Dear reader, the doctrine of Hell as preached in the
Holy Scriptures, The Bible, was referred to often by the Lord Jesus Christ and
He warned about being judged on the Day of Judgment and being cast into
everlasting torment in Hell. In Matthew 5:27-30 Jesus Christ was teaching about
adultery during His Sermon on the Mount and this is what He warned about one’s
sin and the consequence of Hell:
-- ooo --
This
is a warning to the false teachers who do not believe God has a Hell! Repent
towards God and trust His Word.
27Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not
commit adultery: 28But I
say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath
committed adultery with her already in his heart. 29And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast
it from thee:
for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not
that thy whole
body should be cast into hell. 30And
if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is
profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body
should be cast into hell.
To help us to see that Hell is a very real place, we
must look at the original words found in the Hebrew and Greek texts and for
this reason an extensive quotation is taken from the Strong’s Complete Word Study Concordance: Expanded Edition (AMG
Publishers) – looking at the meaning of Hell – hades and gehenna.
#86. ᾅδης, hadēs, hah'-dace; from 1 (as a negative
particle) and 1492; properly unseen, i.e. “Hades” or the place (state) of departed souls: - grave, hell.
Noun
from the priv. a (1), not, and idein, the inf. of the 2d aor, eidō (1492), to see. What is in
darkness; hence in Classical Geek, orcus, the infernal regions. Used very
frequently in the Septuagint to translate the Hebrew she'ôl ([7585,
OT] e.g., Sept.: Isa 14:9). So also in the NT, the abode or world of the dead,
hades, orcus. According to the notions of the Hebrews, hades was a vast
subterranean receptacle where the souls of the dead existed in a separate state
until the resurrection of their bodies. The region of the blessed during this
interval, the inferior paradise, they supposed to be in the upper part of this
receptacle; while beneath was the abyss or Gehenna, Tartarus, in which the
souls of the wicked were subjected to punishment.
(I)
Generally
(Ac 2:27, 31; Rev 1:18). In this sense hádēs is personified (1Co 15:55; Rev 6:8;
20:13,14). In a metaphorical sense, to be cast down to the very lowest place
(Mt 11:23; Lk 10:15).
(II)
By
metonymy of the whole for a part, the abyss of hades, place of punishment (Lk
16:23).
Syn.: Géenna
(1067), the final destiny of the wicked, hell; tartarōō (5020), the prison of the fallen angels or evil spirits; ábussos (12), abyss, the place where the
dragon (drákōn [1404]), i.e. Satan,
is bound during the millennial reign (cf. Lk8:31; Rev 9:11); limnē (3041) and toú purós (4442), lake of fire, the place into which the beast and
the false prophet are cast after their defeat by Christ. An additional
statement in Rev 21:8 describes those who have their part in the lake of fire,
compare the description of those who are outside the city (Rev 22:15).
#1067. Γέεννα, géenna, gheh'-en-nah;
of Hebrew origin [1516 and 2011]; valley of (the son of) Hinnom;
gehenna (or Ge-Hinnom), a valley of Jerusalem, used
(figuratively) as a name for the place (or state) of everlasting punishment: -
hell.
A
noun meaning Gehenna, i.e. the place of punishment in hades or the world of the
dead, equivalent to Tártaros (2Pe
2:4, where it appears as the verb tartaróō
[5020], to cast into hell), the lake of fire (Rev 20:14,15), the
everlasting fire (Mt 25:41; Jude 7). So simply for hell (Mt 5:29,30; 10:28; Lk
12:5; Jas 3:6); with púr (4442,
fire): hellfire, the fire of hell (Mt 5:22; 18:9; Mk 9:47); spoken of as tó púr tó ásbeston (ásbestos [762], unquenchable), the unquenchable fire, the fire that
never shall be quenched (Mk 9:43,45, cf. vv. 44, 46, 48). So the expression huión geennēs, son of Gehenna, son of
hell (huiós [5207], son), i.e. worthy
of punishment in hell (Mt 23:15); also krisis
tḗs genes (krisis [2920],
condemnation, judgement), condemnation to Gehenna (Mt 23:33, cf. Jude 7). It is
therefore a place of eternal fire, and of thick darkness (cf. Jude 6,13).
The
name Gehenna is the Hebrew gēy’ hinnōm (1516/2011,
OT), valley of Hinnom (Jos 15:8), the narrow valley skirting Jerusalem on the
south, running westward from the valley of Jehoshaphat under Mount Zion. Here the
ancient Israelites established the idolatrous worship of Moloch, to whom they
burned infants in sacrifice (1Ki 11:7; 2Ki 16:3; Jer 7:31 32:35). This worship
was broken up and the place desecrated by Josiah (2Ki 23:10,14), after which it
seems to have become the receptacle for all the filth of the city, and also for
the carcasses of animals and the dead bodies of malefactors left unburied, to
consume which fires would appear to have been from time to time kept up. It was
also called Tophet (8612, OT [Jer 7:31]), i.e. abomination, place to be spit
upon, from tûp (n.f., to spit), or
more probably since it had this name among idolaters, from tāpeteh (8613, OT), a place of burning, cremation. By an easy
metaphor the Jews transferred the name to the place of punishment in the other
world, the abode of demons and the souls of wicked men.
One
must understand that Hell was originally created for Satan the devil and his
demons and the beast and the false prophet, to receive punishment for all eternity.
We read in 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”(My emphasis added and throughout, including underlining).
In 2 Peter 3:9 we
are told that God does not wish that any soul should perish, so we see that God
wants men to come to repentance toward Him. In Acts 17:30 we are also told that
God “commandeth all men every where to repent:” Therefore, those unrepentant, unregenerate
sinners, who die without “repentance toward God and faith toward the Lord Jesus
Christ” (Acts 20:21) will also find themselves judged and cast into the lake of
fire for punishment for all eternity. For Scripture reveals: “And
whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire” (Revelation 20:15). Hell fire was
not originally created for men’s souls, but for the Devil and his devilish demons.
The Jehovah Witness movement and other
cultic religions teach that Hell does not exist, yet the Scriptures reveal that
this place exists. If according to the JW teaching, once a person dies he/she
is annihilated and would not exist any more, then why would Almighty God
annihilate the devil, the beast and the false prophet without “tormenting them
day and night for ever and ever” as God’s Holy Word confirms? The teaching of
the “JW’s no hell” is heretical and their members are living a lie and headed
for the place they do not believe in, unless they repent before death and
believe upon the true Gospel of Jesus Christ and God saves them. Hell is
mentioned throughout Scripture and just because a person has a problem
believing that a loving God will punish His creation in Hell fire or he/she
might believe Hell does not exist, their belief system does not prove Hell’s
non-existence. What you believe in does not matter, but what you believe in is
it true, that is what truly matters. To prove this point, the JWs believe that
they are going to inherit this earth and reign for all eternity here.
Now let us see what Scripture tells us about the JW’s predicament, because they
“truly” believe this as they have
been taught this doctrine by the ‘Watchtower and Tract Society in Brooklyn.’
Scripture reveals in 2 Peter 3:7 – “But
the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept
in store, reserved unto fire against
the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.” So this shows that
inheriting this earth can be truly wrong,
although the JWs believe it! Proof must be given in order to validate
something, and the Holy Bible has ample proof of the Truth of Scripture which
is God-breathed. Hell is very real. If Jesus Christ spoke about Hell then it
must be True. Jesus Christ said that He is the Truth (John 14:6) and so it is
impossible for Him to lie. Was Jesus Christ being deceptive when He gave us a
story of the poor man Lazarus and the rich man in Luke 16:19-31? NO! He was
speaking the Truth! Here is the account where the rich man finds himself being “tormented
in this flame” (verse 24) and that he did not want his five brethren “also come
into this place of torment” (verse 28):
19There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine
linen, and fared sumptuously every day: 20And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid
at his gate, full of sores, 21And
desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table:
moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. 22And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by
the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;
23And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in
torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. 24And 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. 25But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime
receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is
comforted, and thou art tormented. 26And
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. 27Then he said, I pray thee
therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house: 28For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest
they also come into this place of torment. 29Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let
them hear them. 30And he said, Nay,
father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.
31And he said unto him, If they hear not
Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from
the dead. ~ Luke 16:19-31
Now
let us also look at the descriptions of the torments in Hell as described in
the Holy Words of God:
Ø A devouring fire and everlasting
burnings – Isaiah 33:14, 14The sinners in
Zion are afraid; fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites. Who among us shall
dwell with the devouring fire? who among us shall dwell with everlasting
burnings?
Ø A place of weeping and gnashing of
teeth – Matthew 8:12, 12But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer
darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Ø Where the fire is never quenched –
Mark 9:48, 48Where their worm dieth not, and
the fire is not quenched.
Ø Where they can never repent –
Matthew 12:32, 32And whosoever speaketh a
word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh
against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world,
neither in the world to come.
Ø Where they don’t want their loved ones
to come – Luke 16:28, 28For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest
they also come into this place of torment.
Ø A bottomless pit –
Revelation 20:1, 1And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having
the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.
Ø Where they scream for mercy –
Luke 16:24, 24And 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.
Ø A place of sorrows –
Psalm 18:5, 5The sorrows of hell compassed me about: the snares of
death prevented me.
Ø A place of outer darkness –
Matthew 25:30, 30And cast ye the
unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing
of teeth.
Ø A place of torments –
Luke 16:23, 23And in hell he lift up his
eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
Ø And many, many more verses …
So
we do know that on that Great Day at the Great White Throne Judgment this is
the Revelation of Jesus Christ:
11And
I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth
and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. 12And
I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened:
and another book was opened, which is the book
of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the
books, according to their works. 13And the sea gave up the dead
which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them:
and they were judged every man according to their works. 14And death
and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15And
whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of
fire. ~ Revelation 20:11-15
