ARTICLES HELL Is A Real Place! by Jeanniene Lee Psalm 9:17 17 The wicked shall be turned into HELL, and all the nations that forget God. Isaiah 5:14 14 Therefore HELL hath enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure... Revelation 20:15 15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire [HELL]. There used to be a time when whenever you went to church all the preacher would preach about was HELL. Remember those days? We used to call it "HELL fire and brimstone preaching." You were afraid to go to church because you knew the sermon was about HELL. Remember when you didn't want to hear that preaching on HELL? I remember when I didn't. Why? Because I was a sinner living a life of sin. When you're living a life of sin, you don't want anybody to tell you that you're going to HELL. In recent years, we have heard little teaching about HELL; but, lately the "HELL fire and brimstone" message is ringing again. It is ringing from the pulpits of churches all over the world. It's message is being shouted on street corners from the mouths of fiery evangelist the world over. The message of HELL is being heard on the airways and is being written about in magazines, both Christian and secular all over the globe. Why? Why has this message about HELL returned? Dear reader, God wants you to know the truth about HELL that's why. HELL IS A REAL PLACE, BUT IT'S NO PLACE FOR YOU. God want's you to know the truth about HELL so that you will not have to spend eternity there. Every message you have ever heard about heaven and HELL, sin and forgiveness of sins by the blood of Jesus, you are accountable for. If you do not accept Jesus as your Lord and Saviour before you die, you will be reminded of those messages that you heard when you stand before the great white throne to be judged (Revelation 20:11-15). You will be reminded of the opportunities you had to accept Jesus Christ as your Saviour and didn't. You will be reminded of the warning you received about HELL before you are sent away from the presence of God to spend eternity in that place of eternal pain and suffering, You will also remember those messages when you are in HELL itself. God did not originally create HELL for man, it was created for the devil and those angels that followed him in his rebellion against God. Matthew 25:41 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. However, if you choose to follow the devil's way. The way of sin, and refuse to accept the way of God, YOU WILL END UP IN HELL! Did you notice that in verse 41 it said that God said to those that were standing before Him on His left side to depart from His presence? He called them "cursed." Further, He told them to depart into "everlasting fire." Although the fire was not ORIGINALLY prepared for mankind, many people will go there. Those who have rejected Jesus Christ! Romans 6:23 23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.Isaiah declares that HELL has been enlarged. "Therefore HELL has enlarged herself..." (Isaiah 5:14). It has increased in size. Why? Because man has rejected God. Man has rejected God's plan of deliverance from HELL - - Jesus Christ. Therefore, HELL is no longer just a place where the devil and his angels will go for eternity; HELL, is a place where the wicked who have rejected God will go also after they die (Psalm 9:17). Hebrews 9:27 27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment. Hebrews 9:27 (Amplified) 27 And just as it is appointed for [all] men once to die, and after that the [certain] judgment. When you die your spirit will leave your body and will go to either one of two places. To heaven if you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour, or to HELL if you have rejected him (Psalm 9:17). HELL is in a specific location. Once you go to that place there is no way out! There is no escape from HELL! We see this clearly declared by Jesus in Luke 16:19-31. Luke 16:22-26 22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; 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. 25 But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou are tormented. 26 And beside all this, BETWEEN US AND YOU THERE IS A GREAT GULF FIXED: SO THAT THEY WHICH WOULD PASS FROM HENCE TO YOU CANNOT? NEITHER CAN THEY PASS TO US, THAT WOULD COME FROM THENCE. In this account of HELL, Jesus tells of a certain man that had died and went to HELL. In Hell he was totally conscious (verse 23-25). In HELL he was tormented in the flame (verse 24). HELL was in a location that was "down" (verse 23). There was no escape from HELL because there is a "great gulf fixed" between HELL and heaven so that they which would want to leave hell and go to heaven CANNOT (verse 26). That "great gulf" is called a "chasma" in the Greek. We get the English word "chasm" from it. The definition of the Greek word "chasma" is a yawning abyss, or precipice, with a deep pit at the bottom of it in which the body of a dead person was cast. Not the physical body but the spiritual body of those that died without Jesus. The word "abyss" is defined as an immeasurable deep gulf or great space. A "precipice" is a very steep or overhanging place. It is the blackness that overhangs the place HELL. Thus, HELL is separated from heaven by a gulf of blackness, nothingness. This immeasurable gulf of blackness CANNOT be crossed once you enter HELL! HELL is a place that is down not up. This is verified throughout the Bible. Even in the account of Luke 16:23 it is implied that HELL is down. Luke 16:23 23 And in HELL HE LIFT UP his eyes, being in torment... If it was not implied that HELL was down, then why did the man in HELL "lift up" his eyes? Numerous other scriptures throughout the Bible clearly and boldly state that HELL is a place that is "down." Psalm 55:15 15 ...Let them go DOWN quick into HELL: for wickedness is in their dwellings, and among them. Isaiah 14:9, 15 9 HELL from BENEATH... 15 Yet thou shalt be brought DOWN to HELL... Ezekiel 31:16-17 16 I made the nations to shake at the sound of his fall, when I cast him DOWN to HELL with them that DESCEND INTO THE PIT... 17 They also went DOWN into HELL with him... II Peter 2:4 4 For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them DOWN to HELL, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment. It also bears repeating that in HELL you will be fully conscious as confirmed out of the mouth of Jesus in Luke 16:19-31. You will have your memory. You will be able to recognize people. You will have your senses. Why, because you will yet have your soul in HELL. You will yet have your mind, memory, emotions, etc. They will still be operative. In Luke 16:23, the man in HELL recognized Abraham and Lazarus when he saw them on the other side of that "great gulf." He also had his senses. We see this clearly from his expression of being hot and thirsty. "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" (Luke 16:24). Dear reader, every message you have ever heard warning you of HELL, you will remember if you end up in HELL! Every invitation you were given to accept Jesus Christ and you rejected Him, you will remember! If you haven't received Jesus as your Saviour and want to RIGHT NOW before you finish this article, STOP AND TURN TO THE BACK OF THIS PUBLICATION. Follow the instructions as outlined in the "PRAYER FOR SALVATION." Your name will be recorded in the "book of life." You have escaped HELL! Also we see in Luke 16 that those in HELL will be TORMENTED (verse 24). They will be tormented in the everburning flame of HELL. The pain and suffering will never end! It will last for eternity! Every day, all day long, for eternity! Mark 9:43-44 43 And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into HELL, INTO THE FIRE THAT NEVER SHALL BE QUENCHED. 44 Where their worm dieth not, and the FIRE IS NOT QUENCHED. While the flames of HELL are burning those in HELL that rejected Jesus Christ, the worms in HELL that never die will be crawling all over and through them. TOTAL ABSOLUTE TORMENT! Just imagine the worst pain you've ever had intensified one trillion percent plus. And if that's not enough, the memories of rejecting Jesus and every message that they have ever heard about heaven and HELL will be ringing non-stop in their memory. My, how terrible! Just imagine a lake, or the biggest body of water you've ever seen or heard about. Now imagine that body of water replaced with gasoline and then ignited with a match. A lake on fire. Revelation 20:15 15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the LAKE OF FIRE. Revelation 21:8 8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the LAKE WHICH BURNETH WITH FIRE AND BRIMSTONE: which is the second death. Some years ago there was a storm in Houston, TX. That storm caused major damage to the point where oil and gasoline mixed into flooding waters from the storm and were ignited. The fire caused major damage and total destruction because it was impossible to put it out, it had to burn it's way out itself. Unfortunately, the lake of fire in HELL will never burn it's way out! Never! It will burn forever and ever! HELL is a real place, a place "where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched" (Mark 9:44, 46, 48). Dear reader, HELL IS A REAL PLACE, BUT IT'S NO PLACE FOR YOU! If you go to HELL, it will not be because God sent you there, it will be because you rejected His way of escape from HELL. If a bridge is out ahead and someone on the road offers you an alternate route to keep you from hurling headlong into destruction ahead, IT IS YOUR CHOICE whether you accept their offer or not! Jesus Christ is your bridge of escape from HELL. Jesus Christ is your bridge of escape from the eternally burning lake of fire! Jesus Christ is your bridge of escape from eternal torment in the fire that is not quenched! HELL was not ORIGINALLY created for man, it was created for the devil and the angels that followed him in his rebellion against God (Matthew 25:41). Although HELL was not originally created for man, many will go there who have rejected Jesus Christ. HELL has enlarged in size because of the millions who have rejected Jesus and died without Him in their lives (Isaiah 5:14). Matthew 7:13-14 13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and BROAD IS THE WAY, THAT LEADETH TO DESTRUCTION [HELL], and many there be which go in thereat. 14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. DON'T BE DECEIVED! HELL IS A REAL PLACE, BUT IT'S NO PLACE FOR YOU! If you go to HELL, it will not be because God sent you there! It will be because you REJECTED His plan of escape from HELL! IT WILL BE BECAUSE YOU REJECTED JESUS! Jesus loves you and died for your sins! ACCEPT JESUS CHRIST TODAY! "For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing...." 1 CORINTHIANS 1:18 NIV BUT IT'S NO PLACE FOR YOU! Copyright  1994 - 2008 Change The Image Ministries, Inc.