What is the difference between Hades, Paradise, Heaven and Hell?
Rev.20: 11-21:5 July 30, 2023
INTRODUCTION:
I was thinking “Wow, I’m glad I chose an easy subject to deal with this Sunday
“Piece of cake…just explain scripturally the differences between Hades, Paradise, Heaven and Hell.”…In 25 minutes…easy, huh?
No, not easy…nor is it possible to give a complete examination…but what I can do is prime the pump…and I believe that’s what great sermon’s do…”they answer some questions, but through the Holy Spirit they awake a desire in you to search for more…to dig into scripture…to ask questions and seek answers.
So, I hope this morning that is exactly what happens…look with me at our text:
Rev. 20: 1- 21: 5
Folks, “This is Judgment day!”
2 Cor. 5:10 tells us…”We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.” Hebrews 9:27 assures us…”Man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment.”
Our text tells us…one day everyone…great and small will stand before the throne…The dead will be judged according to what they have done.
[If you believe scripture there are some essential truths….1 out of 1 of us will die, there are no do-overs, after our death each and every person will appear before the judgment seat of Christ… This life isn’t the end…there is an eternity for every single person, after this life…what we do in this life determines our destiny for eternity.]
I believe one day we will all appear before the judgment throne of Christ. He and He alone will determine the eternal destination of every person. And almost 87% of Americans believe this is a good thing…US news and world report took a survey and 87% of the individuals they interviewed believed they’d be going to heaven…they didn’t think they’d fail a judgment…the judgment is for evil people…and they didn’t believe they were all that bad…
The problem…
I A WRONG SET OF SCALES
ILLUS: These folks are like the little boy who was doing poorly in school. One day he gravely approached his teacher’s desk and said, “I don’t want to scare you, but my daddy says if I don’t get better grades…somebody is going to get a spanking.”
That little boy believes the teacher should get the spanking…not him…He’s wrong! The One seated on the Great White Throne is Jesus…
And the scale that most people use in this world to determine how bad they’ve been is “other people”
We compare ourselves with others and figure “Hey, I’m better than that person…I must be good.”
Bryan J. Langenfield says something insightful “Rare is the person who can weigh the faults of others without putting his thumb on the scale.”
The Apostle Paul told the Corinthians “when we measure ourselves by ourselves we are not wise.” (2 Cor. 10:12)
Why aren’t we wise? Because we’re using the wrong scales…On this day of judgment we are not going to be able to compare our lives with others…the only one we’ll see on that day is “He who is seated on the throne”…His presence will overwhelm us and His righteousness will overpower us….
The only hope I have is “Is my name recorded in the book of life?
Let’s see how our names get there…because it seems that’s the only question that matters….
II PARADISE IS ONLY POSSIBLE THROUGH JESUS’ PROMISE
In our text we see the finale of earthly things…verse 14 says…”then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire…The lake of fire is the 2nd death…If anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.”
Death is our final enemy according to scripture…and in this judgment scene in the book of Revelation we see death’s end results…whether its conquered or it condemns us…in this section of scripture Hades, Hell, (the Lake of Fire) and heaven are all mentioned.
Hades is recorded as a place where at the end judgment ‘is thrown into Hell.” When the term 2nd death is used to describe this event it means…it’s eternal….physical death isn’t the end…no one stops existing…we are all eternal souls…our lives are recorded before God, what we’ve done with those lives is written down…and at the judgment those choices determine Heaven… (Eternity with God or Hell… (Eternity separated from God)
It seems that scripture shows us that everyone who dies before Jesus returns either goes to Hades or Paradise…and there is a clear indication of destination…
Do you remember Paul’s vision in 2 Cor 12:4 “He was caught up in paradise…He heard inexpressible things…things that man is not permitted to tell…” He calls it a surprisingly great revelation.
As Jesus dies on the cross…one thief accuses and curses, but another says, “We are punished justly for what we’ve done, but this man has done nothing wrong.” Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom!” And Jesus answers him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in Paradise”.
Where was Jesus the day he died…? Paradise…and I promise you I know at least one person who was with him.
I believe Jesus gives us a picture of Hades and Paradise in Luke Chapter 16…. Please note that in the original language the word “Hades” is used, not “Hell”…although we can understand why. Listen as Jesus paints a powerful picture.
Luke 16 : 19-31
Hades is described as a horrible place, a place of fire and agony…a place of separation from God and goodness…a place where you receive the consequences of a self focused life…there’s a chasm…..a gulf fixed between two places…both Lazarus and the Rich man have died…Lazarus goes to Abraham’s side, the rich man Hades…
Without spending a month explaining how both Lazarus and the Rich man ended up where they are…there is a clear indication that what they did with what Moses and the prophets wrote and foretold made a huge difference “they have Moses and the prophets let them listen to them”…was Abraham’s answer to the Rich man’s request to do something to save his living brothers.
“If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead”
Please remember…the entire purpose of Moses and the prophets was to prepare God’s people for a coming Messiah…A Savior, A King, a forever ruler…each law and covenant was a shadow preceding the reality of the Christ.
Those who by faith have followed these covenants and believed this promise have a hope…even if it as they die on a cross…that’s why the Author of the letter to these Hebrews includes chapter 11…The Faith Chapter Listen.
Heb 11:1, 6, 13-16 and 39, 40.
Hades is the destination for those who made earth their home with no thought of God or His promises. Paradise is the promised residence of Jesus for those who believe He is the promised King and promised Messiah. If you died before the resurrection and the advent of the church and Jesus gift of the Holy Spirit…it seems this belief of faith makes all the difference in your eternal destination. That’s why the Hebrew writer begins chapter 12 this way…
Heb 12: 1, 2
The witnesses are those precious faithful believers who knew a Messiah and Savior was coming and lived like it…. Now, we have that Savior they’ve waited for….”Jesus, the Author and perfecter our FAITH”, folks, after the resurrection and advent of the church…it’s what we do with the gospel message that determines our destiny…
The entire Old Testament prepares us for a Savior and the New Testament is about the life, death, resurrection and promised return of this Savior…Its why He boldly proclaims in John 14…”I AM the way, the truth and the life no one comes to the father except through me.:”
No one will go to Hell because they’ve lied, because we’ve all lied, no one will go to Hell because they’ve cheated, because we’ve all cheated…If we’ve not murdered, we’ve killed people in our hearts with hate…If we’ve not committed adultery, we have lusted in our hearts…There is a Savior who died for all these sins…we will not be eternally separated from God because we’ve sinned, but because we rejected his Savior. Listen
John 5: 17-30
How do you cross over from death to life? It’s what you do with the Son that makes all the difference in this life and with death.
Today, you can change destinies…you can accept Him as your Savior, turn to Him in faith, die and be buried in Christ through baptism and rise to walk in New life through His indwelling Spirit…and for the one who does that eternal life starts right now!
But
III WHAT ABOUT HEAVEN
We know that the 1st heaven and 1st earth will pass away…”The Day of the Lord will come like a thief…the heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare…that day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire and the elements will melt in the heat…but in keeping with this promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and new earth…the home of righteousness.” (2 Peter 3: 10-12)
Judgment will take place…the children of God receiving their inheritance, and the lost their punishment. (Jesus describes the eternity of Hell this way..." "It's a place where the fire never dies Matthew MK 9:43) And then the old will be destroyed and everything will be made new, including us.
Rev 21: 1-8
This is the day creation groans for…it’s the day the glory of God will be revealed in us. The one who is seated on the throne…not only judges each man and woman…but makes a new place to live with those who have longed for this day and loved the one on the throne…
For those that wanted nothing to do with God before their death…that separation continues after their death…eternally…in a fiery lake of burning sulfur…the 2nd death.
But in this new heaven—in this new earth God is its centerpiece…It’s beauty is beyond description…the old things on earth that were brought about by sin…death, sorrow, mourning, tears, pain…no long exist….
The picture John paints for us is one where God is glorified, we are completely safe and loved, the river of life runs like a crystal through Heaven from the throne of God and of the lamb…and the tree of life is on each side of this river.
It is like the Garden of Eden once again only more perfect and beautiful with no sin and a relationship with God and his family that will never end.
