Having established in the last blog there is an afterlife; let us consider the two places of departed souls i.e. heaven or hell. You may say to me “I don’t believe in either place. I don’t believe that there is a heaven or a hell.” Ignorance is not bliss! If I tell you that the main street in Sydney, Australia is George Street; and you choose not to believe me, it does not alter the fact that George Street is the main street in Sydney.
Whether you believe there is a heaven or hell does not alter the fact that there is a heaven or hell. The real crux of the matter is whether you believe God, or not. I repeat ignorance is not bliss. God has informed us in the Bible of both places. There are numerous references in both the Old and New Testaments to heaven and hell (Hades). [Any Scriptures quoted will be from the New King James version of the Bible.]
What do the Scriptures tell us about hell? What sort of pictures does it create in our mind’s eye? Luke 16:23 reveals it is a place of intense heat. Luke 16:26 reveals it is a place of no escape. Mark 9:43, 44 describes hell as a place where, “Their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.” Dig up soil and watch a worm; it is always moving. It signifies the constant, unceasing torments. The unquenched fire signifies the heat and intensity of the torments. Matthew 8:12 describes hell as a place of outer darkness. 2 Peter 2:17 tells us of the blackness of darkness forever. Matthew 8:12 also tells us it is a place of weeping and gnashing of teeth. Weeping can be a sign of pain, or anguish, or remorse. Gnashing of teeth can be a sign of anger, or pain, or anguish, or frustration.
Whichever way you look at it; hell is not a good place to be. You sometimes hear people flippantly say, “I’ll have plenty of friends in hell.” That may be so, but they won’t be having a good time; and neither will you!
In John 5:28,29 the Lord Jesus Christ told the Jews, “Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth – those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of condemnation (judgement).” Two resurrections are clearly foretold. Let’s consider the resurrection of judgement for those who have done evil; in other words the resurrection of those in hell.
Revelation 20:12-15 gives us a clear picture of this event. “And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things written in the books. The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each according to his works. Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.”
What an awful, solemn scene! This is the end result of dying in your sins. This is the end result of rejecting God’s offer of salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ.
What is resurrection? It is our spirit and soul reunited with our dead body. This is the explanation of Death and Hades delivering up the dead who were in them. The resurrected sinner stands before God to be judged. Consider carefully verse 14, “Then death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.”
Physical death (of the body), and the soul and spirit in Hades (Hell) have been reunited in resurrection. After judgement of the resurrected sinner has been passed on them; the sinner is cast into the lake of fire. That is how Death and Hades are cast into the lake of fire; in the person of the sinner. The lake of fire is the second death. It is absolute – for all eternity! It is irreversible! There is no parole or pardon!
Can you grasp the enormity of this?
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What do the Scriptures tell us about heaven? The very first verse in the Bible tells us, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1). In Genesis 14:9 Melchizidech, King of Salem blesses Abram and reveals that God Most High is the Possessor of heaven and earth. The apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 12:2 tells us that, “I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago – whether in the body I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows – such a one was caught up to the third heaven.” From this verse we learn there are three heavens.
The first heaven is the sky above us. The second heaven is the vast universe beyond us. The third heaven is the dwelling place of God. Psalms 16:11 states, “You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures evermore.” Jude verses 24 and 25 “Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, to God our Saviour, Who alone is wise, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever. Amen.”
There is great joy in heaven, in the presence of God. That is the portion of all the redeemed of mankind; those who take part in the resurrection of life, theirs’ is an eternal joy. They will live forever in the presence of God.
The alternative is truly horrendous!
Jon Peasey
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