The Bible Concept Of Hell Compared to Popular Belief
© 2001 William T. Barrett
Introduction
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Questions to Think About… |
If God intended for the wicked to live forever, why did He ban Adam and Eve from the Tree of Life after they had sinned? Gen. 3:22-24
Why does God promise the reward of Eternal Life to the righteous, if everyone, wicked or righteous, already has it?
Why does the Bible talk about the Second Death (Rev. 2:11; Rev. 20:6; Rev. 21:8) for the wicked if the wicked continue to live forever? Death is the opposite of Life!
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QUESTION/SCRIPTURE |
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Choose the answer to each question after reading the Bible texts which follow. |
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Question: Is Hellfire:
Deuteronomy 32:22 “For a fire is kindled in mine anger, and shall burn unto the lowest hell, and shall consume the earth with her increase, and set on fire the foundations of the mountains.” Luke 12:49 “I am come to send fire on the earth; and what will I, if it be already kindled?” Matthew 13:40 “As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world.” Answer: A ____ B ____ (Check one) Notes: |
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Question: Are the wicked dead:
Job 21:26-32 “They shall lie down alike in the dust, and the worms shall cover them. Behold, I know your thoughts, and the devices which ye wrongfully imagine against me. For ye say, Where is the house of the prince? and where are the dwelling places of the wicked? … Do ye not know … that the wicked is reserved to the day of destruction? they shall be brought forth to the day of wrath. Who shall declare his way to his face? and who shall repay him what he hath done? Yet shall he be brought to the grave, and shall remain in the tomb.” Job 3:11, 13, 17-19, 22 “Why died I not from the womb? … For now should I have lain still and been quiet, I should have slept: then had I been at rest… There the wicked cease from troubling; and there the weary be at rest. There the prisoners rest together; they hear not the voice of the oppressor. The small and great are there; and the servant is free from his master. Which rejoice exceedingly, and are glad, when they can find the grave?” Ecclesiastes 9:5,6 “For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten. Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished… Psalms 146:4 “His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish.” Answer: A ____ B ____ (check one) Notes: |
Question: Are the wicked angels and Satan:
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Suffering now in a burning hell
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Reserved until the judgment day, at the end of the world to be punished with fire
II Peter 2:4
“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;…”
Jude 6, 7
“And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day. Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, … are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.”
Answer: A ____ B ____ (check one)
Notes:
Question: Why will hell fire be prepared?
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So that Satan can burn and torture people in it.
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So that Satan and his evil angels can be burned up along with all the wicked.
Matthew 25:41, 46
“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… And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.”
II Peter 2:9
“The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished.”
Revelation 20:10
“And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone…”
Answer: A ____ B ____ (check one)
Notes:
Question: Is Hellfire:
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A place of fire in the earth
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Fire which comes down from God out of heaven and falls on the earth
Revelation 20:7, 9
“And when the thousand years are expired, Satan… shall go out to … gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. And they went up … and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.”
Malachi 4:1, 3
“For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, … it shall leave them neither root nor branch. … They shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the LORD of hosts.”
Answer: A ____ B ____ (check one)
Notes:
Question: Will Hellfire:
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Burn the wicked continually without end
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Burn up the wicked and then go out
Job 21:27, 29, 30
“Behold, I know your thoughts, and the devices which ye wrongfully imagine against me. For ye say, … where are the dwelling places of the wicked? Do ye not know…that the wicked is reserved to the day of destruction?
Nahum 1:9, 10
“What do ye imagine against the LORD? he will make an utter end: … they shall be devoured as stubble fully dry.”
Malachi 4:1, 3
“All that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, … it shall leave them neither root nor branch. … They shall be ashes…”
Isaiah 47:14
“Behold, they shall be as stubble; the fire shall burn them; … there shall not be a coal to warm at, nor fire to sit before it.”
Answer: A ____ B ____ (check one)
Notes:
Question: Will Hell fire:
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Destroy the body but not the soul of the wicked
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Destroy both body and soul of the wicked
Matthew 10:28
“And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.”
Ezekiel 18:4
“Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.”
Psalms 22:29
“All they that go down to the dust … and none can keep alive his own soul.”
Psalms 49:7, 8
“None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him: For the redemption of their soul is precious, and it ceaseth for ever.”
Answer: A ____ B ____ (check one)
Notes:
Question: Is immortality (not capable of dying):
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Something that the soul of a person now has, whether he/she is wicked or righteous
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Belongs only to God now, but will be given to the righteous at the second coming of Jesus
I Timothy 6:15, 16
“… The King of kings, and Lord of lords; Who only hath immortality…”
Romans 2:7
“To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life.”
I John 5:12
“He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.”
I Corinthians 15:53, 54
“For… this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.”
Answer: A ____ B ____ (check one)
Notes:
Question: Is Satan :
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Red and has horns and is very ugly
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A beautiful angel
Ezekiel 28:12-14
“Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty. Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God… Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth…”
Isaiah 14:12
“How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning!”
Revelation 12:7, 9
“And there was war in heaven… Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.”
II Corinthians 11:14, 15
“And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness.”
Answer: A ____ B ____ (check one)
Notes:
Question: Will the one supervising the burning of the wicked be:
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Satan
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Jesus, in the presence of the holy angels
Revelation 14:9, 10
“If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand,… and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb…”
Matthew 13:40-42
“… So shall it be in the end of this world. The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather … them which do iniquity; And shall cast them into a furnace of fire.”
Answer: A ____ B ____ (check one)
Notes:
Question: While in Hellfire, will the wicked:
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All burn for the same time (eternity)
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Each burn for a different length of time, depending on their wickedness, but will all finally be reduced to ashes and cease to exist, including Satan and his angels
Luke 12:47, 48
“And that servant, which knew his lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes.”
Nahum 1:9
“What do ye imagine against the LORD? he will make an utter end…”
Malachi 4:3
“And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet…”
Ezekiel 28:16, 18, 19
“I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, … a fire … shall devour thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth… and never shalt thou be any more.”
Answer: A ____ B ____ (check one)
Notes:
Question: Concerning the burning of the wicked and God, does He:
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Enjoy burning them
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Have no pleasure in their destruction by fire
Ezekiel 18:23
“Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord GOD: and not that he should return from his ways, and live?”
Ezekiel 33:11
“Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; …”
Isaiah 28:21, 22
“For the LORD shall rise up… as in the valley of Gibeon, that he may do his work, his strange work; and bring to pass his act, his strange act. …a consumption*, even determined upon the whole earth.”
* Heb. 3617 Kalah – completion, completely, utter destruction, full end, riddance
Joshua 10:10, 11
“And the LORD …slew them with a great slaughter at Gibeon,… the LORD cast down great stones from heaven upon them … and they died.”
Isaiah 30:30
“And the LORD shall cause his glorious voice to be heard …with the flame of a devouring fire… and hailstones.”
Answer: A ____ B ____ (check one)
Notes:
Question: When Jesus came to earth as a man, was His intention to:
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Allow the Devil to put Him to death but then get even with him by punishing him forever
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Die for us so that He could destroy death and destroy the Devil who had the power of death
Hebrews 2:14
“Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy* him that had the power of death, that is, the devil.”
* Gr. 2673 Katargeo – abolish, cease, destroy, do away, vanish away
Revelation 20:10
“And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone…”
Revelation 20:15
“And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”
Revelation 20:14
“And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.”
Answer: A ____ B ____ (check one)
Notes:
Question: Will the new heavens and new earth be created:
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While the wicked continue to burn in hellfire, experiencing pain while the righteous watch them with sorrow for eternity
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After hellfire has gone out and the wicked have ceased to exist and all pain and sorrow are gone for eternity
Revelation 20:14, 15
“And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”
Revelation 21:1, 4
“And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away… And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.”
Answer: A ____ B ____ (check one)
Notes:
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SCRIPTURE REFERENCE |
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Isaiah 14 12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! 13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: 14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. 15 Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit. Strong’s Concordance Hell Is. 14:15 thou shalt be brought down to h. 7585 |
Isaiah 38 9 The writing of Hezekiah king of Judah, when he had been sick, and was recovered of his sickness: 10 I said in the cutting off of my days, I shall go to the gates of the grave: I am deprived of the residue of my years. 18 For the grave cannot praise thee, death can not celebrate thee: they that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth. Strong’s Concordance Grave Is. 38:10 I shall go to the gates of the g. 7585 Is. 38:18 the g. cannot praise thee, death 7585 |
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Hebrew Dictionary 7585
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she’ôwl, sheh-ole’; or
she’ôl, sheh-ole’; from 7592; hades or the world of the dead (as if a subterranean retreat) incl. Its accesso-ries and inmates: -- grave, hell, pit|
Ezekiel 28 13 Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God… 15 Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee. 16 By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. 17 Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee. 18 Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffic; therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee. 19 All they that know thee among the people shall be astonished at thee: thou shalt be a terror, and never shalt thou be any more. Strong’s Concordance Devour Eze 28:18 It shall d. thee, and I will bring 398 |
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Hebrew Dictionary 398. ‘âkal, aw-kal’; a prim. root; to eat (lit. or fig.) – x at all, burn up, con-sume, devour (-er, up), dine, eat (-er, up), feed (with), food, x freely, x in … wise (-deed, plenty), (lay) meat, x quite |
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Psalm 37 20 But the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the LORD shall be as the fat of lambs: they shall consume; into smoke shall they consume away. Strong’s Concordance Consume Ps 37:20 c; into smoke shall they c away 3615 |
Psalm 104 35 Let the sinners be consumed out of the earth, and let the wicked be no more. Bless thou the LORD, O my soul. Praise ye the LORD. Strong’s Concordance Consumed Ps 104:35 Let the sinners be c out of the 8552 |
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3615. |
Hebrew Dictionary 8552. |
kâlâh, kaw-law’; a prim. root; to end, whether intr. (to cease, be finished, perish) or tran. (to complete, prepare, consume): -- accomplish, cease, consume (away), determine, destroy (utterly), be (when … were) done, (be an) end (of), expire, (cause to) fail, faint, finish, fulfil, x fully, x have, leave (off), long, bring to pass, wholly reap, make clean riddance, spend, quite take away, waste.
tâmam, taw-mam’; a prim. root; to complete, in a good or a bad sense, lit. or fig., trans. or intrans. (as follows): -- accomplish, cease, be clean, [pass-] ed, consume, have done, (come to an, have an, make an) end, fail, come to the full, be all gone, x be all here, be (make) perfect, be spent, sum, be (shew self) upright, be wasted, whole.|
What does the Bible mean by “Fire is not quenched”? |
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Mark 9 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: 48 Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. Jeremiah 17 27 But if ye will not hearken unto me to hallow the sabbath day, and not to bear a burden, even entering in at the gates of Jerusalem on the sabbath day; then will I kindle a fire in the gates thereof, and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem, and it shall not be quenched. |
II Chronicles 36 18 And all the vessels of the house of God, great and small, and the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king, and of his princes; all these he brought to Babylon. 19 And they burnt the house of God, and brake down the wall of Jerusalem, and burnt all the palaces thereof with fire, and destroyed all the goodly vessels thereof. 20 And them that had escaped from the sword carried he away to Babylon; where they were servants to him and his sons until the reign of the kingdom of Persia: 21 To fulfil the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed her sabbaths: for as long as she lay desolate she kept sabbath, to fulfil threescore and ten years. |
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BIBLE’S ANSWER |
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Fire that cannot be put out until it has burned up that which the Lord wants to destroy! |
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Summary of Bible Teachings (on hell fire) |
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Now, let’s see what some popular churches teach!
Popular Teaching
(Catholic Catechism)
Catholic Catechism
Catholic Catechism
