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Lesson #14 - Hell
Series: One WordLESSON #14 – HELL
The word “hell” is descriptive of the place of punishment for the wicked after life on earth.
Three primary words in the New Testament are often translated by our English word hell: sheol … hades … and gehenna.
A fourth word, tartarus, is used once - - in 2Pet.2:4 - - to refer to a place of incarceration where sinful angels were held.
DISCUSSION SUB-POINTS
1) VERBIAGE
SHEOL / This Old Testament word can sometimes be employed in a general sense to simply speak of “the grave”.
In a broad sense sheol is the place of the dead, without respect to whether they are righteous or wicked. cf. Ps.16:10 & 30:3.
HADES / This New Testament word is very similar to Sheol in that sense that it broadly speaks of the region of the departed.
In Lk.16:22, the poor man Lazarus was carried away by the angels to Abraham’s bosom - - the good side of the Hadean realm.
GEHENNA / This word is used repeatedly by Jesus to refer to an eternal state of the lost.
2) HOW IS HELL DESCRIBED IN THE NEW TESTAMENT?
Of particular significance is the observation that Jesus believed in and taught about hell.
This alone should put an end to any doubt as the reality of such of a place.
Hell is depicted with a wide variety of expressions.
~ Eternal/unquenchable fire (Mt.18:8 & Mk.9:43) … a furnace of fire (Mt.13:42 & 50)
~ Outer darkness (Mt.25:30a) … cf. black darkness (Jude 13)
~ Weeping and gnashing of teeth (Mt.8:12 & 25:30b) … torment (Lk.16:28).
~ Where the worm never dies (Mk.9:48)
~ Eternal punishment (Mt.25:46) ... Everlasting destruction (Mt.10:28)
~ A place prepared for the devil and his angels (Mt.25:41).
~ Away from the presence of the Lord (2Thess.1:9) - - i.e., an existence without God and Christ.
The above terms are not intended to be taken literally (i.e., physically).
Eternal fire is neither compatible with “complete darkness” nor with “where the worm never dies”.
One could respond by saying that what is appears impossible to man is doable by Almighty God.
The other (and better) alternative is to view the above as images used to describe a horrible and horrifying existence.
The point that we dare not miss is that HELL IS REAL.
3) WHO WILL BE IN HELL?
The devil and his angels (Mt.25:41).
All sinners who have not been washed by the blood of Christ (1Cor.6:9-11). i.e., those who are not saved (1Pet.4:17-18).
Those who do not obey the gospel (2Thess.1:8).
Those whose names are not found written in the book of life (Rev.20:15).
Formerly faithful who have turned aside (2Pet.2:21).
While our responsibility is to try to teach others the gospel of Christ, we are not THE JUDGE (Rom.14:12).
God is both HOLY (just) and COMPASSIONATE (merciful). Let us rest in the assurance affirmed by Abraham (Gen.18:15) - -
Shall not the Judge of all the earth deal justly?
