God's Punishment
GOD'S PUNISHMENT
Satan would like nothing better than to convince you that Hell does not exist. That it is just imaginary and a scare tactic used by churches and religious people to frighten you into going to church. With all the imaginations and jokes put aside, we find from God's Word that Hell is a real, literal, place. Call it a scare tactic if you want, but nevertheless, it still exists. Since we have already looked at the theological aspect of Hell, Sheol and Hades, the temporary; and Gehenna, the permanent residence—both torment; we will now look only at the context of the verses referring to these places.
We are eternally indebted to the Lord for giving us so much detail concerning the eternal destiny of the lost. We are going to list a few of the places that record God's judgment upon the lost.
"The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God."
"That the wicked is reserved to the day of destruction? they shall be brought forth to the day of wrath."
"Hell and destruction are before the Lord: how much more then the hearts of the children of men?"
"The way of life is above to the wise, that he may depart from hell beneath."
"Hell and destruction are never full; so the eyes of man are never satisfied.”
"Therefore hell hath enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure: and their glory, and their multitude, and their pomp, and he that rejoiceth, shall descend into it."
Hell from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy coming: it stirreth up the dead for thee, even all the chief ones of the earth; it hath raised up from their thrones all the kings of the nations."
Isaiah 28:15. The reasoning of man.
"Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge (i.e. judgment) shall pass through, it shall not come unto us..."
Now God answers their reasoning,
(Isaiah 28:18) "And your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden down by it."
Isn't this characteristic of the cults who make a covenant with Hell by reasoning away its existence, but at the judgment they will be swept away into the reality of God's Word concerning Hell.
"And they shall go forth and look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; And they (lost) shall be an abhorring unto all flesh."
"Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest: this shall be the portion of their cup."
"I made the nations to shake at the sound of his fall, when I cast him (Assyria) down to hell with them (lost) that descend into the pit..." ("sheol")
“... the uncircumcised which are gone down to hell with their weapons of war..."
"And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments,...And he cried and said... send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue: for I am tormented in this flame."
If this man would only have lifted up his eyes to Christ on earth, he would not be lifting them up in Hell. I hope, Dear Reader, that if you are not saved, you will right now trust Jesus Christ as your Savior, before it is too late.
"In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ; Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of His power."
"The Lord knoweth how to ... reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished."
"And the smoke of their (Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name."
"And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth (unbearable pain).
"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 whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire."
"But the fearful and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death."
What a terrifying account concerning the lost. God is a just God, and His judgment upon the sinner is more than justified. But another attribute of God is His love for the sinner. God, therefore, provided a substitute for you and I. The Lord Jesus Christ took on human flesh and made the payment for the sins of the world. This is the only provision God made for you and I. We have just viewed God's judgment for the sinner; now, let us view God's judgment on Christ as our provision for sin.