Did you know that Jesus spoke more about Hell than He did about Heaven? Not only did He want us to know what Hell is like, but He wanted to show us that we do not have to go there. Going to Hell is a choice that we all make and it is important to know that God did not create it as a place to punish us. Hell was created for Satan and the fallen angels that rebelled against God (Matthew 25:41).
The Bible gives a very strong description of what Hell is like. It has many chambers like a prison (Isaiah 24:22, Proverbs 7:27) and is dark (Lamentations 3:6, 2 Peter 2:4). Anyone that goes to Hell will be filled with hopelessness and depression (Psalm 28:1 and 116:3, Matthew 13:42). Those in Hell have no strength (Psalm 88:4, Isaiah 14:9-10). There are degrees of punishment depending on how you lived and if you perverted the Word of God (Matthew 23:13-14). It is a furnace of fire (Matthew 13:42). It is eternal (Matthew 25:41 and 46, 2 Thessalonians 1:8-9, Jude 1:6, Revelation 14:11 and 20:10).
Hell is a horrible place of torment. The Bible does not teach Purgatory as the Catholics do nor does it speak of annihilation as many false doctrines do. The worst part of Hell is that you are well aware of what is going on and why you are there. You are fully awake. There are no rest periods. There aren’t any times when you are let up from the torment. Here is the story of Lazarus and the rich man from Luke 16 verses 19-31:
"There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, and desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. 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; and in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. 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. 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 art tormented. 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. Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house: For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead."
Friends, Hell is eternal! It is a real place. The Bible is very clear, though, that going to Hell is a choice. Nobody has to go there. Jesus paid for our sins upon the cross as our ticket to Heaven, so that we can spend eternity with God and not in torment. The Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 10:9-10, “that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”
I want to end this post with a message from J.C. Ryle that I believe is pertinent to the times we are living in: "A flood of false doctrine has lately broken in upon us. Men are beginning to tell us “that God is too merciful to punish souls for ever…that all mankind, however wicked and ungodly…will sooner or later be saved.” We are to embrace what is called “kinder theology,” and treat hell as a pagan fable… This question lies at the very foundation of the whole Gospel. The moral attributes of God, His justice, His holiness, His purity, are all involved in it. The Scripture has spoken plainly and fully on the subject of hell… If words mean anything, there is such a place as hell. If texts are to be interpreted fairly, there are those who will be cast into it… The same Bible which teaches that God in mercy and compassion sent Christ to die for sinners, does also teach that God hates sin, and must from His very nature punish all who cleave to sin or refuse the salvation He has provided." — J.C. Ryle (1816-1900).