Matthew 25:41 "Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.."
T A B L E O F C O N T E N T S
• Introduction
• Why does Hell exist?
• Where does Hell exist?
• Hell is void of all good things
• Hell is everlasting
• Hell can be avoided
Originally, hell was a place prepared for Satan and his angels, however it is now also a place of eternal damnnation for human sinners. Hell is mentioned many times in scripture and is described as a place of everlasting fiery punishment, torment and destruction. It has no end {it is eternal}. Those who do not believe God's plan of salvation and reject Jesus' sacrifice on the cross are destined to this eternity in hell (known also as "the lake of fire"). In the end, God will give sinners what they want - an eternity without Him. This is a serious issue and is the reason for spreading the Gospel of salvation, and that is to save people from going to this place!
Originally, hell was a place prepared for Satan and his angels, a place of fiery punishment.
Matthew 25:41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.
Hell is now also a place of eternal damnation for human sinners. Those who reject Jesus are condemned and destined for Hell.
John 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
2 Thessalonians 1:6 Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you; 7 And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, 8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: 9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; 10 When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.
See also Isaiah 14:9-10; Matthew 23:33; , John 5:28-29; Revelation 20:11-15, 21:8
Both body and soul are destroyed in Hell.
Matthew 10:28 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.
Hell is currently, physically and literally deep beneath the Earth.
Psalms 63:9 But those that seek my soul, to destroy it, shall go into the lower parts of the earth.
Proverbs 15:24 The way of life is above to the wise, that he may depart from hell beneath.
Ezekiel 26:20 When I shall bring thee down with them that descend into the pit, with the people of old time, and shall set thee in the low parts of the earth, in places desolate of old, with them that go down to the pit, that thou be not inhabited; and I shall set glory in the land of the living..
Matthew 12:40 For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
See also Numbers 16:30-33; Psalms 86:13; Isaiah 14:9-15; Ezekiel 26:19-21, 31:15-17, 32:27; Amos 9:2; Luke 16:19-31; Acts 2:31; Ephesians 4:8-10; Revelation 5:3
There is a "bottomless pit". Luke 8:28-31; Revelation 9:1-11, 20:1-3
In 2 Peter 2:4 we read about Fallen angels which were delivered into chains of darkness. The word "Hell" referenced here is "Tartaros" {Greek} meaning the Deepest abyss of Hades.
All good things are from God {love; light; peace; joy; hope; comfort; kindness; relationships; rest; food; water; etc} (James 1:17). The bible seems to indicate that hell is completely void of ALL good things.
Hell has gates and bars.
Job 17:16 They shall go down to the bars of the pit, when our rest together is in the dust.
Job 38:17 Have the gates of death been opened unto thee? or hast thou seen the doors of the shadow of death?
Matthew 16:18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
See also Isaiah 38:10; Jonah 2:6; ; Revelation 1:18
Death is not the end of existence {A person can not be annihilated after death}, their spirit lives on. Ecclesiastes 12:7; 2 Corinthians 5:5-8; Philippians 1:21-23 (See also Numbers 16:30-33)
At the end of the age the unsaved will be resurrected, judged and will go away into everlasting punishment {eternal damnation} which is referred to as the second death:
Revelation 21:7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. 8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
See also Matthew 25:46
After this "great white throne" judgment, hell along with all its inhabitants {those not found written in the book of life} will be cast into "the lake of fire" (Gehenna) which is the eternal hell. Matthew 5:29-30, 18:8-9, 25:46; Revelation 20:10-15
The lake of fire is a place of everlasting fiery punishment described as a "furnace of fire". It is a place of torment and destruction, where there is wailing and gnashing of teeth.
Matthew 13:40 As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. 41 The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; 42 And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
Revelation 20:10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
Compare Revelation 19:20 with 20:1-10 where the beast and the false prophet still remain in fiery torment after one thousand years have passed.
See also Matthew 5:22, 13:49-50; Revelation 14:9-11
The fire is unquenchable and burns forever. Matthew 3:11-12, 25:41; Mark 9:42-50; Luke 3:16-17; Jude 1:7
The wrath of God remains continuously on the unbeliever.
John 3:36 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.
Revelation 14:10 ..The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall 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 ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.
Those who do not believe God's plan of salvation and reject Jesus' sacrifice on the cross are destined to this eternity in hell. In the end, God will give sinners what they want (an eternity without Him). This is a serious issue and is the reason for spreading God's plan of salvation {the Gospel} - to save people from going to this place! Salvation is a free gift of God and it is by Grace through Faith alone that we are saved by believing that Jesus Christ died for our sins. Trusting in Jesus and His shed blood on the cross to pay for your sins is what saves you from hell. Leviticus 17:1-11; Luke 24:47; John 1:12; Acts 2:21, 3:19; Romans 4:1-5, 6:14, 6:23, 10:9-13; 1 Corinthians 15:1-4; Ephesians 1:6-7, 2:8-9; 1 Timothy 3:16
If anybody preaches a false gospel, they are to be accursed. 1 Corinthians 16:22; Galatians 1:8-9
