SCRIPTURAL REFERENCES
(Luke 16:19-22) (19) "There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:" (20) "And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores," (21) "And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores." (22) " And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;"
(Luke 16:23-26) (23) " And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom." (24) " And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame." (25) "But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented." (26) " And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence."
(Luke 16:27-31) (27) "Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father’s house:" (28) " For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment." (29) "Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them." (30) " And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent." (31) "And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead."
(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."
(Matthew 25:41) “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell”
(Isaiah 5:14) “Hell hath enlarged herself and her opened its mouth without measure; and their glory, and their multitude, (strong ones) and their pomp, (high and glorious ones) and he that rejoiceth, shall descend into it."
(Mark 9:43-48) (43) "And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:" (44) "Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched." (45) " And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:" (46) " Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched." (47) " And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire:" (48) "Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched."
PREFACE SUMMARY
"What actions would you take if you were in the position of God, and some of your most valued creations were in full rebellion against you and your intentions for their existence? Would you make necessary adjustments to realign them with your purpose and will?"
Beloved, let’s say that you are a perfect being who is flawless in all your ways, and you choose to ignore the rebellion and bring correction to those causing severe hurt to others, would you continue to be recognized as a Creator worthy to be worshiped and admired by your creation?
Beloved, what do you do with the ones who think they are the universe and worship the creature more than the creator, choosing in their selfish minds to be in total rebellion for all eternity?
Dear reader, let’s face it: most people today are in rebellion as nation after nation living on this planet are turning their back on God as if he does not exist and doesn't even care about his creation.
Beloved, many today are quick to make jokes about hell and state that they have lived their lives here on earth in hell, which will assure them that because of this, God will let them enter his Heaven, while there are others who believe both heaven and hell are here on earth.
Dear reader, I believe and trust God that when you read this sermon message with an open heart, the blessed Holy Spirit will both convict and encourage your heart to consider the value of one soul going into an eternity that they are not prepared for without any hope of escape from eternal damnation.
HEAVEN IS KEEPING A RECORD
(Jude 1:6-7) (6) "And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day." (7) "Even as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire."
Did you know that most people polled today in the 21st century believe in some existence after death, including punishment for the wicked and eternal happiness in heaven for the ones who chose God? At the same time, they were alive on his planet?
We have read where great revivals occurred in history as God used great men such as Jonathan Edwards, who spoke on the subject “Sinners in the Hands of an angry God,” expressing in his sermon that those who reject God’s plan of salvation through the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus his Son, would one day die and end up in the flames of hell and later at the white throne judgment be cast into a liquifies lake of fire.
Did you know that good, sound, spirit-filled preaching on this subject would cause a great awakening to take place among the people as the Spirit of God begins to convict hearts as his presence falls upon sinners and would be Christians, causing them to cry out for forgiveness as masks of pretense are stripped away before the all-seeing eyes of an angry God who hates sin but loves the sinner.
Dear reader, did you know that some well-known preachers have emphasized in their messages concerning hell that God's anger toward sin fuels the flames in hell?
Beloved, the Bible records that there are different degrees of punishment in hell; therefore, beloved, it is a good possibility that the level of intensity will not be the same for all people.
Dear reader, I remember related stories of people witnessing the death of a wicked person, describing them as being terrified as they screamed and struggled with all their strength, begging for someone to pull their feet out of the fire.
We have reports by well-known ministers and doctors speaking of those dying without God that they screamed as they saw creatures like ugly demons coming with chains in their hands to take them to hell.
Beloved Saints and fellow peers, I wonder what kind of stories we would hear today if people dying were not induced with high-potency drugs?
Dear reader, I don’t know about you, but this scares the living hell out of me; I do not see why the Living God would have me write on such a subject that will surely bring people to a place of repentance, especially as they see themselves in the hands of the judge of the whole universe?
Beloved, would you want to take a chance on missing heaven and ending up in hell? Sadly, hell is not preached on much today as some churches tend to forsake this preaching, saying it is too negative and makes unnecessary demands upon the people.
These leaders falsely state that people today need a sermon that will appeal to them, especially in these changing times when the reality of hell was certified by the living Christ, who spoke more on this subject than he did on heaven.
Beloved, did you know that King David declared in (Psalms 9:7) “The wicked shall be turned into hell and all the nations that forget God?”
Did you know that the prophet Isaiah spoke in (Isaiah 11:11-16) describing a day when Israel will be re-gathered, and they will become a tremendously fruitful nation when that happens?
Beloved, I could post dozens of scriptures concerning our topic. Still, I intend to get us to stop and take inventory of our lives, asking ourselves this critical question, “is my life what I desire it to be, and is there a hell that was prepared for the devil and his angels by a perfect God who hates sin, do I wish to continue in the lifestyle that I am now living in?
Heaven is keeping a record, and people’s lives are weighing in the balance; therefore, beloved, do you wish to face him after death knowing that your works shall be burnt with fire only to watch someone else throughout all eternity?
WILL HELL LAST FOREVER?
Dear reader, we can look at the rich man in Luke the sixteenth chapter and listen to the greatest preacher of all expound on the life experiences of a man who had everything he ever wanted in this life, including a proper burial when he died, but entered an eternity he was not prepared for as he found himself in the flames and torment of a place called hell.
Beloved Saints, let us now see what we can glean from this story, which was told as being factual by Jesus himself; therefore, beloved, our soul is nothing to play with and dearly beloved. I find a few disturbing things in this story that shake me to the core of my being, making me glad that I accepted God's plan of salvation, which made way for me to be adopted into his royal family as a son of the Living God.
1. This rich man had everything, including money, power, and prestige.
2. The beggar Jesus, called by the name (Lazarus) who was full of sores, lay at the rich man's gate desiring only the crumbs from his table.
3. The rich man at death is stripped of his earthly body, and he selfishly takes excellent care of his needs.
4. The rich man was stripped of his pagan gods and beliefs.
5. The rich man has entered a world he was unprepared for.
6. The rich man still had his five senses.
7. The rich man remembered his past life and that he had five brothers who were still in sin.
8. The rich man and those who reject God will have a conscience alive with a voice that they can never shut up as it continually reminds them of a loving God that they rejected and wounded.
9. The rich man and those who reject God will have a sharp memory that will remind them of the times that they played church, including the times that people prayed with them, but in their finite minds filled with the world, they laughed it off as if were a game.
Beloved saints, here in this life, we have a built-in switch that will cause us to pass out, especially if we are in an enduring painful situation, but beloved, in the place called hell, we will be suffering the torments described as a place of torment and outer darkness.
Dear reader, my intent for this message is to cause us to think about the uncertainties of life because we, like the rich man, can be here one minute and gone the next; therefore, when our last day on earth happens, we need to be ready and prepared for beloved the word says that we all will die and it is an appointment that we cannot reschedule or miss. (Hebrews 9:27)
Beloved, my intent is not to preach damnation in this message; however, as more and more people are dying, I often wonder if we may have family members in this awful place crying out as this rich man did for someone like Lazarus to come back and warn us of this place of the dammed called hell?
Dear reader, the one thing that sticks in my mind and stands out above all others in this story is the rich man asking for the beggar to come and dip his finger in water to cool his parching tongue and notice beloved; it did not say let him bring water. Therefore, the water must have been in sight.
Beloved, we read in (Luke 16:26 that Father Abraham informs the rich man that there is a great gulf between them that cannot be passed over and beloved; I often wonder if this great gulf between them could be a lake of water for we all know that there are streams, lakes and deep seas throughout our world and some can be found in deep places under the earth.
Beloved, the bible in (Revelation 20:13) says that one day, this place called hell will give up the dead. Yes, these people will be given a resurrected body to stand on the White Throne Judgment before the Living God to be judged according to their life on earth.
Beloved, if the resurrected dead standing in this judgment have never accepted Christ as their savior, they will be cast along with Satan and his fallen angels into a liquefied lake of fire, which is the second death, which means eternal separation from God and all that is holy.
Dear reader, according to the bible and the words of Jesus, Hell was not created for man. Still, for the devil (Satan) and his Fallen Angels, if God were to allow fallen men and women into heaven without their nature being changed, they would not be happy because if they do not like shouting here, they sure will not like it there.
(Revelation 21:8) (ESV) “But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”
(Matthew 10:28) “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.’”
Saints of God, according to (Matthew 25:41) "Hell is a place that God prepared as a place of torment for Satan and the angles that rebelled against God and in the future when all mankind is judged at the white throne judgment of God, all the wicked dead that are in Hell, along with the Devil, the fallen angels and demons, will be cast into a burning, but never consuming, liquefied lake of fire where the smoke of their torment will ascend forever."
The correct answer and the bottom line to this message is found in the word of God (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:" "Everlasting Fire"
(Revelation 20:10- 12) [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." [11] "And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them." [12] And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works."
(Revelation 20:13- 15) [13] "And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and DEATH and HELL delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works." [14] "And DEATH and HELL were cast into the LAKE OF FIRE. This is the second death." [15] "And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire."
(1 Corinthians 15:24-26) [24] "Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power." [25] "For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet." [26] "The LAST ENEMY that shall be destroyed is DEATH."
Beloved Saints, and fellow peers, the above verses plainly show us that when all rule, and all authority and power are placed under his feet, the Lord Jesus will deliver the kingdom up to and will be in subjection to the Father.
Beloved, the holy scriptures declare that the last enemy to be destroyed will be death, however other scriptures declare that death will still be present during the millennial reign of Christ.
(Isaiah 66:23-24) [23] "And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the LORD." [24] "And they shall go forth, and look upon the cardcases of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh."
In summing up this chapter, the scriptures teach that at the restoration of all things when God creates a new heaven and a new earth, death will be abolished making it the last enemy to be destroyed, but until then may we rejoice living in the benefits of God's amazing grace and when it comes time to die, we shall reap the benefits of his dying grace.
MY CONCLUSION
The world we live in today clearly indicates that the problem of sin, inherited by the human race after Adam's fall, still exists. This problem of sin is responsible for all the immorality, selfishness, and disregard for others that we see around us today.
Dear friend, have you ever considered the consequences of missing heaven and spending eternity in hell? Sadly, many churches today have stopped preaching about hell, thinking that it is too harsh and demanding.
These leaders believe that people today need a sermon that will appeal to them, especially in these changing times. However, the reality of hell was confirmed by Jesus Christ himself, who spoke more about hell than he did about heaven.
God sent Jesus to solve our sinful nature, and the Savior appeared on the scene at the right time. He took our sins upon himself and nailed them to the cross so that the scriptures might be fulfilled, declaring that he knew no sin was made sin for us and that we can be declared righteous, which means right standing with God.
(2 Corinthians 5:21) "He who knew no sin was made sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus."
Beloved, there is no excuse for us to reject this extraordinary plan of God that was kept secret in the Godhead to redeem humanity because God knew that Satan would enter the garden and tempt his most significant creation to fall into sin.
(1 Peter 3:18) "For Christ died for sins once and for all, the righteous for the unrighteous to bring you to God."
Dear reader, in closing this sermon message, may I ask you some fundamental questions, which may be the most important questions you will ever be asked in your entire life?
1. Which side are you standing on, those skeptics who make fun and declare God is love and would never put anyone in hell?
2. Is what you believe about the grace of God and the existence of a literal hell good enough to die with?
Dear readers, you can rest assured that one day, evening, or night, you will die, and there has never been one soul in history that has ever cheated death.
As messengers of God, are we preaching to please people with a gospel that makes no demands on our way of life and allows the flesh to stay alive?
I feel led to close this message with two essential scriptures that declare that God does not desire anyone to go to hell but that all would come to repentance, for if he loses a person to hell that was created in his image and likeness, that will be apart of his creation that he can never recover.
(John 3:16-17) " For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (17) For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
International Evangelist
Jerry W. Hulse Ph.D.
Miracle Life Church International
