Psalms 9:17 The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God. 

 

(Alright, so what do we say, when we are asked, “Why would a loving God send anyone to hell?”

Perhaps, we give them a quick, snarky answer, or maybe, we tell them, “Take two scriptures, and call me in the morning”.

They cannot possibly reconcile the simultaneous thought that God is love, yet that there could also be a place of eternal torment.

What is it about the doctrine of hell that troubles them so much, gripped by such an insurmountable paradox?

Is it the same reason that we maybe cannot face this doctrine, and why we maybe don’t believe it?

What is the doctrine of hell?

 

Luke 16:23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

  24 And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.

 

Psalms 116:3 The sorrows of death compassed me, and the pains of hell gat hold upon me: I found trouble and sorrow.

 

(it’s all torment and pain!              and it’s so dark, dark, dark!)

 

Lamentations 3:6 He hath set me in dark places, as they that be dead of old.

 

Job 10:21 Before I go whence I shall not return, even to the land of darkness and the shadow of death;

  22 A land of darkness, as darkness itself; and of the shadow of death, without any order, and where the light is as darkness.

 

Job 18:18 He shall be driven from light into darkness, and chased out of the world.

 

Isaiah 8:22c  and they shall be driven to darkness.

 

Psalms 49:19b  they shall never see light.

 

Jude 13 Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever.

 

(more terror and fear than anything that ever has been on earth!)

 

Job 3:25 For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me.

 

Job 30:15a Terrors are turned upon me:

 

Job 27:20 Terrors take hold on him as waters, a tempest stealeth him away in the night.

 

Job 18:11a Terrors shall make him afraid on every side,

  14b  and it shall bring him to the king of terrors.

 

Psalms 88:16 Thy fierce wrath goeth over me; thy terrors have cut me off.

 

Psalms 73:18b  thou castedst them down into destruction.

  19 How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment! they are utterly consumed with terrors.

 

Psalms 55:4 My heart is sore pained within me: and the terrors of death are fallen upon me.

 

(The terrors of a thousand panic attacks all at once, yet no heart attack to stop it.

The pain and torment of fire burning us, yet never burning us up, or stopping, only endless suffering.

Pitch dark, totally alone, and without any hope, forever, and ever, and ever!)

 

Matthew 25:41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:

 

Matthew 23:33 Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?

 

Job 34:20 In a moment shall they die, and the people shall be troubled at midnight, and pass away: and the mighty shall be taken away without hand.

 

Psalms 58:9b  he shall take them away as with a whirlwind, both living, and in his wrath.

 

Revelation 20:14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

  15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

 

Psalms 11:6 Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest: this shall be the portion of their cup.

 

Psalms 140:10 Let burning coals fall upon them: let them be cast into the fire; into deep pits, that they rise not up again.

 

Revelation 14:10b  and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:

  11a And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever:

 

(That is so horrible and terrifying, and yet this is more true than our own names, or the very breath in our nostrils.

Why?  because it is written – written in the word of God – written all through the word of God.

If anyone dies without having their sins washed away by the blood of Jesus, they cannot escape the damnation of hell.)