Hot Topic Question: What is Hell?

Continuing in our Hot Topic Question Series, we have the very common question of ‘what is Hell’? What is Hell actually? Today we are going to discuss the answer to that question.

When you ask people what Hell is, what it looks like, what they think of when they think of it, they will probably answer along the same lines. Dark. Fire everywhere. The lake of fire. Suffering. Punishment.

The Bible does not describe Hell in great detail. It talks about how it is the place of weeping and gnashing of teeth.

“As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. They will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears, let them hear.” ~ Matthew 13:40-43

The weeping and gnashing of teeth is a motif used seven times in the New Testament to describe Sheol or Hell or Hades. Hell, for one, is the place described as where unbelievers will go. It is known as a place of eternal punishment for sinners. As Heaven is for the righteous and believers in worshipful glee with the Father, Hell is for the unrighteous and nonbelievers in tearful destitution without Him.

However, I think there is a misconception that a lot of people have when it comes to Hell.

I have been asked and have heard others ask ‘how a loving God could create something as awful as Hell’. If God is loving, why wouldn’t He let everyone come party with Him up in Heaven? If all people are His children, He should redeem all of them.

The fundamental problem in that question being the assumption that Hell and love cancel each other out. You may be a bit confused. That’s okay because I’m about to explain.

Hell is a creation from love.

Let that settle in and process. You’re probably thinking to yourself how it would not be possible to create a place like that from love. A place where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth.

In flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the Gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will suffer the eternal punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His might. ~ 2 Thessalonians 1:8-9

Okay this verse still looks bad. You may even read it and think I am crazy. How does something like the flaming fire of inflicting vengeance equate to love? Well, read the second part again.

Hell is so awful because it is a place devoid of the presence of the Lord and His glory.

Everywhere on earth, God’s presence still remains. Love comes from God and it is something we show as humans constantly. Mercy. Compassion. Joy. All these things are produced from the presence of God. Our ability to ‘feel good’ comes completely from the Spirit of God still on this earth.

Yet, we all know sometimes life sucks. Sometimes, we look at earth and we feel a fear stir of the way it is. Especially right now. With the virus, with riots, with natural disasters. If our world is this bad with the Spirit of God, what would a place without it be like?

That’s Hell.

Hell is a place where there is no love. There is no joy. There is no compassion. There is no presence of the Lord to shine light and give warmth. See, in heaven there is no pain. Every tear will be wiped and we will return to our Lord’s arms as we are intended. Hell, there is no comfort. There is only pain because people finally get what they have always wanted. Independence from God.

Hell is created from love because God saw those who in their hearts do not want God and He said ‘fine, then I’ll build a place where I am not’. Hell is a place given from love to those who do not want God. Who will not believe.

I always use this example and sometimes it comes off as too harsh, so take it with a grain of salt. In high school, there was an atheist in my class who I would constantly talk about God with. Eventually in our talking and discussions, he looked me in the eye and said ‘Ashley, even if God Himself came down and appeared in front of me, I still would not choose Him’.

Hell was created for people like him.

And I’m not saying that from a place of hate or resentment. Not at all. I am acknowledging that even the Bible says there will be people, on their knees and confessing with their tongues that Jesus is Lord, who would rather go somewhere where He is not.

It is sad but it is a choice Jesus gives each of us.

Hell is a place created in love, completely devoid of it.

For Christ also suffered, once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison. ~ 1 Peter 3:18-19

Hell is also described as a prison. So imagine being oppressed, imprisoned, and as depressed as you have ever been. That is Hell. Honestly, I think we can experience some of Hell on earth. People who have lost all their love, who become bitter, who let their minds descend to darkness. I wonder if they do not get a glimpse of what it will be like.

I also do want to say something about God’s role in Hell.

God is not the Oprah of Hell.

People always laugh when I say that but I’m serious. God isn’t sitting there, tossing out one-way tickets to Hell like ‘you get to go to Hell, and you get to go to Hell, you all get to go to Hell!!’.

NO.

God doesn’t want ANYONE to go to Hell!

The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. ~ 2 Peter 3:9

The world has not ended (Peter referring to the Lord’s promise to return) because God wants to give as many of His children a chance to repent as possible. He loves you. He doesn’t want you to go to Hell.

You are given a choice.

You can believe or you can choose not to. Not making a ‘decision’ is choosing not to believe. Sure, there is plenty of ‘time’ until your time runs out in a sudden accident or you don’t wake up the next morning.

This is not a post meaning to scare anyone but to be educational. At camp, the most asked questions by children were about Hell. This is the answer I have found through the Bible, reflection, and discussion.

So to answer the Hot Topic Question, what is Hell? It is a place, whether a realm, a physical place manifested on earth we will not know, without the presence of God and characterized as being painful and oppressive.

I want to leave off with a quote from my Young Adults pastor before praying and ending off this post.

Your pursuit of Heaven should not stem from your fear of Hell. ~ Pastor Joey Pilgrim

I think it’s just a reminder, especially with the scary mention of a place we would prefer to pretend does not exist, to keep your eyes on Jesus. Not the other details.

God, thank you for loving us so much that you would be willing to create a place where your presence does not dwell. I am sorry that there are those who wish to be separated from you Lord. I know as a Father it must hurt your heart. Thank you for being willing to love me. For redeeming me. God the moment I see you in heaven, you are getting the biggest bear hug I can give you. I know you’ll forgive me for holding on maybe too long.

God, I pray for those searching, looking desperately for you and what to believe; I pray they would encounter you. God I pray a revival on earth. For souls who cry out to you, to find the living water and the bread of life. God I pray you would use me as your vessel. Send me out on the waters God. Send me into the storms. Help me to guide your children to your arms.

God I pray for the fears. For all the pain on this earth. The uncertainty of where we are. God I pray your sovereign hand continues over us. You have not once wavered. You are still in control as the earth spins out of control. Help us to remember. To depend on you. Not to let our peace falter, even when the world and security does.

In Jesus’ Name,

Amen.

Thanks for reading and I’ll see you next time on a light in the darkness. Comments are open down below if you have a question or something you want to say. You can always contact me via email! I look forward to hearing from you.

God bless!

~ Ashley

P.S. I hope by the time this blog comes out that the world chills out a lil. It’s June 7th and this is set to post in 16 days… so let’s hope all of the uncertainty lulls out for a moment.