THE REALITY OF HELL
Exploring the Hope of Heaven Series Sermon #5
Revelation 20:11-15; Selected Scriptures
The Doctrine of Hell is so misunderstood and misrepresented today that most people’s only thought of it is using it as a curse.
We watch society’s cartoon-portrayals of hell and laugh,
We should read the biblical accounts of hell and weep!
In hell, jokers will not be laughing, party-ers will not be drinking, & rock stars will not be singing.
Jesus, who spoke more about hell than anyone else, spoke of:
• The broad way that leads to destruction (Matt. 7:13)
• Eternal punishment (Matt. 25:46)
• Outer darkness (Matt. 8:12; 22:13; 25:30)
• Unquenchable fire (Mark 9:43-44)
• Wailing and gnashing of teeth (Matt. 13:42, 50)
• The whole body cast into hell (Matt. 5:29-30)
• Everlasting fire (Matt. 25:41, 46)
• Where the worm dies not and the fire is not quenched (Mark 9:46-48)
I. The Necessity of a Place Called Hell – ‘Why is there a hell?’
A. So that God can Deal Righteously with the Devil
1. “Then He will also say to those on the left, ‘Depart from Me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the Devil and his angels!” Matthew 25:41 (HCSB)
2. Revelation 20:10 SEE TEXT
B. So that God can Deal righteously with the Damned
1. “This will take place at the revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven with His powerful angels, taking vengeance with flaming fire on those who don’t know God and on those who don’t obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. These will pay the penalty of everlasting destruction, away from the Lord’s presence and from His glorious strength.” 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9 (HCSB)
2. The eternal punishment of the wicked is not arbitrarily imposed by God but is the inevitable outcome of sin itself. It is sinners in their own self-chosen course being left by God to reap the full consequences of sin.
3. Jesus said, “And you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life.” John 5:40 (HCSB)
4. “This, then, is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than the light because their deeds were evil.” John 3:19 (HCSB)
II. The Nature of a Place Called Hell
A. Torments are Described
1. Unimaginable Fear
a. Company in hell
b. Darkness
c. Tormented screams of agony & pain
2. Unquenchable Fire
3. Intolerable Filth
a. “Where Their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.” Mark 9:48 (HCSB)
b. Gk word for ‘Hell’ used 11X by Jesus is Gehenna
c. Gehenna is the Gk term for the Valley of Hinnom
d. Idolatrous Jews in the OT offered there children there as live sacrifices to Moloch and Baal
e. In NT times it became the garbage dump for Jerusalem. All garbage was thrown there including the dead bodies of animals and executed criminals.
f. To consume all this fires burned constantly.
B. Time is Destroyed
1. Today everything is timed; a beginning always includes an ending
2. No more time with beginnings and endings; only eternity
3. 2 Thess. 1:9 above: EVERLASTING PUNISHMENT
• VP Calvin Coolidge presiding over the Senate. One senator angrily told another ‘go straight to hell.’ The offended Senator complained to Coolidge as the presiding officer. Coolidge stated, “I’ve looked through the rule book – you don’t have to go.”
III. The Need Because of a Place Called Hell
A. Repentance – Deal with the Sin
B. Faith – Trust in the Savior
C. Witnesses – Proclaim Salvation
