Some Facts about Hell
Luke 16:19-31
The topic for this lesson is not a very popular topic, but it is an extremely important topic that deals with where you will spend eternity. Many today will tell you that hell is not real or does not really exist. Some say that it is a state of mind. Others say that when a person dies nothing happens, the soul is destroyed or sleeps forever. It is amazing how many people believe in Heaven but do not want to believe in Hell.
The truth is you cannot have heaven without hell. Jesus spoke of both, and as a matter of fact he spoke more about Hell than he did Heaven. That makes perfect sense when you think about it. Since there is a real place called Hell and it is a place of torment and suffering, Jesus was trying to warn people about going to such a place.
In this lesson we will give some fact about Hell from the word of God. There is not enough time in one lesson to give all the things that the word of God says regarding Hell. So, we will cover the basics.
Is Hell a real place:
Hell is a real place and Jesus spoke more about it than he did Heaven. From our passage in Luke 16 we see that Hell is a real place. Many will argue that the passage in Luke 16 is a parable, but it is not. Note that real names were used and that the word of God does not mark this as a parable.
Jesus gives a specific warning about the place called Hell in Mark 9:42-48. He is quoting from the Old Testament book of Isaiah 66:24. If Hell were not a real place, then Jesus would not have given such a stern warning concerning keeping yourself out of this place.
These passages are important because it is Jesus personally warning someone about going to Hell and he is also showing the harsh realities for any who go to this place.
Where is Hell?
According to our main passage of Study Hell is in the heart of the Earth, and it is separated from Abraham’s bosom by a great gulf. Now we know that this is the heart of the earth because Jesus said that he would spend 3 days 3 nights in the heart of the earth (Matthew 12:40). Jesus also told the repentant thief on the cross “to day shalt thou be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43). Jesus also went to the Hell side because as we see in the book of Acts it had been prophesied that Jesus’ soul would not be left in Hell (Acts 2:25-31). Therefore, we see that Hell is in the center of the earth. This is why most passages in the word of God when referencing Hell refer to it as down or downward (Ezekiel 32:27 ; Isaiah 14:15).
What happens to a person in Hell?
In the passage we are studying for this lesson (Luke 16:19-31), we learn a lot about what happens to a person in Hell. Now we must remember that it is a person’s soul that goes to hell and that the soul has a bodily form which is tormented in Hell.
The passage says that hell is a place of torment. Below we will list some ways in which a person is tormented in Hell.
- They are tormented by the flames of Hell (verse 24). Many say the flames cannot be real because they would eventually consume a person. Remember that it is the soul that is burning in hell, and it cannot be consumed. It can however be tormented just as we see the rich man’s soul tormented in the passage.
- They are tormented by their memory (verse 25). Note that the rich man is told to remember. In Hell a lost person can remember their life on earth, and they will probably remember every opportunity they had to go to heaven but rejected the Lord Jesus Christ.
- They are tormented by the fact that they cannot escape (verse 26). There is no escape from Hell.
- They are tormented by the thoughts of other loved ones coming to such a place (verse 27-31). The rich man did not want any of his brethren to come to this place of torment. This shows us how awful Hell really is.
What is the destiny of Hell?
After the Tribulation and the Millennial Reign of the Lord Jesus Christ on this earth is an event called the Great White Throne Judgment. At this time Death and Hell will deliver up the dead that are in them to be Judged at the Great White Throne Judgment. Then Death and Hell will be thrown into the Lake of Fire along with whosoever was not found written in the Lambs book of life. This is the second death (Revelation 20:11-15).
The punishment in the Lake of Fire is eternal and we see this from passages like Revelation 14:11. This is also shown by comparing Revelation 19:20 with Revelation 20:10.
What is the only good thing about the Lake of Fire?
The only good thing we see from the scriptures about the Lake of Fire is that it was not created for you. It was created for the devil and his angels (Matthew 25:41). God never intended for man to go to this horrible place. This is the reason that God sent his son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to die on the cross in our place.
If you are not saved, you should trust the Lord Jesus Christ as your savior today before it is too late. (John 3:16 ; Romans 10:9-13 ; Acts 16:31 ; Ephesians 2:8-9)
Some Facts about Hell : Handout
Luke 16:19-31
1) What are some verses that we can use to show that Hell is real?
2) What makes these verses so important?
3) Where is Hell located? Give references.
4) Give a description of what a person in Hell will endure.
5) What will eventually happen to the place called Hell one day?
6) How long will the ones who end up in the Lake of Fire be punished? Give a reference.
7) Who was everlasting fire created for? Give a reference.
8) How can you avoid going to Hell and the Lake of Fire?