Written by Terry Watkins
"And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments. . ." Luke 16:23
What you're about to read is hard to believe. . .
We're going to examine the place the Bible calls hell. We'll present documented evidence for a place called hell. Don't take what you're going to read lightly. YOU COULD BE IN SERIOUS DANGER!
The Bible continually warns of a place called hell. There are over 162 references in the New Testament alone which warns of hell. And over 70 of these references were uttered by the Lord Jesus Christ!
In Luke 16, Jesus Christ gives a frightening picture of hell:
22 . . . the rich man also died, and was buried; 23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and saw 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 received good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art 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. 27 Then he said, I pray thee therefore, Father, that Thou would send him to my father's house: 28 For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. (Luke 16:22-28)
HELL IS A PLACE OF FIRE
The man in Luke 16:24 cries: ". . .I am tormented in this FLAME."
In Matthew 13:42, Jesus says: "And shall cast them into a FURNACE OF FIRE: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth."
In Matthew 25:41, Jesus says: "Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting FIRE,. . ."
Revelation 20:15 says, " And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the LAKE OF FIRE."
THE BIBLE GIVES THE LOCATION OF HELL
When Jesus Christ died on the cross, He descended into hell. In Acts 2, Peter is speaking, verse 31, " . . . seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in HELL"
When Jesus Christ died His soul went into hell.
And in Matthew 12:40, Jesus Christ says: "For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly: so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the HEART OF THE EARTH. "
The Bible is clear — Hell is inside the earth!
Ephesians 4:9, says of Jesus: "Now that He ascended, what is it but that He also descended first into the LOWER PARTS OF THE EARTH."
On page 85 of Beyond Death's Door, Dr. Rawlings said, patients who described hell said, ". . . this place seems to be UNDERGROUND or WITHIN THE EARTH in some way."
The Birmingham News, April 10, 1987 had an article entitled "Earth's Center Hotter Than Sun's Surface, Scientists Say". The article stated that scientists have recently discovered, "THE EARTH'S INNER CORE HAS A TEMPERATURE OF OVER 12,000 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT!"
Have you seen pictures of a volcano erupting, spewing a lake of fire from inside the earth — consuming everything within miles just from the heat? When Mount St. Helens erupted in May 18, 1980, it was described by reporters, "when HELL surfaced upon the earth." The book, Volcanoes, Earth's Awakening (p.91) describes an erupting volcano as "descent into HELL".
Thousands of years ago, the Bible described a place called hell in the heart of the earth that matches exactly what science is discovering.
YES! THERE IS A PLACE CALLED HELL!
In Numbers 16, the Bible gives the account of people falling into hell alive! Numbers 16:32-33 says, "And THE EARTH OPENED HER MOUTH, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods. They, and all that appertained to them, went down alive INTO THE PIT, and the EARTH CLOSED UPON THEM:"
Inside this earth, this very moment, there are millions of lost, tormented souls — burning, weeping, wailing — without any hope whatsoever!
In Mark 9:46, Jesus Christ says about hell: "Where THEIR WORM dies not, and the fire is not quenched."
Jesus said explicitly — THEIR worm — not a worm, or the worm — but THEIR worm.
And Jesus Christ said, "Where THEIR WORM dies not, and the fire is not quenched."
Revelation 14:10 says, " . . . and He shall be tormented with fire and BRIMSTONE . . ." And Job 18 describes the " . . . PLACE of him that knows not God" (vs 21), in verse 15 as, " . . . BRIMSTONE shall be scattered upon his habitation." Do you know what brimstone is? It's sulfur. And do you know where sulfur or brimstone is found? INSIDE THIS EARTH! According to the book Volcanoes by Pierre Kohler (p. 43), when Mt. St Helens erupted in 1980 — 150,000 tons of sulfurous gas was ejected! Job is the oldest book in the Bible, written over 3,000 years ago, and yet Job knew what science wouldn't know for years — inside this earth is brimstone!
HELL IS A PLACE OF TORMENT
Jesus says of the man in Luke 16:
23 "And in hell He lift up his eyes, being in TORMENTS. . . " 24 ". . . for I am TORMENTED in this flame." 28 ". . .PLACE OF TORMENT."
It is humanly impossible to comprehend the Bible description of hell. Nothing on earth can compare with it. No nightmare could produce a terror to match that of hell. No horror movie could describe it's fright. No crime scene with all it's blood and gore could begin to match it's horror.
You'll see HELL. . . You'll smell HELL. . . You'll breathe HELL. . . You'll hear HELL . . . You'll feel HELL. . .
It'll be beyond anything humanly imaginable!
The Bible describes it as ),weeping (Matt 8:12), wailing (Matt 13:42), gnashing of teeth (Matt 13:50), darkness (Matt 25:30), flames (Luke 16:24), burning (Isa 33:14), torments (Luke 16:23 everlasting punishment! Jesus Christ says in Matthew 25:41, "Depart from me, ye cursed, into EVERLASTING FIRE, prepared for the devil and his angels."
In Matthew 13:42, Jesus says: "And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth."
HELL IS FOREVER!
All who enter hell — abandon all hope!
The horror of hell — for even one second is unbearable — but FOREVER!
Jesus says in Matthew 25:41: ". . . Depart from me, ye cursed, into EVERLASTING fire, . . ."
Rev. 14:11: "The smoke of their TORMENT ascends up for EVER AND EVER: and they have NO REST DAY NOR NIGHT."
What could possibly be worth eternity in hell? No wonder Jesus Christ warned so much about hell! No wonder Jesus said in Mark 8:36, "For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and LOSE HIS OWN SOUL?"
Jesus Christ took hell very serious. . .
Jesus Christ says in Mark 9:43-47,
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: 45 And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: 47 And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire:
Jesus Christ took hell so serious — He could say without the slightest hesitation — to remove your eye, cut off your hand or foot, if that would keep you out of hell!
Jesus Christ knew exactly what He was talking about!
How did Jesus describe hell?
Jesus Christ spoke more on hell than any other subject. Just look at how Jesus described hell:
WHAT JESUS CHRIST SAYS ABOUT HELL!
"fire"Matt 7:19, 13:40, 25:41" everlasting fire"Matt 18:8, 25:41"eternal damnation"Mark 3:29"hell fire"Matt 5:22, 18:9, Mark 9:47 "damnation"Matt 23:14, Mark 12:40, Luke 20:47"shall be damned "Mark 16:16"damnation of hell"Matt 23:33"resurrection of damnation"John 5:29" furnace of fire"Matt 13:42, 50"the fire that never shall be quenched"Mark 9:43, 45 "the fire is not quenched"Mark 9:44, 46, 48"Where their worm dies not"Mark 9:44, 46, 48"wailing and gnashing of teeth"Matt 13:42, 50"weeping and gnashing of teeth "Matt 8:12, 22:13, 25:30"torments"Luke 16:23"tormented in this flame"Luke 16:24 "place of torment"Luke 16:28"outer darkness"Matt 8:12, 22:13"everlasting punishment"Matt 25:46
WHAT IF JESUS IS RIGHT?
Hebrews 9:27 says, "And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this THE JUDGEMENT:"
it is appointed unto man once to die . . . and one day — YOU will die. . .
And in hell He lift up his eyes, being in torments. . .
As you leave your body — you realize something is happening. You hear a sound. . . getting louder and louder. . . screaming . . .weeping. . . wailing. Terror and fear beyond anything you could imagine overtakes you. "This can't be happening!" you scream. Your nostrils are filling with the awful stench of burning souls. Your face ignites from the heat. Flames are now blazing from your eyes, nostrils, ears, mouth — every opening in your body, flames are roaring out. Your body is sizzling and crackling from the flames.
Your body is now madly thrashing and convulsing from the horrible pain. "Why don't I die?", you scream. You begin weeping and gnashing your teeth with the millions. "When will this pain stop?" But you know it will never stop. . .
The darkness is so terrifying, it begins engulfing you. You feel something moving in the darkness. . . something horrible is happening. "No! No! This can't be happening" you scream — as your worm is emerging.
You begin cursing the day you were born. You scream — "Oh God, why didn't you warn me?"— but you remember the preacher pleading with you to receive Jesus Christ. You remember reading that gospel tract. You cry — "God don't you care?" — but you remember John 3:16 "For God so loved the world, that He gave his only begotten Son,. . ." "God is a God of love — He won't allow this", you cry — but you remember John 3:36, ". . . he that believes not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abides on him."
And you soon realize, that Jesus Christ was right — there is a place called hell.
AND YOU ARE THERE — FOREVER!
But God is a God of LOVE. . . Why would a GOD OF LOVE send me to hell? Yes, God is a GOD OF LOVE — but God is also a HOLY GOD. A HOLY GOD demands payment for sin. Otherwise God would NOT and could NOT be HOLY.
Because God is holy sin MUST be condemned. Joshua 24:19 says, ". . He is a HOLY GOD;. . . He will NOT forgive your transgressions nor your sins."
BUT FRIEND I HAVE GOOD NEWS!
God does NOT want you in hell
Hell was not made for man. Matthew 25:41 says, hell was, ". . . prepared for the devil and his angels:"
Because God is a GOD OF LOVE, and He LOVED YOU so much, He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to this earth to die a cruel death on a cross to pay the price a HOLY GOD demands for your sins.
Romans 5:8 says, "But God commended His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."
God does not send someone to hell. You choose hell when you reject Jesus Christ. When you refuse God's love gift of eternal life in Jesus Christ. . .
YOU CHOOSE HELL!
Millionaire Ted Turner, said in an interview, "I'm looking forward to dying and being cast into Hell. That's where I belong." You say — he's a fool! But friend, when you say "No"; to Jesus Christ and His payment for your sin — you are saying the same thing! You're telling God — I don't need Jesus Christ — I'll pay for my sins in hell!
If you reject God's gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ
ONE DAY YOU WILL BE IN HELL!
What could possibly be worth eternity in hell?
No wonder Jesus Christ said in Mark 8:36, "For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?"
John 3:16 says, "For God so loved the world, that He gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life."
God has something far better than words can describe for those who love Him. I Corinthians 2:9 says, ". . . Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him."
Friend, there is a place called hell! And, if you continually refuse God's gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ — just as sure as you live and breathe, ONE DAY YOU WILL WAKE UP IN HELL!
Don't wait until you die to find out the truth about Hell! Tomorrow may be too late! Proverbs 27:1 says, "Boast not thyself of tomorrow: for you do not know what tomorrow holds."
Three people die every second, 180 every minute, since you started reading this — 2000 more people have gone into eternity! An automobile accident. . . A heart attack. . , A stroke. . .One thing is CERTAIN — you will DIE — today. . . tomorrow . . . a week. . . a month . . . a year. . . 5 years. . . 10 years. . . 20 years. . . 50 years — ONE THING IS CERTAIN —" . . .it is appointed unto man once TO DIE . . ."
DON'T BE CAUGHT DEAD WITHOUT JESUS!
You may have made some terrible mistakes in your life. There may be some things in your life you would give anything to be able to change. But friend, I assure you — if you die without Jesus Christ — it'll be the worst mistake you could possibly make!
Has there ever come a time and a place in your life, when you received Jesus Christ as your personal Savior?
If not, you are on the way to hell!
Don't let anyone convince you that when you die it will be all over! The Bible says in Hebrews 9:27, "And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this THE JUDGMENT." Revelation 20:15 says, "And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the LAKE OF FIRE."
If you've never received Jesus Christ as your Savior, bow your head this minute and ask the Lord Jesus Christ to save you.Don't put it off another second!
NOTHING IS WORTH TAKING THE CHANCE!
It's simple to be saved ...
Realize you are a sinner.
"As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:" Romans 3:10
"... for there is no difference. For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;" Romans 3:23
Realize you CAN NOT save yourself.
"But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousness are as filthy rags; ..." Isaiah 64:6
"Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy He saved us, ..." Titus 3:5
Realize that Jesus Christ died on the cross to pay for your sins.
"Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, ..." 1 Peter 2:24
"... Unto Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood," Revelation 1:5
Simply by faith receive Jesus Christ as your personal Savior.
"But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:" John 1:12
" ...Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house."" Acts 16:30,31
"For God so loved the world, that He gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16
WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE SAVED?
Pray this prayer, and mean it with all your heart.
Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner, and unless You save me I am lost forever. I thank You for dying for me on the cross. I come to You now, Lord the best way I know how, and ask You to save me. I now receive You as my Lord and Savior. In Jesus Name, Amen.