The Horrors of Hell, Part 1

A pastor who truly loves his people will preach on hell, a pastor who loves himself will not. Think about that. If you truly love the people you minister to, you're going to tell them about hell. But if you really love yourself and you want a big church and you want lots of people and lots of money, then you're not going to talk too much about hell because that would keep people from coming. That wouldn't be a good thing, so you refrain from talking about that subject. Think back over your years and ask yourself: when was the last time you heard a sermon on hell?

When was the last time you heard a series on hell? Jesus want people to know about hell. Why? Why? Why is there a hell? And I think the psalmist expressed it well over in Psalm 11. When he said this, upon the wicked he will rain snares. Fire and brimstone and burning wind will be the portion of their cup, for the Lord is right. He loves righteousness. Do you know why there's a hell? It's because God is righteous and he loves right. And because he's a p eyes and to behold evil, he is holy, holy, holy.

Then, because of the righteousness of God, the justice of God, the pureness of God, there is a hell for those who rebel against His holiness, His righteousness. He loves righteousness. In fact, it says over in 2 Thessalonians chapter 1, verse 6, these words. For after all, it is only just or righteous for God to repay with affliction those Who afflicts you, and to give relief to you who are afflicted, and to us as well, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven. With his mighty angels in flaming fire, dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel.

Of our Lord Jesus, and these will pay the penalty of eternal destruction away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory. Of his power. It is only righteous, it is only just that the king of glory do such a thing. You'll remember that throughout the scriptures there is the becking call of the prophets. Of the apostles for man to repent and to turn from their sin and to glorify God and to fear God and to believe in His name. Helping them to understand that vengeance is his. He will repay. In fact, in Hebrews chapter 10, the Lord beckons people to come to him, to draw near to him.

Because of the blood that was shed, man now has access into his presence. But if you don't do that, he says, the writer of Hebrews, there comes a tremendous, horrifying day. He says, If you go on sinning will, after receiving the knowledge of the truth, after you know the truth, after you know about the blood of Jesus Christ. That was shed for you. After you know that the king came to die for you, he rose again to give you access to God. If you go on sinning will, there no longer remains a sacrifice for your sins, but a certain terrifying expectation of judgment.

And the fury of a fire which will consume the adversaries. You see, the writer of Hebrews wanted people to know: look, this is your opportunity. You come to Christ, you give your life to Him. But if you don't, there is a fearful expectation, the fury of God, terrifying judgment. He goes on to say, any who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. If you go against the law of Moses, then the punishment is death. How much severe a punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled underfoot the Son of God and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he has sanctified, or was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace?

For we know him who said, Vengeance is mine, I will repay, and again the Lord will judge his people. It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God. Why do we preach on hell? Why do we write on hell? Why do we tell people about hell? Because there's somebody out there who needs to know that this is where you don't want to be. You want to be with the Lord Jesus. You want to be in heaven. This is where you don't want to go. Tonight and next week, I want to be able to describe to you the horrors of hell.

Why do I call them the horrors of hell? Mainly because one descriptive word is just not good enough. I can tell you or describe heaven in one word, but it would not tell you about heaven. I could give you two or three words about heaven, but still again, it would not describe to you heaven. In fact, the scriptures tell us as much as we can possibly know about heaven, but even that is not as great as it's going to be. On the other hand, the Bible tells us about hell. Uses many descriptive words. And my prayer is that through giving you these words, you will get a composite picture of hell.

But believe me, it will be far worse than I'm able to explain to you. In two easy sermons. So I'm going to give it to you as best as I possibly can from A to Z. Twenty-six different descriptions on the horrors of he. And hopefully, when you leave after next week, if you're bold enough to come back next week, that you'll understand more about the place. Lord, willing, you will never go because you've given your life to Jesus Christ. And maybe you'll be able to use these tapes or the material that you have in your hands to be able to tell people.

About the horrors of hell. The first one is this: hell is a place of abiding wrath. Abiding wrath. The verse John:: He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life, and he that believeth not on the Son. Shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him. Do you know that if a person is an unbeliever, that God's wrath at the very present is abiding upon him? And if he does not or she does not repent of their sin, then that abiding wrath will be forever and ever in a place called hell, the lake of fire, as described in the scriptures.

The Bible says in Ephesians 2 that we are by nature children of wrath. Did you know that? When you are born, we look at those little precious babies that come out of the womb, and we look at them and, Oh, they're so cute, they're so pretty.

I love this baby. It's a child of wrath. God's wrath is upon that child. It has a sin nature. It is born in s. It needs a Savior. Death passed upon all men. For all have sinned. And therefore, we need to understand the depravity of man. The Bible is very clear: God is wrath, God is furious. Listen, God doesn't all of a sudden just blow a stack. You know, people just, you know, all of a sudden they turn real red in the face and they get real angry, and all of a sudden, bam, it's like a skyrocket goes off.

That's not how God's wrath is. Because God, listen, is never not wrath. Because wrath is part of his character, his attribute. God is never not love. God is never not mercy. God is never not righteous. God is never not holy. God is never not wrath. God is always wrath. That's what the word or means. It means a settled, stated condition. And the only reason we don't experience that part of God's attribute is because. Of his love, because of his mercy, because of his grace, his goodness, his kindness, his compassion.

But that runs out. God has a long, long fuse. And by his grace, many people have lived a long time. But one day there will be payday, and the abiding wrath of God will remain upon those who do not repent of their sin. Number two Blackness and Dark Forever A is ab wrath.

B, hell is a place of blackness and darkness. Forever. The verse Jude 13, raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame, wandering stars, speaking of false prophets, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever. Hell is not only a place of abiding wrath, hell is a place of blackness and darkness forever. That is an amazing. Amazing thing. If hell is a lake of fire and fire lights up darkness, yet hell is described as a place of blackness and darkness forever. So, whatever the fire is, it's not going to light the way for man to be able to see.

He's not going to be able to see anything. It's black, it's dark. God says in 1 Samuel 2:9, the wicked shall be silent in darkness.

They're going to be dumbfounded. Number three, hell is a horrible place because of the abiding wrath of God, because it's a place of blackness and darkness forever.

Number three, it's a place of crying. A place of crying. Five times in the New Testament, Jesus speaks of people who weep and gnash their teeth. It says of the rich man in hell in Luke 16:2 that he cried. Have you ever cried uncontrollably? Have you ever been in a place in your life where you just could no longer hold it in, but you wept profuse? And when you were all done, you were so drained emotionally, so drained physically, that you had to go to sleep. You ever been there? Think about doing that for all eternity.

It's a place of weeping. It's a place of crying. Hell is a place of damnation. Damnation. Matthew 23, 33, how can you escape the damnation of hell? Mark 16, 16, he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, but he that believeth not shall be damned. Next, hell is a place of everlasting punishment. Everlasting punishment. Matthew 25, 46 says, And these shall go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into life eternal. Next, hell is a place of filthiness. Hell is a place of filthiness.

Revel 22:11. He that is unjust, let him be unjust still, and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still, and he that is holy, let him be holy still. God looked down from heaven to see if there were any that understood. And here's what he said. They are all gone aside. They are all together become filthy. There is none that doeth good, no, not one. Psalm 14:2 and 3. Job said in Job 15, 16, How much more abominable and filthy is man which drinketh iniquity like water? Isaiah 64, 6 says, But we are as unclean thing, and all our unrighteousness is as filthy rags.

People are said to be filthy in this life, and unless you have your life was in the blood of the Lamb in order to receive the garments of God, you will remain filthy for all eternity. Never to be cleansed, always to be dirty and filthy. Next, G. Gn of teeth, gnashing of teeth. It says in Luke 13, 28, There will be weeping and gnas of teeth. There, when you see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets of the kingdom of God, but yourselves. Being cast out. When you're just about ready to be cast, and you see Abraham, you see Isaac, you see Jacob, you see the people of God.

You're going to gnash your teeth. Remember Stephen in Acts chapter 7? In Acts chapter 7, he had preached. To the people there in Jerusalem, and they came out to stone him. They took him outside the city. And when they heard his words, they covered their ears and they ran at him. And the Bible said. Says that they were gnashing their teeth. They were so angry with Stephen for what he said, they wanted to kill him. On the day of judgment, when judgment is pronounced upon the ungodly man, not only will there be weeping.

But there will be gnas of teeth, there will be anger, there will be resentment, they will be so m at who? At God. Also them. Who do they have to blame but them? Next, hell is a place of hopelessness. The Bible says, Proverbs 11 and verse number 7, when a wicked man dies, his expectation shall perish, and the hope of the unjust men perisheth.

Why does he gnash his teeth? Because there's no hope. It's over. Hopelessness. It says in Proverbs 10, 28, the hope of the righteous shall be gladness, but the expectation of the wicked shall per. Any hope of expectation, any hope of a reprieve is gone. It's perished. There's no hope. Proverbs 14:3: The wicked is driven away in his wickedness, but the righteous hath hope in his death. The righteous has hope. But the unrighteous, the wicked man, he's driven away in his wickedness. Because there is no hope for him.

Hopelessness. I guess all of us live with a little bit of hope from day to day. We hope things are going get better. We hope our financial condition is going to get better. We hope our health is going to get better. We hope our church is going to get better. We hope something's going to get better. A little bit of hope. But can you imagine being in a state of absolute utter hopelessness? No hope whatsoever? That's hell. Man doesn't have to remain hopeless. If he understands the God of hope, next is indign.

Indignation, Jeremiah 10:10. But the Lord is the true God. He is the living God and an everlasting king. At his wrath the earth shall tremble, and the nations shall not be able to abide his ind. Revelation 14, 10 and 11 says, The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture. Into the cup of his ind, and 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 ascendeth up for ever and ever, and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast in his image.

And whosoever receives the mark of his name. Kind of heavy, isn't it? This is not a sermon for the weak. It's a sermon for the strong. People who are able to understand the eternal destiny of the unsaved. It's a place of judgment. That's next. Hebrews 9:2. It 's a point under the man who wants to die after that. The judgment. Acts 17:3, He has appointed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness by the man whom He hath ordained. Wherefore he hath given assurance unto all men, and that he hath raised him from the dead.

Ecclesiastes 11:9, rejoice, O young man, in thy youth. And let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes. But know thou that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment. Ecclesiastes 12:1 for God shall bring every work into judgment with every secret thing, whether it be good or whether it be evil. The Bible says in Hebrews 6, verse number 2, that hell is a place of eternal judgment.

Eternal judgment. Next, it's a place of keeping. A place of keeping. A place where the wicked will be kept for all eternity. Dr. Harry Ironside spoke of the place of imprisonment with these words, Hell as God's well-ord prison house. The lake of fire is his penitentiary. Jude 6 speaks of eternal bonds. 2 Peter 2:4 of fallen angels who committed them into pits of darkness. 1 Peter 3:1, Christ went and made a proclamation to the spirits now in prison. It is God's penitentiary, it is God's keeping house.

There is no way to be let loose. And lastly for tonight, it's the lake of fire. It's the lake of fire. Five times the Bible speaks of the lake of fire in the book of Revelation. Revelation 19:2, 20, 2014, 2015, 21, verse number 8. It's mentioned over and over again. Matthew 3:12, he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire. Matthew 5:2, whosoever shall say, Thou fool. Shall be in danger of hell fire. Matthew:. The tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so shall it be in the end of this world.

Matthew:, and shall cast them into a furnace of fire. Matthew 18:8 Having two hands or two feet to be cast into hellfire, Matthew 18:9, having two eyes to be cast into hellfire. Matthew:, depart from me, ye cursed into everlasting fire. Mark:. to go into hell into the fire that never shall be quenched. Mark 9: The fire is not quenched. Mark 9:4 Cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched Luke 3:1, the chaff he will burn with fire unquenchable. 2 Thessalonians 1:8, in fl fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God.

James :, it is set on fire of hell. Jude 7, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. Revelation:, he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone. Hell is a place called the lake of fire. It was J. A. Seiss who records these words: Ho, you unbelieving man. Ye dishonest men, ye profane men, ye lewd men and women, ye slaves of lust and appetite. He scoffers at the truth of God. How can you escape the damnation of hell? Ye men of business. Ye whose souls are absorbed with the pursuit of gain, ye people of wealth without riches toward God, ye passengers on the voyage of life without prayer, without church relations.

Without concern for your immortal good, your God, or the eternity before you, here. Hell hath enlarged herself. And opened her mouth without measure. And your glory and your multitude, and your pomp, and your rejoicing shall descend into it. Isaiah 5:14. Ye almost Christians, lingering these many years on the margin of the kingdom, looking in through the gates, but never quite ready to enter them. Intending but never performing, often wishing but still postponing, hoping but without right to hope.

The appeal is to you: How shall ye escape if you neglect so great salvation? Hebrews 2:2 and 4. And ye who call yourselves Christians, but have forgotten your covenant promises, ye Tarah and Lot's wives. Who have started out of the place of sin and death, but hesitate halfway and stay to look back. Y baptized Elam and Judases and Balaams, who through covetousness and feign words make merchandise of the grace of God. See ye not that your judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and your damnation slumbereth not?

2 Peter 3, verse number 3. And if there be any one oblivious or indifferent toward these great matters, asleep amidst the dashing waves of coming retribution, the message is to you, What meanest thou, O sleeper? Arise, call upon thy God, if so be that God shall think upon thee, that thou per not. For if anyone be not found written in the book of life, he must be swallowed up by the lake of fire. You don't have to go there. It is your choice. God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked. I trust that you know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

Those descriptions of hell help us see its horror. But we're not even halfway through yet. There's much more to see. See, you got to be kidding me. No. There's much more to see. Let's pray. Father, we thank you for your word. While the message tonight Has been heavy. The message of God is light. For you said, All you who are weary and are heavy laden, come unto me and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn From me. Learn from me. And Father, we can learn from you. We can grow in you.

You take no pleasure in the death of the wicked. You're not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. Lord, let no man or woman leave tonight without coming face to face with the reality of their eternal destiny. They don't have to remain hopeless. They can put their hope in the Lord and experience the joy of salvation. May that be their prayer this evening. For that is our prayer. In Jesus' name, amen.