The Truth About Hell
For many people including Christians, talking about hell is not usually very comfortable, in fact most people would rather avoid the topic altogether. Just as we talk about heaven and the glory of heaven, it is equally as important to talk about hell, and its seriousness. The more we are aware of what hell really means, the more we are likely to avoid anything that would lead us there. So today we try to understand what exactly is the Truth about hell, what does the Bible have to say about hell. Let's confront this truth and not cower from it.
When we talk about hell, a number of phrases appear in the Bible, that is sheol, hades and hell itself. To understand the terms Hades, Sheol, and the concept of Hell, we need to know what they really mean.
Sheol in the Old Testament:
Sheol is the Hebrew term used in the Old Testament to describe the realm of the dead, a shadowy place where all the dead, both righteous and unrighteous, were thought to go. It's described as a place of darkness and silence, but not necessarily one of punishment or reward. Here are verses that talk about Sheol,
Psalm 16:10;
"For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption.",
David here, is showing an expectation of deliverance of his soul from Sheol
Job 14:13 ;
"Oh that you would hide me in Sheol, that you would conceal me until your wrath be past, that you would appoint me a set time, and remember me!"
Indicating a hope of resurrection or coming out of Sheol.
Proverbs 15:24 ;
"The path of life leads upward for the prudent, that he may turn away from Sheol beneath."
Showing that Sheol is a place where righteousness and living right deliver us.
But Sheol had two distinct parts:
The Paradise Side – Also called "Abraham’s bosom," it was a place of rest for the righteous. Luke 16:22 says,
"So it was that the beggar died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried."
The Place of Torment – For the wicked, it was a place of agony. Luke 16:23 continues,
"And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom."
Hades in the New Testament:
Hades is the Greek equivalent of Sheol, used in the New Testament. Like Sheol, Hades was initially a broad term for the abode of the dead. However, in the New Testament', Hades becomes more understood:
Acts 2:27;
"For you will not abandon my soul to Hades, or let your Holy One see corruption." (Peter quoting Psalm 16:10, using Hades for Sheol in Greek.)
Revelation 1:18;
"I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades." (Jesus having authority over Hades.)
Hell is introduced in the New Testament as the place of eternal punishment, distinct from Hades. It's often translated as "Hell". Jesus frequently uses this term to describe a place of final, eternal punishment for the wicked.
Matthew 5:22;
"But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, 'You fool!' will be liable to the hell of fire."
Matthew 10:28;
"And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell."
Mark 9:47-48;
"And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into hell, 'where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.'"
Revelation 20:14-15;
"Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire."
As we can see Jesus spoke about hell more than anyone else in the Bible, He didn’t avoid tough conversations because He understood how serious eternity is. There is a quote from a certain book I read that said; Jesus himself is our prime if not the sole source of knowledge about hell. He warned us in his word, because He knows what’s at stake.
Here are five things Jesus taught about hell:
Separation from God – Hell is where people are eternally separated from God’s gracious presence. Matthew 13:41-42 says,
"The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness, and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth."
Outer Darkness – It’s a place of utter darkness. Matthew 25:30 says,
"And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."
Conscious Suffering – In hell, people are fully aware of their torment. Luke 16:24 says,
"Then he cried and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.’"
Fire and Torment – Hell is described as a fiery furnace. Matthew 13:50 says,
"and cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth."
Eternal Duration – The punishment in hell lasts forever. Matthew 25:46 says,
"And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."
Jesus didn’t warn us about hell to scare us—He did it because He loves us and wants us to avoid it.
Hell is Eternal
Let’s pause here for a moment. One of the most absolute truths about hell is that it’s eternal. It’s not a place where you suffer for a while and then it’s over. No, hell lasts forever.
Jesus emphasized this over and over again:
In Matthew 25:46, He said,
"And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."
Mark 9:48 describes it as a place
"where ‘Their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.’"
Revelation 14:11 says,
"And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name."
The eternity of hell should make us stop and think. Rejecting Jesus means choosing eternal separation from God. 2 Thessalonians 1:9 warns,
"These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power."
The current Hell (hades) will be thrown into the lake of fire.
The Bible does talk about a certain place where Hades and death will finally be thrown into. Hades is the current hell, and it’s like a holding place for all those who have been condemned by God currently until the final judgment, which is normally called the Great White Throne Judgment. See, when someone dies right now, they either go to heaven to be with the Lord or they go outside the presence of God. That's why it is written in the scriptures:
"We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord." (2 Cor. 5:8).
To go outside of the presence of God is to go to the current hell (Hades). And also,
"Man is appointed to die once, and after that comes judgment." (Heb. 9:27).
In the book of Revelation, it is written:
"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 20:14-15).
Eventually, the real eternal place for all those who died in their sins outside of the saving grace of God—that is, they didn't accept Jesus into their lives as their Savior—is the Lake of Fire. THIS IS VERY SERIOUS.
The Only Way Out of Hell is Jesus
Now for the good news: You don’t have to go to hell. Jesus came to save you from it. On the cross, He took the punishment of hell on Himself. John 3:16 reminds us,
"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."
Jesus is the only way out of hell. In John 14:6, He said,
"I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."
John 5:24 ;
"Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life."
Acts 4:12 ;
"And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."
1 Timothy 2:5;
"For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus."
Today, make a conscious decision to follow Jesus, Revelation 3:20;
'Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. '
open your heart and life to Jesus. Remember Chrsit came so that we may not perish but have everlasting life in Him and He is the only way to avoid perishing in hell. If you accept Jesus as your Saviour say this prayer of salvation:
“Dear Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner, and I ask for Your forgiveness. I believe You died for my sins and rose from the dead. I turn from my sins and invite You to come into my heart and life. I want to trust and follow You as my Lord and Savior. In Your Name. Amen.”
If you have said this prayer with great sincerity and repentance, your life changes right away, you belong to heaven and not hell, you are not your own, you belong to God and he has readily with open arms welcomed you into His Kingdom. Continually fellowship and walk in His ways. If you can find a Bible believing Church, join so that you can grow in faith. Find new friends that also lead you to God. This is my prayer for you:
'“The Lord bless you and keep you;
The Lord make His face shine upon you,
And be gracious to you;
The Lord lift up His countenance upon you,
And give you peace.” ’'
Numbers 6:24-26
