HELL
A. Hell- Greek “hades”, ie the unseen world. Equivalent in the O.T. to “sheol”, Matt. 11 :23, 16:18, Luke 10:15, 16:22, Acts 2:27-31, Rev. 1:18, 6:8, 20:13-14.
- ‘Second death’ and ‘Lake of fire’ (Gehenna) are identical terms. Rev. 20:14-15.
- “Tartarus” only in 1 Pet. 2:4, is the abode of chained, fallen angels.) Prepared for Satan and his angels. Matt. 25:41.
Identified in two divisions in the O.T., ‘hell’ for the lost, Luke 16:23-26,
- Paradise’ (Abraham’s bosom) for the saved. Luke 16:25, 23:43.
- Paradise in 2 Cor. 12:4, and Rev. 2:7 shows the personal presence of the Lord.
- For the believer, it is at natural death, to be ‘present with the Lord’. 2 Cor. 5:8, Phil. 1:23
B. Hell on earth
A saying: “A home without love is a hell of a place. Where there is Love, it is heaven.”
- Hell is separation from God, 2 Thess. 1:8-9, Matt. 25:41, 46
- Begins at the age of understanding, (that is when a person is able to choose between right and wrong) John 3:18-19, 36
- At the Ascension Paradise-dwellers were taken, Eph. 4
- The lost souls in hell wait for judgement, Rev. 20:13-14
- To speak of ‘soul-sleep’ is not scriptural. Psalm 16:10, Acts 2:31
- Hell is not annihilation. Compare Rev. 19:10 with Rev. 20:10
- It is ‘eternal’. Matt. 25:46, 25:41, Jude v 7, Rev. 14:11 , 20:10, 21:8