Dear Friend
In the last article I shared
with you about Heaven so, let us see what the Bible says about Hell.
There is a sense in which people are judged already in this present
life, by the response they make to the Messiah (Masieh in
Arabic). The Bible says in John 3:18: "Whoever believes in him is not
condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because
he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son." Already now,
in other words, a divine judgement rests on those who refuse to believe
in the Messiah (Masieh).
If the most important part of
heaven is to be with God, then the most horrible thing is to be turned
away from the presence of the Lord. The Bible describes a life without
God is an empty life—it is death, a spiritual death. Without God we are
like fish without water. The Bible stated this fact in John 3:16-17:
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that
whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God
did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save
the world through him" It is God’s desire that you and me may live not
die.
The Bible describes hell in 2
Thessalonians 1:7-9: "and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us
as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in
blazing fire with his powerful angels. He will punish those who do not
know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be
punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of
the Lord and from the majesty of his power."
The Bible also says in
Matthew 22:13: " and cast the worthless servant into outer darkness;
there men will weep and gnash their teeth", "Outer darkness" suggests
the terrible isolation of the lost, and their eternal separation from
the fellowship of God.
Now you may ask, "How about
the physical nature of Hell?" This is what the Bible says in Matthew
13:41-43: "The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed
out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. They
will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and
gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the
kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear. "
Revelation 14:7,10,11 also
describes hell as follows: "He said in a loud voice, "Fear God and give
him glory, because the hour of his judgement has come. Worship him who
made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water… he, too,
will drink of the wine of God’s fury, which has been poured full
strength into the cup of his wrath. He will be tormented with burning
sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb. And the smoke
of their torment rises forever and ever. There is no rest day or night
for those who worship the beast and his image, or for anyone who
receives the mark of his name."
Jesus shared this story to
show how the consequences of our actions on earth would affect our
future in heaven or hell. (Luke 16:19-25)
There was a rich man who
was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. At
his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores and
longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came
and licked his sores. The time came when the beggar died and the
angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was
buried. In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham
far away, with Lazarus by his side. So he called to him, "Father
Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger
in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire." 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. And besides all this, between us
and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go
from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us."
He answered, "Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father’s
house, for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will
not also come to this place of torment." Abraham replied, "They have
Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them." "No, father
Abraham," he said, "but if someone from the dead goes to them, they
will repent." He said to him, "If they do not listen to Moses and the
Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the
dead."
Believe me there is nothing
like being in the presence of God, the maker of heaven and earth. There
is nothing like worshipping God and enjoying fellowship with him
forever. Here is what Jesus said in Revelation 3:20: "Here I am! I stand
at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I
will come in and eat with him, and he with me." I hope as you read this
you may give Jesus a chance. At least read about what he said and did.
Open the door and let him enter your life.
