The Lake of Fire

The destination of the lost is called the Lake of Fire a few times in the Bible (Rev. 19:20, 20:10, 14, 15, 21:8).

The Bible says at the end of days all those in Hell will be emptied into the Lake of Fire along with Satan and all demons. These verses are the most frightening in the Bible for all who are lost.

We see God on His throne- Great (powerful) White (Pure/holy),

The presence of God is so magnificent that even earth and sky fled from Him. This points to the new heaven and earth in chapter 21. All of creation has been affected by sin. God is going to remake the heavens and the earth.

The dead are summoned before God.

No matter who they are- small and great.

No matter where they are- in the grave or in the ocean.

The lost are judged for all of their sins.

The lost are thrown into a lake of fire.

Please notice something- there was no place found for the earth and sky. They cease to exist. They are inanimate. They are affected by sin, but they don’t sin. They’re things not beings.

There is a place found for sinful people. Sinful people will not cease to exist like the previous heaven and earth do. They are cast into the Lake of Fire.

This is a strong argument against annihilationism.

Listen friend- There is a place for you. It is heaven or it is the Lake of Fire.

I’m going to share with you three things concerning the Lake of Fire. These things should stir your soul.

1. If you deny the existence of the Lake of Fire you must deny some other things too.

A. You must deny justice.

Many escape justice in this world.

1. Some escape justice because they are never caught.

DB Cooper- 1971 high jacked a plane. Demanded 200,000 then parachuted out.

Jack the Ripper terrorized London in 1888.

Josef Mengele “Angel of Death”. The Nazi doctor who performed sick medical experiments on Jewish people in concentration camps.

The Zodiac killer- a serial killer who taunted police with clues.

2. Some escape justice because they are never reported.

It is a shame the sins that families cover up. There have been things done to boys and girls that go unreported because of the pride of a family or the fear of a child.

3. Some escape justice because they are corrupt.

They have money:

To pay their victims.

To bribe judges

To manipulate

To hire a good lawyer

4. Some escape justice because of the court system.

Our system is good but it has faults. Some get off on technicalities.

There are men & women walking our streets today who have done evil things. If there is no Lake of Fire, there is ultimately no justice. These folks walk free.

B. You must deny the bible.

It’s a precious book:

Tells us we are forgiven.

Gives us hope.

Gives us direction.

Gives us promises to cling to.

Don’t fool yourself- all of it is true or none of it is true.

C. You must deny heaven.

Chapter 21 tells us of heaven:

A holy city

God with man

Every tear wiped away

No more: Death, crying, pain

Matthew 25:46 says:

And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.

Here we have heaven and hell on the same page. There we have heaven and hell in the same verse.

D. You must deny Christ.

It was Jesus who said those words in Matthew 25:46.

No person in the Bible talked more about hell than Jesus did. In fact, almost all we know about hell came from the lips of Jesus.

The story of Lazarus and the rich man

A fiery furnace (Matt. 13:41-42)

Eternal (Matt. 25:41)

Better to gouge your eye out than go there (Mark 9:47)

Weeping & gnashing of teeth (Matt. 8:12)

If all we knew about hell was only what Jesus said we’d have an enormous amount of proof.

To deny hell is to deny the integrity of Jesus.

Do away with hell if you want but you must also do away with:

Justice

The bible

Heaven

Jesus

2. A description of hell.

A. Hell is an eternal place.

Look at 20:10- “tormented day & night forever & ever!”

This is the part we find hard to believe.

Our human nature tends to invalidate what we hate.

A sports team- never compliment their skill (cheating if win)

An actor- every movie is bad

A republican/Democrat- They can’t have a good position on anything

Genre of music- not a single good song of that genre

Preacher- can’t preach a good sermon

We invalidate what we hate. We hate the idea of eternal torment. We cast aside the entire doctrine.

This is why hell is eternal:

We are eternal

If we die lost, we are eternal sinners

Hell doesn’t change our nature. It doesn’t bring about repentance. If God let us out, we would remain in our sin.

Illus. Visiting inmates in solitary confinement. They are in the worst part of the prison. They keep on sinning.

B. Hell is a shameful place.

Ghenna- a garbage dump.

Worms

Weeping

Cast into hell, taken into heaven

Filled with the grossest people who ever lived. Satan himself is there.

Illust. Some people get cremated because they can’t imagine their body (or loved one’s) rotting in a casket. That seems shameful. Hell is more shameful than that. There is no dignity in hell. You are worse than a rotting corpse.

C. Hell is a deserved place.

Books are mentioned:

The Book of Life- Saved people

The book of the lost person’s life

The dead were judged by what is written in the books.

God has a record of every sin the lost person ever committed.

Illust. Think of all that we can dig up on a person. In today’s world we can dig up dirt on anyone.

God is omniscient. He will lay all the evidence before the lost. The deed, the date, the damage.

Every time you lusted it is listed as adultery.

Every time you hated it is listed as murder.

You don’t think you deserve hell. When your book is read you will be convinced.

On that day:

A Judge but no jury (no human to appeal to) jury selection illust.

A judgment but no appeal. There is no Higher court to appeal to.

A prosecution but no defense. You are all alone. It is you against God.

D. Hell is a dark place.

Jesus called it a place of outer darkness (Matt. 8:12)

Jude calls it utter darkness (Jude 13)

There is no light from the flames of hell.

You can hear

You can smell

You can feel

You can taste

You cannot see

You are alone. Like a prison where every cell is solitary confinement.

No one to console you

No one to stand with you

No one to listen to you

E. Hell is a painful place.

“gnashing teeth”

“tormented” (20:10)

Better to cut off limbs.

Some suggest hell is only an emotionally painful place. The torment is knowing you missed heaven. You just feel bad forever.

Are you kidding me? Feel bad? You think the devil feels bad? You think a hurt ego is what hell is?

We had a glimpse of hell on earth. It was the cross. Did Jesus just have His feelings hurt?

Hell hurts! It hurts badly!

3. Thoughts of hell should move the Christian.

A. The Christian should think of hell.

The Bible says to set our affections on things below, but that does not mean we are never to think of hell.

It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God (Heb. 10:31)

Knowing the terror of the Lord we persuade men (2 Cor. 5:11).

It is appointed unto man once to die but after that the judgment (Heb. 9:27).

The passion for evangelism is fueled by the knowledge of hell. If we forget there is a hell we will forget that people are going there.

I was thinking about hell this week and this thought occurred to me:

What we love about heaven is what we hate about hell:

Its inhabitants- Our family will be there

Its duration- lasts forever

Its appearance- Glorious/hideous

Its affections- everyone there loves God/hates God

B. The Christian should pray for those going to hell.

Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved (Romans 10:1).

Pray for the sick

Pray for yourself

Pray for physical needs

Save a spot for those going to hell.

You know people who are going to hell. Make sure if they go there, it will be despite your prayers for their salvation.

Perhaps the church needs to get a hold of this so we may see salvations!

C. The Christian should live a righteous life before the lost.

1 Peter 2:12

Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.

Rich man in hell. He realized what an awful example he had been. Begged for someone to go and speak with his five brothers. He knew one day the gates of hell would be opened and his brothers would be tossed in.

I know men who talk like they’re going to heaven and walk like they’re going to hell. Their footsteps are louder than their words.

Where are your steps leading people?

D. The Christian should witness to those going to hell.

After John describes heaven, he ends the book with an invitation.

The Spirit and the Bride say “Come!” (22:17)

Let the one who hears say “Come!” (22:17)

Let the one who is thirsty come! (22:17)

I invite you this morning. Come!

Look at 20:15. If anyone’s name was not found.

Anyone. It doesn’t who you are. You will not go to heaven if you are not saved.

Look again at 20:15 “he was thrown into the Lake of Fire.”

Put your name there. Thrown into the Lake of Fire!

I urge you this morning to come to Jesus.

Consider your sins.

Consider the cross.

Consider your choice.

Illust.- field on fire/ already burned in the middle . The fire cannot burn where the fire has already been.