A Sobering Reminder

INTRODUCTION

There is a place prepared for all those who reject the Lord Jesus Christ.

It was originally prepared for the devil and his angels (Mat.25:41)

The place I’m referring to is hell.

This Anglo-Saxon word was associated with the underworld.

It became synonomous with Gehenna and Sheol.

In the LXX, sheol was often translated hades

In the OT, it often referred to the dead in general (Deut.32:22) or the grave (Num.16:33)

Gehenna originally referred to the Valley of Hinnom where there was a local trash dump that continuously burned with fire.

Some believe this was also the place that was cursed because it was the location of child sacrifices (Jer.7:31; 9:2-6)

Later in rabbinical literature and the translation of the OT, it referred to the suffering of the damned.

Jesus referred to gehenna as a state of eternal suffering.

Matthew 10:28 NASB95

“Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

Mark 9:43–44 NASB95

“If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life crippled, than, having your two hands, to go into hell, into the unquenchable fire, where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.

Hell is described as:

Eternal punishment (Mat.25:46)

Eternal fire (Mat.25:41)

Fire and brimstone (Rev.14:10)

Furnace of fire (Mat.13:42)

Eternal destruction (2 Thess.1:9)

Unquenchable fire (Mat.13:12)

Torment (Lk.16:23)

Revelation 20:10 NASB95

And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.