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Tag: Hell

Pangs of Sheol

Written by LWOM Amsterdam on . Posted in Psalms, What’s new?.

What are the pangs of Sheol in Psalm 116:3?

Psalm 116, one of the Hallel Psalms, is a prayer of thanksgiving and praise in which the psalmist reflects on God’s healing deliverance from a life-threatening illness. He describes his agonizing ordeal in the throes of death: “The snares of death encompassed me; the pangs of Sheol laid hold on me; I suffered distress and anguish” (Psalm 116:3, ESV).

In the original Hebrew language, the word for “pang” means “an oppressive state of physical, mental, social, or economic adversity, distress, affliction, or anguish.” This word appears only in two other verses in the Bible: Psalm 118:5 and Lamentations 1:3.

Sheol is a transliterated Hebrew term used to refer to “the grave, the pit, or the tomb.” In Scripture, Sheol applies to the underworld or the realm of the dead (see Job 14:13; 1 Kings 2:6). Some older Bible translations incorrectly translate Sheol as “hell.” Psalm 89:48 asks, “What man can live and never see death? Who can deliver his soul from the power of Sheol?” (ESV). Death is the destiny of every person, but hell is not. The New Testament equivalent to Sheol is hades (Greek), which also refers to “the place of the dead.”

The psalmist’s torment is so great that he believes the underworld has come to claim him. The ESV speaks of “the pangs of Sheol”; other translations have “the anguish of the grave” (NIV), “the terrors of the grave” (NLT), and “the horrors of the grave” (GW). In his terrified frame of mind and tormented physical state, the psalmist is convinced that his hour of death has arrived. Later, he declares, “For you, Lord, have delivered me from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling” (Psalm 116:8).

While an ancient Hebrew cantor might say, “The snares of death encompassed me; the pangs of Sheol laid hold on me,” a modern-day worshiper may sing, “Death stared me in the face, hell was hard on my heels” (The Message), or “I was wound in the wrappings of death; the terror of dying and the grave had a grip on me” (The Voice). One thing is sure: the psalmist was convinced he was as good as dead before the Lord saved and delivered him.

In the New Testament, Peter refers to “the pangs of death” in connection with Christ’s resurrection: “God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it” (Acts 2:24, ESV). Since Jesus Christ is the resurrection and life (John 14:6, 25), death and the underworld have no hold on Him and no power to defeat Him.

Heaven or hell

Written by LWOM Amsterdam on . Posted in Eternal Judgment, What’s new?.

What determines if a person goes to heaven or hell?

John 3:16–18 says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.” Apart from the work of Jesus Christ, every human is condemned to an eternity in hell (Revelation 20:15). But God has freely offered the gift of heaven. What determines if a person goes to heaven or hell for eternity is whether that person has been reconciled to God through Jesus Christ (Romans 4; Galatians 3:23–29; Hebrews 11).

Going to hell is the default position of humanity. Going to heaven is the free gift of God’s grace, received by faith, offered to all people (Ephesians 2:1–10). God wants people to be reconciled with Him, so He provided the way (John 14:6). Every person is invited to go to heaven.

Going to heaven or hell has everything to do with God’s act of rescue. When God created the world, everything was very good (Genesis 1:31). He created humanity in His image. He provided food for them but told them there was one tree from which they were not allowed to eat. They were to trust His provision, follow His commands, remain in close relationship with Him, and experience fullness of life. But they were also free to disobey Him, which would result in death (Genesis 2:15–17; Romans 6:23).

Adam and Eve, the first humans, ate the forbidden fruit (Genesis 3). This is commonly called “original sin,” and it has lasting effects. Our relationship with God, with one another, and with the created world are broken. Death is now a reality in our world. The sin of Adam is passed down to all his descendants—all of humanity (Romans 5:12).

But even as God explained to Adam and Eve what their disobedience would mean, He promised a Savior (Genesis 3:15, 21)! One would come who would ultimately restore humanity to God.

That Savior is Jesus Christ. Jesus is “God with us” (Matthew 1:20–23). He is fully God and fully human. He was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born to a virgin named Mary. He is God in the flesh, the one who reconciles humans and God (1 John 4:2). He is the Creator who entered into His creation in order to restore it to Himself (Colossians 1:15–19).

Jesus lived a fully human life, including undergoing temptation to sin, and He perfectly obeyed all of God’s ways (Romans 5:12–21; Hebrews 4:14–16). He willingly died on the cross as a payment for our sin (John 10:17–18; Hebrews 9:14—10:18; 1 Peter 3:18). From the cross, He proclaimed, “It is finished” (John 19:30). Jesus rose from the dead, demonstrating that He is who He claims and that He is victorious over sin and death (1 Corinthians 15:3–8, 50–57). All who put their faith in Him receive forgiveness of sin (Colossians 2:13–15). Jesus takes their sin and gives them His righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:18–21; Ephesians 2:1–10). Because of that forgiveness, they will go to heaven.

Whether a person goes to heaven or hell has everything to do with God. He freely offers the gift of eternity in heaven with Him. He invites everyone to believe, to submit to Him as Lord, to receive His rescue, and to enjoy fullness of life in Him (Hebrews 4:1–13).

Do you know whether you will go to heaven or hell? If not, settle the issue now. If you have questions about who God is or what salvation is, we would be happy to help. If you understand that you are separated from God and that He has provided the means of forgiveness and reconciliation, receive His offer of salvation today by faith! Romans 10:9–10 says, “If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.”

There is no special prayer you must pray. But if you would like an example of how you can pray to receive God’s gift, we suggest something like this:

God, I know that I have gone against your ways, that I rightly deserve condemnation. I know that you are loving, merciful, gracious, and just. I believe that you have made reconciliation possible. I believe that Jesus is the only Savior, and I submit to Him as Lord. I believe He is fully God, fully human, lived a perfect life, died on the cross for my sins, and rose from the dead bodily. I believe His sacrifice is sufficient for my sins and that His righteousness can be applied to me. Please forgive me. Please make me your child through Jesus Christ. Please give me your Spirit and complete your work of sanctification in me. Thank you for your salvation.

Jesus’ teaching on hell

Written by LWOM Amsterdam on . Posted in Eternity in Hell, What’s new?.

What was Jesus’ teaching on hell?

Regarding hell, C. S. Lewis once wrote, “There is no doctrine which I would more willingly remove from Christianity than this, if it lay in my power. But it has the full support of Scripture and, specially, of Our Lord’s own words; it has always been held by Christendom; and it has the support of reason. If a game is played, it must be possible to lose it” (The Problem of Pain, HarperCollins, 1940, pp. 119–120). Jesus taught frequently about hell—in fact, we learn far more about hell from Jesus’ words than from any other part of Scripture.

Jesus used the Valley of Hinnom near Jerusalem as an illustration of hell (Mark 9:47–48). This valley, also called Gehenna, was used as a public dump where garbage, dead animals, corpses of criminals, and all manner of uncleanness constantly burned. Jesus spoke of hell as “outer darkness” (Matthew 8:12). He mentioned fire in relation to hell at least twenty times (e.g., Matthew 5:22; 18:9).

Jesus consistently contrasted hell with the kingdom of God. Hell is the only alternative to an eternity spent in God’s kingdom. It is the opposite of perfect fellowship with God forever. We will summarize Jesus’ teaching related to hell with five words: reality, rebellion, regret, relentlessness, and reconciliation.

  • Reality: Jesus taught that hell is a real place where some beings will spend eternity (Matthew 23:33, 25:41; Mark 9:43). In Jesus’ teaching, hell is not figurative or symbolic; it is a real place in which real experiences take place. Jesus portrayed what hell is like with vivid imagery such as fire and darkness (Matthew 5:22; 8:8–12).
  • Rebellion: According to Jesus, hell is a place for those who reject God, rebelling against His kingship and refusing His grace. Jesus’ parables consistently portray people rejecting God’s invitation to fellowship, and the only alternative to fellowship with God is an eternity in hell (Matthew 22:1–14; Luke 14:15–24). Sin is a form of rebellion against God, and hell is the just punishment for sin (Matthew 5:22). The devil and his minions are the original rebels against God, and they will suffer eternally in hell, which has been prepared for them (Matthew 25:41).
  • Regret: Jesus does not portray hell as a pleasant place or even a neutral state. To the contrary, it is a place of torment (Mark 9:48). As the dark place outside of God’s kingdom of light, hell is full of pain and regret “There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 13:42; see also Matthew 22:13; 24:51; Luke 13:28).
  • Relentlessness: Based on Jesus’ teaching, hell is not temporary, but eternal. Those who suffer in hell will suffer forever. “The fire never goes out,” Jesus said (Mark 9:48, NLT; cf. Matthew 25:46). There is no exit from hell, and no respite from it or comfort in it (see Luke 16:19–31).
  • Reconciliation: Thankfully, there is one way to escape hell before entering. God offers us reconciliation with Him, so that we never have to experience hell. That reconciliation was made possible through the death and resurrection of His Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus, the One who warned us about hell so often, is the One who saves us from hell. Through faith in Christ, anyone can be reconciled to God, apart from personal merit or virtue. Jesus gives the promise, “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life” (John 5:24).

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son” (John 3:16–18).

If you have not trusted Him yet, don’t delay any longer. Turn to Him today, because someday it will be too late.

Bottomless pit

Written by LWOM Amsterdam on . Posted in Revelation, What’s new?.

What is the bottomless pit (Revelation 9:1-12)?

“Bottomless pit” is one word in the Greek of the New Testament and is literally the “abyss,” which means “bottomless, unbounded, the pit, or the immeasurable depth.” Roman mythology featured a similar place called Orcus, a very deep gulf or chasm in the lowest parts of the earth used as the common receptacle of the dead and, especially, as the abode of demons. The bottomless pit of Revelation 9:1-12 holds a unique type of demon. It is also the home of the beast who makes war against the two witnesses (Revelation 11:7-8). At the beginning of the millennial kingdom, the bottomless pit is the place where Satan is bound (Revelation 20:1-3). At the end of the thousand years, Satan is released and promptly leads an unsuccessful revolt against God (Revelation 20:7-10).

The bottomless pit may be associated with a place called Tartarus. This Greek word is translated as “hell” and is used only once in Scripture, in 2 Peter 2:4. It refers to the place where “angels who sinned” are reserved in chains of darkness for judgment. The NIV says these angels in Tartarus are held in “gloomy dungeons.” These same angels are also mentioned in Jude 6 as the angels who “abandoned their own home” (cf. Genesis 6:2).

If Tartarus is the same as the Abyss, then the inhabitants of the bottomless pit are the same angels who sinned and left their first habitation. God uses the bottomless pit as a holding place for the most evil of angels, including Satan himself and those who tried and failed before the Flood to thwart God’s plan to bring the Seed of the woman into the world (Genesis 3:15). The inhabitants of the Abyss are released for a very short time during the last three and a half years of the tribulation to fulfill God’s purpose, namely, to torment the wicked (Revelation 9:5). These prisoners of the bottomless pit hate humanity and seek to destroy them, but God controls their terror and limits their power.