Hard Questions (Part 4)

“The Truth About Satan and Hell”

INTRODUCTION

Tonight, we’re continuing our series Hard Questions, where you guys have been submitting anonymous questions every week. Some of them have been deep. Some emotional. Some theological.

And some of them should’ve stayed in your head.

Before we get serious tonight, I need to address a couple of these.

One question asked:

“How chunky are dumplings?”

Spiritually speaking? Very chunky.

Then another question said:

“Is Alan and Lexi related because their foreheads are strikingly similar?”

And to whoever wrote that: Repent immediately.

But tonight I want to focus on one really important question somebody submitted.

The question was:

“Why would the devil punish people for disobeying the same guy he did?”

And honestly, that’s a really good question.

Because most people picture Satan and hell completely wrong.

A lot of people imagine Satan sitting on a throne in hell, ruling over demons, deciding punishments, and running the place like a king.

But that is NOT what the Bible teaches.

Tonight lets answer this question with 3 more questions:

Who is Satan really?

What is hell actually for?

Why does Satan want people to follow him if he already knows his future?

1. SATAN IS NOT GOD’S EQUAL

One of the biggest misunderstandings people have is this idea that God and Satan are opposites fighting on equal levels.

Like:

good vs evil light vs dark God vs Satan

But Satan is NOT equal to God.

See the issue with the question, “Why would the devil punish people for disobeying the same guy he did?” is that you’re putting the devil in the wrong place. He doesn’t have the authority to punish you. He’s not the boss in this situation. The person deciding your fate isn’t Satan.

God is Creator. Satan is created.

God is all-powerful. Satan is limited.

God rules forever. Satan’s future is judgment.

Satan was originally created as an angel.

But because of pride and rebellion against God, Satan fell.

Satan was not always the devil.

He was originally created by God as an angel.

God did not create evil. God created angels to worship and serve Him.

But Satan became filled with pride.

He wanted what belonged to God.

Passages like Isaiah 14 and Ezekiel 28 describe his rebellion.

In Isaiah 14, Satan says things like:

“I will ascend into heaven.” “I will exalt my throne.” “I will be like the Most High.”

That was the problem.

Satan did not want to worship God. He wanted to replace God.

Pride caused rebellion.

Then Luke 10:18 says Jesus saw Satan:

“fall like lightning from heaven.”

And Revelation 12 describes Satan being cast down after rebelling against God.

So understand this: Satan is not some evil god equal with the Lord.

He is a created being who rebelled against his Creator and was cast out because of sin.

That means Satan is not victorious. He is defeated.

And now his mission is rebellion, deception, and destruction.

He hates God. He hates truth. And he hates people made in God’s image.

That’s why he lies. That’s why he tempts. That’s why he wants people far from God.

Not because he rules hell… but because destruction is all he has left.

And now his mission is rebellion, deception, and destruction.

Jesus describes Satan in John 8:44

John 8:44 NLT

For you are the children of your father the devil, and you love to do the evil things he does. He was a murderer from the beginning. He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies.

Jesus says Satan is:

a liar, the father of lies,

and a murderer.

Notice: Jesus never calls Satan a king.

He calls him a deceiver.

Satan’s power is not in ruling. It’s in lying.

That’s how he works.

He twists truth. He deceives people. He tempts people. He convinces people that sin is freedom when it actually leads to destruction.

And some of us underestimate how much spiritual warfare happens through lies.

Lies like:

“You don’t need God.”

“One sin won’t matter.”

“You can change later.”

“Nobody cares about you.”

“You’ve gone too far.”

“Your sin defines you.”

That is the language of the enemy.

Because Satan cannot create life. He can only corrupt what God created.

He cannot save. He can only destroy.

2. HELL IS NOT SATAN’S KINGDOM

This is the part I really want everybody to understand tonight.

Satan is NOT the ruler of hell.

Hell is not his kingdom.

Hell is his punishment too.

Revelation 20:10 NLT

Then the devil, who had deceived them, was thrown into the fiery lake of burning sulfur, joining the beast and the false prophet. There they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

The devil is thrown into the lake of fire.

Not seated on a throne there. Not ruling there. Not deciding punishments there.

He is judged there.

That changes the entire picture.

The person who asked this question was probably imagining: “If Satan rebelled against God too, then why would he punish people for doing the same thing?”

But Satan doesn’t punish people.

God is the Judge. Not Satan.

You’ve heard the scenario that I’ve told about robbing a bank, going to court, and being brought before the judge. Satan doesn’t play that roll.

Satan has never had authority over eternity.

And honestly, culture has created a fake version of hell.

Cartoons joke about it. Movies joke about it. People talk about “partying in hell.”

But hell is not a joke. And Satan is not in charge there.

Hell exists because God is holy and just.

And sin cannot exist in the presence of a perfect God forever.

Now hear me carefully: God did not create hell because He hates people.

In fact, Scripture teaches that hell was prepared for the devil and his angels.

God’s desire is for people to repent and be saved.

That’s why Jesus came.

Because God made a way for us to be forgiven instead of condemned.

But, because He loves us, He leaves it up to us to make the decision to love Him and accept His gift.

3. SATAN WANTS DESTRUCTION, NOT PARTNERSHIP

So then why does Satan tempt people?

Why does he try to pull people away from God if he already knows judgment is coming?

Because Satan hates God. And he hates people made in God’s image.

His goal is destruction.

Jesus literally called him a murderer.

The enemy does not care about your future. He does not care about your soul. He does not care about your peace.

He wants destruction.

And sin always destroys eventually.

Sin may look fun for a season. Temptation may look harmless at first. But the enemy always hides the ending.

Nobody plans:

to become addicted,

to destroy relationships,

to lose purity,

to become bitter,

to walk away from God.

Sin never starts where it ends.

That’s why Satan lies.

Because if people saw the end result immediately, nobody would choose sin.

The enemy promises freedom but produces chains.

And some students in this room are listening to lies every day.

The enemy says:

“Keep hiding it.”

Jesus says:

“Bring it into the light.”

The enemy says:

“You’re too broken.”

Jesus says:

“Come to Me.”

The enemy says:

“God doesn’t care.”

Jesus proved He cares at the cross.

CLOSING

Tonight, here’s the truth:

Satan is real. Evil is real. Sin is real. Judgment is real.

But so is the grace of God.

Jesus did not come so people would have to stay trapped in sin.

He came to rescue us.

That’s the gospel.

Jesus lived the perfect life we could not live. He died on the cross for our sin. He rose again defeating sin, death, and the enemy.

And because of Jesus, you do not have to belong to darkness anymore.

You can be forgiven. You can be free. You can be saved.

The enemy wants destruction.

Jesus wants redemption.

And tonight every person in this room has to decide whose voice they’re going to follow.

Invitation

Maybe tonight:

you need salvation,

you need to repent,

you’ve been believing lies,

or you’ve been playing with sin without realizing where it leads.

But tonight Jesus is calling you toward life, freedom, and forgiveness.

If you want to talk about it, find me afterwards.

Let’s pray.