Hell is considered the total opposite of God’s goodness and love. This image becomes a warning to even teach us how essential it is for one to live in compliance with the teachings of God. Hell is what Jesus spoke about specifically more than anybody else in all the Bible, indicating its actuality and that the damned will be condemned thereby unbelief in God. He called it a place of “weeping and gnashing of teeth,” “where the fire is never quenched” (Matthew 13:42). In fact, Hell was prepared by Jesus for the devil and his angels (Matthew 25:41), but it is also the place where those who reject God and His way of love and righteousness find their final resting place.
Gehenna: A Picture of Suffering
Jesus spoke of hell using the term Gehenna—a real location outside Jerusalem where trash was always burning. Here, the fire that does not go out and where decay endures serves as a fearful example of such punishment, an image of separation from God in hell. Gehenna was employed by Jesus to underscore that there were eternal results possible when a life is lived apart from His will.
The Wisdom of Jesus in Matters of Choices and Outcomes
One of Jesus’ favorite story-teaching methods had to do with decisions people make in their life and the ways those choices can be just that—eternal! A widely known story is about a rich man who dwelt in luxury and had no interest in anyone but himself. When he died, he was in hell. In contrast, the poor man Lazarus, who had suffered in this life, was taken to heaven and found repose there. The story of the rich man and Lazarus in Luke 16:19-31 is an example where Jesus makes it clear that, indeed, there is a hell; life on this earth shapes whether we dwell with God eternally (through compassion for others) or without Him (through selfishness), forever.
The Apostle Paul’s Warnings
The Apostle Paul had much to say about the outcome of rejecting the love of God. He cautioned that turning away from God had led to “everlasting destruction, away from the presence of the Lord” (2 Thessalonians 1:9). Paul expresses with gravity that if we spurn grace and break God’s heart by turning away from His love, there is a pit where we will forever be apart from Him, who is life and love itself.
The Last Judgment in Revelation
Imagine what it would be like to see through the eyes of John and have a vision that showed you these souls judged at last. According to this vision, all of God’s absolute enemies (like the devil) are cast into a “lake of fire.” It is an event known as the second death, which is not simply physical death but eternal separation from God (Revelation 20:14-15). The second death is eternal separation, in which a person experiences complete deprivation of access to the presence of God, the author of life, love, and joy.
God’s Desire for Redemption
Despite all these warnings, it is essential to keep in mind that God does not wish for anyone to walk on the path of fire. God desires for everyone to acknowledge Him, leading to eternal happiness and contentment in His presence. As 2 Peter 3:9 says, “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”
The Choice is Ours
After all, hell is an ultimate reminder of the results of living against the will of God. But God gives us the way of life, love, grace, and eternal joy through Jesus Christ. We get to choose, and God invites us.
