splendor every day. 20 "And a poor man named Lazarus was laid at his gate, covered with sores, 21 and longing to be fed with the crumbs which were falling from the rich man's table; besides, even the dogs were coming and licking his sores. 22 "Now the poor man died and was carried away by the angels to Abraham's bosom; and the rich man also died and was buried. 23 "In Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and saw Abraham far away and Lazarus in his bosom. 24 "And he cried out and said, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus so that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool off my tongue, for I am in agony in this flame.' 25 "But Abraham said, 'Child, remember that during your life you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus bad things; but now he is being comforted here, and you are in agony. Luke 16:19-25 16 Old Testament Saints Taken into Paradise after Jesus’ Resurrection This Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death. 24 "But God raised Him up again, putting an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible for Him to be held in its power. 25 "For David says of Him, 'I saw the Lord always in my presence; For He is at my right hand, so that I will not be shaken. 26 'Therefore my heart was glad and my tongue exulted; Moreover my flesh also will live in hope; 27 Because You will not abandon my soul to Hades, Nor allow Your Holy One to undergo decay. 28 'You have made known to me the ways of life; You will make me full of gladness with Your presence.' Acts 2:23-28 Therefore it says, "When He ascended on high, He led captive a host of captives, And He gave gifts to men." 9 (Now this expression, "He ascended," what does it mean except that He also had descended into the lower parts of the earth? 10 He who descended is Himself also He who ascended far above all the heavens, so that He might fill all things.) Ephesians 4:8-10 For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit; 19 in which also He went and made proclamation to the spirits now in prison, 20 who once were disobedient, when the patience of God kept waiting in the days of Noah, during the construction of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through the water. 1Peter 3:18-20 17 IS THERE AN EVERLASTING PUNISHMENT? Some do not believe in the everlasting punishment. They teach annihilation. They believe that Second Death is temporary and shall cease. They contend God is not unjust to forever condemn people and that they suffer forever. In the New Heaven and Earth there shall be no more tears. If we have knowledge of people or relatives in Hell how can there be no more pain they argued. God is love and will not punish forever the wicked and those who reject God. These are some of their reasons to justify there is no everlasting punishment. But what does Jesus really teach regarding everlasting punishment? ETERNAL FIRE AND PUNISHMENT Jesus explicitly warned us of eternal fire and eternal punishment. At Judgment Day He said the wicked dead shall be turned into eternal fire where the Devil and his angels were thrown into. The people of Sodom and Gomorrah are now suffering in Hell into eternal punishment. Prophet Daniel contrasted everlasting life to everlasting contempt. To teach otherwise is contradicting the truth presented by the Word of God. We are not to add or remove words or teachings from it. "I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star." 17 The Spirit and the bride say, "Come." And let the one who hears say, "Come." And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wishes take the water of life without cost. 18 I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues which are written in this book; 19 and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his part from the tree of life and from the holy city, which are written in this book. Revelation 22:16-19 18 "Many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake, these to everlasting life, but the others to disgrace and everlasting contempt. Daniel 12:2 Where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched. Mark 9:44 "If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it from you; it is better for you to enter life crippled or lame, than to have two hands or two feet and be cast into the eternal fire. Matthew 18:8 Dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power. 2Thessalonians 1:8-9 The Judgment "But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. 32 "All the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; 33 and He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on the left. 34 "Then the King will say to those on His right, 'Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35 'For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; 36 naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.' 37 "Then the righteous will answer Him, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? 38 'And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? 39 'When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?' 40 "The King will answer and say to them, 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.' 41 "Then He will also say to those on His left, 'Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels; 42 for I was hungry, and you gave Me nothing to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me nothing to drink; 43 I was a stranger, and you did not invite Me in; naked, and you did not clothe Me; sick, and in 19 prison, and you did not visit Me.' 44 "Then they themselves also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not take care of You?' 45 "Then He will answer them, 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.' 46 "These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life." Matthew 25:31-46 Just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them, since they in the same way as these indulged in gross immorality and went after strange flesh, are exhibited as an example in undergoing the punishment of eternal fire. Jude 1:7 TORMENTED FOREVER AND EVER In the Lake of Fire the wicked, Satan, Antichrist and the False Prophet shall be tormented forever and ever. Then another angel, a third one, followed them, saying with a loud voice, "If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, 10 he also will drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is mixed in full strength in the cup of His anger; and he will be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. 11 "And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever; they have no rest day and night, those who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name." Revelation 14:9-11 And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. Revelation 20:10 20 WHO SHALL GO TO HELL? The Wicked and Ungodly The wicked willfully continued to live ungodly lives and thereby suppressed the truth. They have removed God from their lives and ways. But by the same word the present heavens and earth have been reserved for fire, by being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly. 2Peter 3:7 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, 10 nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. 1Corinthians 6:9-10 Then I heard the altar reply, “Yes, Lord God, the All-Powerful, your judgments are true and just!” 8 Then the fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and it was permitted to scorch people with fire. 9 Thus people were scorched by the terrible heat, yet they blasphemed the name of God, who has ruling authority over these plagues, and they would not repent and give him glory. Revelation 16:7-9 "But for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death." Revelation 21:8 21 Those who reject God, the gospel and the truth People who reject God in their lives, reject the gospel and believe not the Lord Jesus and does not love the truth. For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of people who suppress the truth by their unrighteousness, 21 For although they knew God, they did not glorify him as God or give him thanks, but they became futile in their thoughts and their senseless hearts were darkened. Romans 1:18, 21 and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. 11 For this reason God will send upon then a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false, 12 in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness. 2Thessalonians 2:10 Dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power. 2Thessalonians 1:8-9 For this is contained in Scripture: "Behold, I lay in Zion a choice stone, a precious corner stone, And he who believes in Him will not be disappointed." 7 This precious value, then, is for you who believe; but for those who disbelieve, "The stone which the builders rejected, This became the very corner stone," 8 and, "A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense"; for they stumble because they are disobedient to the word, and to this doom they were also appointed. 1Petet 2:6 22 HOW CAN WE THEREFORE ESCAPE FROM THE FIRES OF HELL? Eternal Life is of and from God. It is the Life of God. Jesus Christ is the Life- the Eternal Life. He purchased for us our redemption on the cross and has risen from the dead. Salvation is now free. Eternal life is now a gift. It has been paid for. It is a gift that we have to receive. It is a free gift of God to man. It was made possible through our Lord Jesus Christ. He is the Son of God, the Lord of the Heavens and the Earth, the Lord who made the Heavens and the Earth. He who made you humbled Himself and took the human form so that He can die and ransom us and purchase a life for us, an eternal life for us. He rose from the dead because death cannot hold Him. Now that He has risen from the dead we can now be free from death, free from spiritual and eternal condemnation. He who knew no sin became sin for us so that we may become the righteousness of God in Him. He was cursed on the cross so that we may be blessed with the Life. He came to us so that we may come to God through Him. Repent and receive the Lord Jesus Christ- the Eternal life. Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me. John 14:6 Yet for this reason I found mercy, so that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life. 1Timothy 1:16 BELIEVE IN THE LORD JESUS CHRIST and after he brought them out, he said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" 31 They said, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household." Act 16:30-31 23 DO YOU HAVE: JESUS CHRIST ETERNAL LIFE WHAT TO DO: ADMIT WE HAVE SINNED AND REPENT We have sinned and we can't be changed by our own selves. There are things in our lives that are wrong and should make them right. We must agree with God and His word that we have sinned, on our way to Hell, and we should to repent. BELIEVE THE GOSPEL- THE GOOD NEWS He died for us and was raised from the dead so that we can be SAVED (Rom. 10:9). If He didn't do this, our sins could not be forgiven. Christ paid the price for our salvation and eternal life is now a Free Gift. We can now receive ETERNAL LIFE through faith in Him. He is the only way to God His Father. CONFESS AND RECEIVE JESUS AS LORD AND SAVIOR Confess with our mouth Jesus is Lord and receive Him as our Lord and Savior. He has risen from the dead. He is the Lord of all and everything in us. We must surrender all to Jesus’ Lordship and saving grace to have eternal life. Romans 10:9-13 “that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. For the Scripture says, “WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED. For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him; for “WHOEVER WILL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED.” 24 PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I have sinned. I believe that Jesus Christ shed His precious blood on the cross, died for my sin and rose from the dead. Forgive me and wash me with the blood of Jesus. I am turning away from sin. I now invite Christ to sit on the throne of my heart and my life and received Him as my Lord and Savior. Thank You Father, In Jesus Name. Amen. BE BAPTIZED IN THE NAME OF THE LORD And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20 ASSURANCE YOU NOW HAVE ETERNAL LIFE but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name. John 20:31 If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater; for the testimony of God is this, that He has testified concerning His Son. The one who believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself; the one who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has given concerning His Son. “And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.” 1John 5:9-13 25