Fire, Brimstone and Hades

[B-A-C]

Hell... the Lake of Fire.
No one talks about this anymore. It's no ones favorite subject... it's certainly not mine.

But it's in the Bible. In fact quite frequently.
The word "Sheol" 65 times in the old testament.
The word "Hell" 15 times in the New testament (NASB, NLT)
The word "Hades" 10 times in the new testament.
The phrase "Lake of fire" 5 times in the new testament.

... a place where there is "gnashing on teeth", 7 times in the new testament.

This is over 100 verses. Not many other subjects can say that. Not money, not marriage,
not even homosexuality.

Here is the plain and simple truth in a nut shell.

Those who trust and obey Jesus will be saved from this place.
Those who don't will end up in hell and eventually the lake of fire.

That's it. Those are the only two destinations in the Bible.
There is no other way.

Allah can't save you. Buddha can't save you. Mother earth can't save you. Mohammed can't save you.
Vishnu can't save you. Zeus can't save you. Odin can't save you. Mary can't save you. The pope can't save
you. Good deeds can't save you. Being a "good person" can't save you... only one thing.
Only one person can save you. The Bible says there is only one way to the Father.

Jesus.

If you don't believe this... off into the fire you go.
Any of your loved ones, family, parents, children, spouses, girl-friends, boy-friends....
if they don't believe and obey Jesus.... they will end up in hell. It's that simple.
(Something to keep in mind if you're considering marrying an un-believer).

Despite all the bumper stickers that say "Love and Tolerance" and "CoExist"... God doesn't
share. He doesn't want you to co-exist with other gods. If you do... off into the fire you go.

So what does the Bible say about this place... or rather places (plural).

... to be continued ...

 

[Jesus_is_LORD]

Whoaaa.

You sound like me. I was reading and when I got to the paragraph that starts with Allah, it sounded almost verbatim as things
I have writing or thought about before (minus Zues and Odin, etc).

Yea this sounds a lot like thoughts I've had. I thought for a moment I was reading one of my memory logs, lOLL.

 

[B-A-C]

Sheol is mentioned over 60 times in the old testament.
It is sometimes used differently. A pit, a grave, a place in the earth.
A place for dead people to go. A place of rest. A place where the body returns to the dust from which it came.
The flames of Hades, and the lake of fire aren't mentioned anywhere in the old testament.
However, the people of the old testament did not consider Sheol to be the final destination.
Saul called Samuel back from the dead. Ezekiel (actually God) caused dead bones to rise up and grow flesh on them and walk again. Hosea 13:14; (this is a verse quoted in the new Testament 1 Cor 15:55-56; )
Psalms 16:10; also is quoted three different places in Acts 2:27; Acts 13:34; and Acts 13:35;.

So even in the old testament, most people didn't believe Sheol was the end of the line.
It was just a temporary place, you went until... until what?
The old testament doesn't really give us the answer.

... to be continued ...

 

[B-A-C]

We hear the word "saved" a lot in churches. Or sometimes the phrase "being saved".
Get saved, was saved, are saved, newly saved, saved for a long time. We are sometimes asked... "are you saved".
This is almost the politically correct way to ask if you believe in Jesus. (we don't dare mention His name).
What are we being saved for? A rainy day? Saved for later? The more correct question is, what are we being
saved from?

Saved... saved from what? This has been twisted around into many things... but ultimately... saved from hell,
saved from the lake of fire, saved from eternal damnation.
You sometimes hear phrases like... "saved from your sins", or "saved from your past" as if that's all we are being saved
from. If I'm only being saved from those things, what good does that do me in eternity?
More correctly, we should say, you're being saved from the consequences of your sins. (eternal torment).

One of the interesting things about hell, is who talks about it the most in the Bible.
It isn't an old testament prophet, it isn't Peter, Paul, James or John... in fact it isn't a disciple at all.
It's Jesus.

to be continued.

 

[Jesus_is_LORD]

"Saved for later:, LOLLLLLL.

 

[B-A-C]

The first time we see the word "hell" in the Bible, is Jesus preaching the sermon on the mount.
Matt 5:22;
In fact all eleven times the word "hell" is used in the gospels, it's Jesus speaking.
Matt 5:22; Matt 5:29; Matt 5:30; Matt 10:28; Matt 18:9; Matt 23:15; Matt 23:33; Mark 9:43; Mark 9:45;
Mark 9:47; and Luke 12:5;
In some of these verses Jesus uses the term "fiery" hell. Matt 5:22; Matt 18:9;
Mark 9:43; says the "unquenchable fire" of hell.

It's similar with the word "Hades". The first four times we hear this word in the Bible.
It's Jesus speaking. Matt 11:23; Matt 16:18; Luke 10:15; and Luke 16:23;
Also much like the "fiery" hell in the verses above. Jesus indicates that Hades is a place of torment and fire.

Luke 16:23; In Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and *saw Abraham far away and Lazarus in his bosom.
Luke 16:24; And he cried out and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus so that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool off my tongue, for I am in agony in this flame.’
Luke 16:25; But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that during your life you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus bad things; but now he is being comforted here, and you are in agony.

Luke 16:28; for I have five brothers—in order that he may warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’

It's interesting to note neither the word hell nor hades appears in the gospel of John.

.. to be continued ..

 

[amadeus2]

But to avoid this hell of which you and scripture speak does not require scaring anyone with its description, but rather on focusing on Jesus.

Peter already knew what happens to people who foolishly try to walk on water: they sink. What Peter did before he starting to sink and what he did when he started to sink are the answers: Keep your eyes on Jesus and Call on Him for help if you do start to sink. This is how to avoid hell...

 

[B-A-C]

But to avoid this hell of which you and scripture speak does not require scaring anyone with its description, but rather on focusing on Jesus.

You may be right, but I feel that Jesus doesn't care so much "why" you come to Him, nearly as much as He cares that you DO come to Him. Any reason to get saved, is a valid reason.

Having said that, this isn't so much a thread to "scare" people, as it is to study/educate people.

 

[B-A-C]

Once we get out of the gospels. We only see the word "hell" twice. Once by James ( Jas 3:6; )
and once by Peter. ( 2 Pet 2:4; ) These are the only two times any of the disciples mention hell.

Twice in Acts, we see the word "hades" Acts 2:27; and Acts 2:31; which are of course quoting David
in Psalms 16:10; It's interesting to note that the old testament word "sheol" is translated as "hades"
in the new testament here.

Once again we Jesus in His returned form as the King of the earth in Rev 1:18; speaking.
Jesus says he holds the keys of death and hades here.

The last three times we see the word hades are all in Revelation.
Rev 6:8; is likely a metaphor for one of the four horsemen of the apocalypse.
In Rev 20:13; death and hades give up the dead which are in them to be judged.
(this verse is a source of much debate about when the great white throne judgment happens)
and finally we see in Rev 20:14; that death and hades are cast into the lake of fire. (along with the wicked)
so obviously hades, is a different place than the lake of fire. Hades is a temporary place (kind of like jail)
and the lake of fire is a permanent place (much like prison).

 

[amadeus2]

Having said that, this isn't so much a thread to "scare" people, as it is to study/educate people.

I am with you here. I have no problem with proper education about everything God wants us to know... Just so we always remember, first things first. Give God the glory!