Hell

“Therefore hell hath enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure: and their glory, and their multitude, and their pomp, and he that rejoiceth, shall descend into it.” Isa. 5:14

In our text verse, we see one of the saddest verses in the Bible. Hell always makes room for more; she is never full.

In his book, “End Times” J. Dwight Pentecost says that scientist speculate that hell may be a planet. They say that the hottest fire there is, is a black fire that burns so hot that it makes its own fuel! Sounds impossible but they say that it will never burn out, it is a liquid-like fire, as a lake! Similarly the Bible speaks of a lake of fire where the devil is ultimately cast into, and shall remain there forever. In fact, the Bible has much to say about hell, and none of it is good.

First, it says that hell is a place of unquenchable fire:

“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:” (Mark 9:43) It is better to go through life maimed than to end up in hell. To be honest, some argue that this refers merely to the grave, but if so, it is representative of hell since there is no fire in the grave.

Another reference to hell, is seen in Luke 16:

“And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. 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.” (Luke 16:23,24)

There definitely is a hell, and it is HOT! It is a place of torment; a place of darkness, and a place of suffering; it is a nice place to stay away from! The torment of hell is all through the one that goes there: “For every one shall be salted with fire, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt.” (Mk. 9:49).
Years ago men used to salt their meet to preserve it. They rubbed the salt all over the meat in order to allow it to penetrate the hide, and it became salted through and through. They would hang the animal up, and skin it, and rub the meet for hours to be sure it would not spoil quickly, the reference here is that in hell men are rubbed with fire until it permeates their entire being! They do not merely burn on the outside, but on the inside too!

There are “flames” in hell; the only way we can Have flames is if there is fire! Imagine with me a place where (close your eyes and “see it”) flames are dancing up in total darkness; now picture the distorted face of a loved one--only the face can be seen--hovering in the darkness, writhing in pain, and crying out in agony. The flames never cease; the pain never quits, and the soul is left in despair. See with me, many faces, all twisting in agony, all calling out …weeping and wailing, and gnashing their teeth because of the intense pain. This is hell, my friends; this is the hope of many lost men. There is little pain more excruciating than burning pain.


Secondly, hell is a place of darkness:

Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever. (Jude 13) This darkness is a total darkness where no light is--ever. Then there is Jude 1:6:
“And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.”

It is a darkness that may be felt:
“And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even darkness which may be felt.”

This too speaks of the judgment of hell. Imagine a darkness that is so dark that it can be felt!
Our family took a trip one time to West Virginia. Went through an old coal mine which was a tourist attraction. About midway through, the guide turned off all the lights, and it was so dark that you could not see the hand in front of your face, even from a fraction of an inch away! It was an eerie feeling. That, my friends, is the darkness that the Bible speaks of that one can “feel”.


Finally, Hell is a bottomless pit.

“And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit.”

Have you ever had a sensation of falling? That is what its like in hell--a constant falling--falling in total darkness! Can you imagine? Some have had dreams of falling, and said that it was a scary feeling, a sensation of helplessness and instability. And smoke? Who likes smoke? Hell is definitely a place of torment and anguish. It’s a place “Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.” (Mark 9:48) Hell is filled with smoke, and a constant feeling of falling, but never finding a foothold.

“And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” (Rev. 20:15)

Where they “shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (Mt. 8:12)

And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. (Mt. 13:42)

And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name. (Rev. 14:11)

“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.” (Rev. 20:10)

Hell is reserved for the devil and his angels, but those that reject Christ and his sacrifice on Calvary will be cast there with him, and I promise you it will not be sweet. The Bible says that now is the time, today is the day of salvation; won’t you take Christ as your savior? You do not have to go there, my friend, you have a choice.

Give the Gospel, and invitation.