Eternal Punishment of the Damned. Hell is not a Joke
The Reality of Eternal Punishment and
The Lake of Fire
The Eternal “Abode” of the Damned
By Pastor F. M. Riley
Revised August 23, 2010
“And whosoever was not found written in the
book of life was cast into the lake of fire,” Revelation 20:15.
Introduction
Hell is not a joke! The fires of Hell are not a laughing
matter!
The Bible study you are about to read was
given to me many years ago as I studied God’s Word and the Holy Spirit graciously
enlightened me. I have preached this
message many times over the years. The Lord has impressed me to put these truths
into printed form so that more souls might be warned to “flee from the wrath to
come.” I have been obedient to
that impression. The result is the Bible
study you now hold in your hand.
In writing out this study, I have been
gripped by the reality of eternal torment upon the incorrigible wicked as never
before. I have literally wept as I
wrote. More than once I was constrained
to turn from my writing and seek the face of God, and plead for more power to
witness to the lost. Yes, and to plead
God’s forgiveness for my own negligence in not warning lost souls with more
fervency. My prayer as I write this
introduction is that every true
believer will be gripped with the same agony of soul that I have felt
as I wrote this study. May the Lord
impress upon every reader the urgency of the hour, the shortness of time, the
certainty of judgment, and the reality of eternal
punishment upon unrepentant sinners.
May God give His people [those
truly saved] souls for Jesus’ sake.
If, by the grace of God, this study comes
into the hands of some lost soul, I would count it a blessing to counsel and
pray with you concerning the salvation of your soul. My earnest desire is to meet every reader at
the feet of Jesus when He comes in glory.
May God bless every reader with an abundance of grace is my prayer.
The Big Question
Is Hell real?
Is there really a place of literal fire in
which the souls of the incorrigible wicked shall be eternally tormented? Or as some claim, is Hell just a state of
mind; a figure of speech? Is it possible
that Hell is just a figment of Jewish superstition invented to frighten people
into maintaining some reasonable order in society? Or…..even if Hell exists, perhaps it is a
place of annihilation where the souls of the incorrigible wicked will be burned
out of existence in a matter of seconds?
Or…..is every reference to Hell in God’s Word just allegorical and
symbolic, as some “professing Christians” claim?
These are samples of questions that arise
and the confusion that exists today, on the subject of “eternal punishment.” In our
generation many self-proclaimed “Bible teachers” have stepped forward to deny
the reality of a literal hell, and to spread confusion among the churches. Of course their denials are often eagerly
received by those who would like to extinguish the fires of a literal hell in
order to escape the consequences of their own wickedness. To most people living today, Hell is just a
curse word falling from profane lips, or an imaginary place to be mocked by
some filthy joke.
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But in spite of the general spirit of
unbelief in a literal hell, the small nagging fear still persists in the hearts
and minds of men, “What if Hell really
does exist?” Yes! What if it really does…..?
The Testimony of the Lord Jesus Christ
The Lord Jesus believed Hell to be real! The greatest hell-fire and
brimstone preacher that has ever appeared on the stage of human history was
none other than the tender Lamb of God, the Savior of the world, the Lord Jesus
Christ Himself. Christ had more to say
about Hell than any other person in the entire Bible. When the Lord spoke about Hell, He spoke in
the soberest of terms, as if He was speaking of a real place. He spoke with emphasis as if He fervently
desired that men would be warned, and would make such spiritual preparation
that would guarantee that they would never go to that place. Listen to the Lord Himself as He warns men of
the eternal wrath of an offended God…..
“And I say unto you My friends, Be not
afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can
do. But I will forewarn you whom ye
shall fear: Fear Him, which after He
hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear
Him,” Luke 12:4-5.
“And fear not them which kill the body, but
are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear Him which is able to destroy
both soul and body in hell,” Matthew 10:28.
“And if thy hand offend thee, cut it
off: it is better for thee to enter into
life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that
never shall be quenched:
Where their worm dieth not, and the
fire is not quenched.
And if thy foot offend thee, cut it
off: it is better for thee to enter halt
into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that
never shall be quenched:
Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is
not quenched.
And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it
out: it is better for thee to enter into
the kingdom of God
Where their worm dieth not, and the fire
is not quenched,” Mark 9:43-48.
Our readers
should notice that the passage in Luke warns men to avoid Hell. The passage in Matthew points out that
Hell is a place where both body and
soul will be destroyed. The
Greek word translated as “destroy” in Matthew 10:28 is the
word “apollumi.” This Greek word literally means, “to bring to ruin or [eternal] loss.” This
word never means “to annihilate.” See
Thayer’s Greek Lexicon, pages 64-65, Strong’s No. 622.
The passage in Mark makes it clear that
Hell is eternal; a place where
the “worm”
[soul…Job 25:6] of those who go there will never die and the fires of
that place will never cease to burn.
The Greek word translated as “hell”
in all three of these passages is the word, “gehenna.” The Lord, in
using this particular word, is referring to the final abode of the
incorrigible wicked; the lake of fire and brimstone, Revelation
20:15.
The Lord Jesus did not want men to go to
Hell, for He well knew the reality of its existence. Hell is a real place! A careful study of the Scriptures will reveal
just how terrifyingly real it is…..
The Origin of Hell Fire
The Word of God makes it clear that Hell has
not always existed. Almighty God is
very reluctant to proceed from mercy to damnation [Ezekiel 33:11], therefore
no place
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of fiery torment
for the incorrigible wicked was created in the beginning.
In Matthew 25:41 we are told that the
fires of Hell were “prepared for the devil and his angels.” The Greek word
translated as “prepared” is the word, “hetoimazo.” This word literally means, “to make ready.” It is the same Greek word used by our
Lord in John 14:2-3, where He told His disciples that He was going to “prepare”
a place for them. The word
actually means to take what is already in existence and “prepare” [make] something new with it. Hell was “prepared” following the creation of
the heavens and the earth, specifically for “the devil and his angels.” Hell
was brought into existence after the “anointed cherub” of Ezekiel
28 became the one we know today as Satan. Up until his rebellion against God, there was
no need for such a place.
In the Old Testament the word translated as
“hell”
comes from the Hebrew word, “sheol.” This Hebrew word literally means, “the place of departed spirits; place of the
dead; the underworld.” It was the
place where the souls of the deceased went preceding the coming of Christ into
the world. “Sheol” was already in existence during the life of Abraham [Genesis
25:8] and Jacob, Genesis 37:35. The first time the word actually
occurs in the Old Testament is in Genesis 37:35, where it is incorrectly
translated as “grave.” The word “sheol” never means the grave,
even though it is incorrectly translated that way 31 times in the King James
Version Old Testament. “Sheol” always refers to the place where
the souls of the deceased went when their bodies died.
There are never any references to “sheol” being a place of fire, UNTIL
the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt
Numbers 16 records
the rebellion of Korah and those who followed him, against God’s appointed
leader, Moses. Study this entire chapter
carefully.
In Numbers 16:30 we read, “But
if the Lord make a new thing, and the earth open her mouth, and swallow
them up, with all that appertain unto them, and they go down quick [alive]
into
the pit; then ye shall understand that these men have provoked the Lord.”
Then in verses 32-33 we are told, “And
the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all
the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods.
They, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into the pit, and
the earth closed upon them: and they perished from among the congregation.”
Then in verse 35 we read, “And there came out a fire
from the Lord, and consumed the two hundred and fifty men that offered
incense.”
In verse 30 Moses
stated that the Lord was going to “make a new thing.” The word translated as “make”
in this verse is the Hebrew word “bara.” This is the same word that is translated
as “create”
elsewhere in the Old Testament.
The basic meaning of the word is, “to
create.” Moses plainly stated that
God was going to “create” something
that He had not previously created. This
is verified by the words, “new thing.”
These two words are translated from one Hebrew word, “beriah.”
This word literally means, “a
creation; a created thing.” The
meaning of these words makes it clear that on this occasion the Lord was
performing a creative act in
bringing forth some “new thing.” But what
was it that the Lord created at that specific time? Let’s see…..
Notice the word “pit” in verse 30 and
again in verse 33. This word is
translated from the Hebrew word, “sheol.” “Sheol” is translated as “pit”
only three times in the Old Testament, with two of those occurrences
being in Numbers 16. This means
that the Lord on this occasion created some “new thing” connected
with “sheol,” the underworld; the
place of departed spirits. What was it
then that the Lord created at this
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specific time?
In verse 35 the Scripture states, “…there came out a fire from the Lord…” This is the first time in
God’s Word where fire is connected with “sheol.” On this occasion the Lord literally created
fire in the bowels of the earth, where previously there had been no fire. The fire “came out” and devoured the men who
were offering incense. The Lord then
used this fire to “prepare” a fiery hell for the devil and his
angels.
Does this sound far fetched to our
readers? Well let’s see if it can be verified
by God’s Word…..
In Deuteronomy 32, in rehearsing Israel Israel
On this
occasion, Moses, speaking by Divine inspiration and in the present tense, states that the Lord had kindled a fire that
would “burn unto the lowest hell [sheol].
This fire would “consume the earth with her
increase,” and would “set on fire the foundations of the mountains.” It is obvious that this is speaking
of literal fire, and this fire
would burn in the interior of
the earth. As it burned it would consume
the interior of the earth and ultimately burn right down into the lowest level
of “sheol,” thereby bringing into
existence a burning fiery “hell” in the place of departed
spirits. Notice the reference to setting
“on
fire the foundations of the mountains.” This
is speaking in Biblical language of volcanic activity. This means that in the fires of volcanic
eruptions, Almighty God is giving mankind evidence that His Word is true and
that a literal burning hell is
real. Oh, that mankind would heed the warning and flee from eternal wrath!
Science or Scripture?
I digress momentarily to make a point that
is of utmost importance to God’s people.
So-called “modern science” claims
that hundreds of millions of years in the past, the earth was a burning
star. Supposedly, through eons of time
it slowly cooled off until it can now support life on its crust [surface]. Folks, this so-called “scientific theory” is unadulterated “hogwash.”
God’s Word tells us exactly the opposite. Genesis 1:2, 1:6-7, and Genesis
7 tell us that in the recent past [little more than 6000 years] the earth was covered with water, and
the interior of the earth [the abyss; the
deep] was filled with water. Study
the passages for yourself.
The passages in Numbers 16 and Deuteronomy 32 point out
that the Lord “kindled” a fire in the interior of the earth. Rather than the earth cooling off, it is
heating up due to the fire that now burns within it.
The inspired Word of God warns God’s people
[those truly saved] to avoid “profane
and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called,” 1
Timothy 6:20. Now choose whether
you want to follow the vain ever changing theories of so-called “modern science,” or the never
changing revelation of God’s infallible Word. As for me, I choose to anchor my soul on the
unshakeable “Rock” of God’s eternal Word.
The Expansion of Hell
We have noticed the origin of hell-fire. Now let’s look at what has happened since the
Lord “kindled” that fire in the bowels of
the earth.
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Moses tells us that the fire the Lord kindled would increase as it
consumed the interior of the earth. This
means that Hell [sheol] would
gradually become larger in size.
In Psalm 9:17 we read, “The
wicked shall be turned into hell, and
all the nations that forget God.”
In Proverbs 27:20 the Scripture says, “Hell and destruction are never
full…..”
In Habakkuk
2:5 it is recorded, “…..who enlargeth his desire as hell, and is as
death, and cannot be satisfied, but gathereth unto him all nations, and heapeth
unto him all people.”
These
Scriptures emphasize the need for Hell to be a large place, due to the millions
of people who are going to end up spending eternity there. The Lord said that both “body and soul” will be
cast into Hell. It could be argued that
souls do not require space, but bodies certainly do. Hell must ultimately be a huge place in order
to have room for the bodies of the incorrigible wicked that will be cast
into it following the “great white throne” judgment, Revelation
20:11-15.
In Isaiah
5:11-13 we read about the wickedness of Israel Israel
This
statement sets forth literal
truth. The fires presently burning in
the bowels of the earth are causing Hell [sheol]
to become larger and larger as the interior is consumed by the intense flames
and heat. As Hell expands it is
gradually burning towards the surface of the earth. This truth is again verified by the Word of
God.
Isaiah 14 records a prophecy
about an end-time “king of Babylon
Now notice verse 9, “Hell [sheol; hades] from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy coming: it stirreth up the dead for
thee…..”
In Isaiah
5:14 God’s Word says that Hell is enlarging. In Isaiah 14:9 the Scripture says that
Hell is moving. Specifically,
Hell is moving towards the surface of the earth as its flames consume the
interior of the earth. At some point during
the rise and reign of the anti-christ, the fires of Hell are going to burn
through the surface of the earth at some specific location on the earth’s
surface. When this occurs, there will
come into existence a literal “lake of fire.”
This truth is clearly prophesied in Isaiah
30:33, “For Tophet is
ordained of old; yea, for the king it is
prepared; He hath made it deep
and large: the pile thereof is fire and much wood; the breath of the Lord, like a stream of brimstone,
doth kindle it.”
The Hebrew word translated as “Tophet” in this verse is the
equivalent of the Greek word, “gehenna.” Both words refer to the future “lake
of fire.” This Scripture tells
us that the Lord “ordained” the “lake of fire” from ancient times, “…for
the king it is prepared…” In
studying the context of this chapter, it becomes obvious that this is a
prophecy that speaks of the future punishment of the anti-christ. He is “the king” that is under
consideration in this verse. Notice also
that the Lord, having “ordained” Tophet, then “prepared”
it. This statement perfectly
harmonizes with Matthew 25:41. Since the
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“lake of fire” has to be a huge place in order to accommodate the bodies and
souls of millions of lost people, we are told in this verse that it is “deep
and large,” and that “the breath of the Lord…..doth kindle
it.” Isn’t this exact
verification of what we have already studied?
When?
The passages that we have studied also
point out when the “lake of fire” will be brought into
existence. There is no lake of fire in
existence today. Hell [sheol] is presently located in the
underworld somewhere beneath the surface of the earth. But it is burning constantly, and enlarging
as it burns. The Scriptures specifically
state that it will meet the anti-christ at his coming. Therefore it is obvious that the fires of
Hell will burn through, [or break through]
the surface of the earth sometime during the rise and reign of the anti-christ.
In Revelation 19:20 the Scripture says,
“And
the beast [Antichrist] was taken, and with him the false prophet that
wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the
mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of
fire burning with brimstone.”
This makes
it obvious that the “lake of fire” must be in existence before the end of the
Tribulation in order for the anti-christ to be cast into it. This is exactly what the Scriptures presented
point out. The “lake of fire” will come
into existence during the Tribulation period, due to the fires of Hell burning
through the surface of the earth.
That the “lake of fire” will be in
existence at that time is further verified by Matthew 13:49-50. In this passage the Lord states that
the angels of God will come forth at the end of the age, and cast the wicked
into “the
furnace of fire.” Also study the
context in which Matthew 25:41 occurs. It
also gives us insight into the time period involved.
Where?
Where will the fires of Hell break through the surface of the earth,
bringing into existence a literal “lake of fire”? It is obvious that there will be a
certain location on the surface of the earth. Further, according to God’s Word it will be
visible to all who look in that direction.
The smoke alone from such a conflagration will be visible for a great
distance as it rises into the heavens from the surface of the fiery lake. Does God’s Word shed any light on this
subject? Indeed it does!
In Revelation 14:9-11 we are told what
will happen to those who, during the coming Tribulation, worship the beast [anti-christ], or his image, or receive
his mark. They will “be tormented with fire and
brimstone.” In verse 11 the
Scripture states, “And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever…”
This
statement makes it clear that smoke from the “lake of fire” will be
eternally visible to all who survive the Tribulation. Humanity entering the Millennial Kingdom
But from what part of the earth will this
smoke arise? Where will the fiery lake
of eternal torment for the wicked actually be located? Does the Word of God tell us? Let’s see what the Word has to say…..
I urge our readers to carefully study Isaiah
34; the whole chapter. Lay aside
all of the pre-conceived opinions you
may have picked up in some commentary, or heard from
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some preacher,
and just allow the Word of God to speak to your heart. Receive and accept what the Word actually and
literally says at face value. I
reproduce here the first ten verses of Isaiah 34.
“Come near, ye nations, to hear: and
hearken, ye people: let the earth hear, and all that is therein; the world, and
all things that come forth of it.
For the indignation of the Lord is upon all nations, and His fury
upon all their armies: He hath utterly destroyed them, He hath delivered them
to the slaughter.
Their slain also shall be cast out, and
their stink shall come up out of their carcases, and the mountains shall be
melted with their blood.
And all the host of heaven shall be
dissolved, and the heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll: and all their host shall fall down, as the
leaf falleth off from the vine, and as a falling fig from the fig tree.
For My sword shall be bathed in heaven:
behold, it shall come down upon Idumea [Edom
The sword of the Lord is filled with blood,
it is made fat with fatness, and with the blood of lambs
and goats, with the fat of the kidneys of rams: for the Lord hath a sacrifice in
Bozrah, and a great slaughter in the land of Idumea [Edom].
And the unicorns shall come down with them,
and the bullocks with the bulls; and their land [Edom
For it is the day
of the Lord’s vengeance, and the
year of recompenses for the controversy of Zion
And the streams thereof [Edom ] shall
be turned into pitch, and the dust thereof into brimstone, and the land
thereof [Edom
It shall not be quenched night nor day; the
smoke thereof shall go up for ever: from generation to generation it shall
lie waste; none shall pass through it for ever and ever.”
Notice that this is a message addressed to all the nations and
peoples of the earth, 34:1. In this portion of Scripture the Lord has
something to say that is so important that He wants all humanity to hear
it.
In verse 2 the Lord begins His
message by warning all humanity that He is angry with “all
nations,” so much so that He has already determined the total defeat
and utter destruction of “all their armies.” He has already “delivered
them to the slaughter.” In Romans
4:17 it is explicitly stated that the Lord “…calleth those things which be
not as though they were.” Mankind
today still struggles with war, and with all of the destruction and heartache
and death that it brings. But the Lord has already decreed the end of
all war and the “slaughter” of “all men of war,” Ezekiel 39:20. Glory to God!
In these Scriptures we are told exactly where
this decreed slaughter is going to take place.
It will take place in the Biblical land of “Idumea” [Edom Edom Edom
This terrible slaughter of the armies of
the nations will then take place in the land formerly occupied by ancient “Edom Edom Dead Sea . Compare Ezekiel 39:1-21, Isaiah
63:1-6, Habakkuk 3:3, Deuteronomy 33:2, and Judges 5:4-5. The land
of Edom was located southeast of the Dead Sea . Today this
area is the southwest portion of the nation
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of Jordan on the east
side of the Great Rift Valley .
The Lord then tells the nations what will
become of the land
of Edom land of Edom land of Edom
This will
obviously involve tremendous geological activity; the whole earth being in
upheaval, with the surface of the land breaking apart, and volcanoes erupting. Study
Isaiah
2:19-21, 13:13-14, 24:1, 24:5-6, 24:17-20, and many other similar
Scriptures in the prophetic portions of the Old Testament. All of this activity
will be going on as the Lord Jesus Christ returns in glory to bring an end to
the Tribulation and establish His own glorious kingdom. Glory!
The Duration
In this passage the Lord also gives us the
duration of the fires that break forth in the land of Edom
Beloved reader, do you hear it? Are you listening to God’s Word? Compare this passage with Revelation
14:9-11. The Lord tells us that
the land of Edom Edom
Jeremiah 49:7-22 is another portion
of Scripture that deals with the land
of Edom Edom
Again, in Ezekiel
20:45-48 we find another prophecy against “the south field.” Edom
was located south and east of Israel
And all flesh shall see that I the Lord have
kindled it: it shall not be quenched.”
Study also Ezekiel 25:13-14 and Obadiah
18. Both passages are prophecies
about the land of
Edom
In Malachi 1:1-5 we find another
portion of Scripture dealing with the land of Edom
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Jeremiah 49:13 says that Edom land
of Edom shall be referred to as “The border
of wickedness,” and that the Lord will have “indignation” against the
people of Edom
Eternity and the New Earth
In Revelation
22:14-15 we find a statement about those who will enter “new
Jerusalem” and those who will be shut out. “Blessed are they
that do His commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may
enter in through the gates into the city.
For without [outside; shut out] are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and
murderers, and
idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.”
The word translated as “without” is the Greek
word, “exo.” This word literally means, “outside.” The verse actually says that “outside”
the walls of “new Jerusalem” will be wicked souls
that have rejected Christ as their Savior.
This verse does not tell us where “outside” these wicked
souls will be located. But it does make
it clear that such wicked souls will be “outside” the city even during the
eternal age. Where will they be?
No! They will not be running loose on the “new
earth.” The answer should be obvious!
They will be in the “lake of fire” located in the land
once possessed by ancient Edom
Again, does this sound far-fetched to our
readers? Then let’s see if it is
verified by the Word of God…..
In Isaiah 66:22-24 we find the very
passage from which our Lord quoted in Mark 9:42-48. It reads, “For as the new heavens and the
new earth, which I will make, shall remain before Me, saith the Lord, so shall
your seed and your name remain.
And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall
all flesh come to worship before Me, saith the Lord.
And they shall go forth, and look upon the
carcases of the men that have transgressed against Me: for their worm [soul…Job 25:6] shall not die, neither shall their fire be
quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh.”
This
passage is plainly speaking of the future eternal age that follows the Millennial Kingdom
Isn’t the answer obvious? Malachi
4:1 tells us that the border of ancient Edom Edom
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of their eternal
damnation.
Conclusion
Folks, Satan has spent at least 6000 years
bringing every kind of fiendish and diabolical wickedness upon the human race
in his mad attempt to overthrow Almighty God and seize God’s throne for
himself. Satan has not hesitated to
deceive millions, causing them to commit spiritual suicide. He has brought about the death of millions
more by war, oppression, hunger, crime, disease, and poverty. He has dragged humanity through the fires of
suffering and death in pursuit of his mad goal.
As the end of this age approached, Satan fathered,
in the name of “scientific progress,”[Sic!]
the most diabolical weapon for the mass destruction of mankind by fire
that has ever been invented; the nuclear bomb.
The prophetic Scriptures indicate that before Satan is finally subdued
millions will be burned alive by this terrible weapon, and other
millions will die from the side effects and after effects of nuclear
radiation.
Is it then unreasonable that Almighty God
will deal with Satan exactly as Satan has dealt with mankind? Not at all!
Galatians 6:7-8 is still in the Bible. So is Revelation 22:12. What is true of men is also true of angelic
spirits. See Ezekiel 28:18-19. The Lord is perfectly just to allow
Satan and all who choose to follow him to suffer the fires of eternal
torment “for ever and ever.” Read
again Revelation 19:1-3, 20:7-10, and 20:15.
Dear
reader, the “lake of fire” is real!
Hell is right now being enlarged to receive the multitude of souls who
are choosing to follow Satan in wicked rebellion against God, rather than
acknowledging their own lost and sinful condition and turning to Christ for
mercy and salvation. Very soon now
the fires of Hell will break through the surface of the earth, giving mankind
visible evidence of the reality of
eternal punishment. But if you
wait until that time comes to seek the Lord, you will have waited too
long. You will have lost your soul for
time and eternity. You will have missed
your opportunity for salvation.
The inspired Word of God says, “…behold,
now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation,” 2 Corinthians 6:2.
“…Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou
shalt be saved…,” Acts 16:31.
“He that believeth on the Son hath
everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the
wrath of God abideth on him,” John 3:36.
The
choice is up to you. Will you choose
Christ and be saved? Or, will you choose
to follow Satan in rebellion and defiance of Almighty God?
May God grant His grace to every true
seeker of righteousness is my earnest prayer.
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Glossary of Terms
Sheol-Hades…..Sheol is the Old Testament Hebrew word and Hades is the New Testament Greek
word that denotes the underworld; the place where the spirits [souls] of the deceased went preceding
the resurrection of Christ, and where the souls of the incorrigible wicked
still go today when their bodies die. Sheol and Hades are the exact same place.
The Scriptures teach that just as there are three heavens above the surface of this earth, 2
Corinthians 12:2, so in like manner, there are three levels to the underworld,
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Deuteronomy
32:22; Psalm 63:9; 86:13; 88:6; 139:15; Isaiah 44:23. In Old Testament
times one of those levels was “paradise,” another was “torments,”
and a third level appears
to be “tartaros,” the place of confinement for the fallen angels, 2
Peter 2:4.
Since the resurrection and ascension of
Christ only the souls of lost unbelievers descend into Sheol-Hades when their bodies die.
The souls of true believers now ascend up to Heaven to be with the Lord,
2
Corinthians 5:1-8.
Abyss…..The
abyss is the Greek word translated as
“bottomless
pit” in the New Testament. In
the Old Testament there are many references to “the pit” that are
translated from several different Hebrew words.
Yet they all refer to a deep
place located in the lower parts of the earth. See such passages as Numbers 16:30-33, Job 17:16,
Ezekiel 26:20, 32:17-32, and many similar passages throughout the Old
Testament. The abyss is a part of Sheol-Hades.
In Luke 16:26 there is a “great
gulf” that separated “torments” from “Abraham’s bosom” [Paradise ]. The
word translated as “gulf” literally means, “a
gaping opening; a chasm; a gulf; a great interval.” In other words, a chasm, rent, or split
in the earth so deep that it is bottomless
and impassable. It then appears
that the “great gulf” in Luke 16:26 and the “bottomless
pit” [abyss] are one and the same.
Topheth-Gehenna…..Topheth is the Old Testament Hebrew word and Gehenna is the New Testament Greek word denoting the “lake
of fire.” This will be the final
prison where all who have rebelled against God and who
have rejected the only way of salvation, the Lord Jesus Christ [John
14:6; Acts 4:12], will dwell throughout the endless
ages of eternity. They will have to
share that terrible place of eternal “torment” with “the beast,” “the false prophet,”
and “the devil and his angels,” Matthew 25:41; Revelation 20:10;
20:15.
And
where will YOU spend eternity?
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I not only grant permission, but I urge
every true believer to make
copies of this study to share with others, especially with your lost loved
ones, friends, and neighbors. Feel free
to forward this study, copy it, or quote from it in context as written.
This ministry is financed solely by the
freewill offerings of those who feel led of the Lord to help us send forth
God’s wonderful Word.
All
comments, questions, or correspondence should be addressed to: Pastor F. M. Riley, 184 County Road Harrisburg , Missouri 65256
My email address is: fmr7sngn@centurylink.net
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