Is There a Hell?

Do people still really believe in Hell?
Is there really a place where damned souls will go? Is life really some ambiguous test to see who’s good and who’s bad? People throughout history have disagreed about the nature of hell, its existence and its purpose. However, in this post, I will deal with the biblical explanation and illuminate some of the misconceptions, both within secular society and Christian tradition.

What is the biblical origination of hell?
The first time Hell is mentioned in the (KJV) Bible is in Deuteronomy 32:22. The Hebrew word is “lwaX” and its English equivalent is “sheol”, meaning, “sheol, underworld, grave, hell, pit, Sheol - the OT designation for the abode of the dead: place of no return, without praise of God, wicked sent there for punishment, righteous not abandoned to it, of the place of exile, of extreme degradation in sin” (Strong’s).

In the New Testament, Jesus used the Greek word, “gevenna” when speaking of spiritual hell; however, the word also referred to an actual place on earth. Gehenna is the English transliteration of the Greek form of an Aramaic word, which, in turn, is derived from the Hebrew phrase “the Valley of [the son(s) of] Hinnom”. (Baker Ency. Of the Bible, v.1) Strong’s tells us: “Hell is the place of the future punishment call "Gehenna" or "Gehenna of fire". This was originally the valley of Hinnom, south of Jerusalem, where the filth and dead animals of the city were cast out and burned; a fit symbol of the wicked and their future destruction.” Additionally, the Valley of Hinnom was used for ritual infant sacrifice to the pagan god, Molech. Later, after King Josiah rid the region of such practices, the valley was used, as Strong’s tells us, for burning of refuse and dead animals. Interestingly, it was also used as a place to burn the dead bodies of criminals.

Unfortunately, both terms—sheol and gehenna—have been mistakenly considered to be synonymous with “hell” and are translated the same in some English versions of the Bible—hence, the confusion among Christians as to their real meaning. It is important to note that “sheol” in the Old Testament refers to a temporary abode of the lost between death and their final resurrection unto judgment. “Gehenna” is the place of ultimate and everlasting punishment where Satan, his demons and the wicked will be cast (Matthew 10:28). Additionally, “Tartarus” (used only once in 2 Peter 2:4) designates the place where the angels who fell during the original satanic revolt are imprisoned.

What is Hell like?
Hell (Gehenna) is described by Jesus as “a fire that shall never be quenched” in Mark 9:43 & 45, which seems to be a reference to Isaiah 66:24. Other terms associated with Hell include “eternal punishment” (Matthew 25:46), “torments” (Luke 16:23), “…kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.” (Revelations 6:8), “Lake of Fire” & “second death” (Revelations 20:14), “burning brimstone” (Revelations 19:20), “…tormented day and night forever” (Revelations 20:10), and “outer darkness” and “weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 8:12, 22:13 & 25:30). Pretty much, this isn’t somewhere you want to go, and if you believe that going to hell is inevitable for you, you are believing a lie.

Did God create Hell?
I don’t think the Bible is especially clear on this subject. We know that it was “prepared” (Matthew 25:41), but it does not specifically state who created it or how Hell was created. It is certainly possible that it was prepared by God; however, one idea is that Hell is not so much a place as it is a state of being (which would make sense given the fact that souls exist in a spiritual rather than physical form). This state of being is eternal separation from God, which by its very definition could be a place of torment. In other words, it is possible that Hell is not so much a created place as it is a place/state from which God has removed His presence, His protection and His glory (all things which both the lost and the saved alike enjoy here on earth). Could it be that when God leaves, hell is simply the natural result? This concept, I believe, is more in line with the nature of God as I see it described in the Bible. God desires that none should perish (2 Peter 3:9) and neither does He delight even in the destruction of the wicked (Ezekiel 18:23), but instead desires that all would live (John 3:16,17).

Who is Hell for?
Matthew 25:41 specifically states that hell was “prepared for the devil and his angels”. God has absolutely no desire that any man or woman go to Hell. He did not prepare Hell for us, but for Satan and his followers. In fact the Bible says, 1Thessalonians 5:9 - "For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ." God has only ever wanted us to spend eternity with Him in heaven. God has chosen us for paradise; however, He is not going to force us to choose Him. To be with God means to be reconciled to God, made pure and brought into a love relationship with Him. He offers this freely, but He will not force it on us. We must love Him back—and love demanded is no love at all.

Does God send people to Hell?
Matthew 25:31-46 seems to be the best description of the way in which people end up in Hell. When Christ “sends” people to Hell in this passage, it’s not so much “sending” as it is directing souls toward the only available alternative for those who can not enter into Heaven. It’s either-or, not both, and there’s no middle ground or third option. Either you get into Heaven through Christ’s payment or you don’t because you have rejected His sacrifice on your behalf. The choice, then, is entirely ours. In that sense, Christ does not “send” anyone to Hell. However, we might choose to send ourselves. This passage shows how the decision had been made long before these people stood before Christ—a decision made only by them.

Who will go to Hell?
Revelations 20:15 Though God desires that no human man or woman go to Hell, the Bible is clear that some will end up there. This verse shows that only those whose name is not found in the Book of Life, will go to Hell. The Book of Life is a record of all those who have accepted Christ’s substitutional payment for sin. If your name is written in this book, then you have nothing to worry about.

How can I escape Hell?
I’m not big on selling Christ as a form of fire insurance; however, neither can I deny that escaping Hell is a big bonus to getting to know the only One who holds the keys to Heaven. The fact is Jesus Christ—fully God, fully man, a member of the Triune God—came to earth in human form so that He might live a perfect life and die in our place. Only a perfect sacrifice can negate the hold Satan has on our souls. By rights, we belong to Satan, thanks to our long legacy of being in sin; however, if a payment is made on our behalf—the blood of a perfect sacrifice—we have the right to accept that payment and enter into God’s presence in Heaven. Through that payment our sin is covered, our guilt is released and our righteousness in God’s eyes secured. We are made “perfect” as Christ is perfect. (That is not to say that we will never again sin, but that our souls have been purchased by God through Jesus Christ and we now belong to Him and are freed from our bondage to Satan.)

Now, that’s the math, so to speak, but here’s the heart of the issue: Jesus longs for us to be present in Heaven with Him one day, yes—but more importantly, He longs for our love. He wants to enter into a harmonious, intimate love relationship with Him. He wants to be present in our lives from this moment until we draw our dying breath. He wants to be our strength and our joy and our confidence in times of trouble. And, when hard times come we know that we have nothing to fear, for God is true to His promises and once we are in His loving hands, nothing can snatch us out of His grasp. Psalm 49:15, 16 & John 10:28 See also How Do I Accept Jesus?