Humans Create Their Own Hell

Humans create their own Hell

Luke 12:1-12

Rabbi Rev. Dr. Michael H. Koplitz

Luke 12:1 Under these circumstances, after so many thousands of people had

gathered together that they were stepping on one another, He began saying to His

disciples first of all, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. 2 “But

there is nothing covered up that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known.

3 “Accordingly, whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what

you have whispered in the inner rooms will be proclaimed on the housetops.

Luke 12:4 “Now I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body,

and after that have nothing more that they can do. 5 “But I will warn you whom to fear:

fear the One who, after He has killed someone, has the power to throw that person into hell;

yes, I tell you, fear Him! 6 “Are five sparrows not sold for two assaria? And yet not one

of them has gone unnoticed in the sight of God. 7 “But even the hairs of your head are

all counted. Do not fear; you are more valuable than a great number of sparrows.

Luke 12:8 “Now I say to you, everyone who confesses Me before people, the Son of

Man will also confess him before the angels of God; 9 but the one who denies Me

before people will be denied before the angels of God. 10 “And everyone who speaks

a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but the one who blasphemes

against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him. 11 “Now when they bring you before

the synagogues and the officials and the authorities, do not worry about how or what

you are to speak in your defense, or what you are to say; 12 for the Holy Spirit will teach

you in that very hour what you ought to say.”

“Human beings create their own hell.” That’s a provocative way to begin a message on

the Bible—but it’s true. And Jesus affirms this in Luke 12:1–12. In this passage, Jesus

reminds us that God is both powerful and good. He didn’t create us to punish us, but

to love us and invite us into eternal fellowship with Him.

Jewish and Christian mystics have long taught that God created the world with

deliberate imperfections—not to frustrate us, but to give us the opportunity to

participate in His work. By following His law and applying His Word, we help repair

what’s broken. That process is part of how we grow in righteousness.

Now, I know some will say, “God’s world is 100% perfect.” But we all know it’s not.

Just turn on the news: violence, hatred, shootings, corruption—none of these reflect

the heart of God. So where do they come from?

Many would say, “That’s Satan at work.” And I wouldn’t argue with that—it’s a valid

belief. But the mystics also suggest that God allowed these deficiencies in creation so

that we could learn to fix them. That’s a powerful idea.

Think about it: when we engage in repairing the brokenness around us, we move toward

righteousness. How? By absorbing God’s Word into our soul. When His Word takes

root in us, we begin to live differently. We may not be able to fix every global crisis, but

we can address the deficiencies within ourselves.

Let’s go back to Genesis. Adam and Eve were told not to eat from the tree of the

knowledge of good and evil. Simple instruction—don’t touch it. But what happened?

Eve hears the serpent, hesitates, and then gives in. Why? Because one of the deficiencies

in human nature is our tendency to do what we’re told not to do.

We all know this instinct. Take speeding, for example. Most of us have driven over the

posted limit, especially on an open highway. We know the law, but we push past it—

sometimes for the thrill, sometimes out of habit. That’s a deficiency in us. But it’s one

we can correct by studying Scripture and following the example of Jesus.

Jesus understood the flaws in human nature. Though divine, He took on flesh and

experienced the same temptations we face. And He overcame them—not by avoiding

them, but by confronting them with truth and obedience.

This passage in Luke also reassures us: if God cares for sparrows—tiny, seemingly

insignificant creatures—how much more does He care for us, His image-bearers? God’s

love is deep and personal. But to truly grasp it, we must first understand that we often

create our own hell.

Now, I’m not here to unpack the full theology of hell. Yes, Scripture speaks of Satan,

and Jesus acknowledges his influence. But what Jesus emphasizes here is that we allow