People don’t like hearing about hell today. However, the Bible mentions hell 167 times, and Jesus talked about it thirty-three times. Every time that hell is mentioned in the Bible, it’s presented as a place where you don’t want to go. To put it mildly, hell is not a desirable destination.
Two roads, two destinations
According to Jesus, there’s a road that leads to life and there’s also a road that leads to destruction (Matthew 7.13-14 ESV). The place of destruction is called hell. But that’s not the first stop.
In one of Jesus’ descriptions of the afterlife, he told about a man who died and went to a place called Hades (Luke 16.19-31 ESV). Hades (along with its Old Testament counterpart, Sheol) represented the place people go when they die apart from Christ. It’s where people are held until the final judgment happens when Christ returns. You can think of it as the Hades Hotel.
The man in Jesus’ story couldn’t find anything to relieve him of his anguish. He had lived for himself, and now he only had himself to blame. He chose the wrong road. He wanted nothing to do with God, and now God had given him exactly what he wanted. The man didn’t accuse God of being unfair or unjust. He knew where he was and why he was there.
He pleaded for the chance to go back and warn his family, so they wouldn’t eventually share his same fate. But he was told, “If they won’t listen to Moses and the prophets, they won’t listen even if someone rises from the dead” (Luke 16.31 NLT). The picture of Hades is one of fire, anguish, and separation.
The final judgment brings the lake of fire
But Hades isn’t the end of the story. When Christ returns and the final judgment is issued, the scene changes. Revelation 20.14 NIV says, “Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death.” This “lake of fire” is hell, the permanent, final destination for those who have rejected Christ.
Jesus describes this place eleven times by using the word Gehenna, meaning the “Valley of Hinnom.” That’s significant because in Jesus’ day, the Valley of Hinnom was like a landfill. The city’s trash was dumped and burned there, as were the bodies of executed criminals. It was a filthy, disgusting place. Hell is described as a place of utter darkness (Matthew 8.12 ESV). People in hell have no rest (Revelation 14.11 ESV), no hope, and no escape (Matthew 25.46 NIV).
Hell wasn’t made for people—but people go there
Why would God create a place like that? It’s important to realize that God didn’t create hell for people. Hell was created for Satan and the demons who joined his rebellion against God. Matthew 25.41 ESV says, “Then He will say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels.”
The problem is that we’re following the devil’s lead every time we sin. We commit our own acts of rebellion against God when we demand our own way, worship other things in God’s place, and demand that God leave us alone. When we follow Satan’s lead, we end up following him down the road that leads to destruction.
God wants everyone to turn and live
If everyone has sinned, then how can anyone avoid hell? Fortunately, God’s heart toward us is filled with love and mercy. That’s why He sent Jesus to absorb our punishment and purchase our forgiveness on the cross. He wants us in heaven, not in hell.
2 Peter 3.9 NIV says, “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promises, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” Despite our sin, God continues to draw us to Himself. He wants us to repent, turn around, and turn to Jesus before it’s too late.
This blog features an excerpt from one of our Student Series books, Reach Your World.
