The Horrors Of Hell

THE HORRORS OF HELL

Text: Rev.20: 15 and Rev.21: 8

Intro: The term “hell” is used in a variety of ways these days; most of them negative. Often this word is thrown around casually like it was no big deal.

Many people even joke about Hell. Some have been heard saying that they didn’t mind going to Hell, because all of their friends were going to be there too; and boy were they going to party hardy! However, anyone making such a statement has little knowledge of what Hell is really like. Otherwise, they’d know that Hell is anything but a joke. The fact is, after less than a second in Hell, the former jokers will not be laughing.

Some rather ill-informed people have even tried to foster the idea that Hell is merely a state of mind. Still others say that Hell is here on earth. Yet another group agree that Hell is real, but believe that those sent there are simply incinerated, and that that is the end of it. But none of these concepts can be found in the Bible. God’s Word always speaks of Hell as a very literal place, filled with very literal people for all eternity.

It goes without saying that I could have found many more pleasant topics to speak on today than that of Hell. But if I am to be a faithful steward of God’s Word, I must preach the whole counsel of God, not just the pleasant parts. Besides that, Christ Himself has set a very good precedent for me, in that He preached more about Hell than about Heaven, during His earthly ministry.

There are a number of things that make Hell a horrible place. For the lost who may be present, this message is preached with the hope that they will determine to give their heart to Christ before it’s too late. For the saved, this message is preached with the hope that we will determine to do whatever we can to warn people of this horrible place, and to let them know that Christ has provided them a way of escape.

Theme: Hell is a horrible place because of:

I. THE MASSES IN HELL

A. These Masses Are Large.

Prov.27: 20a “Hell and destruction are never full…”

Isa.5: 14a “Therefore hell hath enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure…”

NOTE: Though both of these verses specifically speak of death and the grave (sheol), it is still a valid point to relate this to the masses of Hell. People have been rejecting God and dying in their sins since before recorded time. It isn’t much of a stretch to deduct that there will be unnumbered millions in Hell.

B. These Masses Are Not Listed.

Rev.20: 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.

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15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”

C. These Masses Are Lost.

1. They will be there because of their refusal to repent and rely on Christ for salvation.

John 3: 16 “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.

18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”

2. Rejection of the Savior leaves one with no other alternative but to suffer God’s wrath upon sin.

John 3: 36 “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.”

Rom.6: 23a “For the wages of sin is death…”

NOTE: One thing that is truly horrifying about Hell is the fact that it is a place of no hope. It is a place of separation from Christ; and apart from Christ there can be no hope.

The most dreadful torment of the lost, in fact that which constitutes their state of torment, will be this coming to themselves, when too late for repentance.

H. Alford, The New Testament for English Readers, Moody, p. 395.

II. THE MEMORIES IN HELL

A. One Will Remember Their Life.

Luke 16: 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;