Lesson #6
Our Lord’s Warning
Christ, who is all knowing, tells us that many people are going to be lost in eternity. In Matthew 7:13-14 He says, "Enter by the narrow gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it". According to the Bible the majority of people will be lost. We must take this warning seriously. The Lord says that only a few people will be saved.
How few can few be? In 1 Peter 3:20 (KJV) we read, "When once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was preparing, wherein few, that is eight souls were saved by water." The conservative estimate of the number of people on the face of the earth in the days of Noah is two hundred million (200,000,000) people. But only eight (8) out of the estimated two hundred million (200,000,000) were saved. This is not very good odds. I’m not saying that this is the same ratio of those who will go to Heaven. Even though the Bible says in 1 Peter 3:9 that the Lord is "not willing that any should perish", Jesus says in Matthew 7:13-14 concerning eternal life in Heaven that "there are few who find it". The vast majority of people will spend forever and ever in the eternal fires of Hell that will never be extinguished. Mankind cannot comprehend how horrible that Hell is going to be.
There are only two roads to eternity and everyone of us are on one or the other. If we miss Heaven, we will be thrown into the eternal fires of Hell forever. One of the saddest things about being thrown into Hell is the fact that it could have been avoided. The majority of people will be lost in spite of what the Lord has done. Hell is not what God does to us, but Hell is what one does to himself. A person who ends up in Hell is his own worst enemy and only has himself to blame. Let us make going to Heaven our number one priority in this life.
According to the U. S. News & World Report, January 31, 2000, 36% of people do not believe in Hell. But Hell is a real place. To say there is no Hell is to make God a liar. "Let God be true and every man a liar" (Romans 3:4). Satan does not want us to believe in Hell. Satan is accomplishing his purpose since there is very seldom any teaching on Hell today. It is not a "politically correct" subject. A person who does not believe Hell is real will most likely go there. Ignoring or scoffing at Hell will not do away with it. Jesus spoke as much about the eternal punishment of Hell as He did any other subject. He does not want us to go to Hell, because He took our punishment and gave His life to keep us out of Hell. In His attempt to persuade us not to go there, He has given us numerous warnings in His word.
Jesus tells us if there is anything in our life that is going to cause us to be lost, to get rid of it rather than "to be cast into Hell fire, where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched" (Mark 9:47-48). Notice Jesus says a person is cast or thrown into Hell. The worm is a flesh-eating maggot that does not die, but will continuously feed forever and ever on the lost in Hell. Hell is not annihilation, because people will be tormented there forever and ever. In Hell, one is burning over every square inch of his body, but is never consumed. The continuous fire and the worms will never accomplish the annihilation of any of the lost. The lost in Hell will prefer to cease their existence, but they cannot. Their perpetual nightmare of torment will continue forever and ever. It will never cease. The lost "shall be tormented with fire and brimstone…and the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night" (Revelation 14:10-11). The occupants of Hell will never know relief or rest from their torment. Hell is such a horrible place and is beyond our comprehension.
One of the many warnings Jesus gives us is the true account of the rich man and Lazarus. "There was a certain rich man"... and "there was a certain beggar named Lazarus"..."And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. Then 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. But Abraham said, son remember…and besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us" (Luke 16:19-20, 23-26). Notice it says there was a certain rich man and a certain beggar named Lazarus. This is not a fictitious fairy tale. In Hell people will be in continual unceasing torment in which all will be constantly pleading for mercy. With their unquenchable thirst they will beg for even one drop of water, but will not receive it. Their desperate and hopeless state is permanent where they will remain eternally. They are condemned there forever. In Hell people are conscious and will see, feel, wail, and remember as they endure the intense pain. An unconscious, nonexistent person cannot be eternally tormented.
On the Day of Judgment, Jesus will say to the lost, "Depart from Me, you cursed; into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his angels" (Matthew 25:41). "The Devil who deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever…And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire" (Revelation 20:10, 15). This will not be very good company, because the Devil and his angels will be thrown there. Also the vast majority of people will be lost in Hell (Matthew 7:13).
Some members of the Lord’s church will be lost in Hell. Jesus says, "But the sons of the kingdom will be cast into outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth" (Matthew 8:12), and "wailing" (Matthew 13:42). Notice there will be weeping, wailing, and gnashing of teeth with people constantly screaming because of the intense pain of Hell. They will be cast into outer darkness, away from the presence of the Lord, who is the source of all light and love. "God is light and in Him is no darkness" (1 John 1:5). Those lost in Hell will be those "whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever" (2 Peter 2:17). Those in Hell will attempt to find God, "Then they will call on Me, but I will not answer; they will seek Me diligently, but they will not find Me" (Proverbs 1:28). They will not be able to forget their rejection of God.
Hell is for those who "do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil" (Romans 2:8-9). Disgrace, shame, and contempt can only come on those who are conscious. Those who are lost have "a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation" (Hebrews 10:27). At the end of time, "the wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all ungodliness" (Romans 1:18). "The Lord knows how to…reserve the unjust under punishment for the Day of Judgment" (2 Peter 2:9). Hell must be avoided at all costs. No one can exaggerate how horrible Hell is going to be. Its misery and anguish is beyond description. It will never, never, never, never, ever end!
We are being warned, "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God" (Hebrews 10:31) and "Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord we persuade men" (2 Corinthians 5:11). We must make sure we don’t end up in Hell, and we must warn other people who will listen. We "must be even more diligent make your calling and election sure" (2 Peter 1:10). Anyone who ends up in Hell will only have himself to blame.
Questions Lesson
#6
Our Inheritance Of
Heaven
(Click on the button of the answer
of your choice)
1) (Matthew 7:13-14) How many people will be saved in Heaven?
Many.
Few.
Everyone.
2) The majority of people are going to be saved in Heaven.
3) (1 Peter 1:20) How many people were saved in Noah's day from the flood?
Millions.
Eight.
Many.
4) God was longsuffering with the people in Noah's day.
5) (Mark 9:47-48) How long will the fire of Hell burn?
Not very long.
A billion years.
It will never be quenched.
6) The lost will be cast or thrown into Hell.
7) (Revelation 14:10-11) The smoke of the torment of Hell ascends
Just for a little while.
Forever and ever.
Until it burns out.
8) People in Hell will be able to rest.
9) (Luke 16:19-20, 23-26) How much water was the rich man in Hell begging for?
A glass of water.
A gallon of water.
Enough to cool his tongue.
10) If one is in Hell, he will eventually be able to leave.
11) (Revelation 20:10, 15) Hell is described as
A small fire.
A place of enjoyment.
A lake of fire and brimstone.
12) The torment of Hell will go on day and night, forever and ever.
13) (2 Peter 2:17) In Hell there will be
Plenty of light.
The blackness of darkness forever.
Some light.
14) (Matthew 8:12) There will be some "sons of the kingdom" or members of the Lord's church cast into Hell.
15) (Hebrews 10:27) What will the unfaithful member of the Lord's church have
Only a scolding from God.
A certain fearful expectation of judgment and fiery indignation.
God will overlook what he has dong.
16) (Romans 2:8-9) Hell is for those who do not faithfully obey the truth.