What is hell?
Hell is the place God has appointed for the devil, his angels, and all who are not written in the book of life: eternal punishment described in Scripture as fire, darkness, destruction, and the second death. Jesus spoke of it more than anyone, so we cannot treat it as an embarrassment or an exaggeration. Its reality is terrible, and that is exactly why the gospel is such good news.
This question arose from studying Does everyone deserve God's judgment? and What is sin, and where did it come from?.
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What the Scripture says
Jesus spoke of it more than anyone
The word Jesus used most was Gehenna, the valley outside Jerusalem whose history of judgment made it a picture of God's final wrath. He said it is better to enter life maimed than to be cast 'into Gehenna, into the unquenchable fire, where their worm doesn't die and the fire is not quenched,' and He warned against anger and lust in the same terms. He spoke this way because He loved people enough to tell them the truth about where sin leads.
If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed, rather than having your two hands to go into Gehenna, into the unquenchable fire, ‘where their worm doesn’t die, and the fire is not quenched.’ If your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life lame, rather than having your two feet to be cast into Gehenna, into the fire that will never be quenched— ‘where their worm doesn’t die, and the fire is not quenched.’ If your eye causes you to stumble, cast it out. It is better for you to enter into the Kingdom of God with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into the Gehennaof fire, ‘where their worm doesn’t die, and the fire is not quenched.’
But I tell you, that everyone who is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment; and whoever shall say to his brother, ‘Raca!’ shall be in danger of the council; and whoever shall say, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of the fire of Gehenna.
If your right eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out and throw it away from you. For it is more profitable for you that one of your members should perish, than for your whole body to be cast into Gehenna. If your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off, and throw it away from you. For it is more profitable for you that one of your members should perish, than for your whole body to be cast into Gehenna.
The Bible's pictures: fire, darkness, destruction
Scripture piles image upon image to make us feel the weight: the 'eternal fire' prepared for the devil and his angels, the 'outer darkness' where there is 'weeping and gnashing of teeth,' and 'eternal destruction from the face of the Lord.' Each picture is a different angle on the same reality: separation from God's presence and blessing, experienced by a person who was made to know Him.
Then he will say also to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire which is prepared for the devil and his angels;
but the children of the Kingdom will be thrown out into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
who will pay the penalty: eternal destruction from the face of the Lord and from the glory of his might,
It is for the devil and his angels, and for the unrighteous
Hell was not made for people; Jesus calls it the fire 'prepared for the devil and his angels.' But those who love unrighteousness share the destination: everyone 'not found written in the book of life' is cast into the lake of fire. In the story of the rich man, there is torment, thirst, memory, and a 'great gulf fixed' that no one can cross. It is a place of conscious separation, of anguish, and of regret.
Then he will say also to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire which is prepared for the devil and his angels;
If anyone was not found written in the book of life, he was cast into the lake of fire.
In Hades, he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and saw Abraham far off, and Lazarus at his bosom. 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 in anguish in this flame.’ “But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that you, in your lifetime, received your good things, and Lazarus, in the same way, bad things. But now here he is comforted and you are in anguish. Besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, that those who want to pass from here to you are not able, and that no one may cross over from there to us.’
But for the cowardly, unbelieving, sinners, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers,idolaters, and all liars, their part is in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”
It is eternal: the second death
Revelation calls the lake of fire 'the second death,' and Jesus says the condemned 'will go away into eternal punishment' just as the righteous enter 'eternal life': the same word modifies both destinies. Daniel saw those who awake 'to shame and everlasting contempt.' Scripture means an endless ruin, not a quick end; judgment carries the weight of the infinite One who is rejected.
Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. If anyone was not found written in the book of life, he was cast into the lake of fire.
These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.
But for the cowardly, unbelieving, sinners, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers,idolaters, and all liars, their part is in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”
God does not delight in it; that is why the gospel is urgent
God declares, 'I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked,' and Peter says He is patient, 'not wishing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.' He 'desires all people to be saved.' Hell is real, and its reality is the measure of the rescue: the cross is where Jesus bore what our sins deserved, so that whoever believes in Him 'should not perish, but have eternal life.' We flee from the wrath to come by running to the One who was judged in our place.
Tell them, As I live, says the Lord Yahweh, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn, turn from your evil ways; for why will you die, house of Israel?
The Lord is not slow concerning his promise, as some count slowness; but is patient with us, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
who desires all people to be saved and come to full knowledge of the truth.
For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
As you read, you may wonder…
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Verses to meditate on
Then he will say also to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire which is prepared for the devil and his angels;
If your eye causes you to stumble, cast it out. It is better for you to enter into the Kingdom of God with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into the Gehennaof fire, ‘where their worm doesn’t die, and the fire is not quenched.’
If anyone was not found written in the book of life, he was cast into the lake of fire.
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 in anguish in this flame.’
who will pay the penalty: eternal destruction from the face of the Lord and from the glory of his might,
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