Final Destination

V.8:

The last call for repentance has gone forth, and the proclamation of judgment follows.

The original Babylon was the birthplace of idolatry, where the inhabitants built the Tower of Babel.

From that time on, idolatry has continued to spread.

During the tribulation, this new Babylon will be the seat of the antichrist, and it will continue to spread idolatry.

The people of the world will worship the antichrist, and they will be enamored with their own pleasure.

Pleasure, sexual and otherwise is what they will live for, and it will a very intoxicating effect on them.

Hence the imagery of having to "drink the wine" of God's wrath.

Fornication refers to more than just sexual sin, it represents prostitution to the antichrist's false system.

V.9:

Here, the angel identifies those who are to be judged.

It will be those who worship the beast and has his image.

That will include everyone who has not placed their faith in Jesus Christ.

VV.10-11:

The end result of this judgment is hell, and it is a doctrine that is often corrupted.

The denial and/or misrepresentation of hell is a favorite of the false teachers.

Jehovah’s Witnesses deny it, many liberal theologians deny it, and the well known false teacher Rob Bell has denied it (among others).

I’ve often wondered about the motives of the person who denies hell.

The Bible is so clear on its existence, that you can’t make a Biblical case against it.

I can only guess that the people who teach that hell doesn’t exist simply don’t believe the Word of God.

The ramifications of a denial of hell are pretty severe.

If you don't believe in it, what need is there to profess Christ?

If there is no hell, the worst that could happen to a non-believer when he dies, is that he simply ceases to exist.

And if there is no need to profess Christ, then why did He die?

While it may make people feel good to believe that God’s love will not send people to hell, its simply not the truth.

While it may be common for Christians to say “God doesn’t send people to hell, we send ourselves there.” That is not what Scripture says.

Hell is real, and God does send people there.

Revelation 20:15

Revelation 20:15 NKJV

And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.

Notice that these people are cast into the lake of fire, they are not jumping in on their own.

Certainly people make the decision to reject Christ, and therefore accept the consequences of hell, but just as a criminal willfully breaks the law, his fate is not sealed until the judge sentences him to prison.

At that point, the criminal does not willingly drive himself to the prison and check himself in.

No. . . he is handcuffed and taken away. In the same manner, a sinner’s fate is not sealed until God pronounces judgment. At that point, they are cast into the lake of fire.

Yes, God does send people to hell.

So, what does the Bible tell us about hell?

13% of the 1850 verses that record the words of Jesus, deal with the subject of eternal judgment and Hell.

Almost 8% of His teaching centered on this topic.

Hell is not a word we need to avoid. Jude tells us that we need to pull people out of the fire.

We are told to pull people out of the fire.

Jude 23

Jude 23 NKJV

but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh.

In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus talks about a literal and and eternal hell.

Jesus speaks of a literal hell.

Mark 9:43-44

Mark 9:43–44 NKJV

If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed, rather than having two hands, to go to hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched—where ‘Their worm does not die And the fire is not quenched.’

Mark 9:46

Mark 9:46 NKJV

where ‘Their worm does not die And the fire is not quenched.’

Mark 9:48

Mark 9:48 NKJV

where ‘Their worm does not die And the fire is not quenched.’

Matthew 25:46

Matthew 25:46 NKJV

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

Notice that Jesus says that the worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.

It is a place where the body never burns up, and the fire never burns out! What’s more, Jesus was actually quoting the Prophet Isaiah.

Isaiah, Daniel and John also spoke of hell.

Isaiah 66:24

Isaiah 66:24 NKJV

“And they shall go forth and look Upon the corpses of the men Who have transgressed against Me. For their worm does not die, And their fire is not quenched. They shall be an abhorrence to all flesh.”

Daniel also speaks of eternal punishment:

Daniel 12:2

Daniel 12:2 NKJV

And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, Some to everlasting life, Some to shame and everlasting contempt.

In Revelation, John speaks of eternal torment.

Revelation 14:9-11

Revelation 14:9–11 NKJV

Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation. He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.”

As you can see, the Bible speaks very clearly about a place of eternal torment and punishment.

Some People actually teach that hell is real, but the soul is annihilated. The preceding verses; however, clearly teach that the soul is eternal.

Another teaching is that people in hell will eventually repent, though the preceding verses should be enough to refute that idea, the Bible has more to say on that.

There is no repentance in hell.

Matthew 13:41-42

Matthew 13:41–42 NKJV

The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness, and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

This term “wailing and gnashing of teeth,” in the Greek, literally gives a picture of someone who is in a fit of anger and rage, not sorry and repentant.

People in hell will simply be angry and blaming God, not repentant.

Take the story of the Rich man and Lazarus. We see the rich man in hell, but he was not repentant, he still viewed Lazarus as a servant.

Notice that in verse 24 that he wanted Lazarus to bring him some water. This man’s attitude had not changed one bit!

Luke 16:19-31

Yes, the Bible makes it very clear that hell is real, and that anyone whose name is not written in the Lamb’s Book of Life will be cast into the lake of fire.

Anyone whose name is not written in the Lamb’s Book of Life will be cast into the lake of fire.

Revelation 20:11-15

Revelation 20:11–15 NKJV

Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.

During this time period the unbeliever will be known by the mark of the beast.

Without faith in Jesus Christ, and acceptance of the sacrifice that He made on your behalf, your name will not be recorded in the Lamb’s Book of Life, and that is the only thing we should truly fear.

The only thing you should fear is your name not being in the book of life.

Matthew 10:28

Matthew 10:28 NKJV

And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

Luke 12:4-5

Luke 12:4–5 NKJV

“And I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I say to you, fear Him!

Hebrews 10:31

Hebrews 10:31 NKJV

It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

The thought of hell may be fearful, but God’s amazing love is more powerful.

He gave us the escape that we didn’t deserve, and “while we were still sinners Christ died for us.”

He took the punishment that we deserved, when He could have simply turned His back.

Instead, God turned His back on Jesus, so that He would never have to turn His back on us.

The acceptance of God’s grace couldn’t be easier.

Romans 10:9

Romans 10:9 NKJV

that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

V.12:

God's people who endure persecution, should do so patiently.

This is because we have the promise that those who persecuted them will be repaid with the wrath of God.

Their torment will be infinitely worse than anything they can do to the saints.

So the saints are to continue on in God's work, despite any persecution which stands in the way.

V.13:

After such a dire warning of hell for the unbelievers, we see that to die in the Lord is a blessing (as opposed to dying without Him)

When our work here is done, those who die in the Lord will find rest.

Hebrews 4:9-10

Hebrews 4:9–10 NKJV

There remains therefore a rest for the people of God. For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His.

Though they will rest from their works, saints will be rewarded for the work that they have done.

The saints will be rewarded for the works they have done.

1 Corinthians 3:13-15

1 Corinthians 3:13–15 NKJV

each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.

What an encouragement to persevere, knowing that a day of rest and reward is coming for believers.

It should also be an encouragement to share the Gospel, so that as few as possible will have to die in unbelief.

Death will eventually find all of us (barring the rapture), and there are only 2 possible outcomes.

Death in the Lord, and true rest (believers)

Death without the Lord, and torment (unbelievers)

Which do you choose, and do you care enough to give others the option?