“Beyond the Grave: The Destiny of Hell”
2 Thessalonians 1:5-10
Defining “Hell” . . .
- Sheol/Hades
- “Sheol” and “Hades” are the Hebrew and Greek words, respectively, that refer to the realm of the dead or departed soul/spirit. (Gen. 37:35; Job 14:13; Ps. 6:5; Ps. 16:10; Ps. 88:3; Isaiah 38:10; Ps. 9:7; Ps. 31:17; Ps. 49:14)
- Tartarus—Greek word that refers to the place reserved for fallen angels and demonic (2 Peter 2:4)
- Also points to the abyss or bottomless pit. (Revelation 20:1-4; Revelation 9:1-6)
- Gehenna—In the New Testament, this Greek word refers to the valley south of Jerusalem where some of the ancient Israelites would sacrifice their children to the Canaanite god Molech. (2 Chronicles 28:3; 33:6; Jeremiah 7:31, 19:2-6); burning of trash from Jerusalem; fires constantly burning.
- Jesus referenced “hell” as Gehenna; a place of torment, suffering and agony.
- Lake of fire
- Final destiny for Satan, his demons, and all whose names are not written in the book of life. (Revelation 20:14-15)
So What Happens at Death for an Unbeliever . . .?
- When a person who has rejected Christ dies, their soul/spirit is immediately separated from Christ and held in Hades to await final judgment before the Great White Throne. (Luke 16:22-23)
- At the end of the millennial reign (1,000 years) of Christ, there will be the Great White Throne judgment, where all who rejected Christ will be judged and thrown into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:7-15)
The Reality of Hell . . .
- It is a literal place of conscious suffering and torment of body and soul.
(Matthew 10:28; Matthew 22:13)
- It is a place of utter darkness. (Matthew 22:13)
- It is a place where a person is under the wrath of God. (Matthew 25:46)
- It is a place where a person is separated from the presence and love of God. (2 Thessalonians 1:9)
- It is a place of eternal (2 Thessalonians 1:9; Revelation 20:10; Revelation 14:11; Matthew 25:41)
The Gospel’s Hope . . .
- Jesus Christ willingly took our place, receiving the full wrath of God for our sin, so that we might be saved by His grace from sin’s death grip and Hell’s eternal agony, to the incomparable and imperishable inheritance of the glorious Christ.
My Response Is . . .?
