A Study of Hell
Pastor David L. Brown, Ph.D.
Sermon Delivered 7/28/02
Introduction
You don’t hear many sermons about HELL any more.
However in this nation’s history a "Hell, Fire & Brimstone" played a key
role in The Great Awakening. The sermon I am referring to is
Jonathan Edwards Sinners In The Hand of An Angry God. The message
was preached in Enfield, Connecticut July 8, 1741. This powerful message
can be read at http://logosresourcepages.org/angry.html.
For the most part "Hell, Fire & Brimstone" preaching so
called, is a thing of the past, even within fundamental circles. The
politically correct messages of this era steer around anything
controversial. The do not address the issues of sin or God’s judgment on
sin, but rather focus on love, unity, and grace. While these are perfectly
good topics to preach on, if they are framed biblically, preachers need to
follow the pattern of the Apostle Paul who wrote… "For I have not shunned
to declare unto you all the counsel of God." Acts 20:27
With that in mind, I have decided it is time to preach
to you on HELL. Hell is a very real place. And while it was not
initially created by God for people but the sinning angels, it will be the
abode of all nonbelievers for all of eternity.
Turn with me to 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:"
2 Peter 2:4-9 "For if God spared not the angels
that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them
into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment; 5 And spared
not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of
righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly; 6
And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned
them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that
after should live ungodly; 7 And delivered just Lot, vexed with the
filthy conversation of the wicked: 8 (For that righteous man
dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous
soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;) 9 The Lord
knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the
unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:"
Psalms 9:17 makes it very clear that, "The wicked
shall be turned into hell, and all the nations (ywg
gowy go’-ee = people) that forget God."
Friends, you dare not ignore HELL!
Hell In the Old Testament
The word hell occurs thirty one times in
the Old Testament. The first time the word hell is used in
our King Jame Bible is Deuteronomy 32:22 "For a fire is kindled in
mine anger, and shall burn unto the lowest hell, and shall consume
the earth with her increase, and set on fire the foundations of the
mountains."
The Hebrew word commonly translated "hell" is
sheol. In the Old Testmanet the word Hell (sheol) has
two meanings. Sometimes it means the place where the bodies of the dead
are laid (Psalm 6:5; Ecclesiastes 9:10; Isaiah 38:18,19). But it normally
refers to the place where the soul and spirit went upon the death of a
person. (Genesis 37:35; Psalm 9:17; 16:10; 30:3; 55:15; Proverbs 15:24;
23:14). The common Hebrew word for the grave is not sheol,
but rbq qeber (keh’-ber). This
word is used in such passages as Genesis 35:20; 50:5, etc.
Hell In the New Testament
The word HELL occurs twenty three times
in the New Testament. The first time the word is used in the New Testament
is in Matthew 5:22 "But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry
with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and
whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the
council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell
fire."
What Is Hell Like?
Hell is…
- A place of
punishment – Matthew 25:46 "And these shall go away into
everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal."
- A place of
banishment – 2 Thessalonians 1:9 "Who shall be punished with
everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory
of his power;"
- A place of fire &
worms – Mark 9:42-48 "And whosoever shall offend one of
these little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were
hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea. 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: 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."
- A place darkness –
Jude 1:13 "Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame;
wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever."
- A place of torment
– Revelation 20:10 "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."
- A place of
consciousness and feeling – Luke 16:23 "And in hell he lift up
his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in
his bosom."
- A place of thirst –
Luke 16:24 "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."
- A place without hope
of escape – Luke 16:26 "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."
- A place of
unfulfilled desires and unanswered prayers – Luke 16:27-31
"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."
- A place of weeping
and gnashing of teeth – Matthew 25:30 "And cast ye the
unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and
gnashing of teeth."
Hell’s no joke! Hell is a very real, and very
horrible place! If you have not believed the Gospel and received Christ as
your Savior, it will be your abode for all of eternity. Paul wrote that
Christ is coming "In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not
God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: 9 Who
shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the
Lord, and from the glory of his power;" 2 Thessalonians 1:8-9
Repent of your sins and call upon Christ to save you
right now.
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