“For it is the day of the Lord’s vengeance, the year of recompense for the cause of Zion. Its streams shall be turned into pitch, and its dust into brimstone; Its land shall become burning pitch. It shall not be quenched night or day; Its smoke shall ascend forever. From generation to generation it shall lie waste; No one shall pass through it forever and ever.” – Isaiah 34:8-10
Considering the wonderful blessedness of Heaven, it’s a refreshing and uplifting joy to study what God reveals about it. Though not exhaustive, I hope that our devotional study has increased your zeal in your duty now, as well as filled you with growing hope and anticipation of what’s to come as you are in Christ. As much as the doctrine of Heaven is important to your understanding of the revelation of Scripture and the Gospel, it’s also important to know and understand what Hell is, not only for your knowledge and sanctification, but also for the benefit of evangelism and defending your faith.
Thinking back to your poll on the streets, asking the questions, “What is Heaven?” and “What is Hell?” – remember the common answers to the question about Hell. Some may say, “Hell is a state of mental torment.” or “Hell is ceasing to exist after death.” What other answers have you heard, or do you anticipate you would hear? How would you answer the question?
What is Hell? As we did regarding the doctrine of Heaven, let’s begin with the Bible’s teaching that Hell is a real place, a real and terrible place.
- Similar to the scriptural support of Heaven being a real place due to the reality of the souls of God’s people being there in the presence of our bodily resurrected, ascended, and seated Lord Jesus after death and before His return, along with our dwelling there with our resurrected and glorified body and reunited soul for eternity, so too will Hell be the dwelling place of the wicked, full of divine vengeance in unquenchable fire and smoke Isaiah described in our focus text in Isaiah 34. Hell is the place their souls are cast in after death to await the final judgment. (2 Pet. 2:3-4) Further, it will be their eternal dwelling place where their bodies and souls will be horribly afflicted (Rev. 20:11-15). Remember Jesus’ warning to His twelve apostles in Matt. 10:28 regarding their need to “fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.”
- Jesus confirms its existence in Matt. 23:31-33 as He questioned how the scribes and Pharisees, those serpents and vipers, could escape condemnation in hell, considering they filled up the measure of their fathers’ guilt, as they were sons of those who murdered the prophets. For further confirmation, read Luke 16:19-31.
- There is a great gulf fixed between Heaven and Hell. Men can’t pass from one to the other (Luke 16:26).
- It’s the place of eternal judgment (Luke 12:5, Luke 16:23). Think about Jesus’ warning in Matt. 5:29-30 regarding the heinousness of sexual sin and the necessity of repenting of and mortifying it now. He said in v. 29, “If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.”
- Hell is the place of eternal torment. Remember the cry of the rich man to Abraham in Luke 16:23-24, as he desired to dip the tip of his finger in water to cool his tongue because he was “tormented in this flame.” Jesus says there will be “wailing and gnashing of teeth” (Matt. 13:42). Further, the words of the third angel in Rev. 14:11 describe terrible, unspeakable pain and unrest – “And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.”
- In his Systematic Theology, Dr. Louis Berkhof presents the local term that became a symbol of the place of torment. He writes, “Moreover, in connection with the subject of “hell” the Bible certainly uses local terms right along. It calls the place of torment gehenna, a name derived from the Hebrew ge (land, or valley) and hinnom or beney hinnom, that is, Hinnom or sons of Hinnom. This name was originally applied to a valley southwest of Jerusalem. It was the place where wicked idolators sacrificed their children to Moloch by causing them to pass through the fire. Hence it was considered impure and was called in later days “the valley of tophet (spittle), as an utterly despised region. Fires were constantly burning there to consume the offal [internal organs of butchered animals] of Jerusalem. As a result it became a symbol of the place of eternal torment.” (Berkhof, 737)
- Further, know that Hell has many names that point to and describe its nature. For example, Jude says it’s “eternal fire” (Jude 7) and “the blackness of darkness forever” (Jude 13). The Apostle Peter refers to the “chains of darkness”, once again in 2 Peter 2:4. It’s otherwise described as “a furnace of fire” (Matt. 13:42), “an unquenchable fire” (Luke 3:17), a “lake of fire” (Rev. 19:20), “outer darkness” (Matt. 22:13), and “shame and everlasting contempt” (Daniel 12:2).
The Westminster divines provide a helpful summary of the teaching of Scripture in Westminster Confession of Faith (WCF), Chapter 33.2 – “The end of God’s appointing this day is for the manifestation of the glory of his mercy, in the eternal salvation of the elect; and of his justice, in the damnation of the reprobate, who are wicked and disobedient [emphasis added]. For then shall the righteous go into everlasting life, and receive that fullness of joy and refreshing, which shall come from the presence of the Lord; but the wicked who know not God, and obey not the gospel of Jesus Christ, shall be cast into eternal torments, and be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power.” [emphasis added]
Beloved, may these truths both edify you and better equip you in conversation. God has graciously revealed the horrors of Hell that many would see the severity and consequence of sin in the light of His perfect justice and holiness, that many would fear the great judgment to come and turn to Christ for salvation. He has revealed such truth so that those who rage against Christ in rebellion will know the eternal terror and agony that will befall them, while the redeemed ever grow in gratitude for our divine rescue and redemption, ready to share both the bad news and good news of the Gospel to all. Precious lambs, you will never experience such horrors as Jesus paid it all for you and will on that day welcome you into His blessed, comfortable presence. Oh, the deep love and mercy of Christ for you! Give Him glory and all the more praise and adoration today!
In our next edition: Myths and false doctrines about Hell
Blessings to you in Christ Jesus,
Pastor Miller
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Work Cited
Berkhof, Louis. Systematic Theology. 4th rev. and enl. ed. Grand Rapids, Eerdmans, 1949.